Posted by PAUL on Friday, 30. October 1998 at 05:25 Bali Time:
In Reply to: RE: BEWARE BALI posted by Missy on Thursday, 29. October 1998 at 23:20 Bali Time:
I have been to Bali many times and I can feel for Missy. However I would like to say that no person should be put of from going to Bali. I went there in January this year and I was back again in March. I did not eat from the carts and nor did I drink the water. Three weeks after I came back in March I was in Hospital for a week on a drip the result was a micro perforation of the bowell (ouch) The specialists said that I had gained an infection of which they could not pinpoint. The only thing I could put it down to was possibly an ice cream that I started waffing into that smelt different. I threw the rest out...but the doctor said (infectious deseases expert) that I could have got it in Bali or just as likely out of a Bay maree here in Melbourne. I was very ill anyway.
I have since been back twice this year and I can confidently say that you can be careful and it still doesn't matter. A lot of my friends go to Bali with a portable chemist in their suitcase and they get the cramps and the runs. Most of these people it is a combination of psycho-sematic and a change of diet. The real Bali belly as I SEE IT! is definately what missy had...and boy I feel for you it is not nice at all. I thought I was going to die also.
However in regards to the ice.......It is all government supplied..it arrives in big blocks on trucks early in the morning and it is absolutley fine. Everybody buys it and even the carts holders use it. (most do not have an icemaking machines) The water in all the good hotels comes from a well/bore that is very deep and most is put through a purifyer before being put into the ice making machine. It is not good for business to poison your guests.
Yes you can get Bali Belly, however I don't think you will get it from the water in the bottles or from the ice. The annoying part is that if you do get really sick (Like missy and I) you most probably wont be able to pinpoint what it was.
Having said all that I love Bali and go there a hell of a lot. Enjoy your holiday and be cogniscant of the carts but everything else is generally fine....( a hell of a lot better than 15 years ago).....Do not preoccupy your thought process with getting sick as you will end up being paranoid and you will talk yourself into the runs.
Just enjoy your holiday and if the restaurant is full then 50% of the people in it will be return guests.
Go and have a good holiday