In Reply to: A LOT of questions! posted by nyc_to_bali on Saturday, 17. July 2004 at 09:23 Bali Time:
I'll try to answer a few of your questions...Tegal Sari is terrific and there's Zen Spa right down the block (zenbalispa.com) that you can book over the internet (try the Mandi Lulur). Boxes of colored pencils and paper are very welcome by the children and I passed a batch out to great smiles. Avoid the timeshare 'scams' and just be a savvy NYer. I wouldn't recommend taking anything to the beach that you don't mind losing...I've had people begging for my beach towel! The Balinese are remarkably lovely people with sensational and eclectic artistic talents. You'll find tons of stuff to bring back with you with little problem at all. Bartering is sport for the Balinese, but please don't play games unless you truly plan on purchasing something. It's offensive to work down a price and then refuse to pay when they agree. Pick something up that you aren't interested in and then ask the price. Then go to what you're really interested in and start the bargaining process with a set price on what you're willing to pay. When that price is met, purchase the item. I was last in Bali a week prior to the bombings, so I don't know what the anti-American sentiment is, but I had no problems letting people know I was from California. Go see the dancing, the artwork, the temples, eat the food, enjoy the climate and the pace, the scent of the incense, the swaying of the rice paddies, and the stunning smiles on these wonderful people. Don't forget to offer a JBR and let us know how it went for you. You should be changed forever by the experience. I'll be heading there for a couple of months at the end of the year and I'm chomping at the bit right now. Enjoy!