In Reply to: A thought on 1st timers to Bali posted by Hillary on Saturday, 19. February 2005 at 09:08 Bali Time:
I agree with Angela, everyone should have a 3-4 day indoctrination in Kuta as part of their 1st Bali trip. Things have certainly changed a lot since we started visiting Bali in the late 70's when my wife worked for Garuda in Sydney. Airfares were so cheap for us back then so we travelled to Bali regularly.
I remember my 1st time vividly though as if it were only yesterday, sitting in the Taksi just outside the airport stuck in traffic (as usual), I look to my left and here is a man urinating in the ditch by the side of the road in full view of passers by, the Taksi moves 50m further on and here is a lady in the same ditch nude as a jaybird having a wash....HELLO.....what is not normal about this picture I recall asking myself.
And I see complaints here about broken concrete footpaths etc.... hahaha.....back in the early days there were no footpaths in Kuta at all...who can remember the moat like drains outside all the Kuta shops (most were only stalls back then), you would have to risk life and limb climbing over makeshift bridges and boards setup by stall holders over the exposed drains to get into their shop, so most bargaining was done from out in the street.
I see newbies here complaining about the hawkers being aggressive....humbug.....in the early days there were no Travel Forums or advice given over the internet to pre-warn the Bali Virgins what to expect....so most were shocked by their first Bali experience but having said that, I have now lost count of the Bali visa stamps in my passport...we just love the place.
This was not meant to be a "back in my day" lecture to the young ones although reading back over it before I submit the post, it reads that way. No, this is simply a walk down memory lane for me and a share with other BTF readers of my 1st time memories. I have been going to Bali regularly since the late 70's and since that time I have seen dramatic changes for the better in relation to travellers comforts, God knows what things were like for the Bali pioneers (pre-1970's)... would love to hear it from them.....
As a Bali "old timer" my tip is take a cheap package like 4-5 nights at The Bounty or other nice clean hotel close to the action (ex-East Coast at around $800 or so)get all the shopping, nightclubbing, S&S, and culture shock out of the way...then book a week at Sanur to relax before heading back home.
AAAHHhhhhhh roll on March...I can taste that icy cold Bintang now MMMMmmmmm
Cheers
Don