In Reply to: glad you posted by mackas on Saturday, 19. February 2005 at 11:55 Bali Time:
Hi Maryanne, scooby told me a bit about you and your hubby and he is very grateful for your efforts to help him.
As far as our thought on Bali go - What a culture shock!!!
That first ride from the airport to the hotel was just like a ride on the magical mystery tour. I knew i was going to a third world country and had receivd so much advice, but i dont think anything can truly prepare you for that initial slap in the face with the reality of it all. After the firs full day of being a little worried on the streets it became quite a fun game. I honestly dont think I would stay in the Kuta-Legian area next time as we now realise there are far more relaxed places to spend some relaxation time. For shopping its great if you want the market bargains, but just not being able to walk out of the hotel without hearing shouts of "Transport?" or "Braid your hair?" etc. etc. really began to get irritating after a couple of days.
When you get away from that environmen and actually speak to locals you realise just how welcoming and friendky they really are.
One thing that stood out for me was how many times we were thanked just for coming to Bali. The people realise just how much thy need us there and are willing to go out of their way to please the tourists. Overall it was a fantastic experience and we learned a lot.
Next trip we will arrive with experience and i'm sure we will enjoy it even more. Thanks for putting me in contact with scooby, he was a big help.