In Reply to: Car Hire Vs Driver posted by lizabella on Friday, 22. April 2005 at 20:09 Bali Time:
The price difference between hiring a car and getting a car with a driver is very small, unless you really need 24 hour access to the car.
If you ask around, you will be able to find a driver who doesn't mind doing an overnight stay. Depending on the driver, you might even want him to show you around wherever you are. You might even wind up at his family's house at some point. You will be expected to pay for his meals and accomodation. That doesn't mean you have to put him up in a five-star hotel and serve him lobster, even if that's what you guys are planning for yourselves. But you should definitely pay for basic meals and accomodation. He may take the money and stay with friends in the town anyway, but that's fair enough.
When I've used drivers overnight, I was by myself, so he basically came with me wherever I went, unless he had to go and visit someone or do something else. As a couple, you might not want him hanging around that much, so you might want to slip him a few bob to go and play pool while you spend some quality time together.
And if you know you are going to be somewhere for a long time and know you won't need your driver, don't make the poor bugger wait around for six hours for you to return (though Indonesians are champions at sitting around waiting). He may have other money-making opportunities to take advantage of during this idle time.
Driving yourself isn't worth the hassel. For starters, the driver doesn't get to looky-look as much. Secondly, why drive when you can ride? Thirdly, if you have an accident, it is your fault, because you are a foreigner and if you hadn't gone to Bali in the first place, there would not have been an accident. This is perfectly logical -- just not to us. And you will pay big bucks. It's not worth the risk. Oh, and there's a fair chance you'll be pulled over and fined for being in possession of white skin. It happens -- the fines are small enough, but then so is paying a driver, who needs the money to feed a family.
Just get a driver.