In Reply to: The Know It All's that have never been! posted by didiaust on Monday, 3. October 2005 at 08:31 Bali Time:
Life is too short to hide away, wrap yourself in cotton wool or bury your head in the sand. What has happened is another crying tragedy for the beatiful, friendly and needy Balanese people.
They have never deserved this, nor the innocent victims. They need us tourists more than anything. They struggled and slowly fought their way back from the first wicked disaster, they probably need us more than ever now. Bali and it's people are too beautiful for us not to go there, support them and enjoy every minute of their hospitality and friendship.
My wife and I are still determined to go back in mid November for ten days and we will love it because of the friends we have made over there. Friends who count on us, count on tourism for their very livelihood.
I suggest there are probably about 30 to 40,000 tourists throughout Bali on any given day. The sad, sad deaths of about 25 tourist and local innocent lives do not equate to overall percentages when you are trying to weigh up your chances of survival in any given place.
'They'cannot blow up all of Bali or all of it's people or visitors at any one time. It is a huge and bustling place. There 'may' be some more victims in the future, but the chances of it being 'You' is still very, very, very slim and remote. Consider it!
So probably, you have a far greater chance of dying of lightning strike, shark or crocodile attack, heart attack or stroke, or just simply getting run over crossing the road in Sydney Road Melbourne, or George Street Sydney!! Wayward taxis, buses and trams (not to mention drunken drivers) can be instantly deadly!!
All our names are written in 'the Book' and our time is only 'up' when our name or number 'comes up'. Simple as that! It is really all pre-determined for all of us. So why hide away and be scared of anything that has a miniscual possibility of happening to you.
I am middle aged, and reluctantly still a smoker. I have far more chance of dying from illness or deseases of my own doing, than getting 'blown up' from a bomb in beautiful, wonderful, friendly Bali.
Look at it all realistically. Go there, have fun, relax & enjoy!
Regards, Mark L Chambers.