As anyone who read my JBR a few days ago will know, I had a fantastic three months in Indonesia. However, there is one thing about my trip that I really have to complain about, and I am curious as to whether anyone else has experienced the same trouble.
The problem occurred when we arrived by shuttle bus at Padang Bai to take the ferry to Lombok. I was with two friends, both girls, and we are all 22. This was our first time getting the ferry to Lombok. When we got off the shuttle, we were quickly herded into an office to swap our existing bus tickets for ferry tickets. As we turned round to pick up our backpacks, we saw them being carried off towards the ferry at speed by some local men. When we shouted that we could carry our bags ourselves, we were told to hurry up, the ferry was leaving, and we needed to get on it as quick as possible. we ran to catch up with the men, who would not let us carry the bags, but insisted on carrying them all the way onto the ferry for us. Realising that we would be expected to pay a tip, we quietly discussed between us how much would be appropriate and decided that 5000 each would suffice.
We were about to offer this tip when the men demanded $5 each for carrying the bags. We had been in Indonesia for over a month at this point, and knew that this was far too much to ask for. In any case, we had had no choice about whether these men had carried our bags - they had run off with them without asking. It was when we refused and said that 5000 was all we would give that the problem began. More men appeared to back up the others - there were about 6 in total. They surrounded us and started shouting at us, demanding $5 per bag. They were shouting right in our faces, 'YOU MUST PAY!!' 'QUICKLY, QUICKLY, THE FERRY IS GOING!!' over and over again. They said that if we wouldn not pay they would carry our bags off the ferry and back to the office. They even tried to take the bags off us, but we held onto to them tight. It was a very intimidating experience. Luckily, there were three of us, and we stood our ground. All of the locals on the boat we looking at us, but we held onto our bags and kept saying 'No, $5 is too much, this is all you can have'. Eventually, they snatched the 5000 notes and left as they ferry was going to leave, but they were still shouting as they left.
On the way back to Lombok the next month, we were aware of what might happen and grabbed our bags as soon as we got off the bus. However, when we got onto the ferry, we became aware of lots of shouting going on a few seats behind us. A french girl was being shouted at by two men. She looked close to tears and was yelling back, 'No, I will not pay, I had no choice!'. We could see her boyfriend on the outside deck also being shouted at by men. The girl was sitting down holding tightly to their bags and the men were threatening to take them. Realising what was happening, and seeing that the girl looked in distress, I stood up and told the men to leave her alone, that it was not fair, and that she wouldn't pay. I told them that they had tried to do the same to us last month and it was a big scam, that she had had no choice whether they carried her bag or not. They laughed and in the end, left. I told the girl that we would look after her bags while she went to help her boyfriend get rid of the others. Out the window, we saw the argument get even worse. One of the men, who was older than the others, shouted louder than I have seen anyone shout before - he was red in the face and was screaming his head off - 'YOU MUST PAY!!!!!'. It was awful, and, at this point, frightening. I felt so sorry for them. No one came to help them but us, as we know what was happening. Eventually, the men had to leave the boat as it was preparing to leave, but the couple were very shook up. it made my friend and I angry that this was still continuing to happen.
This is obviously an organise scam, as we have witnessed it twice now. I'm sure others must have been the victim of these men too. If there are a few of you, as there were with us, it is not so bad. Also, we had been backpacking for a few months and were used to travelling. However, if you were more inexperienced, or were on your own, or got split up as the french couple had, I can imagine that this would be an intimidating and even terrrifying experience. I do not begrudge paying people tips, but these men grab your bags when you are not looking on purpose and pretend that there is a need to rush, when there isn't at all. They then demand an extortionately high tip - they told the french couple that they had to pay $20 for their two backpacks. And then out of nowhere, more men arrive to surround you, to scare you into paying.
I amplanning to write to Lonely Planet about this. i'm not sure who else to complain to - whether there is an authority in Bali or not - but this really needs to be stopped. For now anyway, if you are travelling from Padang Bai, I urge you to hold onto your bags and help anyone else you see fall victim to this scam.