In Reply to: tips for not getting kidnapped or killed posted by smurchin on Sunday, 9. April 2006 at 10:53 Bali Time:
serious the people of Bali are about protecting visitors. We were staying in Kuta last year during the bombing, we arrived two days before, and when the bombing happened we assessed the situation and felt that there was lots of security around in the hotels and most of the restaurants. We were careful when we went out at night to choose restaurants that had security at the front door and we stayed close to the hotel on the Friday and Saturday nights following the bombing because there had been additional warnings. We were staying at the Kuta Paradiso (also where Alexander Downer and his staff stayed) and felt very safe there. I do think that, due to the media information in Australia at the time of the bombings, if we had not left Australia before them, we would have cancelled our trip as the rest of our friends did. But having been there, we felt that we were safe and the Balinese people made every effort to ensure that Security was at its best.
We are due to go again in two weeks for our 5th visit, and although there is always a slight anxiousness about travelling to Bali, (we felt the same anxiousness travelling to the USA after the Sept 11 bombings as well), I would not hesitate to go back to Bali and support our Balinese friends. I look around Adelaide and do not see the level of Security that there is in Kuta. I think bombings and terrorism can happen anywhere in the world now and we have to do our best to not let the terrorists force us to live insular lives because then they have won. People continue to travel to London and Spain and travel on the London Underground and there does not seem to be the same hysteria about those destinations.
Alot of people who make comments to us that "we are mad to go back to Bali" have never been there in the first place. You can see from all the comments on this forum that you either love the place and no terrorist would keep you away or you don't find that connection. Once you do, its hard to shake lose of it. I am sure that there are many Formites who would agree that it gets under your skin.
You will have to make your own decision and it is a hard one to make especially if you have not been there before. I hope if you do go, that you enjoy yourself, the wonderful Balinese hospitality and have a safe and happy holiday.
kind regards
Maria