In Reply to: Guided Tour or Driver? posted by Pieboy on Friday, 26. May 2006 at 19:21 Bali Time:
- initial assault on the senses from the time you step off the plane till the time you step into your hotel. It is a unique experience which you will never exactly feel again. Make the most of it.
Hire a driver and his car. Outside your hotel you will find many waiting for your business. Engage them in morning conversation without saying anything to commit yourself and select one whom you find you can easilly converse with and whose manner and temperament seem to suit you. Engage him to take you shopping or for some short trip to confirm your choice. (Negotiate your price before you step into the vehicle.)If you've made a wrong choice of either driver or vehicle select another one next time. When you find the best one for you then begin to think about your full day tours with him.
The link below will suggest a nice day tour which will take in many aspects of Bali if you can complete it in one day - and you can if you don't stop often or for long - which I'm sure you will.
Here are some other pages that might interest you.
Ypou should have a map of Bali to get a rough idea of where things are. This is a table that wioll quickly show you both distances and times between significant places of interent. -http://www.filosbali.net/TimesDistances.htm
The money will confuse you when you go shopping. This is a little strip of paper you can cut out and keep in your wallet to easily see what Rp175,000 really is in your home currency. -http://www.filosbali.net/CheatSheetsW.htm
This page will show you one of the interisting historical sights not often visited, and all the nicer for that. You will find many similar attractions if that is your cup of tea. -http://www.filosbali.net/YehPelu.htm
A bit of cultural history and some current knowledge about an essential part of Balinese daily life. -http://www.filosbali.net/BalisRices.htm .
www filosbali.net has other stuff that might be interesting background reading for you, including recommendations about where to shop for what, where to change money and how not to get cheated, where to eat and drink, health issues and so on.
You'll have a great trip I'm sure.