In Reply to: Traveling to Bali requires more posted by rbbregent on Friday, 6. February 2009 at 12:58 Bali Time:
candid summary of some of the more 'unsavoury' aspects of Bali...I can honestly say that I found myself nodding and agreeing with a lot of the points that you made.There certainly is a lot of room for improvement but,realistically,I'm not sure there's much anyone can do about it.
So what should we do?...we simply ignore the bad and concentrate on the good of course...and why not? After all,we're on a well earned holiday and nothing's going to spoil it,right?
Bali,of course has many fantastic things going for it,too numerous for me to mention here...but can anyone reading this HONESTLY say that Bali wouldn't be a nicer place (and your holiday wouldn't be just that little bit better) without corrupt police and airport officials,dishonest money changers,over-pushy sellers,rip off merchants,pick pockets,time-share,dodgy merchandise and scams of every description?
I would have loved to have seen Bali 30,40 or even 50 years ago.
There is no question in my mind that Bali is not the same even since I first visited 10 years ago (I know nothing stays the same forever) but I'm a little more than surprised to read an ever increasing amount of posts on this forum claiming that attitudes towards visitors recently are getting worse rather than better,particularly after recent tragedies.Maybe I'm imagining it ,but there seems to be more 'horror stories' lately.
When people would ask me what Bali was like,I would say "it's just fantastic...the people are beautiful,it's a great value holiday and a lot of fun"...I hope I can still say that when I come back this time.
It doesn't surprise me Bobbie that some of the posts below are criticising you for 'bagging' their beloved Bali and that you shouldn't be so 'negative'.This is a very parochial forum with lots of people that just love it there (myself included) and I'll keep going back for now...but just lately I sometimes think Bali is in real danger of shooting itself in the foot.
P.S. - How do you think a government might "teach its people to be honest?".