In Reply to: bali is fast becoming a cesspool posted by crag on Wednesday, 17. April 2013 at 07:52 Bali Time:
A.
Late last year in Amed I needed a few satchets of couch medicine. They sell at around 600-700 Rupiahs in Apotiks in for example Seminyak. When I asked how much a satchet was in this shop, the girl in her very early teens told med 10.000 Rupiahs per satchet. Then she quickly put her thumb over the extremely tiny price tag. I removed the satchet from her hands and discovered a price tag telling 1.000 Rupiahs, which I paid. The language the young girl then used was horrible. Good English though. The parents must be able to afford good schools for their children.
B.
In the room rate for the villa where I stayed, transport from and to the airport was included. The villa uses a somewhat reputable company for this. Despite the trip to the airport was already paid, the driver demanded full payment from me as well, when we eventually arrived to the airport after spending about one hour in a very hot van without working air-conditioning. I refused to pay. I think I was lucky that my luggage was taken out of the car before the argument. If not, the driver would certainly have driven away with my belongings still in the hold. The driver called the villa and was then told the facts. The driver left after the call, grumbling. I have sent an e-mail to the company but have not received a reply yet. I very much doubt there will be any.
C.
Another driver, connected to a car rental company, demanded 50.000 Rupiahs for petrol, on top of the negotiated fair half day fare, for a ride from Seminyak to Discovery Mall at Jalan Kartika and back, with a few intermediate stops. I refused to pay the extra for petrol. I have used this driver for years and have been generous with the fares despite his constant reluctance to use the petrol consuming air-conditioning. He, however, bit his thumb this time. It is one thing to be fair but I do not give in to pure greed. Greed is spreading like wildfire all over Bali.
D.
When in Rome etc: Two Caucasian young men on a motorbike (board shorts, no helmet, no t-shirt and flip-flops only) snatched my hand phone in the late afternoon in Jalan Camplung Tanduk (formerly Jalan Dyana Pura). Clearly Australian youths judged by their foul language and dialect. And why not keep loud un-called for homophobic comments and attitudes at home? Anyone can be standing outside a gay bar, especially when attempting to cross the street.
Bali gives herself a bad name and (some of) the tourists help. I have had it. Why spend heaps of money to travel thousands of kilometers and spend 24 hours on a plane to get to Bali just to have things stolen and be cheated in all sorts of ways during the whole stay? I can, cheaper, experience similar sad treatment closer to base. Just a couple of years Bali was unique. Now it is not. I say no more. This time.