Blogging from Bali

So you already know I'm in Bali. "What," you're wondering, "is it like there, Jeff?"

Well, I considered if it was wise to fly to a terror-prone tourist area only a day after the second major bombing in 3 years. I was scared and a bit reluctant, but I figured I needed more information before I made a go/no-go decision. Basically, however, my feeling was that if it was considered relatively safe, I'd still go. (Have I mentioned that I realllly need this vacation?!) I tried to call my airline, but there was (not surprisingly) no answer. I figured the only thing to do was to get my butt to the airport and see what the airline said. So I did.

And nothing was out of the ordinary.

Nobody at the airport was acting as if anything was wrong or dangerous or anything. Nobody seemed to be worried (neither airline staff nor other passengers), nobody even made mention of it. So I figured that was a good sign, and I hopped on-board by Garuda Indonesia flight -- tip: don't eat the curry chicken -- and came here.

And I'm sooo glad I did. This place is just beautiful. I haven't gotten out too much yet, but it's a combination of a bustling tourist economy, quaint local villagers, great beaches and surf, and unbelievably cheap prices!! The place I'm staying at is the best part of all. Click once again on this link to see what paradise looks like.

Unfortunately, the island's tourist trade is going to be devastated by this bombing, just as it was finally recovering from the major bombing 3 years ago. And to be absolutely honest, it's still not completely safe here right now -- there are rumours and tips-offs to police that another blast is scheduled for the bar area that's only 1.5 km from Umah Watu. I was there last night, but there's so much police protection that I feel I have to leave it to their abilities to keep it safe for all of us.

Saturday night's bombings happened in the crowded major touristy area called Kuta. We're about 15km north, but with these latest rumours and tip-offs, it looks as if there's an effort by the terrorists to keep people EVERYWHERE scared and away from the things that make Bali such a great place to visit. I think many people are doing their best to keep things as normal as possible, and I'm one of them.

And on a lighter topic, have I mentioned how freakin' cheap it is here?! I'm going for a massage later today, and it will cost me 60,000 Rupiah for an hour. That translates to roughly $7 Canadian or somewhere thereabouts. I got a bit nervous when I saw on the menu last night that my chilli prawn main dish was 68,000 Rupiah. Then I did the math and realized it's not too darn bad at all. A honkin' big bottle of the local Bintang beer is 15,000 Rupiah, or less than $2. I bought a souvenir today for about 50 cents that probably would cost $20 in a Western jewellery store. It's very good value, and I can see why so many people come here. Still, bartering with the driver is a bit odd when you take a taksi (and I still snicker to myself when I see it spelled that way!).

Anyways, I must run. Believe it or not, I have some work to do. I tried my hardest to get all of my work done before I left Singapore, but I just ran out of time. I need to send a few e-mails, then research my trip to Thailand (where I'm going after Singapore and before Hong Kong), then grab a cheap lunch, then get a cheap massage by some beautifully built Balinese boy, then have a cheap beer, and then take a dip in the most beautiful pool I've ever been in.

Ahhhh, life's great in Bali. And that is exactly what everyone needs to know. Book a trip here. Tell your friends to come here. Tell them to tell their friends to come here. Eighty percent of the economy of Bali relies on the tourist trade, and it's going to go into the toilet after the bombing. I hope the media stops portraying it in a negative light, and starts focusing on the fact that this place has such a resiliency to it.

But unfortunately, it looks as if the press ain't seeing it that way. God bless the Balinese people and all their visitors.