Bali Bali Nutz and Bolts
6 Crazy Things to Do in Bali
There are numerous adventure companies in Bali offering a wide range of adrenaline-pumping activities. A few I have already experienced and I am looking forward to completing my list of crazy and adventurous things to do. There are the mundane and less adventurous activities like going surfing at night or getting lost in the Bali Barat National Park [been there, done that and wouldn’t recommend it to anybody!] or even diving alone off any of the reefs around the island. However, there are those activities that will give you a buzz and get the heart pumping.
Date: July 24th, 2008 |
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Snakes in Bali
I have often been asked the question by first-timers to Bali as to the prevalence of things that slither and bite, crawl and bite, or even look downright ferocious. Great news – there are snakes in Bali and only a few of the species are poisonous, in fact about six species. That’s not many compared to Australia or other parts of the world. You will often see on your travels some of the locals offering to let you have a photo taken with their pet 20 foot Python or allow you to play with their pet hairy spider that just happens to be the size of a dinner plate whilst some grinning local snaps away with a polaroid camera. Staying calm in these kind of situations for the normal person is somewhat impossible and generally entails a shriek or a loud scream from the holder of the said animal and of course invoking all manner of laughter from the locals. In general these ‘pets’ are pretty cool and are used to being manhandled and mauled by some freaked-out tourist. But, what will you do if confronted out in the countryside by an inconsiderate snake (according to you) that has crossed your path?.
Date: July 14th, 2008 |
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Royal Cremation: Ubud
There is one thing that I encourage all visitors to Bali to do is witness a cremation. Culturally and spiritually inspirational, Balinese cremations are a colourful and, depending on the caste level, an extravaganza to rival any funeral in the world. Naturally, over the decades I have seen many but I was fortunate in the late 80’s to see preparations and then the whole funeral procession and subsequent cremation of a person of Brahma lineage. Respect for and worship of God and ancestors is the basis of the Balinese religion. The combination of Hindu elements makes the whole process a moving experience and one that is not to be missed.
Date: June 20th, 2008 |
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Tumpek Wayang
Today in Bali is Tumpek Wayang, also known as Tumpek Ringgit. It is a Kajeng Kaliwon and is of particular importance. Some areas of Bali use this day to make offerings to musical instruments and dance equipment. This day is also important for the shadow puppets, Wayang Kulit. Many families have inherited puppets from an ancestor who performed them, a dalang. All dalangs have full sets of puppets. The puppets are taken from the box, placed in a position just as if an actual performance were being given and blessed by the owner. A Dalang …
Date: May 16th, 2008 |
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BCA Card Center Bali
People wishing to draw more than a couple of million rp out of the ATM machine can do it at the BCA Card Center in Kuta.
Date: November 13th, 2007 |
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Official Holidays for 2009
It’s always good to know when the official holidays are in Bali because some dates, like Nyepi, you are losing virtually a day of your holiday having to be in the hotel and in silence. Other major events like Galungan and Kuningan can see shops close for days on end even though it is great to witness these occasions. Then there are the government closure days like Islamic holidays when banks and offices are closed and this can be inconvenient. Bali Discovery has just released a list of the official holidays for travellers to Bali.
Date: July 22nd, 2008 |
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Bokashi - The Magic Oil
Quite a few years ago when I returned to Bali after having spent those previous years in other islands, I woke up one morning to find myself scratching the back of my legs like some maddened Banshee. At first I thought I had contracted some strange tropical disease and henceforth started to write my will. My wife rushed out and obtained some Calamine lotion upon my request and that did little to ease the itchiness or annoyance of the bright red welts that had appeared on the skin surface. Fortunately for me the Balinese lady who owns the homestay in Bali where I reside on my sojourns recognised my painful ailment. It was Bamboo Rash. As it turns out her husband suffered from the same malady on occasions and she promptly returned with Bokashi Oil. So, I applied liberal amounts of this magic oil onto the reddened welts whenever it became itchy and after a couple of days the rash had disappeared.
Date: July 11th, 2008 |
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Be Aware of Your Wares
Unfortunately, I was robbed last week and my wallet expertly removed from my person. And, this was in Australia!. When I reflected back on my misfortune having lost quite a bit of money, bank cards and the ilk, I realised that in all the years I have travelled throughout the archipelago of Indonesia I never had anything stolen from me. That doesn’t mean that I was untouchable. On the contrary, there have been some sticky situations. I nearly had my shoulder bag ripped from my shoulder by a passing and speeding motorbike rider in Sumatra, lost my passport (I thought it was stolen) in Yogyakarta but one of the locals who was walking behind me picked it up off the pavement returning it to me, and there was a case of bumping into a group of rather mean-looking bikers in Semarang late one night who I thought were going to mug me for sure but as it turned out, they just wanted a chat. In Bali, I did fall foul to a scrupulous money-changer but that was soon resolved by tourist police intervention.
Date: May 24th, 2008 |
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Telephone & Post in Bali
In Bali the post office is called ‘kantor pos’ and is recognized by an orange sign. In the Kuta area the 2 largest post offices are located close to the airport on Jl. Airport Ngurah Rai and in Tuban on Jl. Raya Tuban. When picking up a package from overseas you will most likely receive a note directing you to one of these two places.
Date: December 17th, 2007 |
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ATM machines in Bali
ATM machines now make getting to your cash easy. Here is a list of ATM’s in Bali and where to find them.
Date: October 18th, 2007 |
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