My Sunday was a bit strange this week. After Global Xtreme and getting into e-mail I stepped outside and across the road observed this lady harvesting her rice crop which has gotten browner as the days go by. Down the street was this fruit vendor, sheltering from the sun at his booth.
I then went to Spaghetti Jazz bar for a glass of carrot juice. The place is owned by Italians and has a good location, on Jl. Legian close to Bintang supermarket.
I chatted with Komang from Singaraja about the economy and how it is for migrant workers from other parts of Bali to be here in he Kuta area. She told me that Nyepi day was the last time she had been home to see her family and that next week she was looking forward to heading north to see them again.
I was thinking of checking out the beach, I usually never go there but was in the mood for something new. The local shack I ate at before on Jl. Double Six, Taman Legian, is close to the beach and affordable so that was my choice. I ordered grilled snapper Balinese style in a spicy tomato sauce. My waitress, Made was pleasant as usual and told me she hopes the economy will pick up or she may have to return to rice farming for her family, again up in Singaraja.
I was sitting at a small table under the shade of a tree and after eating I felt like my head was getting squeezed. I noticed I was sweating and saw my arms and hands become red as if sunburnt. Paying quickly, I rode straight home as a slight dizziness came over me. In the mirror I saw my neck and head were totally flushed, bright red as if I had been laying in the sun all day. It was a weird sensation and I could feel my face swelling up.
After a couple of hours nap the swelling had stopped but now a huge pink rash had descended to my waist. Another long sleep and it too had disappeared, my headache though was pounding.
This terminated the rest of my day as I still felt a little spun. Woke up at 4am with the light still on and felt much better. Rising today I felt fine, no after effects. I’m thinking it was some allergic reaction to whatever was in that dish…man did it come on fast!
This morning my motorbike man came around to take the bike for its monthly oiling and Made the gardener was on hand bright and early ( the economy must be getting tight ).
Our garbage men got an eyeful of me taking a shower as they stand on top of the truck when loading it and park outside our perimeter wall. Too bad the rash had gone or they could of told their friends about the ‘bule’ who is half white, half red.
{ 14 comments }
Nice read Nick but one hell of a day for you. That rash seemed nasty. Have you thought about going to the hospital for an allergy test?. Might be worth it in the long run considering the amount of time you will be in Bali. My sister is allergic to MSG and Indonesians use that a lot in their cooking. Just a thought Nick.
Barrie is spot on about the MSG. I forget what they call it there - it’s something like “gourmet powder” or “gourmet spice” or “magic spice” or something like that.
My friend Brad and I had about half a dozen places where we knew the servers and cooks on a first-name basis, and we made sure that they wouldn’t put this stuff in whatever we ordered, whenever possible.
Perhaps that’s worth a try. I would’ve freaked out with a sudden rash like that.
Jason
Waikiki, Hawaii
MSG = mono sodium glutamate, used to enrichen the taste of a lot of recipies.
a lot of people are allergic to this substance, and indeed, it is used often in the eastern world. I don’t know if it can cause such a big rash like you described, the more common effects are: headaches, dizzyness and feeling nauseous. here in the western world, it’s called ‘the chinese restaurant sydrome’, as that the source of most people’s MSG.
I’ll be spending 3 weeks in august in bali, and i just love reading your website. i discovered it about a month ago, and every day, i’m anxious to read what you’ve been up to! keep it up!
marie,
europe
Thanks for the health tips. When this thing was going on I had all kinds of thoughts ( was there a hole in the ozone I wasn’t aware of, was this the start of dengue, malaria, is that spider on top of my mosquito net poisonous, am I having a brain anurism at 40, how do you spell anurism, etc.) . An Aussie I met met today said that fish might be some kind of grouper and many people are allergic to them.
Anyway it tasted good and I hope this is a one off.
Hi, this is bad news. One quick remedy which I have learnt is to take a direutive tablet to flush out quickly the toxins and then a visit to the nearest clinic. Hope you will not put up this show of bravdo and get your self checked. Perhaps a course of antiallergic tablets may still be required.
take care Nick.
Nick,
I would recommend also speaking & explaining as best as possible your situation to a few locals. As they know most things that cause these sort of things in their country. I once had a germ which travelled through my blood (like a worm or something!) & it was painful as it was like a BIG boil/pimple whenever it surfaced & I squeezed it & tried everything to get it out, turned out it is a very typically Indonesian blood bacteria from fish & other foods, I went to the Apotik showed them, they gave me this thick, sticky, black, burnt rubbber smelling concoction to rub on it, within 3 days gone. I have scars on my arms from it, but it has never come back! Only they would have known what it was. At home I’d just be given antibiotics. It’s name is Busil (not sure of spelling). But the locals were very proud a “tourist” got their local BUG!!!! Ask they may just know a remedy or what caused it…Worth a try hey!?
Nick, one rotten bug that tends to occur in summer is the ‘Bamboo mite’. Quite a few years ago I sat on this rattan chair at a restaurant, and , I was wearing shorts. Sure enough, two hours later my legs were covered with this I’m-not-going-away rash that was like fire on my skin and terribly itchy. Found a Chinese apotik and he gave me some kind of muddy looking goo to plaster on it. Few days later and I was fine.
Barrie, you are correct. I also have had the pleasure of that experience.
You need to sit in a chair which is in a direct sunlight, these “mites” don’t like sunlight. Itches like hell hey!
Other than that sit in solid chairs!
Tracey, I always carry a small tube of BETNOVATE in my first-aid kit. This stuff is great for ailments like the mighty ‘mite’, other bities and is a good bad-sunburn cream. You can get it at the chemist.
Oh those cane mites…
I went the extreme of going to Denpasar and purchasing a plastic chair, which I believe still resides at Warung Linggar because of those dreaded little bastard bugs.
I’d sit in the plastic chair cause the bugs can’t live in plastic. But the chairs as we know can ruin many an unsuspecting traveller’s afternoon.
They first got me at Warung 96. I recall the 50 or so little bites merging into a giant welt that itched for a week straight.
I tried “Tiger Balm” and tea tree oil, but nothing seemed to work. So I just drank Bintangs and Jungle Juice until it stopped itching.
Jason
Waikiki, Hawaii
The stuff that Tracey describe sounds like Sulphur paste ( Indonesian: Krim Belerang). It’s the one of best for itch in this tropical climate.
Way to go Jason - drink till the pain fades!!. I suppose wearing long pants would be a deterrent but who wants to wear long pants all the time in the tropics. If you can’t get BETNOVATE in Hawaii, then when you come to Bali find a Chinese apotik and ask for MINYAK CINA (chocolat). No it’s not edible. The darker one (chocolat)is much more potent. Fantastic for all kinds of bites, aches and pains. I first came across it in Java. Hey Nick, do you know of any Chinese apotik in Bali?.
Knock it off you guys!
Nick almost had me convinced to visit Bali.
Now I’m too skeered.
Joe E.
Just take plenty off mozzie repellant, don’t sit on bamboo or cane chairs, or eat anything & you should be OK…
Either that or indulge in more alcohol than is truly necessary & you too will survive!
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