Money, health and visas (page 2)
ATMs, clinics, visas, internet and other nuts and bolts.
Dealing with my Business Visa in Singapore
Phoning my 'agent' Mr Wahab, last night, he told me to meet him at a McDonalds, in a shopping complex on Orchard Rd today. I feel like I'm doing something naughty and I'm not!
Meeting Fauzi and Siti in Singapore
Tuesday night I mey Fauzi and Siti, dow ntown in a very hot humid Singapore. Its really steamy here right now, way more so than Bali.
Getting to Singapore
Awake at 4am this morning, my taxi arrived at 4.45am. Ika wished me a good journey and said the house will look good after the painters have finished. Flight out of Bali to Jakarta was on time.
Singapore in the morning
Tommorrow at 6.30am I fly out to Singapore, to renew my Business visa. Last week I picked up paperwork at Arjuna Immigration in Kerobokan, for 2m rp.
Expat websites for living in Indonesia
Seems to me there are more people moving to Bali / Indonesia as expats. I don't know about other people who live here, but I seem to be always running into people, who have 'just moved to Bali a year…
Radio stations in Bali
Bali has a selection of radio stations, located either in Denpasar, or regional capitals such as Amlapura.
Slow connection in Seminyak Bali
The internet connectivity here in Seminyak really sucks. I might as well be sitting her peeling potatoes, waiting for my mail to open.
Starting my own charity in Bali
Marrying an Indonesian and living in Bali, may sometimes seem like starting my own charity, but recently I had a brainwave. What would it be like to actually start my own charity.
Hospitals & Clinics in Bali
Bali has a selection of hospitals and clinics. Most district capital cities, for example, Bangli, will have a hospital. The best hospital in Bali is Sanglah hospital in Denpasar.
CitiBank account in Denpasar Bali
Tuesday morning I went to CitiBank on Jl. Teuku Umar in Denpasar to open a checking account. Citibank is a business bank, that deals in large scale clients. What does that have to do with me?
Campur kids get dual nationality in Indonesia
Campur means 'mixed' in Indonesian. Jevon is a campur kid, and like many others, was caught in a legal mess as far as his nationality.
Travel advice for Bali
Travel advice is cheap. Everyone who comes here can give their opinion and tips on where to go, what to do and how to avoid hassles.
Indonesian Multiple Entry Business Visa
One of the first things I had to take care of, after arriving back in Bali is my visa. I came in on a VOA (visa on arrival), and want to renew my Multiple Entry Business Visa.
Getting my stuff together in Bali
Great to be back in Bali. Awesome! I feel more than ever that this is the place in the world I want to live.
Bali keeps getting better
Bali is improving in many ways and today I had another little victory. Not only are my wife and son still alive, but I managed to get online using wi-fi access!!!!
Seminyak.com: What's on in my neighborhood
Seminyak.com is a Balinese owned and operated community website, that covers a lot of the tradtional and modern aspects of life in Seminyak. Seminyak is the epicenter of the 'super-bule'.
Bali Tourist Information
There are a number of official Tourist Information Centers in Bali . Ngurah Rai Interantional Airport (0361)751011 Denpasar Government Tourism Office Jl.
Bali Needs Suicide Intervention Centres
Last week I put up an article about suicides being on the increase in Bali and now a leading Psychiatrist has called for Suicide Crisis Centres in all Regencies in Bali to curb an alarming increase…
Marriage Blues to End: Indonesia
It has always been a bone of contention as regards foreign nationals married to or intending to marry Indonesian women.
Illegal Money-Changers Raided: Legian, Bali
Changing money in Bali has always been a dicey thing for a lot of tourists and especially those with little knowledge who travel to the island for the first time.
Community Health in a Bali Market
A clinic aimed at improving the reproductive health for low-income women in Bali is now operating in the middle of a busy market in Denpasar.
Drugs and Teenage Sex in Bali
In a world where drugs are commonplace in society, it is no wonder that the youth of today are struggling with the pressures of everyday living.
Govt to Allow Dual Citizenship: Indonesia
Dual citizenship in Indonesia has always been a controversial matter but it seems that all of this is soon to be resolved with a provision in the citizenship bill allowing for dual citizenship of…
The International Day Against Drug Abuse: Indonesia
Narcotic use in Indonesia was not a perceivable problem at one time and that was during the Soeharto regime but now it is problem and a big one.
Indonesia to Repay $3.7b of IMF Loan
A Business News report says the government will repay about US$3.7 billion or half of the country's debt to the International Monetary Fund ahead of schedule, the multilateral lender.
La Gazette de Bali
Expats living in Bali have numerous broadsheets and periodicals available to them. One of my favourites is the Bali Advertiser among others but my all time favourite is Bog Bog .
Bird Flu Experts Warning: Indonesia
And yet another person has died from the Avian virus and this time it is a young boy in South Jakarta.
Balinese Farmers Use IT: Bali
High in the small mountain village of Pancasari some 50 kilometers north of Denpasar the stocky fingers of a young Balinese farmer are dancing on a computer keyboard typing the contents of a website…
Rabies Kills Six in Sulawesi
I was only writing the other day about Rabies and how a child in Bandung died after being bit a rabid dog, and how most dogs in Java were culled if I could use that term.
Vaccines and Travel: Indonesia
When I read that Tetanus had killed at least 18 earthquake survivors in Yogyakarta according to WHO and that more than 50 known cases of the infection spread through bacteria, I thought I had better…
Food Crisis in East Nusa Tenggara
Famines are rare in Indonesia. I have seen farmers suffering hard times due to failed crops, mice infestation and destruction by rain&344; food crisis' are now becoming more prevalent throughout the…
UNICEF Tracks Missing Children: Timor Leste
So often we see that during a dire worldly experience that causes a catastrophe it is always the women and children that suffer the most.
Abu Bakar Bashir Freed Today: Jakarta, Indonesia
After reclining and relaxing in a comfy jail cell for the last 25 months of his life convicted cleric Abu Bakar Bashir walked free today.
Indonesian Economic Future Good: Indonesia
According to World Bank reports and predictions, Indonesia's economic growth is set to increase during the remainder of this year.
Aid Shipment for Dili: Timor Leste
A massive aid shipment is on its way to East Timor to deliver desperately needed supplies to thousands of people displaced by the ongoing crisis according to an article in the ABC New Australia .
Russians Deported from Indonesia
Picture the scenario - you are enjoying your holiday and getting that nice suntan and downing lots of the amber fluid and it seems as though the cares of the world are far from your life.
UN Warns Indonesia About Ozone: Jakarta, Indonesia
The United Nations Environmental Program urged the Indonesian government to tackle effectively the rampant illegal trade in CFCs as it was bound by the convention to do so.
Sanitary Conditions Worsen: Bantul, Central Java, Indonesia
Take any major disaster around the world and, once the dust has settled, it is always inevitable that that sanitary conditions deteriorate causing the spread of diseases.
West Nusa Tenggara Free of Bird Flu: Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara
Just $286 million has been spent to fight bird flu out of nearly $1.9 billion pledged last January by nations and organizations that said they wanted to make a massive effort against the virus…
Sudden Flurry of Bird Flu Cases: Indonesia
Scientists are worried about a sudden flurry of human bird flu cases in Indonesia, warning that a failure to control the situation may raise the chances of a virus mutation and lead to a pandemic.
Rules changes for Business Visa in Indonesia
Rules concerning Business visa in Indonesia are changing. The current situation is you can get a Single or Multiple entry Business visa quite easy.
Banking hours in Bali
Banking hours in Bali are Mon-Fri 8am-4/5pm. Some may open Sat 8am - 11am, but this depends on the bank and is not the rule.
Global Xtreme Kerobokan: Good priced internet
One of the first places I visited when I came to Bali in 2003, was Global Xtreme in Kerobokan. The ISP / internet cafe offers a decent connection, and serves food and drinks.
Jevon the little kids star in Bali
Today Ika, Jevon and I rode around Tegallalang, Tampaksiring and Ubud, exploring (getting lost) and enjoying the path less traveled (dealing with meter wide potholes).
Paper work morning in Bali
Ika, Jevon and I spent the first half of today, getting documents ready for the British Embassy in Jakarta. We hope to go to the UK in July, and have some hoops to jump through.
ISP's in Bali
Bali has about 30 ISP's (internet service providers). A couple of the most famous are Global Xtreme and Blueline. Here is a short list of some ISP's in Bali.
Visa for Ika in Sanur Bali
Ika, Jevon and I went down to the British Consulate in Sanur today, to clarify the procedure for getting her a visa to visit the UK.
Get your own guest house in Bingin Bali
Okay Baliblog worldwide audience, who wants to run their very own guest house in Bali ? Bingin is one of the choice surf spots in Bali, located close to Dreamland on the Bukit peninsula .
Retirement visa in Indonesia
Recently I wrote some stuff about visas in Indonesia , one of which being the Retirement Visa .
Visas for Indonesia
Visas for Indonesia There are 6 types of visas given to foreigners visiting Indonesia.
Banks and Credit cards in Bali
Here is the contact info for banks and credit cards in Bali Banks • American Express Bank (0361) 283973 • ABN-AMRO Bank (0361) 244277 • Bank Central Asia (BCA) (0361) 756283 • Bank Danamon (0361)…
At the Bank: Bahasa Indonesia
Here are some handy expressions you might use at the bank in Indonesia. Where's a bank? - Dimana bank Where's the nearest bank? - Dimanakah bank yang terdekat? What time does the bank open?
Crime & Safety in Bali
Bali conjures up images of a place from another era. No industrialization, no fast paced lifestyle, just graceful people living a traditional lifestyle in paradise.
Internet Cafes in Bali
Bali has a plentiful supply of internet cafes, mainly in tourist areas. There is no standard rate or quality of service, you have to check the places out and see what suits you.
Money in Bali
Indonesia currency, the rupiah , looks different to the currency you use in your own country, not only the colors and the patterns, but the denominations.
Bali has high incidence of Japanese encephalitis
According to a German website, Bali has a high incidence of Japanese encephalitis . Researchers found an incidence of 8.2 per 100,000 children.
Meditation in the mountains of Bali.
While attending a farewell do for a friend in Seminyak last night I got to talk to some cool people. One guy told me he works off shore in India doing oil exploration, 6 weeks on, 6 weeks off.
Employment visas can be a headache in Indonesia
Employment visas for Indonesia differ from countries like the US. A foreigner trying to get a work visa in the US has to have an air-tight set of credentials, otherwise forget in.
ATM scams in Bali
Bali has improved in many ways over the last 15 years. I remember back in 1993 in the days when everyone either had cash or travelers checks.
Drugs in Bali-popular choices, official policy, punishments
Drugs are available in Bali if you really must have them. I am not a drug user so don't have inside info on the drug scene, but from I can gather marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine are the 3 drugs of…
Changing Clothes in Bali
Coming to Bali for the first time you will be wondering what to pack. For starters its hot out here, so you won't need thick clothing. Garments that are thin and allow air circulation are good.
Traveling in Bali while pregnant
Traveling while you are pregnant is going to be harder than when you're not, that's a given.
Indonesia relaxes law on permanent residence for foreigners
Bali expats got a boost with the news the government relaxed the rules regarding permanent resident status . Said legislator Boy. W.
Transnational marriage a problem in Indonesia
Since the Suharto days Indonesia has had a mistrust of foreigners. We make the government nervous, because they can't control us.
Motorbike accident in Kuta Bali
Motorbike accidents are something most of us don't want to think about. I'm sure that after having a crash, one has more respect for safety and takes a different view of riding.
Visiting Arjuna immigration consultants in Kerobokan Bali
Today I got a call from one of the lovely young ladies at Arjuna immigration consultants in Kerobokan.
Hospitals and Clinics in Bali
For emergency purposes its good to have a list of the local hospitals and clinics.
Time & Date: A useful site for quick Bali info
If you need to know the exact current time in Bali, plus sunrise, sunset, dialing codes, co ordinates and other basic info, you might try Time & Date .
Botox in Bali
For all you people who look in the mirror and see something unpleasant, Botox is here. I looked in the mirror the other day and thought 'that's disgusting'.
Post office in Kuta Bali
The main Post Office in Kuta is located off of Jl Raya Kuta, just south of Jl. Bakung Sari. You will find the largest money changer and main bank of BCA right in that area too.
Looking back to Feb 2nd 2003
Moving into my first house in Bali 3 years ago happened on this day in 2003. I remember clearly living in Ronta Bungalows in Kuta with Sean, the 2 twin bed room costing something like 35,000rp per…
Urgent call for blood in Bali
Just got an sms form a friend who says that Swiss national Jon P. Zurcher is in Denpasar's Sanglah hospital with dengue fever. He needs blood type A rhesus negative.
Blueline internet working well in Seminyak Bali
Since yesterday's drama with my power regulator, things have picked up here in Seminyak.
Jevon is moving along well in Seminyak Bali
Thursday Ika, Jevon and I went to Puri Bunda hospital on Jl. Gatut Subroto in Denpasar. We go once a month for regular check ups and immunisasi. This time Jevon got a Hep B shot.
Interview with Gustave de Kok at Blueline in Kuta Bali
Name: Gustave de Kok Age: 40 From: Holland Occupation: Director of Blueline ISP How long in Bali: Not sure Gustave de Kok is the managing director of Blueline broadband internet located in the Kuta…
Death in Bali: How to handle it
Dealing with a death in Bali is everybody's worst nightmare. The British Consulate gave me some info on how to deal with a death. The death of a relative or friend is always distressing.
Checklist for travellers in Bali
Travelers to Bali and other places in the world often overlook some of the basic tips. Here is a selection of travel tips.
British Consulate Bali: What it can do for you
Visiting the British Consulate in Sanur yesterday I picked up a few flyers they have in the lobby.
Getting a new British passport in Sanur Bali
My passport is pretty much full. Indonesia requires visitors to have a few blank pages when entering as well as the passport being good for at least 6 months.