The issue of safety in Bali is frequently asked on travel forums. Usually after the Australian Government re issues the same warning that has been in effect for the past eight years. When the warnings are re issued the "Bali knockers" start their rhetoric yet again.
There have been riots in Paris and London during 2010 and travel warnings issued but they did not get the publicity that re issued Bali warnings do.
Safety is very much an individual choice. Personally I do not feel safe at night in the club areas of Australian cities.
Statistically the most dangerous part of a Bali holiday is getting from home to the airport.
During my travels I have been subjected to, and witness friends having their pockets picked in famous sights in Rome, even with dozens of police around trying to prevent such activity. Is this mentioned in the travel brochures? - no.
Unfortunately in Bali some of the unfriendly and aggressive people are the drunken tourists.
I wonder what travel warnings should be given about Australia? Check under the toilet seat in case of red backs. Oops don't mention the guy who died of a snake bite whilst at his computer north of Perth.
How many tourists get into difficulties in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Quite a few each year.
Don't forget the sharks and dangerous rips at many beaches.
The point is that we accept these things as part of our Australian way of life and we don't worry too much.
Dangers in Bali, of course there are - riding on motor bikes, crossing the road etc etc etc.
The adage is - traveler beware - take care but do not get paranoid and let it spoil your holiday.
A great little place to relax at - click on this text
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Health Dengue mosquitoes
There is an old saying; "If you can not afford Travel Insurance - you can not afford to travel", is as true for Bali as it is for any other journey.
For those living in Australia, especially Perth and Darwin, Bali is cheap and quick to get to and there is the temptation to forgo travel insurance.
Without getting paranoid travellers should take sensible precautions. Even the smallest graze should be carefully watched in case it becomes infected.
Luckily now in Bali there are several places where tourists can seek treatment, if needed. Two of the best known are BIMC ( Bali International Medical Centre ) and SOS. Both are close to each otheron the road to Sanur almost opposite Bali Galeria.
With the outdoor living style of Bali mosquitoes can be a problem. Until recently fly screens were unknown in Bali. When I wanted to fly screen my villa I had to take fly netting from Australia.
Insect repellents are easy to get in Bali. One common local brand is Autan and it is very effective. Many travellers recommend insect spray that is high in DEET content. I usually spray hotel bedrooms before going to bed. Mosquito coils can also be effective. The latest electronic devices where a vapour is released every so often are also excellent.
The small cicaks seen crawling up walls and on ceilings are tourists best friends as their main diet is mosquitoes and flies.
Much has been written about Dengue fever during the last year. It is a fact that Australia especiallyQueensland , in 2010, has had the highest recorded cases of Dengue fever.
Dengue fever is transmitted by a DAYTIME mosquito. In Bali it is a black and white striped mosquito known as the zebra mosquito.
In Bali there are 4 strains of Dengue. Once you have had one strain you are immune to that one strain. I am not sure how many strains there are in Australia.
I contracted my Dengue on Lembongan Island in 2005. Five days after returning to Bali I woke up feeling terrible. The symptoms like severe flu. I insisted on being taken to BIMC. I spent a week there on a drip. Dengue reduces the number of white cells in the blood and the patient becomes susceptible to secondary infections. The nursing staff monitor bleeding, which can occur from gums, eyes, urine and even through hands. Normally the white count is in 1000s. Mine dropped to 32. A count of 30 is critical and evacuation back to Australia considered. Luckily after my lowest count I recovered quite quickly. The Balinese often do not seek medical help as it is too expensive for them. Deaths do occur, mainly in the very young, old and those with other complications.
My Balinese friends did not accept that a mosquito caused my Dengue. They said "the wind caused it." this is a quite common explanation. To ensure it did not happen again I had to have a bigger and more elaborate temple built in the garden. It has worked I have not had Dengue again.
I have been back to Bali 15 times since my bout of Dengue. I take precautions but do not let it spoil my holiday by worrying too much.
more info and photos click here
For those living in Australia, especially Perth and Darwin, Bali is cheap and quick to get to and there is the temptation to forgo travel insurance.
Without getting paranoid travellers should take sensible precautions. Even the smallest graze should be carefully watched in case it becomes infected.
Luckily now in Bali there are several places where tourists can seek treatment, if needed. Two of the best known are BIMC ( Bali International Medical Centre ) and SOS. Both are close to each other
With the outdoor living style of Bali mosquitoes can be a problem. Until recently fly screens were unknown in Bali. When I wanted to fly screen my villa I had to take fly netting from Australia.
Insect repellents are easy to get in Bali. One common local brand is Autan and it is very effective. Many travellers recommend insect spray that is high in DEET content. I usually spray hotel bedrooms before going to bed. Mosquito coils can also be effective. The latest electronic devices where a vapour is released every so often are also excellent.
The small cicaks seen crawling up walls and on ceilings are tourists best friends as their main diet is mosquitoes and flies.
Much has been written about Dengue fever during the last year. It is a fact that Australia especially
Dengue fever is transmitted by a DAYTIME mosquito. In Bali it is a black and white striped mosquito known as the zebra mosquito.
In Bali there are 4 strains of Dengue. Once you have had one strain you are immune to that one strain. I am not sure how many strains there are in Australia.
I contracted my Dengue on Lembongan Island in 2005. Five days after returning to Bali I woke up feeling terrible. The symptoms like severe flu. I insisted on being taken to BIMC. I spent a week there on a drip. Dengue reduces the number of white cells in the blood and the patient becomes susceptible to secondary infections. The nursing staff monitor bleeding, which can occur from gums, eyes, urine and even through hands. Normally the white count is in 1000s. Mine dropped to 32. A count of 30 is critical and evacuation back to Australia considered. Luckily after my lowest count I recovered quite quickly. The Balinese often do not seek medical help as it is too expensive for them. Deaths do occur, mainly in the very young, old and those with other complications.
My Balinese friends did not accept that a mosquito caused my Dengue. They said "the wind caused it." this is a quite common explanation. To ensure it did not happen again I had to have a bigger and more elaborate temple built in the garden. It has worked I have not had Dengue again.
I have been back to Bali 15 times since my bout of Dengue. I take precautions but do not let it spoil my holiday by worrying too much.
more info and photos click here
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Rabies and dogs
The Australian press is divided into two groups, those who support Bali and those who take every opportunity to put Bali in a negative light.
When the rabies outbreak started in 2008 some of the press delighted in saying how dangerous Bali had become. Absolutely no mention that travellers to Europe and the USA should also avoid being bitten not only by dogs but by many other mammals that can carry the rabies virus.
Dogs to the Balinese are considered to be the reincarnation of evil spirits and to be left well alone. Stray and feral dogs were a real problem prior to 2008. Often tourists could see dogs that had been run over with fur torn off , exposed flesh visible and limping along with broken bones. No one took any care of them. the most humane thing would have been to have them put down.
There is a charity group, the name of which escapes me at the moment, based near Ubud, that look after stray Balinese dogs.
Gradually the attitude towards dogs has changed. Possibly because so many ex pats have dogs as pets. Also there are a number of pet shops that cater for the need of pets. Now quite a number of Balinese keep dogs as pets and not just guard dogs.
Anyway back to rabies. At the outset dogs were hunted and exterminated. In one area I know the army came and went into the bush shooting. The number of dogs decreased rapidly!
Dogs are now required to have a collar indicating thet they have been vaccinated and are supposed to be kept within the family compound.
Dogs found near monkey colonies and bat colonies are collected and "dealt with".
I go walking through Balinese villages and since the culling of stray dogs it has been so much more pleasant.
Because I do a lot of walking and encountered may feral dogs I did get the vaccination. A course of three injections costing $300. For the average visitor, who usually stay in the main tourist areas it in not essential to get vaccinated. The likelihood of getting bitten by an infected dog is now extremely remote.
If a tourist is bitten by a dog, bat or monkey it is wise to get the ant dote as soon as possible.
The deaths from rabies has been confined to Balinese who failed to seek treatment. They failed to get treatment because they thought they had to pay for it. in fact the government has introduced free treatment.
One reason why Balinese do not look after their pets as well as tourists do is the cost. I have a cat in Bali. I had it neutered at a cost of $50 - very cheap. My Balinese friends were horrified - they were thinking of what they could do with $50. The cat also lives like a queen having a diet of "Whiskas"
Check out my place by clicking here
When the rabies outbreak started in 2008 some of the press delighted in saying how dangerous Bali had become. Absolutely no mention that travellers to Europe and the USA should also avoid being bitten not only by dogs but by many other mammals that can carry the rabies virus.
Dogs to the Balinese are considered to be the reincarnation of evil spirits and to be left well alone. Stray and feral dogs were a real problem prior to 2008. Often tourists could see dogs that had been run over with fur torn off , exposed flesh visible and limping along with broken bones. No one took any care of them. the most humane thing would have been to have them put down.
There is a charity group, the name of which escapes me at the moment, based near Ubud, that look after stray Balinese dogs.
Gradually the attitude towards dogs has changed. Possibly because so many ex pats have dogs as pets. Also there are a number of pet shops that cater for the need of pets. Now quite a number of Balinese keep dogs as pets and not just guard dogs.
Anyway back to rabies. At the outset dogs were hunted and exterminated. In one area I know the army came and went into the bush shooting. The number of dogs decreased rapidly!
Dogs are now required to have a collar indicating thet they have been vaccinated and are supposed to be kept within the family compound.
Dogs found near monkey colonies and bat colonies are collected and "dealt with".
I go walking through Balinese villages and since the culling of stray dogs it has been so much more pleasant.
Because I do a lot of walking and encountered may feral dogs I did get the vaccination. A course of three injections costing $300. For the average visitor, who usually stay in the main tourist areas it in not essential to get vaccinated. The likelihood of getting bitten by an infected dog is now extremely remote.
If a tourist is bitten by a dog, bat or monkey it is wise to get the ant dote as soon as possible.
The deaths from rabies has been confined to Balinese who failed to seek treatment. They failed to get treatment because they thought they had to pay for it. in fact the government has introduced free treatment.
One reason why Balinese do not look after their pets as well as tourists do is the cost. I have a cat in Bali. I had it neutered at a cost of $50 - very cheap. My Balinese friends were horrified - they were thinking of what they could do with $50. The cat also lives like a queen having a diet of "Whiskas"
Check out my place by clicking here
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