Of expatriots, tourists and forums.

[Bang_Bob]

Hello everyone I'm a newbie here.

I find the topic that Py brought up (apparently a couple of years ago) fascinating. I'm not a bali expat but I am Indonesian and I am an expat, just not in Indonesia. I'm always fascinated by what other people around the world think about our country and that is the main reason why I like to follow forums such as this one.

I've only been to Bali a few times and most of my knowledge about the Island, believe it or not, has been acquired from bali expats than from a Balinese. I don't know it that's good or bad. I do have a question for you guys. What do you think of Indonesian locals, such as me, jumping into the discussion where obviously they are looking things from different perspective and don't necessarily experience the same problems that expats & foreign tourists are experiencing in Bali? I'm interested to hear pros & cons. No holds barred. I can take it.

[drdana]

dear bob, I for one would find it refreshing and welcome. i hope you write openly.

but then who am i to say? THey are probably throwing me in jail for a long time for having written a complaint against a rat ridden losemen.

so i guess i will not be able to visit my house, at all.

[Jimbo]

More than welcome to talk about whatever you want. Anybody has a right to have an opinion even if its not always agreed with. :-)

[Roy]

Jimbo, not exactly a “warm and fuzzy” welcome there for Bob, eh?

Bob, yes, for sure your input from your unique points of view will be more than welcomed, so please, post away! This forum’s success is based on a variety of input from various people, almost always presented without hidden agendas.

So yes, go for it, and share your perspectives with us. I say, welcome!

[mungo]

Thanks Py and other contributors. I am new to the forum and your comments seem to be down to earth. I am not an ex-pat, but it is one of my ambitions to live and breathe in Bali. I now realise life in Bali for ex-pats is not all beer & skittles, but it seems also that it a peacefulness and less complications than a western life.

At the moment I live in another land that offers high taxes, taxes on almost everything, un-real property prices, ever increasing road traffic, unreliable public transport systems, a plethora of hidden traffic speed cameras and speed signs, questionable gov't laws, high council rates, gov't , police and corporate corruption, huge waiting lists for the treatment of chronic and acute medical conditions, sky rocketing food & petrol prices & gov't charges, increasing insurance, electricity, gas and water charges, convicted murderers violating parole & roaming the streets, a huge nationwide drug problem, a constant barrage of doom & gloom tv and radio news dominated by what the gov't is doing (or not doing) and the fact that weather here at the moment is cold and windy. Apart from all that everything is honky dory. See what you ex-pats are missing out on?

Yes for us pinkys who visit the great island, no matter how many times, it still takes a good week (or two) to get into Bali mode and accept the quietness and peacefulness of Bali life even after grovelling for a year or two in the above. By that time it is often time to head back to some more grovelling. Most of us tourists shop, eat, swim, talk and walk. Usually once the suitcase is full we relax, but only for a day. I accept the busy roads of Bali and find the people a lot more courteous and aware than they are back where I come from. I accept the slowness of service, because at least in Bali I get some. I accept when in Bali, you do as the Balinese do. The only problem for a lot of us, bombs or no bombs, is Bali is always a hard place to leave. Surviving and living, to me, are more important than surviving and stagnating. Becoming an ex-pat seems to be an attractive option to someone wanting to change their lifestyle. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to have their say, as a lot out there don't have an opinion, which to me is sad. Cheers and beers.

[Roy]

Welcome to the forum Mungo. I can’t say I particularly enjoyed reading your litany of life as you know it in Fremantle, (so depressing), but I can say that life is all about choices.

You make your bed, and then you sleep on it. Next time you throw your sheets into the washing machine, you can think on that. Good luck to you.

[mungo]

Gee whiz Roy, thanks for the welcome, but I don't know what galaxy you dwell in or exactly get your drift but I didn't think I was whinging and didn't mean to depress you or anyone else who I may have thought were logical people with a reasonable IQ. I re-read my post and convinced myself that it must be the way you read into things Roy.

If humour is something unavailable in Bali, then I must reconsider moving there. I would hate to think that I would become a cretin. I was relaying things as they are, as I have experienced them, lived and survived them. Some ex-pats may have forgotten what it is like. Mind you Roy, I made my bed long ago and contributed to the "system" with no regrets. Always had an opinion and paid heavily to the tax system....you know one of the little things that I think drive lot of ex patriots away from the rat race.

Thanks for the two cent lecture and I will seek your wisdom in the future on matters which may depress others before I put them to type. It must be nice to sit on the fence and look down at the plebs like me who enjoy life.

[Roy]

Mungo, don't worry yourself too much on what planet, or part of the universe I reside. It ain't Pluto, as the experts have recently denounced our beloved and faithful side kick of Mickey Mouse as a planet. :evil:

Mungo, you did write:

At the moment I live in another land that offers high taxes, taxes on almost everything, un-real property prices, ever increasing road traffic, unreliable public transport systems, a plethora of hidden traffic speed cameras and speed signs, questionable gov't laws, high council rates, gov't , police and corporate corruption, huge waiting lists for the treatment of chronic and acute medical conditions, sky rocketing food & petrol prices & gov't charges, increasing insurance, electricity, gas and water charges, convicted murderers violating parole & roaming the streets, a huge nationwide drug problem, a constant barrage of doom & gloom tv and radio news dominated by what the gov't is doing (or not doing) and the fact that weather here at the moment is cold and windy.

I don't know about other readers, but to me, that sounds like a litany of woes....and without humor.

You say,

Some ex-pats may have forgotten what it is like.

You are bloody right about that. We wouldn't be here if we wanted to remember, or live, that past. :P

Once again, welcome to the forum, and if you can manage to keep your speedos on, you just might learn a thing or two here. :P

Harry Truman: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

[mungo]

Like your quick response Roy, given the fact that there seems to be a large gap in posts on the forum in regard to the subject heading. Looking forward to further (positive) posts and I am here to learn and if I can also contribute in a positive way I shall do so. Perthaps your computer may need fixing or you have an IT problem. On that note I will leave you with this (perhaps you may have heard it before ):

javascript:emoticon(':lol:')
LaughingThe Bathtub Test

We are all usually fairly well aware of our physical health, but often forget to assess the state of our mental health. This short test may help you:

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.


"Well," said the Director, "We fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."


"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."


"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"

DID YOU PASS, OR DO YOU WANT THE BED NEXT TO MINE?

[Roy]

Perthaps your computer may need fixing or you have an IT problem.

Nope, my “puter” is running just fine. As for gaps on this forum, may I bring to your attention that it was YOU who decided to revisit this string which was started by my friend Py on Mon Dec 09, 2002!

That's bloody near four years ago!

Like I said Mungo, keep those speedos on! :P :P :P