In Reply to: Taking donations ? posted by Fisho girl on Saturday, 11. February 2006 at 08:55 Bali Time:
suffer from jealousy, in varying degrees..it is easy to imagine that some Customs Officers will see all these tourists arriving loaded down with gifts, and simply say "wish I could have some of that!"
Classic examples of glasses, pens, bandages and clothes being "confiscated" prove this.
If a person owns an item and willingly gives it to another, that is a donation, or a gift, which is the reason behind many items going to Bali in the first place.
If an item belongs to a person, and another person takes the item without permission, that is THEFT! Plain & simple THEFT! Kerobokan is the best place for thieves.
It is often well documented that it is "the way things are done", but at the end of the day, it is theft!
Pack the stuff as personal luggage, because U will be buying heaps of new stuff over there anyway,and U will maybe save on excess weight too.