In Reply to: views from new bali travellers posted by saralian on Saturday, 18. November 2006 at 08:45 Bali Time:
Hello there!! I have just got back from my first trip to Bali about 4 weeks ago now and i loved it!! We stayed at the Dynasty resort in Tuban, Kuta.
I was traveling with a friend who has been to Bali many times so i was in good hands when exploring. I found the shopkeepers to be not too pushy, well not as pushy as i was told they would be. They realy did try to get you to buy something as there are not as many tourists in Bali as there once was but they dont totaly hound you or chase you down the street or anything. There are alot of them competing for your business which makes them drop their prices to undercut the other fellow but they dont get agressive if you dont want to buy anything.
My first experiance out on the back beach of our hotel was quite funny, my friend just stood back laughing and filmed me as i got mobbed by the shop keepers all putting clothes and watcher and things all over me. I ended up paying waaaayyyy to much for the things i bought but i learned realy quick how to barter and how much the money transfered into in our money. They soon know when someone has a grasp on the money and will leave you alone(hehe).
The streets are not as busy as they used to be but the people are slowley coming back to Bali and the feel in the streets is comfortable the people and tourists are starting to relax again, We were walking in some areas in Bali (down slanes and quiet suburbs) in the dark, where if it was here in Australia we probably would have been mugged or something, but i felt an odd sense of peace and was totaly at ease when travelling around! Everyone you walked passed had a smile for you, not like here at all!!!
The friends we met and made in Bali are of course worried about getting tourists to come back but they have hope and faith and are such beautiful caring people that the tourists will not be too far away.They will never forget but they are starting to become more and more busy as the days go by!
I hope this helps you a bit, I know i will definatly be going back to Bali as soon as i can for sure!!!