In Reply to: Good warning about Aids posted by masuraka on Sunday, 5. July 2009 at 16:14 Bali Time:
My husband is a Roti regular but this year he left after only 2 weeks because malaria is rampant there. Although there is a good clinic devoted to malaria, it is struggling to keep up with the number of cases in that small area & the usual medicines aren't working. A young, fit long time Timorese friend of hubby's died from it this year. Aussie surfers were ill, too, one extremely sick. Roti is like Bali 30 years ago, not 20. My husband takes anti-malaria pills, wears repellent constantly, long pants & sleeves etc, takes a mozzie net but with so many people there affected by malaria he & others decided the odds of staying healthy were not favourable & bailed. He's staying at Ulus now thinking about where to go for the next 5 weeks.
It takes 2 days each way to get there from & to Bali usually. There is now one restaurant. Homestays are bamboo huts with basic food included. Electricity at night sometimes. No money changers or card facilities. No shops. And to think my husband has seriously been telling me for years that I should go there!! Pass, honey.