In Reply to: Hotel feedback and tips for Bali virgin posted by keggut on Monday, 13. July 2009 at 11:14 Bali Time:
Things I wish I'd known as a Bali Virgin:
Don't change your money at shops advertising better than usual rates - they're better for a reason & you're not the one who will benefit! Sleight of hand means you end up short-changed & out of pocket
Take cash, place in hotel safe with passport other valuables etc
Change money in lots of $100 - much easier to check you've been given correct money
Have a "ready reckoner" for exchange rates handy in your purse or wallet. Really helps for the first few days until you're accustomed to working out what the cost of something in RP equates to in your own currency.
Don't, I repeat DON'T, head down to the beach on your first day expecting to relax & have a blissful massage LOL. It took me several more trips to Bali to recover from that initial experience - I came back stressed, shaking, completely out of money & in possession of numerous items that I had no use for & didn't want LOL LOL LOL. They saw a green one coming from miles away. Live & learn.
Relax, enjoy & don't expect things to happen at the break-neck speed they do in the Western world. "Bali time" is sloooooow and it's this that makes for such a relaxing change of pace :0)