In Reply to: Lots of debt too posted by Tina G on Thursday, 13. May 2010 at 08:59 Bali Time:
Have to agree with you there Tina G . After travelling to Bali over the last 12 or so years you learn to appreciate what we have . The biggest wake up call for me was a visit to or freinds house of which he was so proud of . It was a basic concrete box 4 walls a roof and floor the only openning was a doorway minus the door . On the floor was the family sleeping arrangements 1 mattress to sleep 4 2a & 2c , the wardrobe was a rood between plstic crates that made up for drawers all cooking was done on a camp stove outside once a day . I walked away from there vowing to never penny pinch with these lovely people ever again . Yes I do bargain with the drivers and people in the markets because it's what they expect and sometimes can be offended if you don't . To give you an example of how I was told things work by our driver last trip .His boss owns the car , he in turn hires the car to the hotel who give the work out to the driver complicated isn't it . Now out of the negotiated price between you and the driver his boss gets 65% the hotel gets 20% and the driver gets 15% not bad you say out of that 15% the driver pays for the fuel parking fees ect , leaving them not much at the end of the day to support a wife two kids and in a lot of cases edlerly parents .
These days I ask our driver who by the way is an absolute gem of a man how much for so and so he will give me the price no negotiation from that piont on at the end of the trip he is given the price quoted but also my gratitude payment to him for HIS service .
Geez I'm so glad my brother in law doesn't come with us any more he'd be so P'D off with me that's why he was known as Mr. Stingey .
I'm landing back in the Isle Of Smiles for 11 days this Saturday and can hardly wait to see our freind the driver .