Righto, well, before I blog post about bali; I’ll start with the comedy of errors that I made to start the trip – ignoring advice isn’t advisable, but it does make for interesting happenings and amusing read :P (this is just a smooth cover for my inability to admit stupidity)
Advice #1
From: My brother
Advice: “oh nic, just letting you know that you need to get a return ticket for indonesia or proof of exit in order to enter the country”
My thoughts: (naahh, that doesnt sound right, every country in south east asia doesnt have a silly rule like that)
Consequence:
I arrive to check-in at perth international airport, the guy at the check-in desk declines my ticket due to no return ticket in itinerary. I go on the net to somehow find a way to purchase a ferry ticket to singapore from indonesia online using credit card, obviously no luck there. Admit defeat and purchase a return ticket to aust, departing in 1 months time :( plan now is to lapse the ticket and catch the ferry before the 30day travel visa expires.
Result: $166 wasted :(
Advice #2
From: Everyone
Advice: “Always keep some USD on you and aalllways make sure you exchange money before you fly out, to prevent issues with visa purchases on arrival”
My thoughts: (before land border crossings, of course I would do this; However airports have ATMs/Shops, I want to arrive with no AUD or USD so that I only have one currency straight from ATM upon arrival. Bali is perth’s main holiday destination, there’s bound to be stupid people like me who don’t prepare money beforehand)
Consequence:
Arrive and approch ‘VISA on arrival” purchase counter. Unfortunately I am unable to use eftpos, cash only; no problem, I’ll head to the one of 6 (thats right, SIX, all lined up) ATMs for people to extract money.
Not one ATM works. Error “Communication link down”. Met two other germans with the same issue, found it odd that noone else was experiencing the problem, was surprised that most people were more prepared than us.
Let the information guys know about the problem, they couldnt fault it – but offered to use my camera as collateral in trade for the $22 VISA fee. I declined.
One of the germans found enough cash for a VISA and offered to get money out for both of us, with an airport escort letting him back in.
Immigration officers rocked up 30min later, I was asked to go to the immigration office; Harsh questioning in a very dodgy office, after about an hr he said that if the german isnt back in 30min, he will send me back home (which i assume would mean a black mark in my passport?).
10min later… german comes back with news! All commonwealth ATM transactions in bali were down, all three of us had commonwealth bank cards, will be down for the next hr and a half (after the security guard next to him phoned commbank, once he noticed many others outside having issues)
eexxtremely happy with news, I extract funds from ATM – get out of the airport with no further issues, other than having to stay at an expensive hotel in kuta as nothing else was open at 3am :(
Result: Met two awesome german backpackers (who have been living in perth for a few yrs) who I have been touring around the island with for the last couple o days :D
The 5000 Project 