Bali - A Short Holiday

[B-Man]

Well, that was a short holiday.

The day after we arrived the bombs went off - At first I couldn't beleive it. Luckily we were not in any of the areas that were affected.

We felt fairly safe, until the announcement was made that there was the possibility of more attacks in Seminyak (where we were staying). Also that bombings were predicted to occur at the restaurant we had dinner in one night.

So we decided to come back early - A good decision I think - For peace of minds sake.

Thanks to Qantas for honouring our Garuda tickets to get us back early. It's good to be home.

It was a very sad and sometimes emotional time - talking to aussies over there that were affected - or nearly affected - There were lots of tears and phone calls back home.

Most of our intelligence came from Australia - The locals won't talk about it cause of course it hurts their economy so badly. The Balinese are such beautiful and peaceful people. I really feel sadness and empathy towards them. I don't think they will recover from this for quite a while.

It was my Borthday yeasterday - spent all day trying to get out - Frustrations in my party made it one of the worst Birthdays ever - But on the upside, we are all back in Sydney safe and sound.

It's surreal really - You can't imagine the feelings by just watching shit on TV like I did in 2002 - When you are there - it is very real.

The thing about it is - I don't understand the motives of the attacks in Bali - Mostly locals died - It will hurt the Bali economy but not the Indonesian economy. And just adds fuel to the fire on Extreme East versus West. Nothing it to be achieved by this behaviour.

My condolences to all that were killed and injured. My blessings to those who led us to safely

Cheers

B-Man

[ECR033]

The thing about it is - I don't understand the motives of the attacks in Bali - Mostly locals died - It will hurt the Bali economy but not the Indonesian economy. And just adds fuel to the fire on Extreme East versus West. Nothing it to be achieved by this behaviour.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Totally agree with you on that one.

Glad to hear you made it back to Australia safely mate

[Beer Baron]

The thing about it is - I don't understand the motives of the attacks in Bali - Mostly locals died - It will hurt the Bali economy but not the Indonesian economy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that kind of is their motive. the indonesian muslim extremists see bali as part of the west now. it has a very small muslim population, large budhist and christian populations though. Plus on any given day plenty of white western tourists to target. I guess the balinese people are being punished by the extremists for what they see as bali cosying up to the west.

Anyway, I am glad you are home safe mate.

[Links]

Glad you made it back in one piece.. unfortunately for bali people will no longer feel safe at all and no longer travelling there..

I'm leaving for thailand tomorrow for a holiday, although it isn't viewed as a target.. i'm still wary..

[Silver-Arrowz]

Good to know you back.

It's sad to see a minority ruin it for the rest. Safe travels Links!

[boj01]

I ate at the restaurant in the main street of Kuta that got bombed on my last visit over there only 4 weeks ago. I remember the waiter who served us and now they are in a million pieces!

Many people from Newcastle have been affected by the attack. Its not their recovery now, but its the injuries they have to live with for the rest of their lives.

[Endorean]

My girlfriend was getting her hair braided and I was getting dreadlocks from a stall right outside the first bombing only three hours earlier that day.

We are both in a state of shock as we were planning to go back into Kuta the next day and was recommended by a taxi driver to go to the restaruant in Jimbaren as well.

All I can say that I wont be going back to Bali, Fiji will be next I think....

My thoughts go out to anyone that was affected in some way by these latest attacks.

[Neil]

Glad to have you home B-man,,,,I was a bit worried about you.

Neil.

[DLuded]

It will hurt the Bali economy but not the Indonesian economy

exactly, the balinese arent the people bombing its the other dickheads

it just amazes me that someone is caught with 2 esctacy tablets and will probably get 10 years jail while you can conspire to kill 200 people and only receive a few years jail....thats a fair judicial system for sure

i know drugs are against their religion so thats why they have such severve sentences but what about respecting human life? i just cant understand that

[Shell]

i think after the first ones that most people thought that was it... people were a bit wary of going there for a while, but I dont think most of us thought it would happen again.

but now... I think it will be hard for people to feel safe about going back ever.

glad to see you home safely b-man, sorry you had such a crap birthday B)

you'll have to have a delayed piss up with lots of cheapo duty free grog!

[B-Man]

I think that kind of is their motive. the indonesian muslim extremists see bali as part of the west now. it has a very small muslim population, large budhist and christian populations though. Plus on any given day plenty of white western tourists to target. I guess the balinese people are being punished by the extremists for what they see as bali cosying up to the west.

Anyway, I am glad you are home safe mate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you hit the nail on the head there Richard.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME :)

[Blitz]

Glad your safe B-Man, welcome back mate

[GoldZilla]

exactly, the balinese arent the people bombing its the other dickheads

it just amazes me that someone is caught with 2 esctacy tablets and will probably get 10 years jail while you can conspire to kill 200 people and only receive a few years jail....thats a fair judicial system for sure 

i know drugs are against their religion so thats why they have such severve sentences but what about respecting human life? i just cant understand that

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what spins me out too! Seriously, how do the lawmakers and judges look themselves in the mirror each day when there is such a ridiculous imbalance in their justice system? I'm not a drug taker, never have been and never will be - I've got enough medical problems to deal with - but, surely, being strung up for a few tabs or grams of your chosen drug for personal use couldn't possibly be the same as setting out to kill/maim/injure tens or hundreds or thousands of innocent people. Or even one person, for that matter!

How do the terrorists/extremists/fundamentalists (or whatever they'll be referred to next in the news) look at themselves in the mirror knowing full well the hurt, anger and associated anguish that they are causing? Aren't we all human, after all? Do they really think that they are superior, or that their chosen god(s) is better than the next person's?

I really don't get it. As a whole, we really don't know what the hell happened to Shappel Corby, maybe she was set up. But knowing full well the situation she is in now, I don't think I'll be rushing to Bali (or Indonesia in general) any time soon. To think that she got stung so hard, yet merely months later the clowns claiming responsibility for the 2002 attacks are having their sentences reduced? Figure that out?

/End Rant

Oh well, at least B-Man (and many others) are home safe. It's unfortunate that some still had to suffer, and my condolences goes out to them and their friends and families.

Nick T.