Momoney
I’m not seeing anything on the subject. Is it a big problem?
spicyayam
I have also noticed that mosquitoes don't bother me like when I first came here. On a comparative scale, Bali restaurants are quite hygienic. I remember getting food poisoning a couple of times in Sumatra. Dengue fever can be a problem, but there really is no way to prevent it other than not getting bit by mosquitoes.
Markit
spicyayam wrote
Dengue fever can be a problem, but there really is no way to prevent it other than not getting bit by mosquitoes.
Note mozzies don't have Dengue fever, but people do, so if you are around a lot of people your chances of getting it are much higher than if you live away from the madden (and infected) crowd.
Laralea
Not uncommon for westerners, even those who eat mostly in the expat restaurants (vs. roadside Warungs), and who use filtered water religiously, including to brush teeth, will still get Bali belly once a quarter or so. It lasts for a couple of days and everything comes out of one (or both) ends! Not painful, but not pleasant and goes away on its own typically. Even a drop of the tap water can contain bacteria, as there is no water treatment here, so yes, food and utensils, plates, etc. gets washed with it and things you touch it day to day, etc. Keep a water dispenser and use it for as much of the day to day as is reasonable (drinking water yes, cooking yes, however, not for washing dishes, counters,...)
Mosquitos are an issue yes, standing water in rice fields, however, all restaurants have sprays and just like with anywhere, those who get bit, get bit, and those who don't, tend to be fine here. I don't, but one of my daughters does get bit, and we put spray on her when outside around sunset or when they are the worst. (Ironically, after the first 6 months of living here, she seemed to have stopped getting attacked by them, maybe change in diet?)
That is our experience anyway!
Momoney
Laralea wrote
Not uncommon for westerners, even those who eat mostly in the expat restaurants (vs. roadside Warungs), and who use filtered water religiously, including to brush teeth, will still get Bali belly once a quarter or so. It lasts for a couple of days and everything comes out of one (or both) ends! Not painful, but not pleasant and goes away on its own typically. Even a drop of the tap water can contain bacteria, as there is no water treatment here, so yes, food and utensils, plates, etc. gets washed with it and things you touch it day to day, etc. Keep a water dispenser and use it for as much of the day to day as is reasonable (drinking water yes, cooking yes, however, not for washing dishes, counters,...)
Mosquitos are an issue yes, standing water in rice fields, however, all restaurants have sprays and just like with anywhere, those who get bit, get bit, and those who don't, tend to be fine here. I don't, but one of my daughters does get bit, and we put spray on her when outside around sunset or when they are the worst. (Ironically, after the first 6 months of living here, she seemed to have stopped getting attacked by them, maybe change in diet?)
That is our experience anyway!
Thanks.....so, I’m guessing you wouldn’t want to rent a villa in a rice field. Do they have an effective mosquito spray?
Speaking of Bali belly, if you’re out shopping and need a bathroom, do they have some kind of public restroom system?
Laralea
Well, rice fields are everywhere, so mosquitos are everywhere, that is one of cultural identifiers of the area and one of the things that makes Bali so special - Rice fields are gorgeous and yes, you would want to be overlooking one, villas that have a view of the rice fields cost more for a reason! Also, standing water is everywhere regardless, no real drainage system and during the rainy season, it stays pretty wet in certain places. yes, mosquito sprays do work, though many people import their favorites from the western countries, especially if you want organic versions for yourself or kids.
There are restrooms in public restaurants just as anywhere (though the quality varies and you may have to walk around to the outside and down an alley at times to get to it)! For the most part, that isn't an issue.
More of an issue is the lack of any walkable sidewalks, trash on the side of the road and in the rivers, and having village roads wide enough for two cars to pass each other! :)
Markit
It's a common misunderstanding that rice fields are standing water, they are definitely not. The water moves through them slowly but constantly and therefore they don't have mosquitoes. The mozzies (we have almost none and live direct on the rice fields) come from small stagnant pools, split coconuts and anywere else there is standing water but not rice fields. Build next to them as much as you want and you will have a few mozzies, unless you are in Ubud - they are furious there, around dusk for an hour then no more. I spend much of that time in front of a fan which keeps them off too.
Been here 10 years and have never had Bali belly mainly because I don't eat at western restaurants and make sure to eat at well frequented local warung or cook myself but western restos are the main culprit. As to drinking water I have a well and run it through a triple charcoal filter system from Unilever Classic Pure with no dire results - still prefer drinking beer though.
Momoney
Markit wrote
Note mozzies don't have Dengue fever, but people do, so if you are around a lot of people your chances of getting it are much higher than if you live away from the madden (and infected) crowd.
So, Dengue fever, Bali belly and Monkey fever, other than that, life is Good! :)
JohnnyCool
[B][I]Markit[/I][/B]. And how, pray tell, do people [B]get[/B] dengue fever in the first place? From each other?
Dengue fever is a tropical [B]virus[/B] carried by mosquitoes. The mosquito gets it and transmits it to those it bites/feeds on. There are four main types of dengue, some worse than others but none ‘pleasant’
People who’ve copped it [B]don’t[/B] pass it on to others, (maybe vampires can but they’re not exactly ‘people’ in the normal sense of the word).
If any group of people, (local included), start coming down with it, that means there are infected mosquitoes in the vicinity living and breeding in pools of stagnant water, etc. Plus it’s not all mosquitoes, but one particular kind, those nasty buggers with the black and white striped legs. And normally, the females are the biters.
[B]Bali Belly, [/B](or Delhi Belly, Thailand Trots, Bombay Belly, etc), are all variations of travellers' diarrhoea.
The normal bacteria living in your guts gets out of whack when exposed to unexpected newcomers. You don’t have to go to another country for this to happen. It can occur in your own country, when travelling around. So, your stomach gets upset and you probably get a dose of the shits to go with it.
Coming to grief after eating in a foreign restaurant soon after your arrival is not necessarily from that food. (Of course, the food [I]might[/I] be contaminated in some way or other, but then you’d be looking at some form of food poisoning, which is different).
JohnnyCool
Momoney wrote
So, Dengue fever, Bali belly and Monkey fever, other than that, life is Good! :)
Yes and no. Don't forget rabies, Japanese encephalitis, Chikungunya, Tuberculosis ('rare'?), tetanus (your shots up-to-date?), STDs and traffic accidents.
Did I mention snakes? Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? And all the rest...
Balifrog
Just enjoy life.
Dont worry, be happy !
And don't think too much....
ronb
Markit wrote
..................................................... unless you are in Ubud - they are furious there, around dusk for an hour then no more. I spend much of that time in front of a fan which keeps them off too.
No true - just Markit pot stirring....
Momoney
Guys, that was great! Please, somebody tell me about about the paradise part. :cool:
tel522
Bali is ok ,but it "aint no paradise"
Momoney
tel522 wrote
Bali is ok ,but it "aint no paradise"
Please expound.....what might it be!
tel522
Bali is one island in the archipeligo ,with all the usual problems of a developing country , beaurocracy, some corruption ,unreliable legal system ,health care which is "a bit of a lottery" etc ,not so different to many countries of this classification ,in asia africa . As long as you are prepared for this no problem .
Balifrog
tel522 wrote
Bali is one island in the archipeligo ,with all the usual problems of a developing country , beaurocracy, some corruption ,unreliable legal system ,health care which is "a bit of a lottery" etc ,not so different to many countries of this classification ,in asia africa . As long as you are prepared for this no problem .
Bali is not a bad place to retire.
Of course it aint paradise, but it offers a decent VFM.
As French any of our overseas departments or territories would be easier(visa, legal, healthcare..) but they aren't paradise either (cost of life, security,...)
There is no paradise except if you have serious money and can consider Polynesia, St Martin, etc....
Bali is ok for the moment. Tomorrow is another day.
When I'll be older I may simply return to France, after all its my country.
Markit
tel522 wrote
Bali is ok ,but it "aint no paradise"
Compared to where?
Markit
Markit. And how, pray tell, do people get dengue fever in the first place? From each other?
When a mosquito bites a person who has dengue virus in his or her blood, the mosquito becomes infected with the dengue virus. An infected mosquito can later transmit that virus to healthy people by biting them. Dengue cannot be spread directly from one person to another, and mosquitoes are necessary for transmission of the dengue virus.
Jeez Johnny you know I never make a mistake!
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/dengue-transmission-22399758
Balifrog
Markit wrote
Compared to where?
I have visited / lived in a few places that I rate higher in the "paradise" list...
Tahiti, New Caledonia, Seychelles, Mauritius, are just a few that come to my mind, but there are at least half a dozen more.
But as I said , Bali is decent VFM for my budget.
