:lol: Just thought I would try to bring a little humour to the forum and embarrass myself at the same time.
Our first trip to Bali was as a single day stop-over on the way to our daughters wedding in Timor. As we collected our bags from the airport carosel (how do you spell carousel?) these guys grabbed our bags then and started to take off. I chased and grabbed an arm when they stopped at a money changers both, a distance of just a few meters/metres/yards (depending on where you are from). Then ensued a shouting match, with mainly me shouting at them. It appears that a group of five Porters had "assisted" me with my two bags. Some guy in uniform tried to quiet the melee and told me I had to pay up. Since I am very law abiding I gave the nearest one five aussie dollars, but they demanded the same for each of the five of them, for two cases only. I stood my ground and refused. Grabbing both bags I hurriedly went outside, followed by these gesticulating porters, duly followed by the wife.
I asked this guy if there was left luggage office and he took me there. After checking the bags the same guy asked if we needed a lift. I said 'great if you are going to Kuta Square"; he said he was. When we got to his car it was a taxi. Oh Oh! I smelled a scam. Having read the Lonely Planet I said "How much?" He gave me a figure and knowing all about bartering :wink: I started hammering him down. All the while the wife kept trying to interupt, but unsuccessfully. We settled on a price. The short drive to Kuta was silent; wife grim faced; me feeling proud of my bartering skills.
Got out and paid him then wife let go. She had seen the notice board at the airport advising that a reasonable fare to Kuta was I think 20,000Rp. Meanwhile I have "negotiated" a price down from his 100,000Rp to my 80,000Rp. What skill! :shock:
As all you people would realise the total cost was only some $11-$12 Au but it was the let down of feeling I had done so well, then realising I had been ripped off.
to be continued:
Our first trip to Bali was as a single day stop-over on the way to our daughters wedding in Timor. As we collected our bags from the airport carosel (how do you spell carousel?) these guys grabbed our bags then and started to take off. I chased and grabbed an arm when they stopped at a money changers both, a distance of just a few meters/metres/yards (depending on where you are from). Then ensued a shouting match, with mainly me shouting at them. It appears that a group of five Porters had "assisted" me with my two bags. Some guy in uniform tried to quiet the melee and told me I had to pay up. Since I am very law abiding I gave the nearest one five aussie dollars, but they demanded the same for each of the five of them, for two cases only. I stood my ground and refused. Grabbing both bags I hurriedly went outside, followed by these gesticulating porters, duly followed by the wife.
I asked this guy if there was left luggage office and he took me there. After checking the bags the same guy asked if we needed a lift. I said 'great if you are going to Kuta Square"; he said he was. When we got to his car it was a taxi. Oh Oh! I smelled a scam. Having read the Lonely Planet I said "How much?" He gave me a figure and knowing all about bartering :wink: I started hammering him down. All the while the wife kept trying to interupt, but unsuccessfully. We settled on a price. The short drive to Kuta was silent; wife grim faced; me feeling proud of my bartering skills.
Got out and paid him then wife let go. She had seen the notice board at the airport advising that a reasonable fare to Kuta was I think 20,000Rp. Meanwhile I have "negotiated" a price down from his 100,000Rp to my 80,000Rp. What skill! :shock:
As all you people would realise the total cost was only some $11-$12 Au but it was the let down of feeling I had done so well, then realising I had been ripped off.
to be continued: