If you had to do it again, what would you bring along?

[anicca]

Packing up my life and moving to Bali is a daunting task. There are so many things that I want to bring that I know I cant or dont need. THere are also heaps of things that I am sure I havent thought of that I will desperately wish I had brought along.

What did you forget that you found you couldnt live without? What CANT you get in Bali?

So far, I know I must bring my knives. I love to cook and will probably bring a few pieces of crockery and things related to cooking.

We (DH and I) are in full discussions about what computer equiptment to bring as well. Someone told me I need to bring a router? Is that so?
We are considering ditching our PC for a second laptop...any opinions on this?

I still cant convince DH that we will be going back to dial up and leaving the world of broadband behind us.....

I am looking forward to your responses as I know it is really a case by case scenario depending on the person.

I hope this message finds you well.

Kira

 

[UluwatuWaves]

Welcome to the forum Annica. You must be excited to be moving to Bali. There are many things you could bring to bali but i would imagine the majority of things you might as well just buy in Bali or order online if you need them. It is amazing how little one needs to live comfortably. Of course you need the basics. I would pack and ship the eseentials and try to limit anything that is heavy or bulky unless you absolutely need it. Personal Shipping rates can be expensive for large bulky items and I would guess that It may be even cheaper to just buy a new one than paying for shipping and storage. There is an ACE hardware in Kuta that sells construction tools and stuff which can also be bulkky and heavy if you plan on doing any renovating or anything. Oh yeah, when i was in Bali last, I didn't bring enough surf boards for the different conditions and wave sizes. Do you surf? I hope this was helpful and welcome

 

[Sanurian]

Welcome Annica

These days you can get just about everything in Bali. Even great chef knives.

...We (DH and I) are in full discussions about what computer equipment to bring as well. Someone told me I need to bring a router? Is that so? We are considering ditching our PC for a second laptop...any opinions on this? I still cant convince DH that we will be going back to dial up and leaving the world of broadband behind us.....

If you have important stuff on your current PC, take out the hard-drive and bring it with you (not the whole PC).

It's easy to buy routers/modems here so you don't have to bring one with you. There are many places that sell computer components. I would imagine that lap-tops are cheaper in Japan than here (at present).

As for "leaving the world of broadband" behind you, that depends upon where you will live and how much money you have. "Reasonably priced broadband" is available, depending on location. The run-of-the-mill "broadband" in Bali peaks at 384kbs (DL) and 64kbs (UL)...when you're lucky. But living in Bali will probably slow you down a bit anyway and coping with less than perfect internet connection speeds is par for the course.

I wish you all the very best in your (ad)venture.

 

[Roy]

Phil is right about these days...and that just about anything being available in Bali. If I were in your shoes now, as opposed to back then, I would concentrate on the really personal things, like family photos, a family heirloom or two, even your favorite snuggly pillow if you have one.

 

[Jimbo]

The most essential thing I will bring with me is..........my wife Maria. She will then sort out everything and everybody including my Bintang, wine and malt whisky

Most of all she will sort out me

 

[Roy]

Jimbo, after your purgatory in SA, I’d be thinking....wife, all of her sisters, aunts and cousins!

 

[InAdelaide]

the only thing I regret not doing is having my photo albums burnt onto disc and put onto internet so easy to access...I left them back in Australia with friend so will have to get sent over here or get him to do for me there

 

[Jimbo]

I have today received an email from the President of my company stating I will be allowed a months leave at Christmas and New year and next July, I have 2 months sabbatical leave to go to Indonesia.

I wish to look for 2 houses whilst I am there one will be in Sulewesi and the other in Bali. I am hoping to bring the whole tribe with me. With this in mind does any one know what air lines fly into Makkasar (Ujung Pandang). I cannot seem to find any on the net myself but if any readers have knowledge I would be grateful.

I think it will be via Bali in the end so if any one knows the cheapest route from Manchester UK to Bali again I would be grateful.

Oh, In addition I will be refurbishing the family home in the Kampung as my own pet project.

My staff here have heard me cackling with glee and are convinced there is a smuggled bottle of Glenlivet in my cabin.

 

[matsaleh]

Jimbo, not sure if you're looking for a direct flight from Manchester to Ujung Pandang, but a domestic carrier, Lion Air, flies between Denpasar and Ujung Pandang.

http://www.lionair.co.id/

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks Mats

THere are no direct flights but last time I could fly with Singapore Airways and then get a flight (Silk Air) direct. What I am trying to do is find a flight that lets me use Ujung Pandang as a gateway to indonesia as I do not want to come in via Jakarta or even Bali to start with.

So once again any help appreciated.

 

[FreoGirl]

Hi Anicca

Not sure how tall you are, but the thing I found hardest to buy, and ended up bringing back from Australia on a visit, was shoes - I couldn't get ladies shoes over size 40 (European sizing), and I'm a 41. So many really cute, cheap shoes, and none for me :cry: Maybe the tourist areas of Bali have them though.. but I wasn't anywhere near those - and when I was I couldn't find them in the short time I had.

Knives - yes I also brought mine with me, and was glad I did. Never did see any decent ones there. I did eventually find decent cookware, but only after a lot of searching (and forget the big hardware store in Kuta, it is all junk as far as cookware goes).

I often missed my expresso machine, but I also love local coffee - so it was a pretty good replacement.

Mostly it was the little things - I did three trips back to Australia over a year and every time I was fully loaded coming back to Indonesia - with the stuff that maybe you could find there, but I couldn't - I was not in a big expat area so my options were more limited.

One last thing - I'm sure you already know - tampons. A year's supply, flat packed in plastic resealable bags, easy to get into the suitcase that way, and not heavy. As I said, it's the little things :lol:

Goodness, I hope Anicca is a girls name... :!:

 

[Roy]

Sorry freogirl, but your shoes and knives really got my attention.

As for shoes, neither my wife or I own one pair of shoes. Come to think of it, why on earth would anyone living in Bali want a pair of shoes?

As for cutlery, there are plenty of places on Bali to buy fine knives, and I find the idea of importing them rather funny...and likely to get the attention of customs if caught.

Shoes and knives as a “bring along.” Who would have ever dreamed that up?

 

[Ilu]

Sorry freogirl, but your shoes and knives really got my attention.

As for shoes, neither my wife or I own one pair of shoes. Come to think of it, why on earth would anyone living in Bali want a pair of shoes?

As for cutlery, there are plenty of places on Bali to buy fine knives, and I find the idea of importing them rather funny...and likely to get the attention of customs if caught.

Shoes and knives as a “bring along.” Who would have ever dreamed that up?

As for shoes, neither my wife or I own one pair of shoes. Come to think of it, why on earth would anyone living in Bali want a pair of shoes?

I only use shoes when I am hiking, I dont like to use sandals in the jungle

 

[drbruce]

Shoes, Roy, can come in helpful for some of us. For instance, if I have to talk to someone from the government, I wear my teacher clothes which includes shoes; if I'm attending a wedding or funeral; special ceremonies for Hindu and Christian friends.

 

[charlie]

I used to wear shoes when i went from our house to the village on the motorbike. It's 2 hours away and it geys really cold up past pupuan and also the fact that if we were to ever have an accident i wanted some protection for my toes.

 

[Roy]

Good points about shoes for jungle trekking and long motorbike rides...neither of which I have done.

For the jungle treks I think I’d prefer steel plated boots as even within our village, those snakes always seem to find me.

As for knives, I’d go to any of the several restaurant supply companies in Denpasar or Ace Hardware in Kuta Galleria.

I would definitely not try to bring serious cutlery into Bali. Recently we have had to conform to new packing procedures for the antique kris that we sell and export. Now they have to be sealed in a wooden box before the airlines will take them as cargo.

 

[Sergio]

For me the question would have to be what I would NOT bring...

A RETURN TICKET!!!

 

[pinkbali]

i'd bring:

!) much less beauty junk like creams & serums. i found that the local indonesian skin care stuff at matahari's in denpasar gave me way better results & the makeup i bought there suted balinese weather. the stuff i brought here from back home just felt sticky on my skin. even the balinese shampoos & conditoner worked better. bought my serums here, as well.

2) i would DEFINITELY bring my gold bond medicated powder. the indonesian prickly heat powder they have has a very strong smell although it worked fast on prickly heat bumps that plagued me all through out my bali trip.

3) a big 98% SPF sunblock hat. they have nothing like that in bali. i had one at home but thinking that bali probably has it, i didnt want to have carry it. turns out that i really needed it. my scalp was steaming under the noontime sun. is amazing how the natives in bali barely break out in a sweat. they look so effortless while i feel like ive ran a marathon after just a 5 minute walk.

4) carmex lip ointment. its better than gloss & hydrates ur lips without a funny taste.

5) a water bottle holder. they sold several types all over bali but i wanted the velcro kind. thank bottled god water is everywhere in bali.

 

[FreoGirl]

Seeing as this thread got started up I just noticed your question to me Roy, so let me explain -

This is a language thing - by shoes I mean anything you put on your feet, ie footwear. Unless you go barefoot I'm sure you put something on your feet ?

I can't even get slip on sandals unless they are men's sandals/thongs/flip flops - what ever you want to call them. They are fine for most things, but if I want to go to dinner, or some social event I like to wear something other than flat plastic men's sandals on my feet. I'm no Imelda, simple is fine. Not available to me in most of Indonesia. Even in Bali I haven't ever found much in the way of nice 40+ size ladies footwear. So I bring em.

As to knives - I spent half a day running around the stores in Kuta, including the big American hardware store - and they had junk. Perhaps you don't cook much? Good, chef quality knives, are imporant to me. I like to cook, and I like good tools to do it with.

Most of my ex-pat female friends who cook have also resorted to bringing their good knives from home - either because they couldn't find the quality, or they didn't want to go to the expense of replacing them. (For the quality they must be imported = expensive)

I trust you are now enlightened!

Freo

 

[Bert Vierstra]

The shoes, yes.

I have a 46, and they are difficult to find.

The knifes. We have a knife which was bought in the street, sometimes you see a guy running around selling knifes.

Its the best we have.... Handmade in Bali.... Not exactly stainless steel, but very sharp..