Bali Breakdown

I posted here when I was in HK on the way here with some thoughts on the way here. Glad to see BootBlog re-launched - now I can post securely through the new https: control panel - nice one Chrisso for getting it done.

Haven’t been in Bali for about 14 months and a lot has changed from my limited point of view…It looks like a lot of growth is going on here as far as construction is concerned…Villas, Hotels and all sorts of other stuff is being built.

Nick is getting to the point of being a cagey veteran around here…Last time I was here - he just barely completed his 1st year here…now he has been through 2 yearly cycles and is married with a little boy on the way…

One thing that I see is that Bali is not such a RTW/Backpacker ghetto like it used to be. So much development has made this location so much more than just a backpacker haven - you can still enjoy it as a backpacker and find gr8 prices…but the other markets are being served more fully now…we broke it down into this.

1) Aussie Family
2) Spa hounds
3) Elite/Rich getaway
4) Art/Crafts Lovers
5) Domestic Indo tourists
6) RTW/backpacker travelers
7) Surf travelers

Surely there are others - just over time - Nick has seen patterns of people and more often than not, they fit into one of the above categories.

Nick also said that 90% of Bali visitors stay in a very small part of the island (Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Nusa Dua regions). These areas are the most trafficed - not his favorite parts either… East Bali and other hidden parts still give the backpack non-tour oriented traveler some not so typical experience still. Just takes a bit more doing.

Since I arrived - we have been pounding on work from dawn to dusk…a lot of folks suggest I “take it easy” - this is normal for me…Nick likes what he does, I like what I do - so we get into it at 6 a.m. and go at it until we can’t anymore. It’s easy todo when you like who you work with and you have a goal.

I met Barrie last nite…finally.