Because I keep forgetting to tell people this stuff and then they show up unprepared
Feb 2024
Okay so I've been here three weeks and nobody told me about the dogs. There are packs of street dogs EVERYWHERE. They look calm during the day but at night they get territorial. I got chased by five of them walking home from a warung at 10pm. Had to back away slowly while they barked and lunged. Scared shitless.
Balinese people say don't run, don't make eye contact, walk backwards slowly. Easy to say when you're not surrounded by growling dogs.
Also one bit my friend Sarah. She needed rabies shots. Cost her $800 and she had to get like 5 shots over a month. The dog looked fine, wasn't foaming or anything, just bit her ankle when she walked past it.
Note to self: tell visitors about rabies risk and dog packs.
March 2024
Scooter accident #1: Not me, the guy staying in the villa next door. Dutch guy, been riding for "two weeks." Took a corner too fast on gravel, slid out, road rash all down his side. He didn't want to go to the hospital because he doesn't have insurance and heard it's expensive.
Saw him three days later - the road rash is infected. Oozing. He still won't go to hospital.
Update: He went eventually. Sepsis. In hospital for a week. Had to fly home. His whole trip ruined.
Why do people not get insurance???
March 2024
Met a girl at a café who's been here 6 months. She told me about "Bali belly" like it's just a fact of life. "You'll get it eventually, everyone does."
She's had it THREE TIMES. She still eats salad from warungs. I don't understand.
I've been paranoid about food - only eating cooked stuff, no ice, bottled water for teeth brushing. Haven't been sick yet but also living like I'm in a contamination zone.
Is this sustainable? Probably not.
April 2024
Volcano alert today. Mount Agung. Everyone acting normal but there's ash in the air and I can't tell if I should be worried or if I'm overreacting.
Checked with local friend Wayan - he says it does this sometimes, not to worry unless there's an official evacuation order. But also showed me his "emergency bag" that he keeps packed just in case.
So... worry or don't worry? Unclear.
May 2024
Dengue fever is going around. Three people I know have it. High fever, body aches, one girl said it felt like her bones were breaking. She was in bed for two weeks.
I bought mosquito repellent and a net for my bed. Wayan laughed at me - "You think net will stop Bali mosquitos?"
Great.
May 2024 - IMPORTANT
Scooter accident #2: This one's mine.
Was driving to Ubud. It started raining. Road got slippery. I was going slow but still lost control on a turn. Fell over, scraped my knee and elbow. Scooter has a dent.
The rental place wants to charge me $300 for the damage. I think they're inflating it but I also don't want trouble so I'll probably just pay.
My knee looks bad but not hospital-bad. Been cleaning it with antiseptic.
Note: DO NOT DRIVE IN RAIN. Even if you think you're being careful.
June 2024
There was an earthquake last night. 5.something magnitude. Woke me up at 3am. Whole villa was shaking. I ran outside in my underwear.
Nobody else seemed that concerned? Wayan texted "yes normal" when I asked if I should be worried.
How is this normal.
June 2024
Traffic violations:
- Pulled over twice this month for not having international driving permit
- First time: cop wanted 500k rupiah ($30). I negotiated to 200k.
- Second time: Different cop, same thing. 300k.
Everyone says this is just how it works. You negotiate the bribe. It's expected.
Feels sketchy but also if I don't pay they can impound the scooter and I need it.
July 2024
Jellyfish at the beach. Purple ones. Really pretty but apparently venomous.
Watched a kid get stung. His leg swelled up and he was screaming. Lifeguards poured vinegar on it (???) and called ambulance.
I don't go in the ocean anymore. Just pool.
Aug 2024
Money got stolen from my villa. I had about $400 cash in my bag. Came back from beach and it's gone.
The lock on my door is shit - just a basic latch. Could've been housekeeper, could've been someone random.
Villa owner says "why you keep cash in room?" Like it's MY fault?
Filed police report because insurance requires it. Police basically said "yeah this happens, we can't do anything."
Super helpful.
Aug 2024
Met a girl at yoga who said she got drugged at a beach club last month. Woke up in her villa with no memory of how she got home. Nothing was stolen but she doesn't know what happened.
She said someone told her to get tested for... everything. Results came back okay but she's still freaked out.
This is why I don't go to clubs here anymore.
Sept 2024
Scooter accident #3: Not me again, different friend. Tom from the coworking space.
He hit a pothole at night (roads have NO streetlights outside main areas). Flew off the scooter. Broke his wrist.
Hospital wanted cash upfront. He had to call his parents to wire money. Stayed in hospital 3 days. Surgery to put pins in.
His insurance is denying the claim because he didn't have motorcycle license.
He's 23 and now has $8,000 in medical debt.
Oct 2024
Rainy season started.
Everything is wet. Everything is moldy. My clothes, my bed, my walls. There's mold growing on my shoes.
Also the roads are even worse - flooding, potholes, mudslides.
Saw a scooter get washed away in floodwater yesterday. The driver got out okay but the scooter's gone.
Nov 2024
Power outages are constant now. Sometimes for hours. My laptop died mid-workday twice this week.
Got a power bank and started working from cafés but the wifi there cuts out too.
How does anyone run a business here???
Dec 2024
Someone I vaguely know died. Scooter accident. Hit by a car on the main road in Canggu.
He wasn't wearing a helmet (I mean he WAS but it was one of those decorative ones that doesn't actually protect anything).
There's going to be a memorial at a beach club this weekend. I didn't know him well but it's sobering. He was 30.
That's the third foreigner death I've heard about since I got here. All traffic.
Jan 2025
Dengue again. This time I got it.
Fever hit 40°C (104°F). Worst pain of my life. Couldn't move. Felt like I was going to die.
Wayan took me to clinic. They did a blood test - yep, dengue. They said "go home, drink fluids, rest, come back if bleeding starts."
Bleeding??? What???
They explained hemorrhagic dengue is the dangerous kind. I don't have that (yet) but they need to monitor my platelet count.
Was sick for 10 days. Lost 8 pounds. Couldn't work. Lost income.
Still weak now, a month later.
Fuck mosquitos.
Feb 2025
Scam at money changer. I gave him $500 USD, he counted out rupiah really fast while talking to me, handed me a stack. I didn't count it carefully.
Got back to villa - he shorted me about 1 million rupiah (~$60).
I went back, he denied it, said I miscounted.
Can't prove anything.
Now I only use ATMs.
March 2025
Visa extension stress. I'm on my 4th extension and the immigration office is being weird about it. They want extra documents I don't have. They want me to show proof of income but I'm freelance so it's complicated.
Hired a visa agent to handle it. Cost 3 million rupiah (~$200) but at least it's done.
Everyone here either:
- Visa runs to Singapore every 60 days (expensive)
- Overstays and pays fines when leaving (risky)
- Hires agents (expensive)
There's no good option for long-term stay unless you're married or have a company sponsor.
April 2025
Another earthquake. Bigger this time. 6.something.
Stuff fell off shelves. Crack appeared in my wall.
Checked news - epicenter was off the coast. Tsunami warning issued then cancelled.
I have no emergency plan. I don't know where to evacuate to. I should figure this out but also it's overwhelming.
May 2025
Talked to an Australian couple who've been here 2 years. They've had:
- 3 scooter accidents between them
- 5 cases of food poisoning
- Dengue (him)
- Skin infection from coral cut (her)
- 2 robberies
- Visa overstay fine
- Scooter theft
And they're STILL here. They say "it's worth it for the lifestyle."
Is it??? I'm not sure anymore.
June 2025
Air quality is shit. There's haze from burning trash and I think forest fires in Sumatra. AQI is "unhealthy" most days.
My throat hurts. I'm coughing.
Bought an air purifier but I can't run it all day because power costs.
July 2025
List of things I'm scared of now that I wasn't before:
- Dogs
- Mosquitos
- Rain
- Scooters
- Ocean
- Food
- Tap water
- Money changers
- Earthquakes
- Volcanoes
- Mold
- Infections
This is fine. I'm fine.
July 2025 - Reality check
Why am I still here?
Pros:
- Cheap (mostly)
- Beautiful (sometimes)
- Yoga classes
- Met some good people
- Weather is warm
- I don't have to wear shoes
Cons:
- Constant low-level danger
- Got dengue
- Lost money to scams
- Visa stress
- Everything breaks/molds
- Medical care is sketchy
- Scooter culture is deadly
- Earthquakes/volcanoes
- Dogs chase me
The Instagram version of Bali: sunset, beach, yoga, healthy food, spiritual awakening
The reality: dodging scooters, negotiating bribes, getting dengue, mold on everything, dogs wanting to eat you, constant anxiety about earthquakes
Aug 2025
Update: My lease is up in September.
I haven't decided if I'm renewing.
Part of me loves it here. Part of me is exhausted.
I'll probably stay. But with my eyes open this time.
THINGS I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME (for friends visiting):
Get insurance. Seriously. Medical + evacuation. Don't skip this. You WILL need it.
Scooters are not safe. I don't care if "everyone rides them." Everyone also crashes them. Wear a real helmet. Don't ride in rain. Get insurance that covers motorcycle accidents. Have a motorcycle license or insurance won't pay.
You will get sick. Bali belly is real. Dengue is real. Bring Imodium. Bring mosquito repellent. Get travel vaccines.
Don't trust the first price. Money changers, taxi drivers, tour guides, hospitals - everyone inflates prices for tourists. Negotiate or use apps.
Dogs are territorial. Don't approach street dogs. Don't run if they chase you. Get rabies vaccine before you come.
Traffic is chaos. Assume no one will stop for you. Assume everyone will run red lights. Be hyper-vigilant.
Visa situation is annoying. Research it before you come. Budget for extensions or visa runs.
Natural disasters happen. Earthquakes, volcano eruptions, floods. Have a plan. Know where your embassy is.
Healthcare is variable. International clinics are expensive but better. Local clinics are cheap but quality varies. Have emergency contacts.
Power/internet unreliable. Have backup plans for work. Get power bank. Don't rely on villa wifi.
Everything molds. In rainy season, everything gets damp and moldy. Accept this or live somewhere else.
Bribes are normal. Police, immigration, sometimes hospitals. Just factor this into your budget.
It's beautiful and dangerous at the same time. You can love it and also acknowledge the risks. Both things are true.
That's what I've learned in 18 months. Still here. Still learning. Still not sure if this was a good idea.
But the sunset tonight was pretty nice.
Notes compiled August 2025. Living in Canggu/Ubud. Not an expert, just documenting what's happened.