Although an accohol ban seems to be something in the minds of a couple of Islamic political parties ifn Indonesia at the moment, and I have no interest in whether not Bali goes 'dry', I have been amazed by the reaction of the Australian media. 'Bali finished as a destination for Aussies'. 'Being a beautiful destination is not enough', and all,sorts of baloney.

I would have thought that anyone who can't go without grog for a couple of weeks has what is politely called 'a drink probpem'?

ttbn, Cast your mind back to your 20's if you want to understand the situation.

Regardless of your views on the proposed changes, they will devastate the tourism industry with the big winners being the likes of Thailand and the Whitsundays here at home. I have property in the Whitsundays, so bring it on.

But seriously, to accurately gage the effects of any proposed changes, you must look at it from the eyes of those who will be most effected, in this case 18 to 25's even 30's.

Thanks rechtub. Are saying that it is the 20-35 year olds who are potentially problem drinkers?

Hi,
I think we have to come to terms with the undeniable fact that this Island is in fact their sovereign property and as such they are entitled to govern in in any way the decide regardless of what others (including Australia) may think, want or dictate.
Don't they shoot prisoners and don't they flog people?
Na folks, forget Bali and go to Vietnam or Thailand. It's a lot better and more safer.

....Thanks rechtub. Are saying that it is the 20-35 year olds who are potentially problem drinkers?

ttbn, No, anyone who drinks can be a problem drinker if they cant control their drinking, however, I would put money on the fact that the greatest percentage would fall into that category, although I would suggest more towards the under 25's, but I didn't think this was about problem drinkers, because to some 'non drinker' any drinking is a problem.

Personally, I doubt it will happen, but who knows.

Rehchub,

It probably won't happen. The thing I found odd was the reaction here in the media. And I still maintain that anyone who can't go without alcohol for a week or two does have a problem. There are undoubtedly people it wouldn't bother, but the fuss made didn't reflect that probability. It made us appear to be the drunks that many on the world think we are. Anyway, it is entirely the call of the Indonesians; and they might be sick enough of drunken louts to forgo the money they bring in. However, the money will probably win.

...However, the money will probably win.

Not necessarily, you see in that country 99% of the wealth is controlled by 1% of the population and if their incomes become effected, they will simply deprive the 99% of more.

As for going without a drink for a week or two, perhaps some of these drinkers do that before the go on holiday. In fact, that's a pretty common scenario.

If you want to see the true exponent of the 'Ugly Aussie' tourist, then Bali is the place to go. The bars and sleaze joints are frequented by Wazza and his bleached blond girlfriend Donna, enjoying the booze and the delightful tropical climate in their 'I love Bali' tee shirts, and mandatory thongs. So I am told.

Look around folks, choose any entertainment centre, at say 1.00am in one of our big cities, the truly 'ugly Australian', of both genders, will clearly manifest themselves. Drunken, loutish behaviour, often ending in serious assaults is the norm. Visit the A & E at St Vincent's Hospital, any Friday or Saturday night, and it's like the proverbial blood house ! I was stationed at 'Darlo' on G.D's and we could fill the truck hourly if we wished, such was the conduct and thuggish actions up at the 'Cross' at weekends.

Strangely, many of those we arrested were not your usual criminal class, rather they'd get pissed, bung on a stink, and end up fronting Court the following morning ! Some might even get a month or two in the 'go slow' which often meant they'd lose their job, and end up with a criminal record, with no chance whatsoever, for a S.556a which meant they did not end up with a criminal record. All this because it was 'cool' to be an ugly Australian ?

Posted by Paul1405, Saturday, 20 August 2016 9:17:40 PM

" ... If you want to see the true exponent of the 'Ugly Aussie' tourist, then Bali is the place to go. ... "

Aduh! Paul, Paul, how to make friends and influence people. I think that it is completely unfair to characterise Bali as the paramount play pen of Ozzie tourists engaged in less than ordinary behavior. I can think of quite a few other places where you can see some of them at their best too. ;-) I can go down to Freo tonight in fact and I expect there'll be a few people going off as usual.

And, of course, there is *wAAZa* who is of course the Father of *sHAZZa* who is the wife of *dAZZZa*

sUNNy vALe rULEz oK!?

" ... We wear Uggs Bro, we do A.V.O.'s ... "

..

And of course, some people find it very hot and humid, so singlets are popular, as are quality thongs

(I prefer the orthopedic variety unless I am going for a long ride.)

Actually, I like to wear just a sarong at times.

..

And of course, being a holiday destination, people are interested in indulging themselves. And Bali, within reason, is happy to cater to the desire of the tourists (who herald from all sorts of other international places)

As for alcohol, well, it is the life blood.

The last time I looked, alcohol imports had more than 600% duty and taxes and to maintain a license to sell remains, by local standards, extremely expensive.

And for top shelf quality alcohol, the punters are more than willing to pay. And there are of course a lot of additional down stream industries that flow on from this.

Further, recognising the considerably influential, vested interests, as well as the culture of the well to do amongst the Balinese themselves and alcohols role in tradition, I think that it is extremely unlikely that Jakarta would decide to do this. But here again the nature of their public debate is unique to them and just because there are strong calls for this or that, it does not mean necessarily that a political consensus has been achieved.

..

The methanol remains an issue though I believe, perhaps more so for the locals themselves who likewise suffer from its poisonous effects all to often. Part of the problem is that it is not illegal to distill your own spirits in Bali though it is illegal to sell it without license. And the apparatus often used is antiquated old pot stills which have a relatively limited capacity (along with other rudimentary apparatus) to isolate and remove the methanol, assuming they even know, and I know that sometimes they don't.

I have long been hopeful that they would have public education broadcasts and seminars on this as I have seen them do on other issues such as when they had an energy crisis and people needed to know how to construct briquettes.

I can accept that from one point of view it seems unconscionable for them to do nothing.

Paul 1405,
The worst people I encountered on those bleary Legian Rd nights were the Germans and Israelis, the Aussies and Kiwis are tame in comparison.

I used to brew in Bali. It was in the time of "Jaman Boazy"

(I think *Boazy* eventually got the boot for persistent infractions. I always found it entertaining to read him and *Pericles going at. It was akin to that WARNER BROS cartoon with Wily Coyote & The Sheep Dog.

(and alas that *Pork Belly* is also lost to us. I think he left following a series of sustained Troll attacks.)

It was my Mrs who first brought the nicely clear packaged white pills (about the size of a 10c piece) of sorts home from the local market and soon thereafter she had turned out Festival Food fermented rice cakes.

I was intrigued by this and eventually found a great little web site for brewing Japanese "Farm House" Style Sake, or OSake, to use the honourific.

Then, with the addition of a visit to a cool little brew shop in Perth I acquired a range of specialty yeasts in nice little packets (including some classics like that used in the Champagne region) and to the chemist for some specialty food for the yeasts and soon enough we had bottles pasteurizing on the stove at a cost of about 0.40c per bottle from memory

(which included fancy retail priced organic sweet rice)

It took about 10 days for some nice tastes to start to develop and then we quaffed them, preservative free.

So as it turned out, these packets of white pills that you could buy for a few cents in Australian money at the local market contained both the agent for converting the starch into sugar in the first instance, and then a fermenting agent to convert the sugar into alcohol.

So, if you believe my tale, it becomes apparent that alcohol is woven into the culture at the grass roots in parts of Indonesia.

I also knew an Australian guy who, qualified as a Vintner if I am not mistaken, who ended up being the lead chemist for Hatten Wines for a time.

They get 3 crops of grapes a year in Bali.