Saturday, 29 October 2011

Bali Earthquake 13th October 2011: Afterthoughts


Since the 6.8 earthquake on 13th October here in Bali, lots of thoughts have crossed my mind related to what would happen should there be an even bigger one, just like the recent 7.2 earthquake that devastated
Turkey, killing hundreds of people.

One of the main things that has been on my mind since I arrived here (especially after working on the 3rd or
4th floor or various buildings) is that there are no fire exits in most of the buildings in Bali. I know, I'm not talking about a fire, but should there be a need to evacuate quickly and other exits are obstructed by fallen debris for example, then there will be no escape from these buildings leaving the people inside effectively trapped. I understand a fire exit might not always withstand an earthquake but it would certainly give some peace of mind and also be handy in case of, let's say, a fire!




Another point that stood out is the lack of procedure/preparedness on the part of the organisations and schools here in Bali. As the video below shows, even the police department just literally ran out the front of the building and stood around looking at each other in disbelief. At the school I was in, some of the teachers bolted before the students, not checking to see everyone was able to get out and it had no drill - everybody just poured out into the playground; there were no head counts or any form of checking to see if anybody was missing. Also, I should add that when the buildings started shaking, everybody (myself included) just ran for the exits at the same time - the surging numbers could have been just as much a source of casualties as any falling bits of buildings - there was no idea of 'exit slowly and calmly' or even 'get under a desk'. I get the impression that this scene was played out in schools and businesses across the island as a whole - quite frightening considering how prone to earthquakes this part of the world is.


Added to this is the state of the Carrefour building on Sunset Road in Kuta. It came off, from what I can gather, by far the worst structurally of all the buildings in Bali. Firstly, I must confess - I do not know if Carrefour commissioned the construction of the building or has merely rented it but, given its obvious structural weaknesses (see photos below), it raises the question as to how such a multi-national corporation, which is not short of cash, is operating in a sub-standard building. If they did indeed commission its construction, then they obviously took too many shortcuts to save costs regarding safety standards, with no regard for the safety of their customers. If they have rented it, then it seems that they did not do their homework on the quality of the building, therefore effectively putting their customers at risk. Some friends who were inside the building told me how it took around 3-4 minutes to get out when the earthquake struck due to the bottlenecks caused by throngs of people all heading for the same tiny exits - a shocking evacuation time and procedure for a 3-storey building with so many people inside. It also begs the question, how would it fare in case of a fire? It still remains a question worth asking yet will go unanswered for a while yet.

Bali's Carrefour on Sunset Road suffered some serious
damage. They are still working on it now, over 2 weeks later.
My final point is the traffic - everybody knows that the traffic is a major problem in Bali yet what people do not often consider is just how serious the implications of this can be for the emergency services. How an ambulance or fire engine is supposed to negotiate its way through miles of gridlock is beyond me. Should there be another, bigger earthquake here in Bali, then it seems that many people's casualties  will be greatly exacerbated not only by the intense surge in the number of casualties but also by the almost stationary traffic on Bali's roads.

If all of the above sounds extremely negative, it is based in the truth that is plain for all to see yet it
remains merely hypothetical until another earthquake does indeed happen. Until then, my only advice would be, given the complete lack of preparation in the face of evacuations, avoid staying in high-rise hotels, of which there are relatively few due to planning restrictions. Also, avoid Carrefour - take your trade to the local shops and businesses instead!  
Incredibly, no one was seriously injured.

Bali is still the same as it always was - a wonderful place with much to offer - yet it is still in a part of the world where earthquakes do and will happen. On the scale of things, for a tourist, braving Bali's roads is much more of a hazard statistically than any potential earthquake so don't let it stop you enjoying your holiday!

Sunday, 23 October 2011

Bali Street Food: Satay

Bali Street Food: Satay

*Note from the author - This post is part of a series and the complete list of related  posts is available here - Bali Street Food*


Satay (or sate in Indonesian) is a wonderful dish that comes with a peanut sauce, is served with rice and includes various different meats such as chicken, pork, beef, rabbit, goat and, a Balinese speciality sate lilit (which I will explain more about later!).

The satay sauce is made from peanuts, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce and chilli, with a few other
choice ingredients thrown in for good measure.

For a full satay sauce recipe, see this page: BBC Food Recipes: Satay Sauce 


The meat used in satay recipes is a marinade placed on the skewered meat which is then cooked over a fire of coconut husks for several minutes. This gives the meat a fantastic flavour before it is dipped in the peanut
sauce (or saus sate). 

For a chicken with satay sauce recipe, see this page:  BBC Food Recipes: Satay Chicken with Crunchy Peanut Sauce

The price of chicken satay in most street stalls in Bali is usually around 10,000 Rupiah per 10 tusuk or skewers. This includes your rice and sauce. I believe goat and rabbit satay are slightly more expensive than this, maybe around 15,000 Rupiah per 10 tusuk. These prices may vary greatly depending on your level of Indonesian!





The Balinese satay of choice is sate lilit, which uses seafood and lemongrass, among other ingredients, to give it a strong aromatic flavour. However, this is not usually served as a dish in itself but often is used as an accompaniment for the most famous Balinese delicacy, suckling pig, or babi guling. 
 
Some useful info about sate lilit with a recipe to boot!
Taken from Let's Eat! Magazine - a guide to all the
best food spots in Bali!

The recipe from above zoomed in - click to enlarge!
Taken from Let's Eat! Magazine - a guide to all the best food spots in Bali!
Another thing I should add is that sometimes the rice is not the standard white rice from a rice cooker but a packet of rice smoked in a banana leaf, called lontong. This is more typical on the street stalls and, although it is still fine to eat, personally, I  find it slightly too thick. Here is some useful vocabulary for ordering satay:
A girl working at a street satay stall in Munduk, Bali
Indonesian
English
Daging
*Daging saja!
(‘Saja’ is also often pronounced as ‘aja’ in slang i.e. daging aja!)
Meat
*Just meat! (i.e. no entrails/offal!)
Daging ayam
Chicken
Daging babi
Pork
Daging kambing
Goat
Daging kelinci
Rabbit
Lontong
Rice smoked in a banana leaf
Pedas
*Tidak pedas!

Spicy
*Not spicy!
Sambal
*Tidak mau sambal!
Chilli sauce
*No chilli sauce!
Tusuk
Satay skewers/sticks
I hope you found this information useful and that you enjoy some great satay on your stay in Bali!

Bali Street Food: Satay

Thursday, 13 October 2011

Earthquake Bali 13th October 2011

Earthquake Bali 13th October 2011


Just experienced the biggest earthquake of my life in Bali. It has since been stated that it was 6.8 on the Richter scale and that it struck some 10km off the coast of Nusa Dua off the southern tip of Bali. I was in on the third floor of the school I work in and the kids just bolted out, some screaming but most were just so focused on getting out that they didn't make a sound. It was a bizarre experience and, upon leaving, there were some very visible cracks in the outer walls of the building. Please see below for some of the photos I took of Carrefour on Sunset Road, Kuta. The huge side windows had shattered and fallen onto the road
and there were people loading shopping trolleys with rubble and debris from what had fallen off the outer walls. A colleague inside said it took around 3 minutes to evacuate amid the chaos.

I also passed the One Earth School in Pemogan, Denpasar on the way home from work and it looks like the children must have been confronted by a shower of falling tiles as they tried to exit. People at the school told me that, rather miraculously, no-one was hurt in the chaos.





One thing I learnt from this experience is that, when an earthquake happens, you best be ready as there really are no rules in Indonesia for such events - everyone just bolts and running is considered mandatory!!

If there as another earthquake in Bali like this one, I hope nothing more serious happens.

Have a look at my photos below for more (click to enlarge).

One Earth School - tiles fell off left, right and centre! I don't know how the kids weren't hurt in the panic














The shattered glass off the side of the building at Carrefour, Sunset Road, Kuta. Again, not sure how nobody got hurt

The rubble & debris from Carrefour.




Some big cracks


The cracks run right across the front facade of the building

That hole is bigger than it looks

The other end of Carrefour, again, much bigger than it looks but nothing too major.

Just seen this video also....starts off small but gets stronger!! Thanks to http://www.youtube.com/user/Suzanneinbali





Bali Earthquake October 13th 2011

Bali Earthquake 13th October 2011

Earthquake Bali 13th October 2011


Just experienced the biggest earthquake of my life in Bali. It has since been stated that it was 6.8 on the
Richter scale and that it struck some 10km off the coast of Nusa Dua off the southern tip of Bali. I was in on the third floor of the school I work in and the kids just bolted out, some screaming but most were just so focused on getting out that they didn't make a sound. It was a bizarre experience and, upon leaving, there were some very visible cracks in the outer walls of the building. Please see below for some of the photos I took of Carrefour on Sunset Road, Kuta. The huge side windows had shattered and fallen onto the road
and there were people loading shopping trolleys with rubble and debris from what had fallen off the outer walls. A colleague inside said it took around 3 minutes to evacuate amid the chaos.




I also passed the One Earth School in Pemogan, Denpasar on the way home from work and it looks like the children must have been confronted by a shower of falling tiles as they tried to exit. People at the school told me that, rather miraculously, no-one was hurt in the chaos.





One thing I learnt from this experience is that, when an earthquake happens, you best be ready as there really are no rules in Indonesia for such events - everyone just bolts and running is considered mandatory!!

If there as another earthquake in Bali like this one, I hope nothing more serious happens.

Have a look at my photos below for more (click to enlarge).

One Earth School - tiles fell off left, right and centre! I don't know how the kids weren't hurt in the panic














The shattered glass off the side of the building at Carrefour, Sunset Road, Kuta. Again, not sure how nobody got hurt

The rubble & debris from Carrefour.




Some big cracks


The cracks run right across the front facade of the building

That hole is bigger than it looks

The other end of Carrefour, again, much bigger than it looks but nothing too major.


Just seen this video also....starts off small but gets stronger!! Thanks to http://www.youtube.com/user/Suzanneinbali





Bali Earthquake October 13th 2011



Monday, 8 August 2011

Rip Curl Padang Cup Final 2011 - Who won?!

Rip Curl Padang Cup Final 2011 - Who won?!


So, after all the hype and BS....the Rip Curl Padang Cup 2011 finally went down! The morning didn't look too good (was stuck in work!) with big waves but an unfavourable wind. Proof of this seemed to be a combined total score (out of a possible 80) of 10.85 for all FOUR competitors in the first heat! It seems they were the unlucky ones as later on, although the swell dropped slightly, it got more groomed and perfect.

I was lucky enough to get down in time to see the final from atop the cliffs away from the frenzy down below. The waves were perfect and the barrels were amazing. All the guys in the final were flying but I had no idea
who was who as I was so far away.

However, after watching this video, it seems the guy who got the best barrel didn't win.

Have a look for yourself and see what you think! Some very questionable judging going down!
Leave comments below!

RIP CURL PADANG PADANG CUP FINAL 2011








Did the winner actually get the best waves of the Rip Curl Padang Padang Cup final 2011? Have your say below!

Rip Curl Padang Cup Final 2011 - Who won?!



Wednesday, 13 April 2011

Advice on Renting a House / Apartment in Bali

NB - Click here if you are looking to rent a villa in Bali!

If you have just found work in Bali or are thinking of moving to Bali then you will obviously be wondering where to stay and what kind of accommodation is on offer. This post is intended for those looking for long-term accommodation in Bali.  If you are looking for a holiday rental, this is not the post for you. I will try to explain the different types of accommodation in order, starting from the cheapest moving up to the most expensive.

First of all, things in Bali are quite different to what you may expect regarding accommodation; despite there being a lack of space and lots of overcrowding, apartments are rare in the Western sense with most people living in small rooms called kos (or boarding house.)





Rooms in a kos generally comprise of a bedroom with a bathroom without cold water and often no sit down toilet, just a hole in the ground and a bucket.  They normally have a communal kitchen on the grounds and are usually single storey.  Standard is for them to be empty except for a mattress.  They are often in blocks of 10s or 20s and so privacy can be an issue also.    However, kos can be much more complete than as described above - if you are willing to pay a little more you can find kos with hot water, air-con, furnished and a kitchen, but these are rare and will usually cost up to 3 or 4 times that of a standard kos.  A bog standard kos might cost around 500,000 Rupiah / month whereas a complete one will be more in the region of 1.5 million Rupiah & upWhen looking for a kos, usual signs are Kos Kosan, Terima Kos, Rumah Kos. (see below for further Indonesian vocabulary for house hunting.)




A traditional Balinese home courtesy of 


If you have a bit more money, you may want to consider renting a house.  This, however, is not as straightforward as it may seem.  Most landlords looking to rent a house prefer people to live there long-term with some even asking only for people interested in 2 years rent minimum.  Another frustrating thing about trying to find a house for rent in Bali is that many ask for you to pay a full year's rent in one installment - yes, that's right, one lump sum!  This is what rules out many people from renting a house as, even though the rent for a year is actually quite reasonable, having that kind of cash at hand is not possible for everyone, especially seeing as many will have just spent a lot of money on a flight to get to Bali.  The cheapest prices for a year's rent I have seen are around 15 million Rupiah (empty, no furniture, excluding electricity and water bills).  More of an average price would be around 25-30 million Rupiah for which you should be able to find a furnished house in a nice area.  Many landlords often promise to improve the premises with lump sum you will have paid for the rent and I have heard of many sticking to their word and doing - I would advise you to ask them what they will do to improve the house as building works may also be annoying.  I would like to point out that, if you are looking for a house in the dry season, when the rainy season comes you will only then find out how good the roof is as many house have leaks.  This usually solved by a quick call to the landlord but can be a major annoyance if it gets onto your bed or sofa!



A housing complex is usually called perumahan and will be a set of detached / semi-detached houses in an enclosed area.  This is not like a gated residence elsewhere & is definitely not to be taken as a sign of good quality

A typical Bali kos, courtesy of kostbali.wordpress.com


Houses are also available to rent for a month but these often cater to holiday rentals and hence the prices are quite a lot more for obvious reasons.  Having said that, houses for monthly rent should be fully furnished - this is not a general rule so it's best to check before going.
One final point is that these may be in a traditional Balinese style which adds a certain character and uniqueness to them.

Finally, the top end of the market has many villas for rent.  These should be fully furnished and often come with perks such as swimming pools, maids, possibly even security if part of a housing complex.  For yearly rental of a villa I believe the prices would be in the 50 million Rupiah & up category.
One problem with villas is that they cater for holiday rentals more than yearly ones so many landlords prefer to make their money from tourists rather than long-term rental.


Another point is that, generally speaking, prices in Denpasar are lower than eslewhere as it is in the city (not the preferred choice for many expats).  Kuta, Nusa Dua, Canggu & Sanur  are all popular tourists hot spots and ex-pat locations hence the higher prices.




Here are some useful links for finding accommodation in Bali:



Here is some useful vocabulary for house hunting in Bali:

Indonesian                             English
     AC                                        Air-con
 air panas                               hot water
 bulan                                     month
 bulanan                                 monthly
 dapur                                    kitchen
 dijual                                     for sale
 disewakan                             for rent
 juta                                       million
                          kos                                        bedsit / boarding house
 kosong                                  empty
                          lengkap                                 complete (i.e. furnished)
 listrik                                    electricity
 mandi                                    shower
 pembantu                              maid

                                     perumahan                            housing complex / residence
 tahun                                     year


© Stephen Beale @ livebali.net 

Renting a house / apartment in Bali