BALI – latest updates

Om Swastiastu ...

Read the full report at http://www.balidiscovery.com/update/update751.asp
Bromo volcano exploded last week causing 2 days of cancelled flights, flight delays and flight diversions. Fortunately, several days later, the situation now seems to be returning to normal. Also on the subject of Mother Nature: a violent rain and wind storm swept through Bali last week causing damage, injuries and at least one death.In other news: the main hospital in Bali has released some startling casualty figures regarding traffic accidents in Bali; the immigration department is introducing electronic passports for Indonesian travelers; and an obviously disturbed Australian tourist created a hostage incident at a Bali shopping mall.

We received record numbers of email and hits on our editorial condemning Western Australian tourist official Simon Ambrose for his negative comments on Bali. Read Ambrose's response and what readers had to say on the subject in this week's installment of 'We Get Mail.'

In hotel and accommodation news: the Bali Villa Association is creating a directory of "legal" accommodation; hotels and villas are under pressure to purchase more local agricultural products; and police plan to sweep hotels, villas and residences that fail to register foreign guests as required under local law.

We have news of a well-deserved award for humanitarianism won by Australian Helen Flavel for her long service to Bali.

There's also an exclusive look at life behind bars at Bali's biggest prison with our interview with the author of "Hotel Kerobokan" – Kathryn Bonella.

In aviation news: all is not going as expected with Garuda's plans to sell its shares to the public.

Meanwhile, a leading Bali academic sounds an alarms on why building a new airport and railway in Bali may not be good ideas for the island's future.

Mark your calendars. We have an important art exhibition in Jimbaran; a chance to enter a contest and win the 'Best Dive Job in the World" if your act before the deadline of February 28th; and news of the Biznet Bali International Triathlon returning for the 5th years to Bali on June 26, 2011.

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All this, and more, in this week's Bali Update


Om Çanti Çanti Çanti Om ...
J.M. Daniels - Bali Update
Bali Discovery Tours