An Idiot’s Guide to Surviving Bali!

Let me start by saying if you can’t handle brute honesty then don’t bother reading this post. Just jump straight back on that scooter that you’ve never ridden before, without a helmet and ride into busy Balinese traffic with no road rules. I’m sure you’ll be fine.
It’s not recommended to hire a scooter in Bali. There are very little road rules, tourists are often targeted for bribes from the local police and if you have an accident you’ll likely be blamed and have to pay, even if it’s not your fault. That’s if you survive.
The second most likely reason you’ll find yourself in hospital or death is related to nightclub fights and accidents. In most cases these are fuelled by alcohol related violence. The real kick in the shins is that if you’re intoxicated in any way than your travel insurance is unlikely to cover you.
The problem with methanol is that you can’t taste it or smell it. The body is unable to absorb it, and poisoning can lead to brain damage, blindness and death. A lot of these recorded incidents victims were drinking in popular tourist nightclubs and bars. The only way to completely avoid this risk when going out is to stick with bottled alcohol only.
Why would you take drugs in a country well known for its tough stance on it? Why would you jump on the back of a scooter intoxicated? Why would you do anything to endanger yourself?