Bali Ha'i

We arrived in Bali last night after a quick stopover through Kuala Lumpur. This place is every bit the paradise I have imagined it to be. Luckily, we have the entire week to explore and enjoy.

Our second stay in Bangkok did not change our impression of the city that much. It seems that every transaction is a negotiation, even when the price has already been agreed upon. For example, there may be a sign that displays the cab fare to a particular destination, such as 600 bhot. You tell a cab driver that you want to go to this place as you get in the cab and he says, "800 bhot." You explain that you are paying 600 because you just saw the sign, and after some complaining it seems agreed upon. You then get to the destination and the driver says, "OK, 800." It's like they want to see if you are paying attention or have the mental capacity of an armchair.

Furthermore, it seems to be common to make it an emotional spectacle. In trying to pay for a dinner where I found we were overcharged the owner tried to explain it was for ambiance. Hmmm, that wasn't on the menu. After explaining that we are not paying the extra fee he leaves his perch behind the counter to circle around and start shouting things at me. So I have what appears to be a very pissed of restaurant owner who is on his tip toes trying to reach the height of my chin and all I can think is some bad Kung Fu movie that was on TV the night before and how much this guy looks like the lead character (the one who won). Little did he know that we are packing a secret weapon when it comes to negotiation...Jen. By the end of the "negotiation" we paid less than our bill should have been, had a few free coupons and nearly had a free ride back to our hotel. Well, not quite, but we made it out with all my teeth, which I enjoyed.