Bali Bartenders Drug Aussie

This story happened over 25 years ago, but is still relevant today.My brother Jason & I were holidaying in Bali with family staying at Club Med, Nusa Dua. We had been in Bali a few days and decided to hit the Aussie Bars for a few brews and some partying. It was about 8pm and we walked into a fairly empty bar in Kuta, which we were told was one of the best bars in Bali. The dress code was relaxed with us wearing singlets, shorts and thongs with bumbags around our waists for our cash. We sat up at the bar for a beer and a chat as the patrons started to file in. The bartenders were very friendly and entertained us with some card tricks and matchbox tricks. As we didn’t ask them to do the tricks we didn’t feel obligated to buy them drinks or tip them. We were not really aware of the customs in nightclubs in Bali but it appears the bartenders took a disliking to us and drugged my drink. We had heard stories about this happening and it was sometimes done so locals could crudely cut out kidneys and organs etc to sell on the black market.

I was sitting on my barstool starting to drink beer no 3 when I started to feel very ill. Everything went hazy and then my head then fell forward onto the bar. Jason was next to me and caught me just before I fell on the floor, but knew I was in deep trouble. I had passed out and was a ‘dead weight’ and as I came to, I then felt sick and I yelled to Jason ” I’m gonna be sick!”. He then dragged me to the men’s toilet where I fell into the most filthy and disgusting concrete urinal where I proceeded to vomit. I just lay there on my hands and knees with eyes closed as I violently threw up uncontrollably. I remember waking up several times with my face over the urinal and the stench was disgusting. It doesn’t get much worse than this.

Jason was apparently racing around trying to get help for me, but no one would assist as it appeared like I was just another Aussie drunk partying out of control. He came back into the men’s toilet and said “Mate, we gotta get you outta here, right now!”. I protested as I was unable to get out of the urinal and continued to throw up. Jason then somehow got me up and steered me to the exit of the bar to try and get a bemo (small taxi) back to Nusa Dua. I remember local Balinese lining up outside the bar and yelling and laughing at me saying “Aussie can’t drink! Aussie can’t drink!”. I didn’t even care at the time, but distinctly remember having flashes of cheering and laughing as I kept passing out and waking up.

Jason then tried to flag me a bemo, but no driver would take me as I had vomit all over me and was continuing to throw up. The ride to Nusa Dua normally costs 11,000 rupiah, ( $11 Aust) and takes about 30 minutes. Jason was getting nowhere with Bemo drivers so he decided to offer them 30,000 rupiah to take me home. Eventually he found someone to do it, but we did have to make some vomit stops on the way back. He somehow got me into my bed to sleep everything off.

I awoke at 2pm the next day and had no idea what happened. I was groggy and started asking Jason to tell me what the story was. He then told me I was drugged and had collapsed in the bar. I started to get flashes of the night, but could only remember the concrete urinal, people laughing at me, and throwing up in the jungle on the way home. My next reaction was to check my bum bag to see if I had been robbed. I looked down and it was completely open. My heart stopped at this point, but then realised nothing was missing,it was just open because I had bought the last round of beers, and never got to close it. A wild night indeed, but one I would like to forget.