Frigyes Karinthy, a Hungarian author, said there’s only six degrees of separation between all people in the world¨ but in Australia, just about everyone has a friend who’s about to head off to Bali for the summer holidays
In total three million people visit the small Indonesian island each year, but Australia is the number one market contributing around one third of those tourists.
Ravaged by controversy and disaster in modern years – Terrorism, tsunamis, drug smuggling and crime – the destination shows a resilience that belies the problems it faces.
But there are dark clouds on the horizon with Bali’s own Environment Agency stating that 5000 cubic meters of rubbish are disposed of along roadsides and at illegal dumps every day. Sadly, that’s enough to fill six Olympic swimming pools.
Image: Shutterstock
The problem is so acute that professional surfer & 11 time world champion Kelly Slater tweeted last year, “If Bali doesn’t #DoSomething serious about its pollution, it’ll be impossible to surf here in a few years. Worst I’ve ever seen.”
For the beautiful people of Bali and Australia’s willing public, this could be the final disaster that shifts those degrees of separation forever.
All photos: Dan Avila unless otherwise credited
