Bali Daze: Freefall off the Tourist Trail Paperback – September 12, 2009

This book is a series of short stories which give a very good and amusing overview of Cat Wheeler's life in Bali and to a lesser extent, Canada. She presents Bali honestly. A friend lent me this book during my third trip to Bali in May 2015. It explained many things I had not previously understood. I have since bought the book and lent it to many people. I use it as a reference when telling friends about the rice fields and the techniques for growing rice, among other things. A very good read for travellers and others wanting to stay in Bali long term.

Fun, quick, informative read about everyday life in Bali and some of the critical issues Bali faces. Very pleasant and delightful read of a woman making her home in Bali. Misspelled words bothered the former English teacher in me! Needed an editor. But I still liked it and do recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about expat life in Bali.

I could not put this book down. As a regular visitor to Bali and our favourite place Ubud, it felt like being there. The well travelled author with a good sense of humour which is what you would need to build a house there and share it with pets and some strangers from the jungle next door. I love the style of writing with all its humour plus the information of the Balinese people and their unique way of life .The worst part was the end , it could of gone for much longer for me. Anyone with a love of travel, animals and good humour should read this book, will have to look out for the authors previous books

We have been to Bali 12 times, last trip I picked up the local expat newspaper and read a short story from author which impelled me to get her book. I thought I knew heaps about Bali but this has given me much more insight into local customs etc. The book is brilliant! and a fun read as well.

The subtitle is 'Freefall off the tourist trail' but although this book has its charm, it is pretty surface : there is little here that the more adventurous tourist, such as those who rent houses in the rice fields around Ubud, is unlikely to experience. And I get the impression that the author speaks limited Indonesian, and little if any Balinese, which adds to the surface nature of the book. For something more in depth, I'd recommend 'Sekala and Niskala' by Fred B. Eiseman Jr. Now there's someone who REALLY got off the tourist trail!

Wonderful book! Very well written and hilarious at times. I really appreciated the information about local groups such as the women dyeing textiles, sustainable fishing and the humane society.

Enjoyable short stories about adjusting and living in Bali.

A great insight into living in Bali as opposed to just visiting for a week, Cat Wheeler's stories cover many aspects, funny and serious, as a Dachshund ( weiner dog ) owner myself the descriptions of Daisy and her life with Cat and the other members of her household are particularly welcome.

I started reading this book before my trip to Bali this March and continued reading it in sito. It gives great insight into the island, the people and the creatures there. It helps you understand better and appreciate everything more. But apart from that it's a great read, an adventure of one woman who decides to change her life. I envy her courage. I love the way she manages to get on with the local people without ever being patronising. She laughs at some of their customs but never in a criticising way, on the contrary she learns from them. That is the clue to her success in Bali. She also makes sure that her readers are aware of the problems facing the island, instructing them on what to do and not to do. A valuable read for anyone visiting Bali or intending to settle there.

Who is more interested in what's going on in Bali, should read this very interesting book. You'll learn a lot of the daily life of people, there traditions, food, specialities, religion, but also you get to know the real problems of Balinese people, the powerty, the selling of land, the lack of water, energy, the polution of the envirement, the lack of education and much more. Cat Wheeler, the author is an active environmentalist and gives simple hints how to cope with the problems. The book is written with love and humour. I learnt a lot about Bali. It's a pleasure reading it and I won't miss it in my private library.

Anyone who has either been a tourist or about to become a tourist in Bali should read this book. It gives you a fascinating insight into what the island is really like, and the trials and tribulations of the life of a Balinese. It is also a useful reminder of the dangers of rapid westernisation.

This is a collection of wonderfully written short stories about life for expats in Ubud. Cat Wheeler writes with humour and grace about the most mundane aspects of setting up a house and accepting the relaxed pace of life among the kampongs of semi-rural Bali. It is her writing style, though, and complete command of the English language that sets this book apart from so many others like it. Over time, she involves herself more and more deeply into the culture that she has accepted as her own, with occasional trips back to her birthplace bringing on the real culture shock. Her involvement and care for Balinese culture, animals, and environment is a welcome relevation during a time of intense development and mass tourism. Her insights into the changing nature of travelling in Southeast Asia are poignant and accurate, though without rancour. As a frequent visitor to Ubud since 1975, I have personally experienced many of the situations that Cat describes, and have often considered a permanent move there, but it is the other expats and tourists that put me off. And the traffic. And the burning plastic. And the indecipherable bureaucracy. Cat manages to take all of this in her stride, and manages to retain that "Bali Daze" in spite of the changing face of Ubud. More, please!

Another fun read by Cat Wheeler. The writing is storytelling at its best. Living in Bali is not always comfortable and pleasurable, but Cat seems to have found her place on the globe....peopled with charming and not so charming friends and neighbours: human, canine, feline and reptile. Some passages are laugh-out-loud funny while others invite you to put the book down for a few minutes and contemplate the state of our world and the choices that we humans have made.