During the National Holiday weekend I thought, I would be safer elsewhere than in Jakarta where according to the rumors another bloodshed, worse than the May atrocities were expected.

Lured by the prospect of paying only 70 percent of the airfare to Bali (for senior citizens) and special rates for hotels, I thus set out for a research at my travel agent. Juli, my favorite agent showed me the special database on the computer.

A five star hotel? She had them all, it was only a bit too difficult to choose among the ones in Nusa Dua, Ubud or Sanur. Besides, after some mathematics, the amount to pay for the few days was still too much for my purse, which had been trimmed considerably in the last few months. The four stars too, were not my choice, because in spite of the special rates for the rooms, they had extraordinarily high prices for meals, even for breakfast, so it would not be much of a saving at all. I finally settled for a three star hotel in Kuta where I could enjoy the sunset, in case the weather was good.

The hotel was OK and on the very first day of my arrival I could enjoy a splendid almost pollution free sunset at the frontyard of the hotel. But the next morning at breakfast came the disappointment. I was only allowed an "Indonesian breakfast" and had a choice between chicken porridge, toast or fried rice. The other guests, mostly tourist from Europe and Japan flocked to the buffet table and could enjoyed a sumptuous meal, including bacon with two eggs, omelet, cereal, fruit and so much more. One of the tourists asked me join her to the buffet, but I smilingly told her, that the porridge was better for my cholesterol level.

I did not think of the krismon which had caused this social imbalance between these foreign tourists and myself during my relaxed and pleasant stay in Bali. But at the airport I met an old friend from the United States who was furious of the "cheaters" who had spoiled his holiday. He and his wife stayed in an international five star hotel, because they had advertised it for a low price. On arrival they were met by a man who took them to the hotel in the hotel coach. They were happy for while with this courteous service.

During their stay they met some domestic tourists who told them that they paid only 30 dollars for their room, whereas they had to pay four times as much for the same type of room. And not only that, on checking out the found out that they had to pay 250.000 rupiahs for the transfer from the airport to the hotel. So they decided to take a taxi on their return to the airport and paid only 40.000!

"What a rip-off," they complained and thought that the tourist board should do something about it. "As long as there are differences in prices, people are bound to feel cheated."

"Oh my goodness," I thought, "there goes the special fare for the krismon victims." I wanted to tell him that these privileges were not forever, but only in these times, to give us the opportunity to spend our holidays in our own country, which most of us would otherwise never do. Instead, he gave me a lecture on how to save the economy by attracting more tourists, who would flock to our resorts and buy up all our craft products and enjoy the beauty of our country.

He went on and on and I was happy that we had to board the plane. He was travelling first class and I had to go in the back of the plane with the crowd.

Back home another friend told me that he had to go to Singapore. I thought I would do him a favor by telling that a five star hotel had advertised about special rates in their hotels specially for Indonesian passport holders.

"You will also get a cuddly bear to accompany you at nighttime," I added. Instead, my advise only made him angry.

"Who do you think I am," he said. "Am I from a nation of special rates? Do I have to travel at discount prices and cuddly bears? No, I have my pride, I will go only to places where I pay the same amount as everybody else!"