Slater in Bali

jamesgang

Miki Dora status
Aug 9, 2006
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My guess is the locals are not happy. Indonesia is famously closed to tourists. There are no visa on arrivals for US passport holders. I called a close friend who owns a big surf shop in Bali, he is in Sumbawa now with his (local) wife and kids and he said no go, he can't even get a visa for his brother. He doesn't want to leave in case he can't get back in himself. Which means Slater is a walking breathing surfing embodiment of classic Indonesian pay to play corruption, unless he is holding a resident permit in his back pocket (possible). Dumb move from Slater IMO and for what... to get three minutes of footage of him getting burned by locals. Come on.
 

r32

Administrator
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Apr 1, 2005
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My guess is the locals are not happy. Indonesia is famously closed to tourists. There are no visa on arrivals for US passport holders. I called a close friend who owns a big surf shop in Bali, he is in Sumbawa now with his (local) wife and kids and he said no go, he can't even get a visa for his brother. He doesn't want to leave in case he can't get back in himself. Which means Slater is a walking breathing surfing embodiment of classic Indonesian pay to play corruption, unless he is holding a resident permit in his back pocket (possible). Dumb move from Slater IMO and for what... to get three minutes of footage of him getting burned by locals. Come on.
^This. Once again showing the rich and famous don't play by the same rules as the rest of us.
 
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Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
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My guess is the locals are not happy. Indonesia is famously closed to tourists. There are no visa on arrivals for US passport holders. I called a close friend who owns a big surf shop in Bali, he is in Sumbawa now with his (local) wife and kids and he said no go, he can't even get a visa for his brother. He doesn't want to leave in case he can't get back in himself. Which means Slater is a walking breathing surfing embodiment of classic Indonesian pay to play corruption, unless he is holding a resident permit in his back pocket (possible). Dumb move from Slater IMO and for what... to get three minutes of footage of him getting burned by locals. Come on.
Seems people are calling him out:


Clearly paid his way to get in.
 

grg

Phil Edwards status
Mar 11, 2006
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Because he paid his way in at what I assume to be an enormous rate.

Kelly's own words:
and Strider, Kolohe, Ian, etc., etc. got in the same way? How much did he pay you reckon under the pay to play?

I can pay for a visa to get into Baja also and its "Closed" lol
 

r32

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"The Indonesian government has restricted foreign visitors from transiting and traveling to Indonesian Territory unless they are in possession of an existing valid visa or residence permit. Visa-free and visa-on-arrival entry for all foreign travelers, including U.S. citizens, remains suspended."

and

Quarantine Information:
  • Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? Yes
  • All foreign visitors arriving in Indonesia are required to:
    • Hold a health certificate issued by health authorities from their home countries
    • Undertake a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated facilities conducted by ...
.
 
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r32

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I love copy and pastes. Dig a bit deeper and get back to us....
I like facts. Feel free to share your imaginary info with us. You'll be judged on your creativity and ability to tell a story.
 
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jamesgang

Miki Dora status
Aug 9, 2006
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Like I said, maybe he has a resident permit he was sitting on, or got the extension on an existing visa before the Aug 10 deadline. It just looks bad - he is a high profile figure that can't blend in anywhere, and the Bali locals are not in a hurry to open back up. What I do know is that nothing is impossible in Indonesia, it just costs more haha

It's not that I don't like Kelly, he has always been my favorite surfer and he is a good dude, but when you are such a high profile guy it is prudent to lead by example. The Indo gov't has issued many advisories against non-essential travel.

As far as Instagram haters, fuck Instagram, it's for teenage girls
 
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