Beer goggles in Bali

Men aren’t the smartest creatures at times, especially after consuming alcohol. When guys go out to meet girls, they often have a couple of drinks at home, a couple of warm-up drinks at a bar, a couple more drinks with dinner, then wander over to the final destination. The thing is drunk people aren’t attractive. A recent study attempts to define the ‘beer goggle’ effect. Wearing ‘beer goggles‘ means you suddenly find a unattractive person attractive, after you have consumed alcohol. According to one study, alcohol is not the only factor. Other factors include distance from the person of interest, smokiness of the room, visual acuity, luminance of ‘person of interest’. I would also add other factors, such as your current mood and the company you are in.

How is this valuable for visitors to Bali? Well seeing as 95% of the tourists I meet, ask me ‘where are the girls and how do you go about meeting one?’, you might want to browse the above factors. Add in the fact that there are a decent number of benchongs (transvestites) out at night, some of whom doing a great impersonation of a women, and you have reason to tread carefully.

When men get together they talk about sport and women. Chatting with some expats a while ago, I remember one guy telling me his strategy is to go out and drink just water. He does not try to pick girls up, but simply gets a phone number. A week later he can make a call, based on the fact he was sober when he met the girl.