Indonesia: Bali volcano highest alert issued

I read an article that said the monkeys and snakes were coming down into the villages - always a bad sign.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4914086/Bali-volcano-Animals-flee-mountain-sign-eruption.html

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/indonesia-raises-bali-volcano-alert-to-highest-level/news-story/ae34df4ac7a770560722e3cac8563d05

ANIMALS FLEE
Indonesian media is reporting that wild animals — including snakes and apes — are panicked by the stirring volcano and moving through settled areas.
It’s been a growing trend over the past three days, the Tribun Kaltim news service says.
“It may be hot on Mount Agung. So the animals (come) out and to the settlement,” it reports district identity Jro Mangku as saying.
Men from a traditional village in the volcano’s shadow believe the descent of animals from the top of the mountain is one of “seven signs” an eruption will occur. Small numbers begin to move up to three months before an eruption.
“Maybe this is a sign — the sign of the mountain will erupt. This condition is not as usual,” Jro Mangku reportedly said.
Such an animal exodus was observed before Mount Agung’s previous eruption in 1963.

The Mother Temple (Besakih) is on the slopes of Mount Agung.

I'm watching this with bated breath as I'm flying to KL in two weeks and down to Bali the next week. There's no changes to our plans as yet but that could very quickly change should the volcano erupt.

My thoughts are with the locals who have been displaced.

Yes, I'll be disappointed as I'm going to visit family but it's out of my control so I'll just go with the flow.

I'm keeping up with a couple of threads on tripadvisor Bali forum. They've been very informative but no one can predict anything though there is quite a bit of 'imminent' talk.

To complicate matters my yearly travel insurance runs out one day after our arrival in Bali. Normally we'd just renew but in this instance I've informed them of our travel plans. They've told me that the underwriters will let them know how to proceed. I'm really not too sure if this will be a major headache or if it should be easy to find an alternative should they choose not to offer us cover. Any advice?

eDicky wrote: »

No eruption yet, the volcano's activity remains "high but stable". People from outside the immediate danger zone who also evacuated have been asked to return home.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41452093

The mountain is clearly visible in the evenings from across the water in North Lombok, where I was until flying out on Monday. The airport (LOP) will surely also be closed for an eruption but it did not bother me much personally, although it would have put me over the strict 30 days' visa free stay.

I wonder how this would work in the event of flights being cancelled.
It's hardly a tourist's fault if they can't leave the country.

I remember something similar when that volcano erupted in Iceland, lots of people at the end of their 6 month Indian visas were stranded but it didn't affect us so I can't remember what happened.

eDicky wrote: »

No disruption of flights, so far.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42070362

Looking at Flightradar, there are planes travelling within 15 miles of the volcano.

silvercar wrote: »

Annual insurance is complex. My understanding is that they either agree to renew or they pay your cancellation costs if they won't cover you for your outward travel. Maybe worth posting on the insurance board.
They should offer to pay your cancellation costs if they don't want to cover you while away.

That was a post from September. They flew last month.