Aussie tourist’s chilling warning after waking in a strange Bali villa with a black eye and no memory – as she reveals harrowing theory
An Australian mum on holiday in Bali fears she may have been a victim of methanol poisoning after she woke up with a black eye and no memory of the night before.
Amber Hills, 34, has now shared an urgent warning about the risks of drinking alcohol in the tourist hotspot after her birthday trip turned into a life-threatening ordeal.
The Brisbane mum and a friend decided to enjoy a kid-free holiday to Indonesia to celebrate her birthday during the school holidays last year.
The ten-day trip started with long walks on the beach and hours of reading in the sunshine, but things took a sinister turn on the third night.
The pair had made a reservation at a popular venue in Bali known for its sunset views and were required to spend $60 each to secure a table.
The deposit prompted her to deviate from her usual bottled beer or wine and order a margarita instead, after she spotted parents on another table drinking cocktails with their kids and decided the beverage was ‘safe’ to drink.
Ms Hills was sipping her second cocktail when she noticed the taste of the drink was different to the first.
‘The last thing I remember was our two entrées arriving at the table,’ she wrote in an Instagram post about the nightmare ordeal.
The pair ate some of the food but it wasn’t long before Ms Hills’ friend grew worried and called a driver to take them back to their resort.
Brisbane mum Amber Hills, 34, suffered a black eye and memory loss after her cocktail was spiked in Bali – with methanol poisoning not being ruled out after the ordeal
Ms Hills (pictured) has reserved a table at a popular spot known for its sunset views when she decided to order a cocktail
Ms Hill collapsed in the bathroom and hit her head on the sink, causing a black eye.
‘Between my girlfriend and a group of strangers, I was carried out of the venue, taken to a nearby villa, and treated by a local doctor – all while I was unconscious,’ she revealed.
‘I woke up in a villa I didn’t recognise, with a black eye… I was told that my drink had been spiked, causing me to collapse and vomit violently.’
Ms Hills was rushed to another friend’s house where they were met by an on-call doctor who pumped Ms Hills’ body with fluids.
‘It’s terrifying to think I could have ended up unconscious and alone in the street, hit or killed by falling off a scooter, or taken advantage of,’ she said.
‘I am beyond grateful that I had my girlfriend by my side the whole time.
‘She arranged safe transportation to somewhere safe and got me medical help. And for that, I am forever thankful.’
Traumatised by the ordeal, the women travelled home to Australia the very next day despite having one more week left on their reservation.
Ms Hills is now urging Aussies be vigilant when drinking alcohol in Bali and has not ruled out that she was a victim of methanol poisoning.
Ms Hills (pictured) is now urging Aussies be vigilant when drinking alcohol in Bali and has not ruled out that she was a victim of methanol poisoning
Melbourne friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, died from methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, a popular tourist town in Laos, in November
‘This is a good reminder that if you’re ever travelling to a foreign country, stay with people that can and will look out for you in case the unthinkable happens,’ she said.
After sharing her story online, Ms Hills said hundreds of people have contacted her sharing their own experiences with spiked drinks and methanol poisoning.
‘It really shows how big of an issue this actually is. It’s very, very scary,’ she said.
‘Especially for young travellers who would be out drinking and consuming a large amount of alcohol.
‘I was lucky as I was only having a few drinks over dinner. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I was drinking like many do when they go to Bali.’
Methanol is a colour-less liquid that tastes similar to alcohol and is a byproduct of bootlegged liquor. It can cause blindness, organ failure and death if consumed.
Travellers are often urged to stick to bottled beverages including beer, wine and pre-mixed drinks while on holiday.
Melbourne friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, died from methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, a popular tourist town in Laos.
Ms Jones and Ms Bowles were evacuated to Thailand and died in separate Bangkok hospitals. Four other foreign nationals also died in the suspected mass-poisoning.
The victims included a 57-year-old US man James Louis Hutson, two young women from Denmark Ms Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Ms Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and 38-year-old British lawyer Simone White.
