I needed a good driver in Bali for a week. The year was 1999 and the plan was to celebrate my son's second birthday on the idyllic island of Bali. We'd stay at Kuta rather than sloppy, slobby Denpasar with its belching fat foreigners, and explore Bali by car. For this, we needed a driver.

I found a website called the Bali Travel Forum where those who'd visited Bali shared advise and tips with those who were headed there. I posted a simple query: Need a great driver in Bali in January. Recommendations welcome. Gopi.