This article is part of a "Reporter's Notebook" series, wherein CNBC journalists submit tales and observations from the field.
BALI, Indonesia — As an American who relocated to Singapore last year, I often tend to think my life has been disrupted heavily over the past decade by tech companies: Recent technologies allow me to connect with an old friend from years past or have nearly anything delivered to my door in a day or sometimes just hours.
But I recently witnessed how some of Silicon Valley's largest tech companies, from Uber to Facebook, are impacting professional and personal lives for some in far greater ways than myself. Specifically, on an island more than 8,300 miles from California's tech hub.
I had just landed in Bali for a weekend trip from Singapore. The guy on the flight next to me was going for two weeks from Paris, making me instantly envious of France's comfortable vacation policy. He asked if I had researched how to get from the airport to the hotels. "I'm just going to Uber," I replied.
Stunned, he asked me, "You think they have Uber in Bali?"
If there's one thing I've learned during travels, it's that where there are cars and internet, there is usually Uber. I've used it in places from Cairo to Bogota. For North Korea, I assume it doesn't exist. And in Iran, perhaps not yet: The app was usable when I was there, but said "No Cars Available" when I opened the app.
While its availability is near-uniform, whether Uber is allowed by various local regulations is another story.
I ordered an Uber and two minutes later experienced something new: The driver wasn't calling me from a phone number to find my exact whereabouts, but rather through Facebook (NASDAQ: FB)-owned WhatsApp. He added my number to his phone to find I also use the messaging platform. (I appreciated the move since it uses regular internet data as opposed to a mobile network's phone charges.)
After I entered the car, he offered me a bottled water — and later, candy. And then a wifi password. Before I could even ask, he offered me a phone charger offering both Android and iPhone options.
I nervously wondered if I had chosen the default UberX option or accidentally clicked on an Uber Premium/Exec/Luxury/VIP/Pamper ride?
No, it turned out, it was just UberX.
"Is there Uber in Bali?" I heard the French guy's voice in my head. If only he knew: He was probably still standing in the airport's taxi line.
Inside the car was a binder with photos showing a monkey on a tourist's shoulder, exotic waterfalls and people riding jet skis. All covered in a nicely, laminated book.