Schapelle Corby is "bearing up really well" as she starts her 20-year jail term for drug smuggling, according to Australian officials who visited her.

At her request, Corby's family and legal team stayed away from Bali's Kerobokan prison on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Gold Coast woman has asked for fewer visits while she reflects on her situation and recuperates from the stress of her trial that ended in chaos, screams and tears with a guilty verdict last Friday.

But she did receive a visit from Australian consul Ross Tysoe, who later told journalists: "Schapelle's remarkably strong and bearing up really well - she's in a very positive mood."

Tysoe, who brought Corby some mail and personal items, said she had adopted a "positive" attitude now that her case had moved into its appeal phase.

She had been heartened by news that two Perth barristers would help in the campaign for her freedom, he said.

Tysoe's comments run counter to many media reports that have said Corby is inconsolable and have painted her morale as rock bottom.

Earlier, a woman who regularly visits a friend also serving time at Kerobokan prison said Corby had made friends behind bars and was spending time writing in a book, possibly documenting her experience.

"She is very nice. Most people in the jail know her. She smiles to anyone who says hello," said the Indonesian woman who asked not to be named.

She said Corby had male and female friends on the inside, and regularly sat by herself by a fish pond in the middle of the prison's main yard where she spent time writing in a book, "perhaps a diary".

Corby's defence team has confirmed she has asked her family and lawyers for fewer visits as she takes time to fully comprehend her situation.

But as she does so, her defence team is working on putting together an appeal against her conviction and the 20-year sentence handed to her for smuggling 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali last October.

Also visiting the prison was Kay Danes - the Australian woman who with her husband Kerry spent 10 grim months in Phone Tong prison in Laos after they were caught up in a dispute over the ownership of a sapphire mine.

They were freed when pardoned by the Southeast Asian country's president following negotiations with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

Kay Danes is now a human rights advocate with the Foreign Prisoner Support Group - an organisation that helps Australians and others being held in jails around the world.

Danes brought in some basic items - such as soap, shampoo and toothpaste - for Corby and four other foreigners, British and American, being held in Kerobokan prison.

She said that conditions inside were not as bad as many jails elsewhere in Asia. However, with poor food and no support, a prisoner would find it a harrowing time.

Danes said Australians should remember that there were more than 100 of their compatriots imprisoned overseas.

"They don't have the same level of support Schapelle is getting. But they are human beings and need our compassion," she said.

Danes said she saw Corby but did not speak with her.

She declined to speak directly about the Corby case or the frenzied controversy it has stirred in Australia.

However, she gave some advice based on her own frightening experience as a prisoner in a faraway land.

"If you want to go home, go about it quietly," she said.

"Don't try to fight it."

Click Here for Schapelle Corby Case Information

Ms. Corby’s defense team has two weeks to give court written details of the appeal. (Darren Whiteside/Getty Images)

Schapelle Corby took her first step towards an appeal against the 20-year prison sentence handed to her last Friday May 27 in an Indonesian court for drug smuggling. The appeal could take several months to complete.

Ms. Corby’s defence lawyer Lily Lubis said the 27- year-old ex-beauty student signed a letter authorizing the appeal to go ahead which was filed with the registrar of the Denpasar District Court where she was found guilty of importing 4.1 kg of marijuana.

Ms. Corby’s defense team has two weeks to give court authorities written details of the appeal, which will be looked at by a panel of judges in the Bali High Court. If the appeal fails the defense team can then appeal in the Indonesian Supreme Court. The prosecutors are meanwhile appealing for a longer sentence for Ms. Corby. In Australia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said that talks with Indonesia about a prisoner exchange program between the countries will commence next week. Ms. Corby’s supporters hope that the agreement will allow her to serve out her 20-year sentence in an Australian Jail. Mr. Downer’s Indonesian counterpart said that Jakarta is willing to negotiate a prisoner transfer agreement. Meanwhile Ms. Corby supporters in Australia are doing what they can to help Ms. Corby. Australians are urged to boycott Bali through a website which was created to create political pressure to have Ms. Corby released from jail. The website spokesman Simon Joseph said the site was launched in hope that it would “bring into Indonesian law the scope for unconditional presidential pardons for international prisoners.” Indonesia’s law states that no prisoner will be pardoned who has not pleaded guilty to the charges. Some information for this report was provided by AAP.

SCHAPELLE Corby's family and supporters have condemned a terror threat to the Indonesian embassy in Canberra, saying it could hamper her bid for freedom.

Corby's cousin, Lyn Lack, of Jimboomba south-west of Brisbane, today said the family was appalled by the incident in which a letter was sent to the ambassador stuffed with white bacterial powder and a race-hate message.

Up to 50 embassy staff were quarantined for several hours as emergency officers in chemical-protection suits cleaned up the substance, which spilled on the floor when the letter was opened.

"They are innocent people just like Schapelle," Ms Lack said.

She urged people incensed by the Corby case to refrain from tarnishing relations between Australia and Indonesia through intimidation tactics.

"It is not helping her – two wrongs don't make a right," Ms Lack said.

"We need to do everything properly – we can be angry but don't show it like that."

Ms Lack said the rumblings of the Corby case had been felt beyond Australia and Indonesia's borders, with people around the world signing a petition to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"We have had petitions from our website, www.dontshootschapelle.com, being downloaded in America, Hong Kong, Canada, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and in England," she said.

Rachelle Hamilton of the Gold Coast, who is spearheading a national day of protest against Corby's 20-year sentence in Bali for drug smuggling, distanced Corby supporters from the letter incident.

"It is un-Australian and I don't believe her supporters would do this – they are weeping and in tears, not doing these acts," Ms Hamilton said.

"It could be someone who wants to stir up the Indonesian people against Australians, who knows.

"People can actually help Schapelle by signing a petition, not doing that."