There is nothing pleasant in arriving anywhere at stupid o'clock, i.e. at some ridiculous hour of the day where the sensible are in bed and the hedonistic are out looking for the next high. Unfortunately, myself, I was doing neither and while I occasionally crave the latter at that moment at 1am in Singapore airport - the bed, the warm room with the curtains drawn tight was the more prevaling temptation. And the image was taunting me as I considered my options. Realising once again that I had lost my hostel booking I made arrangements with the airport to take me [View Full Entry]

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It killed me to leave Paradise but reasoning put me in the right frame of mind to gather my things together and make it to the boat for the long journey home to Bali, from whence I came. I waited with patience under the shelter with numerous strangers all of them quiet like me, perhaps with the same foreboding I had. Like myself they too were heading to another destination and while I reminisced about the extraordinary time I have had I tried to put the future in its right place. To not think about what was to come but to [View Full Entry]

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I woke up with a jolt the following morning due to not only having a hangover from the night before but mainly due to a memory of a conversation about a boat. The lasting image in my mind from last night was of Yaari behind me on the dancefloor while the Indo boy, who was otherwise my landlord at the time was coming toward me - each wanting a piece of me. Now to the matter of the boat. I was assured that the offer was genuine and in that vein I got my things together with the faith that there [View Full Entry]

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This has to be one of the best destinations in Indonesia. Gili T as it is otherwise known is fondly referred to as the party island. But unlike Kuta, which can be ad nauseum, Gili T is a beatifully reflective place. It is one of three islands off the island of Lombok, the other two are Gili Air and Gili Memo which in comparison are not as developed in respect of tourism. And while that word is likely to elicit groans and moans it shouldn't in this case prevent you from visiting. The island has to be seen to be believed. [View Full Entry]

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I was warned to give Kuta a wide berth on the premiss that it's full of louts and drinkers...younguns looking for hedonism, fun in the sun and all that jazz without any inclination toward the culture of Bali. I did pay some heed to those comments but with only limited time remaining in Asia and with things to do such as booking flights and arranging accomodation in Singapore I opted to go to Kuta. So, I stayed on the bus that brought us on the ferry over from Indonesia. The original plan was to change buses and head to quieter climes [View Full Entry]

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What I failed to say in writing about Java is its unique geological make up making it an island festooned with volcaones. One in particular, Mount Merapi can still be seen spewing out its lava which makes for an awesome sight at night and it's not too far out of Yogyakarta either. Unfortunately, while I was whiling away my time not seeing the sights I lost out on this one and by the time I discovered its presence it was too late. The best time to see the beast is at night and when I was invited to go along it [View Full Entry]

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I am so behind on these blogs that to talk now about Yogyakarta (pronounced: Jogjakarta) when it is so far removed from my present state of mind is turning out to be a hard task indeed. All I have now are images of a time gone. Sweet memories that I can fondly recall at will. My most endearing are the faces of the friends I made. Local people, specifically Batik artists who took me into their homes and shared with me their stories and the ocassional (expensive due to the inordinately high taxes imposed on spirits) bottle of wine. I first [View Full Entry]

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When speaking to friends on the road about my plans to visit Indonesia I was told not to bother with Jakarta but independent minded as I am I disregarded their advice and booked a flight from Kuching to the great big city on the North West coast of Java. Typically unprepared I landed in Jakarta near around midnight without a place to stay and only a vague location in my head as to where I could bed down for the night. That wasn't the problem however, preferring as I do to take it as it comes. What I did find disturbing [View Full Entry]

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With a heavy heart I returned to Kota Kinabulu carrying a cold from my last day in Mabul only heartened by the fact that I would be flying out to Kuching the following morning. I don't have an alarm preferring to rely on my body clock alone which I can tell you has gotten me into some near misses - nearly missing the bus is one thing but the plane! I woke up at precisely the time I should have been boarding the taxi. Running down the stairs of Tropicana Lodge in just my knickers and T-shirt to alert my driver [View Full Entry]

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I very nearly didn't make it here owing to those oh so nagging doubts which put me in a bind over whether to return to Ton Sai or keep on going. To think I could have sacrificed the privilege of diving with the grandfathers of the sea i.e. the beautifully graceful giant turtles of Malaysia, which glide through the South China Sea for the comforts of Ton Sai is too much to bear. Not to mention the reef sharks, the shoal of barracudas, eels and perhaps even a sea snake and many, many more crazy, colourful creatures. To get here I [View Full Entry]

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