Blogs from Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia - page 6

What a great weekend! What does a great weekend involve here? The same as everywhere...having coffee with friends, exploring the surroundings, shopping, spontaneous motorcycle rides and sensual head massages from transvestites in clandestine "hair salons." The best part of the weekend? The traditional Acehnese dance rehearsal we were privileged to see this morning. One of my co-workers, who used to be a member of the troupe, arranged a special performance just for me and my housemates. After the performance, I talked with the dancers and showed them some salsa moves. I am the self-appointed Ambassador of Salsa and I'm dying for it to catch on here! They were amused and perhaps a bit perplexed. ... read more

My birthday (3rd of December for those who missed it!!!) was so legendary, that it warrants 2 blog entries. During the day I received the welcome phone calls from friends and family. It was really special to hear from home. Then I went to the beach with 4 local staff from work, 2 tunas ($11) and a BBQ. It was great to spend a day on the beach; I really love to swim in the sea. It was also cool to hang out with some Indonesian people, to remind me of where I was actually spending my birthday. However going to the beach was also a reason of why I was here. The area is still devastated by the tsunami. Hills stripped bare up to the water mark of the wave, People living in tents. Look ... read more

OK, this is where I feel a little guilty, and really lucky. Once I officially got the job, I moved into one of the NGO houses. For someone who had spent the last month backpacking around Sumatra, living in some fairly grotty accommodation just having space to call my own was luxury. But it was far more than just that. I am sharing the house with an older Peruvian doctor called Atilio. He’s great, we’re already planning the first party! There’s a DVD player, Satellite TV, Stereo, Fully equipped kitchen. Everything provided! Every house has its own driver, to take us where we want to go; plus a cleaner who comes in during the week. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone clean my room! I feel kinda like I don’t deserve all this, I ... read more

OK, this is where things get REALLY interesting. My primary reason for coming to Aceh was to find some volunteer relief work to help people who were affected by the tsunami. It has been quite an adventure. I will be putting daily updates to cover everything, if you're still interested! After getting off my flight from KL, I easily enough caught an overnight bus to Banda Aceh. Arriving in Banda Aceh was one of most challenging parts of my trip so far. The section in the Lonely Planet or Aceh is rather concise, plus I really wanted to find some volunteer work. After finding my basic bearings and some very basic accommodation, I went for a walk around the city. The part of the city that I'd arrived in, and that I was staying weren't heavily ... read more