Blogs from Indonesia, Asia - page 609

ap·pre·hen·sion (ăp'rĭ-hĕn'shən) pronunciation n. 1. Fearful or uneasy anticipation of the future; dread. 2. The act of seizing or capturing; arrest. 3. The ability to apprehend or understand; understanding. 1. Fearful or uneasy anticipation of the future; dread. (well not dread - too strong) 2005 October 1st - I was sitting in another crumbling hostel in Kuala Lumpur, killing a day or two with movies and shopping, waiting for my flight to Bali. In Kuta, Bali's main tourist center Islamic extremists were carrying out suicide bombings. 27 people died as a result, and hundreds were injured, many seriously. I had a ticket to fly to Bali on Monday 3rd October, not much time to make a decision and a tough one as well. I spent Sunday researching, reading the reports, scouring the forums, and trying to ... read more

Palau Batam, Indonesia: Sept 30 – Oct 7 We took a fast ferry 45 min. from Singapore to a little island resort where we are spending the week. We were upgraded to a one bedroom suite which gives us a lot more room and our own kitchen… even his and hers bathrooms. The resort is quite nice with a huge pool and a lot of amenities though it is a bit run down. Indonesia’s tourism industry has taken a blow over the years with the Asian economic crisis, terrorist bombings, and environmental disasters like the recent tsunami. Indonesians are very hospitable and especially love children. Zachary knows everyone here and is the little prince of the hotel. While we’ve been here, more bomb blasts have hit Bali and though we are no where near there ... read more

My my Grandmother has reminded me that it has been over a week since my last update. It hasn't really seemed pressing as I am on Bali time now. I can't believe that I leave today. The days just sped by. I met a young doctor from NY here who just finished is residency and planned on traveling and has ended up staying on this one beach for 30 days now. It really pulls you in. I have been snorkling, parasailing, playing with monkeys, swinging on vines, surfing, and a whole lot of nothing. I rented a motorbike for $3 a day and have been staying pretty local to Kuta beach. The traffic is pretty bad in the cities. The hawkers are pretty bad in the tourist areas with are mainly filled with Aussies and tourist ... read more

Two updates in as many days, you lucky lucky people. Not as lucky as me, mind. I just spend the day exploring a few coral reefs, checking out the little fishes going around their daily business. It is quite simply one of the most awe inspiring things I have ever done, and I am only a day into the course. I am being trained up by a great big Australian guy called Murray. The actual practicalities of diving are interesting, it is a more complex process than I thought it would be, but very easy to get to grips with. The coral reefs here are teeming with life, and are only a short swim from the beach. There is no way you can compare snorkling with this; the experience is much more vivid and allows you ... read more

The couple I met at The Family Guesthouse in Ubud asked me to accompany them to Kuta, the big tourist town on the west coast of Bali. We arrived on Saturday morning at a bungalow complex just thirty seconds from '66 Beach' in Seminyak. The accommodation was a little grotty, but it was cheap and came with the added bonus of a semi-outside bathroom! It had a tin roof and walls which stopped short of the top, leaving a gap through which you could see trees and flowers whilst sitting upon the toilet. Pretty sweet. Michael has been here many times before and knew some of the locals. These guys manage the sun-loungers and sell drinks during the day, surfing when they want. In the evenings they party. We hung out with them for most of ... read more