Vanilla Supremacy

Once upon a time a Bali dog lived down the lane. Her name was – and still is – Blackie. … More

A Compound of Joy

Vulcanologists, priests and authorities urged villagers to remain in evacuee camps, and exhorted all travelers to stay far away. At … More

In-Flight Fantasy

I love to travel. I also love to fly. I love being above the clouds – where, on one occasion, … More

In Volcanic Limbo

If you were to walk the streets of Ubud the past couple of weeks, you could be forgiven for thinking … More

All Eyes On The Mountain

Somewhere around 6 o’clock this morning, I was levitating. As in, hovering slightly above my bed. An effect, perhaps, of … More

Surfing in Oz

If you’ve never joined up with communities like AirBnB, Homeexchange, Trusted Housesitters, or Couchsurfing, you have no idea what you’re … More

Happy Beachday!

Since arriving in Adelaide, I’d been watching the forecast closely, at least twice a day – a habit I’d long … More

Closing the Door

More than four decades ago, on the other side of the world (from where I now live), my engineer-father and … More

Red and White on Parade

All over Indonesia today, citizens marked Independence Day – Hari Merdeka. But preparations and celebrations started long ago. Since the … More

Tunggu Sebentar

Of all the Indonesian phrases I’ve racked up in my 6+ years of living on this isle (and there are … More