In Volcanic Limbo

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

Kings of the Sawah

I’ve been back home for less than 24 hours. It’s startling to note the stark differences between my own neighbourhood, … More

A ‘Hood In Flux

After two months away from Bali, my home for more than 6 years, I’ve returned and begun to settle in. … More

When The Relatives Came

It was a long time coming. After six years of living in Bali (halfway around the world from my birthplace), … More

The Jetlag Tango

I’ve come home. To Bali. Ubud. My little oasis. I open the gate and Blackie leaps up to lick me, … More

How to Take Leave of Your Family Home

If your life is anything like mine, it might go something like this: After a few days of crossing multiple … More

Bangkok: You Got a Hold on Me

Not much beats Bangkok in terms of its visual-feast-factor. Even though I’ve taken at least a dozen extended stops in … More