Whistler, BC, Canada

138 days ago
	For the first time since I arrived in Vancouver I was able to leave the city and see what is beyond it. However, I must admit that the city has been good to me and leaving it was not imperative. Since Dan decided to celebrate his new job and first real paycheck in a good while by renting a monstrous truck, we decided that the beast of an SUV needed to be put to the test by going out into the wilderness that lies just beyond the city. OUr way out to Whistler, a lovely (although touristy) town 2 hours outside Vancouver was one where in car talk was mostly about how nice the scenery was. All around us were majestic mountains and glaciers with seemingly endless forests enveloping them. We quickly left the dense cloud cover of Vancouver behind and could actually see the line of clouds coming to a head against the North shore mountains. At horseshoe bay we gazed down upon a team of sailboats skirting the fog that made looking out to sea something for another day. Our first stop of note was at Squamish, directly underneath a large hunk of rock called the Chief. It was here that we realized that the chill of the mountains would be our first taste of the winter to come. A few klicks down the road we pulled off and got an amazing panorama, complete with rushing glacier fed rivers, snow capped peaks, and vertical ledges. Whistler provided a place to rest and grab a bit to eat, with an expensive lunch looking out onto the soon to be crowded ski slopes. The village itself was well organized, very commercial, and lacking in any sort of personality that screamed 'I am unique'. I have seen oodles of mountain resorts like this one, all of them beautiful but also deficient in personality. The information lady at Whistler made up for what the town didn't have in personality. A self-proclaimed bitch, she turned out to be helpful and friendly, giving us some good info on where exactly we wanted to head in the afternoon: a hotspring I had been told about by my boss. We soon found out that distance has a new meaning out here in the rugged mountains of BC. The information lady did give us accurate info on how far things were, but the time involved to get there was another story entirely. Half an hour of driving out of Whistler led us to a gravel road, where we started our trek alongside Lilloet lake. Feeling gracious, we started our dirty diversion by picking up a hitchhiker, who upon being asked where to stated simply 33. Judging by the beer in the hand and the loose swagger, we shrugged and figured this guy would warm us when he had had enough driving. I took up conversation with him, half understanding what he mumbled while Kiky sat directly to his right, with a less than happy grimace on her face. He told us of bears, cougars, and his logging adventures, all of which I found rather interesting. And then in the middle of nowhere, he asked to get out. We asked him where this was, and he stated simply 33. It took us a while to understand that people's addresses in this wilderness are km markers. I also came to realize that although I understood little of what the hitchiker had said, I was still the most fluent person in the car in the language of drunken blather. The hotsprings were a bust, with several stereotypical hicks lying around in them with no room for outsiders. However, the surrounding nature was enough to warrant the long trek we had made into this wilderness. We decided to head for home without even getting our feet wet in the St. Agnes hotsprings. As dusk was setting and the mountains were slowly turning to sillouettes, a small black bear made an appearance directly in front of our car. This bolstered everybody's feelings and made us realize exactly what rested in these forests.

Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia

267 days ago
	After living in Indonesia for 3 years, there still remains many places that I have yet to visit. On the top of the list was Danau Toba (Lake Toba), in Northern Sumatra. I had heard of this place long before I ever thought I would live in Indonesia from a friend who lived in Malaysia for a year. It is an easy hop over for Malaysians, however when I went I was surprised at the lack of tourists at such a beautiful and temperate place! So before I left I deterimed this was the place to visit. An early morning flight got us to Medan, the closest airport to the lake. although we originally wanted to take public transportation, our plans were changed by a psychotic Taxi driver who through horrible driving changed our minds about going the extra distance to the station. I have never been in a car where the driver actually seemed to want to hit other cars! So we ended up getting out at the first tourist bus stop. The four hour drive was rather uninteresting save the last hour, where you entered the mountains, which broke away abruptly revealing a massive lake with castle like walls of stone surrounding it. Winding down the sinuous roads led us to the nice resort town of Prapat. From Prapat we took a water taxi on a lazy ride to the large island that dominates the centre of the lake. The island is Samosir, home of the Batak people, a proud ethnicity which took refuge in this wilderness hundreds of years ago. The first thing that struck me about this culture is their likeness to the Torajans of South Sulawesi. Although separated by great distance, they both have very similar architecture, both have strong Ikat weaving heritage, and both eat pork and enjoy drunken revellry. We meandered across the lake to Tuk Tuk, a small peninsula which holds the vast majority of the hotels and hostels on the island. Although my friend gave us two huge thumbs up on Bagus Bay Homestay, we opted for Samosir Cottages, due in part to the cleaner swimming area in front of the hotel. Tuk Tuk is renkowned for its cheap rooms, and we were not dissapointed when we paid 6 dollars for an excellent suite overlooking the lake with hot water! However, strangely enough you did have to pay for each roll of toilet paper used! The week we spent in Toba could only be summed up as relaxed. I think I would have got around more had I not fallen ill on the third day there. The flu incapacitated me for a day and following that the severe hand of Kiky, my partner, kept me from stretching my returning health. I think that my parents are silently thanking her for that as they read this. So what exactly did I see around Toba? Well, I witnessed the amazing voices of the Batak people. They were singing classic rock tunes with the occasional Indonesian song and while listening my hairs stood on their ends in awe of the pitch perfect voices I was hearing. The Batak are also very laid back and know how to have a good time. It was in part these people which made the trip so nice. A week of doing nothing passed fairly quickly, and as the end of our time in Toba was approaching I realized that although I was only here for a short while, I would miss this place nonetheless. As we cruised across the lake I was planning in my head what my house on Lake Toba would look like and scanning the shoreline for good lots. My heart and mind both gave me a clear message that this parting with Lake Toba was a "see you later" rather than a "farewell".

Gunung Gede: A Hike into one of the oldest tropical reserves in the world

300 days ago
	Throughout my year in Jakarta, I have on clear day seen a peak off in the distance. It is of course volcanic in nature and stands like a sentinel looking over the majority of west java. So intriguing was this mountain, that a rallied a few friends together to go for a hike to the summit. Our plan was to sleep till 10 or 11, and then start the hike up the moutain. I set up hammock and got a little rest, however Charly and Josh were not able to sleep. Around 9:30 we went to get a cup of coffee and then start the hike. The mood in the town was relaxed, but still fairly lively for a small village. Initially the trail was hard to find, but once on it, it was veyr hard to get lost. The forest closed around the trail and the experience was as if we were walking through a canyon. You could only see a small glitter of starlight directly above. The trail continued up the mountain at a fair pace. Around 5 km after the start of the trail, we came across a sight that made us all think that we were dreaming. The trail ran directly adjacent to a series of cascades coming down the mountain. That alone would have been beautiful, but as the water had been heated by the volcano which were were ascending there was a surreal steam gushing out from everywhere. Our flashlight beams turned solid through the mist, penetrating not more than a few meters. The heat was relieving, as the temperature outside this sactuary was rather cold. Many hikers had set up tent nearby the hot water falls, as the valley the waterfall fell into was quite warm. We trudged along, anxious to reach the top before sunrise. The hike was wearing us out, and the volcanic gasses were making us feel light headed. Eventually the lack of sleep caught up with us and we all jsut crumpled in the middle of the trail for a power nap. Josh got a bit of rest, but the cold made Charly and I attempt ot build the second fire of the night. We were desperate for fire starter, so we searched our pockets for any combustible trash. When I pulled out the insurance forms that they had given us at the park office, we tempted fate and consigned them to the creation of a fire. Ah well, what was the worst that could happen? After our failed attempt to make a fire (the humidity just made it impossible to get anything to burn) we continued on our way. After a few minutes of walking, the trail to a ninety degree turn and started up a cliff. Damn! We had just burned the insurance... that must be an omen! Charly was hesitant, but we all persisted, seeing it as the only option. The climb wasn't so bad, but your light did fade to black when you shone it down the cliff that we had just climbed. As our ascent came to a finish, the sun was rising and the ache and pain of the upward climb started to fade and be replaced by the satisfaction of knowing that we had reached our target. Oddly enough, many people were at the top, having come up the previous day and spent the night in tents. the view was amazing. You could see both oceans (not well, but still enough to get the gist) and the other mountains in the area. The huge crater below the summit was fuming and creating rather large clouds. To the North was Gunung Gede's brother, Gunung Pranggango, which is 50m taller, but it treed at the top so not really good for the views. We spent a while up there just taking in the scenery and warming up. The return hike down was wonderful. The first leg actually gave our arms a good workout as the trees were small enough to grip and so we controlled our speed and reduced stress on our knees by swinging like monkeys from tree trunk to tree trunk. Our goal was to book it down to the waterfall and then take a nice hot bath there. You could feel the decomposition in the forest. the humidity was pleasant, and the dense forest was covered with moss. It looked like the place of magic, with the early morning light shining through. Once we reached the waterfalls, I first took a shower in a very chilly mountain fed waterfall, then moving along to the hot springs. Along the way we stopped in a tepid river which was a mix of groundwater and volcanic water. I would have loved to follow the stream as it wound up the hills from waterfall to water fall, but we had more pressing matters on hand. The final set of waterfalls were actually too hot to immerse in, so we created seats from rocks and jsut got the backsplash from the falls, with the occasional dip into the water to get really hot. It was rather emotional; sitting in front of a large hot waterfall looking out through a curtain of steam onto a wonderful valley. Despite the amazing view on the summit, this was the highlight for me. Following out relaxing break at the hot springs, we took to the trail with zest, racing down the remaining kilometers of the trail with the determination to get to the car. By the time we reached the car the hunger pangs had subsided and we put our fatigue on hold as to get home. All of us felt amazingly exhausted, yet satisfied that through this tortuous manner we were able to reflect on the values which we hold dearest and the things we take for granted.

Christmas and into the New Year

441 days ago
	Well, I was thinking of giving up of the old blog, but then again I also feel that these can be nice memories later. Christmas here was celebrated with the more satanic crew in Makassar, where we had a nice potluck and with a side order or beer (always). The night was fun and I really enjoyed seeing some old friends again, and meeting some new people. We have just come back from Bira, where not much new was done. I did get to show Kiky the Caves in Ara, which are a really cool place to go. We brough a few candles and then I swam to all the ends and placed the candles here and there, lighting up the cave with a warm light. New Years was once again another beach shindig... really nice and chilled and completely throws one out of the loop as to when to sleep and wake up! I am still recovering. This vacation has taught me a lot about human character and desperation though. Kiky's father passed away not long ago and the inheritance has now caused a fair bit of turmoil between the three siblings. It is really sad because as soon as money gets involved you see people change their alleigences, lie to their own family, and worse! Ah well, I am hoping that this can all be solved and then Kiky won't have to deal with it anymore and continue to get along fine with her brother's without the inheritance being a problem.

Lombok and Bali

489 days ago
	Well, I am now back in school and trying to catch up on everything. But it is important to document the last holiday so screw the work and on to the second log concerning the vacation. After a rushed trek across Sumbawa from Flores, we finally reached Lombok. It was the first day of Ramadan so our bus was delayed by the overflow from the Mosques in Lombok praying in the middle of the street. But eventually we got to Sengiggi, a beautiful seaside resort town. The first night was spent catching up on sleep, but the next day we were back on track and rented some bikes to go touring around Lombok. I took my parents and Kiky along a route which I had taken on my previous voyage to Lombok. At that time my sister's friend Lauren and I were on our way to climb Rinjani, the monstrous volcano situated in the middle of Lombok. This time the journey was much more relaxed and simply breathtaking, with a great panoramic view from within a monkey forest. Following this we headed down the mountain to a nice secluded beach. But the real reason for this trip was to take my parents along one of the most breathtaking stretches of road I have seen. It is the coastal road from Bangsal to Sengiggi, which winds around the cliffs and runs past the beaches to the north of Sengiggi. It is just so dramatic. You go barelling up one hill, look back upon a calm and emerald bay with a nice beach. Around the corner you are met by the same thing, only different in its beauty and formation. As one proceeds down this road, the hills get steeper and the mountains closely defending the beaches get higher. As I suspected, my parents and Kiky were taken aback by this stretch of road. Our next day was a great one as well. We chartered a boat to go to the Gili islands, a place oft heard of in the traveller's circles as a great place to chill out. Once arriving there I can see why it got its repute. There are a number of nice places to relax just off the beach offering nice a cheap food and decent accomadation (oh, and frequently offering Mushroom milkshakes). The beach itself is on the lee of the island and so the wind is cooling but not strong. The sand is white and as a bonus the snorkelling is directly offshore. The islands have a calm feeling to them, in part due to the lack of vehicles and engines. Kiky, my mother and I enjoyed the local "banana juice" and spent the day just enjoying the wonderful scenery and good vibes from the place. After the Gilis we headed out to Kuta, Lombok. It is a place well known amongst surfers, but not really anybody else. Getting down there was enjoyable, although the stops were very commercial (let's see the traditional pottery, said our driver, meaning: I will show you a store where you can buy oodles of nifty souveniers). Kuta is a quite poor place, partially because the region is so arid that no crops really grow beyond sustenance. The beach was enjoyable, but I wasn't able to surf as we stayed there only a night. The following morning we were off to Bali to finish off the trip. Getting to Bali is relatively easy from Lombok, but the shock to those used to luxury is foreseeably large. The ferry is meant for one and all, and so the ground is pack with people, garbage, and even some poultry! The boat seems really crowded until the minute before it leaves and then about 1/3 of the people clear out. They are usually vendors, looking to sell a couple items to the last minute shoppers. Once in Bali, travelling in Indonesia ebbs and you are left with a more western, vis a vis comfortable vacation style. However, this comfort really comes at the price of a lack of excitement and possible suffocation by tourist swells. Actually, that was not the case this time around since we were not even a month parted from the last Bali bomb, and you could see that the tourism industry was suffering from such an event. I did get a chance to surf for a little while in Kuta, but due to a nasty cankersore the pain of saltwater in an open mouth wound took precedence and I gave up my single trial of surfing in Indonesia fairly quickly. But I definately wouldn't mind giving it another shot! Once we returned the vacation mode had to quickly switch off. It started to rain, we had no electricity, the house was minorly flooded, and a totally stinky mess. Now that is all resolved and the day to day is re-establishing itself. However, after a holiday like that it makes me very happy that I am still in Indonesia to explore some more!

Komodo

497 days ago
	Ah, I am now in the last days of a great vacation and should really write a little about it before it becomes less lucid. So as I may have said previously my parents came over from Canada to visit me and go touring with Kiky and I. Our first day of touring took us through Bali on a stopover. We got to chill on the beach and enjoy the relaxed attitude you find in Bali. But after a few hours we were airborne again and this time heading to Labuan Bajo, a small village on the western end of Flores. The plane ride gave us a good idea of what we were to experience. For the two hour flight we saw nothing but beautiful volcanic peaks, surrounded by wonderful fringing reefs. The landing was a bit rough, but once there we quickly found accomadation at the Gardena Hotel, a common hangout for the tourists heading this way. The main reason to visit this area is to see Komodo and Rinca, two islands rife with wildlife. We chartered a boat and by the next morning were cruising the placid seas between the multitude of islands. Our first stop was on Rinca, where we got to see some Komodo dragons (locally called Oro), wild horses, deer, buffalo and of course some Monkeys. It was a great place to see how plentiful the nature was in this area. One of the largest Komodos we saw was next to the rangers office. It was lapping at the toilet run-off and looking wearily at us tourists. The next stop was to see the flying foxes come out at night, wherein the sky was filled with raven sized bats who hunt at night. Our second day on the charter was spent snorkelling and lounging on Pantai Merah, a beach which has a beautiful pink hue due to the red coral debris. Diving in Komodo was great too. The dive master said the currents can get as fast as 16 knots in this area, which is stronger than any of the local boat engines can cope with. Due to the fast currents, we saw loads of big fish, including giant trevally, Napoleon wrasses, and a few black tip reef sharks. But for the me the highlight of the marine fauna were the manta rays. There are roughly two hundred in one area and when we got there we jumped right in the middle of them. At first I saw nothing but then coming out of the blue were a bunch of rays, gliding through the water with a grace that is unparalleled. I went down to 10m with only my breath just in time to get caught in the middle of a fleet of these wondrous beasts and stayed down till I felt faint, such was the excitement of seeing so many of them at one time. The only thing that came close to their majestic form were the dolphins which would frequently play at the bow of the boat as we cruised water.

The Teacher from the Black Lagoon

511 days ago
	Well, some things look better on paper, and the project I did with my students last week was definately one of them. The mission was simple. To use a vegetable as an artistic brush and create artwork using onions, potatoes, etc. I guess the project would have been really cool had there only been a few kids and a few onions. But 36 onions was a bit much. Every class smelled horrible afterwards, with not only onion but inky onion smell. My second folly was one which I should have pre-empted. I told the kdis to bring cutting devices, and the class showed up with a huge range of box cutters and knives. I allowed the first class to use it, but after 4 kids got cuts and one left a trail of blood to the bathroom, I decided that never again will I allow these kids to use sharp blades. Surprisingly, not one kid complained about being cut. My biggest folly was that I told the kids to bring inkpads. Some brought what I had expected... little dinky inkpads used for stamping. But a large amount brought canisters filled with ink (one kids even brought an inkwell filled with Mont blanc ink, very expensive and I am sure his dad would miss it). This was messy to say the least, but it got ridiculous during the third class of the day. At the very start of the class a kid came to me with a dilemma. He had three big bottles of ink but no pad to put it on. So I took the bottle and went to fill up the spare pad that I had brought along. The problem came when I turned the ink over, as the cap had been loosened and all the ink came spilling out. It turned my whole arm green, the teachers desk, and the teacher chair. I continued the lesson, but had to duck out after a few minutes due to the drying mass of ink across my body. Upon returning to the class two more kids had spilled ink all over themselves and the floor. At one point I think about half the class was in the bathroom vigourously scrubbing away the ink stains. But the class did act really sweetly thereafter. One asked me if I will get in trouble and I said I hope not, and made a comment about getting fired. Anwyays, when I came back to the class to clean up about half the kids were scrubbing away fervently in an effort to get the class clean. They said it was because they were worried that I would get fired. It was really touching for them to do that for me. After a weekend my hand only shows residual signs of the green ink, and the class is pretty clean, except for the teachers chair. It now remains a large reminder of an activity that went very very wrong.