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.

On a Roll (with nothing going on)

516 days ago
	Well, as expected before any large vacation, especially one that falls in the most sober (and boring) time, that being Lebaran. This holiday has brought about some interesting incidents though. I think it is really cool driving by the mosque at 9:00 at night, as the place is overflowing with what could only be described as the ghostlike figures of woman in their white prayer attire. The accessories are a really big part of islam. Just as Catholics have their rosary, the muslims have prayer mats, gowns, and of course hats. It interests me from afar, but other events along with the rigidity of their fasting have definately convinced me that religions as a whole are a bit wonky... contradicting themselves and the people who abide by them. Take for instance what I saw on the 5 seconds of the news last night. The police have decided that something which is a good use of manpower is to break into hotel rooms and see if the people inside are married or not. Most of the rooms contain a married man and his mistress or a prostitute (not much difference between the two here... both are men taking advantage of a woman's difficulty to earn enough to survive). Anyways, this going on in light of the recent bombs in Bali is a bit shocking. Wouldn't it be a bigger perogative trying to catch murderers versus the common philanderers? Ok, I gotta get a move on. I am really looking forward to our upcoming trip to Nusa Tenggara (Flores, Sumbawa, Lombok, Komodo). Hopefully all goes well till then!

Report Cards (From the other side of the Tracks)

530 days ago
	Well, report cards come out this week and now I think I understand why we never really did anything in school around the time these vile pieces of paper came out. It was simply because the teachers were exhausted getting all the little kinks out of the report card making machines. True, the system we have here sucks monkeys balls, but it is not only that. A lot of human error is closely scrutinized at this time and so people's tempers seem to be up a bit. But then on the bright side of life, Ramadan has started. Now I have a perfect excuse for my non-partying spirit (since all the nightclubs are closed) and now Kiky is waking up even earlier than me in the morning! It was great this morning... both of us got up at 3am and had breakfast. I then had a chance to clean the house before going off to school, so now we can return to a nice clean house. Another person I am starting to understand better through my current lifestyle is my dad. He was always up really early in the morning and would profess that it was due to having so much to do... but now I know the truth. Just as I am, el padre happens to be a morning person who really enjoys the early hours when the earth seems more tranquil for some reason. Ha! Now I know! I am really excited that the rents are coming soon. I got the tickets yesterday and it looks like we are definately off the beaten track. Now we just have to check out all the hardships and see what comes of it. It will be an adventure to remember, that is for sure!

on Teaching Little Kids

542 days ago
	Well, I am as always happy that it is friday and the weekend is in sight. That is not to say that I dislike what I am doing... in fact I really enjoy the experience of teaching kids in 4th grade. I try to think back to what I was like in 4th grade. I was in germany at that time and I remember that the class was quite a group. At that grade the kids don't really make their little groups, but just hang out in a big mass. For the most part the kids I teach are similar to what I remember from that age. I guess the biggest different is their environment has turned them into couch potatoes. Not all of them... there are a few who still go out and catch bugs (catching bugs here means that you can get some stag beetles which are as big as the kids hands). They are highly devoted to the teacher and for the most part are amicable. Their attention span is better than the younger ones, but after about 10 minutes of any activity their attention wanes. I think one year of this should be enough to give me an experience and ensure that I will still enjoy it, but not long enough to become a bit routine, which is something that I would not like if I am teaching kids... the novelty of it is part of what makes it interesting for me.

Moving House (Once Again)

546 days ago
	Darg... I can't get onto gmail at the moment, which is a perfect excuse to write once again a blog about my weekend (they are rarely sitdown and chill events... I gotta work on that!). Well, I have moved once again, this time it was quite possibly the closest move any person you know has made. I moved from #32 to #38, two houses away! The reason was that my old house had some really rank water. When you let it run it smelled of rotten eggs, which made both Kiky and I extremely lazy and even hesitant to take a shower. Now we have found a house with far better water, smelling only slightly of bad BO (hey, can't ask for everything). We did get a few bonuses though... the furniture in this house is much better so we decided to leave all the old furniture and refurbish our lives. Since the TV is a lot larger we decided to bite the bullet and buy a DVD player... a whole 50 buckaroos. now our living room is really quite stylish due to some new shelves and just not being in a stinky house. In addition, we are getting the back courtyard paved over. It is about 2mX6m so it isn't a job that can be done in an hour. We hired a guy to do that as well as roof it over so that we can cook and clean back there once the rainy season comes. Labor is ridiculously cheap here in Indonesia... we pay him 5 dollars a day, and beleive you me he is really happy with that (usually he gets 3 bucks or less!). I am looking forward to going home to see how he is faring. We also got our first true rainy season shower, swamping all the streets in a matter of minutes. It was over quickly, but had it kept up any longer and we would have been better off buying a boat than a motorcyle. As it was the streets were all flooded in our area for a couple hours. My plants also got slaughtered, the rain uprooting all the little guys and traumatizing them a good deal. I now have them under shelter should such a rain come again anytime soon. It also made me aware that I should let them get pretty big before putting them in the ground. All in all, a much less stressful weekend than the previous one!

Stress in Jakarta

553 days ago
	Man, the last weekend was one of the more stressful ones that I have had lately, but altogether a decent experience and I was actually looking forward to getting back to the insanity of work to escape the insanity involved in having fun. David, a friend of mine from Spain (who has been working in Indonesia for a while now) came by for a stay, and so we have been having good times chatting and eating out. It is great to have visitors... but my work is definately taking the toll due to lost sleeping hours. I guess that ultimately I would love a job that allows my schedule to be flexible enough so that I could be really busy when it served me well and then at other times not busy at all. The weekend started innocently enough... we went down to Jakarta to meet anouther friend (Asti) who had come back from England. Our rendezvous point was in the mall, however David and I are not mall oriented people so we chilled out and had a good time. David tried hard to break all stereotypes about white people being drunks by carrying around an opened beer while perousing the mall. I did join in at times, but really I prefer to have my beer while sitting down. Following this, we met up with some other friends and planned the activities for the night. We ended up going out to a club called Stadium, which was ok but neither I nor Kiky were really in the mood. My tolerance for the pounding beats has gone down considerably lately, now I crave for some mellow downtempo beats or some nice jazz. We ended the night early due to general exhausted feelings from our group. The next day Kiky and I went to the pool with Asti and David. they had to pay 60000 to enter! That is crazy, seeing as we pay 150000 a month for the facilities. I never realized how good of a deal we were getting. Kiky and I had to run though since we were to meet Dr. Risk. I used to work for him in Canada and on short notice found out that he was in Jakarta for a couple days, so I made the effort to go down and visit him. Note to self: Never ever ever take the bike into Jakarta again. Apart from the ride being stressful and dirty, I got pulled over not once but twice from the police. On both occasions I was asked to pay due to a traffic infraction. The second time I struck out and ended up giving the guy the money for the ticket, but the first officer was reasonable enough to allow me to go. Driving a bike in the center of Jakarta is difficult to say the least, and since it was my first time I was going by the map that I had studied to ascertain which way I needed to go. The streets have tons of rules making that impossible, because in many cases you cannot turn right anywhere along a road and the lanes split and merge in an uncanny manner. To make matters worse, Kiky was in a grumpy mood and so I had a bit of backseat driving going on in addition to the intense stress of driving. I admitted to Kiky after the fact that the thought of pushing her off the bike had come to my mind, and not surprisingly she had had the same idea. In the end we were late for our first meeting with Mike and so he had moved along. We did catch him later at his hotel, but again the driving around had worn both of us to our cores and so Mike had to deal with two relatively glum characters. We were so tired that after all the driving we ended up staying just under an hour, then headed back home. As a topnote to the whole calamity it had rained so I was eventually covered in grime from the streets. Thankfully a guy gave us a hand with directions and in about an hour we were back in our neighbourhood. The whole ordeal makes me wonder about some of the people I work with... they tend to be very cheerful considering that they must go through what I have just explained everyday just to get to work. It makes me feel kind of petty, but then again I guess that they are used to it and for us it was just the shock of the whole situation.

Indonesian Politics

559 days ago
	Just a quickie that made me laugh... On the weekend the Minister of Public order in Indonesia got arrested for disorderly conduct. As is common on a saturday night, he went out to have a few drinks with his friends. After that, he climbed into a taxi (by this time smashed out of his mind) and asked the driver to tour him around the city. Once the meter hit 100 000 rupiah (10 bucks) he hit the driver on the back of the head and jumped into another taxi. Talk about setting a good example!

A Weekend in Sumatra

560 days ago
	Well, I now can say that I have touched foot on yet another island of Indonesia... Sumatra. I have been wanting to go there for a good while, but my chance came while looking at the map of Indonesia. It turns out that the southern point of Sumatra is really close to Java, the island on which I live. So Kiky and I picked a town close to the entry harbour and then made plans to get there. After getting a rough idea of where we would need to go, the real information about how to get there came from our neighbours. They were able to tell us exactly where to catch the bus, which bus to look for, and what the prices would be. Getting info from people can at times be far more useful and accurate than any book. We left early in the morning by Ojek (motorbike taxi), transferring to Bemo (microbus) and then finally getting aboard a proper bus headed to the far northwest of Java. The bus was full of interesting people, street hawkers selling various nicknacks, and loads of street musicians. The voyage by bus was actually an adventure in itself, hearing all the different musicians and seeing the various wares for sale on the bus. Follow the bus, a speedboat trip followed by another Bus voyage brought us to our destination in a little over 5 hours. Kalianda (the name of the town) is situated just west of an old volcano and looks south to the islands surrounding one of the world's most famous voclanoes, Krakatau. Kalianda has a lovely beach which extends onwards for Kilometres with dark sand a fair surf. There are few tourists here and no foreigners, making it quaint and relaxed. The people in Sumatra are surprisingly rude. Kiky and I are well used to being singled out by local gangs, usually just making comments about our sex life between one another in shouts of bravado. But here it happened far more often than even Makassar, which is well known for its rudeness. Mind you, there are always nice people mixed with those wishing to cause us frustration. Our days there were spent moving at a relaxed pace, from Hotspring back to the beach, then on to another beach, all the time eating Indonesian street food (which in some cases is really delicious). We found a nice beach to chill out on the second day which incedentally was called Pantai Bagus (good beach). The sunsets were very nice, illuminating the mountain to our east and falling over the sea. All in all, a really nice place to visit and I definately will give it some thought for a future weekend trip. But then again there is so much to see around here. Maybe next time I will get a chance to climb up to the top of the mountain, or maybe go out to Krakatau!

A Cultural Bit

588 days ago
	Well, sadly, Kikys father died last week. So she is off in Makassar for the funeral. He was fairly young by western standards but I guess he is about the average for Indonesians. To witness the funeral first hand as I did last weekend was a quite interesting thing. I liked many aspects of it. Firstly, the entire family gathers and sticks around till the early hours every day in the first week after the burial. This keeps the mourners busy but also gives them a sense of how much good they still have in their lives. Many people actually spend the night, so the floor at Kiky's father's house was literally covered in people (about 15 or so the second night... and it is a small place!). The process culminates on the 7th day, where a cow is sacrificed and eaten by those attending. The whole deal is a bit pricey and hectic, but it has its definite benefits. I also noticed this weekend some of the cultural habits I have picked up while living here. Most are really tiny, but some surprised even me! I have now done away with nodding to acknowledge something. Instead I do as the locals do and simply raise my eyebrows. This must have come about simply due to laziness, but in such a hot climate I can see the reasoning. I also caught myself wearing a sweater in the mid-day sun in order to protect my skin from the sun. Protection against the sun is all well and good, but it made me laugh when I thought that the exact same sweater was worn by me while snowboarding a few times. Incidentally, I didn't overheat and actually was quite comfy in the sweater despite the intensity of the heat. How I ever will become accustomed to the cool weather in Canada again, I don't know.

The Jakarta Nightlife (And Daylife for that matter)

Well, I finally got a weekend where I was not fixing up the house or getting everything unpacked, so Kiky and I went off to the city for a night on the town. I wasn't really sure what to expect, seeing as I have only heard of what Jakarta has to offer, but never seen anything on the subject. After a 30 minute taxi ride, we were as downtown as you can be in Jakarta. The city is actually quite nice looking and built up along Jalan Sudirman, the main throughfare. I guess that it should look opulent somewhere as it is one of the world's biggest cities. We spent some time hanging out in Plaza Indonesia, a shopping mall which is quite the opposite of anything Indonesian. High prices, sterile environment, even English book shops. I don't really think I will be heading there very often. The drinks alone cost a pricey 15 buckaroos (150000 of the Rupes!). Our clubbing experience for the night was provided by a club called Vertigo. The club itself was very stylish and sleek. The music was mediocre and the drinks were really expensive. No wonder everybody thinks people in Jakarta are materialistic... if they buy drinks at these prices then for sure they must make enough to buy new clothes everyday! Anyways, after a quick close down at 2:00 am we headed out to Starbucks, as it is quite possibly the only thing open in this city 24 hours. We were all baffled when they closed the club so early, but the police have been raiding clubs forcing them to close down on time... it is all part of this new vie for power since the police lost the right to crack down on the legal gambling facilities or something along that line. The coffee shop was freezing, most likely in order to prevent bums like ourselves from falling asleep in their en lieu of getting a hotel. Or could it be a mad american plot to avert global warming by cranking the AC?!? This theory could be going somewhere, just look at Texas as proof! Anyways, we returned in less style then going out... using the public buses. Surprisingly it was pretty fast and not so uncomfy. I am sure we will be travelling more using the bus system after this pleasant experience. I guess I have yet to write about my new job so much... I will most definately do this when I get a chance sometime in the week, but for the moment I am feeling a little lazy (well, maybe really tired is a more accurate way of putting it... I have only had a couple hours sleep from the exploits mentioned above).

A New Start

615 days ago
	Well, I have now been in Jakarta for a few days now and am getting used to some things. Other things will take a while to get used to. I may be moving soon once again... The house the school provided is very nice but has one major problem: the water is highly silted and stinks like sulfur. Based on that alone I am willing to move once again. We will see if it actually happens. I had somethings buggerly happen to me just the other day. I lost my email account with my own email. It has been my staple for the last little while so I really hope that all the addresses of friends can be reaccumulated from my parents. I will be at the address as listed in Bebo now: noanfesnoux@netscape.net Send me an email or drop a line phone wise... always good to hear about the stuff that goes on back in the New world!

Singapore to Bintan

619 days ago
	Well, I now have my visa and am entitled to work in Indonesia for another year. I guess I am looking forward to it in many ways, but some things have come to irk me, especially after spending a day in Singapore (such as the fact that to everybody here my girlfriend must be a prostitute because that is simply what white people do). Going to Singapore again was really nice and each time I go there I am impressed by how well organized it all is. The planning that has gone into that city is incredible, as there are green areas all over the place and you never see litter on the ground unless it has fallen off a tree. The air quality is also very good and there is always tons of space for pedestrians to go about their business. The shopping aspect is a tad maddening, but then again it is a city built on commerce so acceptable at the same time. Anyways, many of the principles that Singapore has about urban planning are really good and I think that many cities would benefit from their planning techniques (however, their laws are a little strict!). Bintan is a nice place, and the hotel view is wonderful. I am not really into it as much as some other places in Indonesia due to the amount of prostitutes and fat Chinese guys walking about... it really kills the mood of the place. But the hotel is decent, the weather nice, and the whole experience is relaxing. I really want to get out and do some adventuring but Kiky is not in the mood so much, so it looks like I am bound to a relaxing holiday. The biggest downfall of where we are staying is the lack of beach and coral to swim on. I guess I was spoiled going down Bira on some weekends, but I am sure that my new residence will offer some new fun things to do. I was looking at a map and there is a pass nearby where the road looks like a slinky... that must be pretty nice to see! I am starting work in a mere three days... I am looking forward to it but at the same time feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole deal. Is the city really a place I want to end up for a year? Well, it is just a year and the experience is sure to help me understand better what I want in life. Who knows... I could even end up loving it!?!

The Perils of Living on a Volcanic Island

622 days ago
	Well, the move has been made and Kiky and I have done our best to make ourselves feel at home in our new house. The journey over to Jakarta was nice, seeing as we were bumped up to first class. But living in a city where the streets are akin to a giant parking lot will take a bit of getting used to. As for the house... coming from my veritable mansion in Makassar, this thing looked like a hotel room. It is very quiet in the neighbourhood however and so that will be nice coming from a place where the rooster's crow is beaten by the street vendor's calls. There is also no mosque in the immediate vicinity, but I see they are planning on building a big one right nearby. So far, all three of my houses have been well within earshot of a mosque and I don't think the islamic faith has given up on me yet... if they can't convert me they may as well wake me up at 5:30. The largest issue with the current house is the water quality. It is sometimes ok, but more often than not stinks of sulfur and has a black silt in it. I found out that we were on a pump and so it may just be that way for a while. I guess thousands of years of ash from voclanoes is not so easily buried under concrete. I am now in Batam, waiting to go to Singapore. I realize now that Singapore's clean image is partially due to the fact that they have moved all of their sinful activities onto this near neighbour. And what an advantage that has.... the streets of this city are said to be rife with whores, gamblers, and other misfits. Uchi, a friend from Makassar, is making a good wage just singing (she said she was tipped 100 buckaroos to sing Britney Spears... sick) so I can imagine that this place must attract desperate people from all over Indonesia. After today, I am off to Singapore for a day... I have a ton to do as I tried to go to the embassy on the 4th to get some more pages added in Jakarta, but they were closed. I felt very stupid being told by a security guard outside the embassy that it was my country's independence day. I felt like getting into a philosophical debate on nationalities, but decided against it. So I have to add some pages and then I have to get my visa... I am using an agent to get the process expedited. Wish me luck!

Getting into Family Business

631 days ago
	Well, all is ok down here, although quite busy. I have been chilling quite a bit with Kiky's family and have got most of the items on my agenda done thanks in part to Rustam, Kiky's older brother. Finally the anchor of this whole plan got caught on the seafloor once Kiky's father realized that his daughter was going to come and live in Jakarta with me. He was a bit shocked and a family meeting was called. Anyways, I jsut got the hearsay of this, but it sounds like I must go to him before leaving and ask for permission to bring Kiky along. He has asked me before in a rather serious and nerve wracking conversation whether I was serious about his daughter or just fooling around. Fortunately I didn't have to lie and told him my true feelings much to his satisfaction. So I gather that this meeting I am to attend in the near future will be something along those lines, but Kiky did tell me that they were discussing marriage... that is something that I really will have to think deeply about prior to making any commitments. But I do feel that in my heart it will end up that way anyways, it is simply that I like to make these plans on my own time and not that of somebody else. In other news I am falling apart physically... I haven't really had the time or energy to do anything physical for the last two weeks and have become a bit sick. My cankersores have returned, proving to me that they are most definately stress related. I just can't wait to go on holiday!

Climbing Bawakaraeng

644 days ago
	The last weekend was filled with a much hyped and anticipated climb up Bawakaraeng, a monstrous mountain behind Makassar and is probably the tip of the original island which is now the southern part of this island. It is not so dramatically high (2600m), but is very spread out and has some tricky terrain. All tolled we had a group of 7 people who wanted to witness the sunrise from the top of the mountain. Our understanding of how to get to the summit was hazy at best, but thanks to Kiky's bro who came forward with many tips it wasn't so hard. Simon and I left in the early afternoon, set on finding a guide who would take us to the top overnight and then return the following morning. I was convinced a guide was needed seeing that anybody I talked to about the mountain in Makassar would only spew forth stories of how people die continuously up there. We easily (by Indonesian standards) found the village wherein expeditions usually start from. There we me Tata, an elderly fellow who knew the mountain well. He told us our plan to summit the mountain that night was not viable since it would take us about 8 hours to get to the top (originally I had been told 4) and then we must return. Conceding this, we agreed to go as far as we could and then return at the crack of dawn. He asked some young climbers from Makassar to take us up. By the time we were ready to climb and had all eaten, there were 13 of us in the group. 6 young fellows decided to come along with us, in part for the fun and to experience the spookiness of the mountain. This mountain is known in the area for its number of ghosts. There are pretty strict rules about talking and acting arrogant on the trail, which our group paid heed to. The climb up was pretty uneventful seeing as it was a new moon and the sky was overcast as well. We did get a great view of Makassar at night, which was over 2 hours away by car! At around 3 in the morning we had reached the halfway point with the hardest climbing ahead of us. However, some people were rather tired so I thought it best to camp. Unfortunately, it started to rain soon after that and we made a fire and quicky set up the dilapidated tent the guys carried along with them. I spent the rest of the morning around the fire and going out to collect more wood. The next morning the rain stopped followed by an extremely beautiful rainbow. We headed back shortly after sunrise, walking through thick jungle and pine forests. A really strange mix if you ask me. We back to the village about 11, meaning that we had weathered the mountain for 13 hours. One thing that made the hike really exciting was seeing how much ritual and myth the mountain hosts. Upon return we heard many ghost stories, and two of our company claimed to have seen ghosts. Over the course of the trip we were at points: forbidden to take pictures, not allowed to speak, asked to remove all red clothing, and asked to pray 6 times. Quite a list!

Acting the Role of Uncle

650 days ago
	Well, the last weekend was spent just hanging out in Makassar. That is good, considering the large amount of money needed which is involved in a move. However, sometimes Makassar can be more expensive than going out due to the crazy prices at some clubs etc. Bu that was not the case this weekend. I spent most of it chilling out with Kiky's nephews and nieces. I get quite a bit of enjoyment out of watching these young kids play, and am always happy when they come over to our house. At first all of the litle kids have the same reaction to me, which is to be really scared or shy. That is because I am most likely the first white person they have ever seen and for a kid that kind of change in appearance can be confusing. But all of them have learned to get more comfortable around me. Now Putri, Kiky's cousin's daugher, cannot stop harrassing me. She has such a fun little smile too. Kiky's niece, Ilia, has also gotten used to me and now continues to chat non-stop with Kiky and I. I actually can't understand everything that the little kids say because their pronunciation is a bit off for my ear, but I am getting better. That will be something that I miss in Makassar, chilling with Kiky's family. They are all very nice people and have all been very open and welcoming to me. I guess I will still have the oportunity to be around kids in the school that I teach, but it is far more fun dealing with children on a social level rather than an instructor level.

Onward into June!

654 days ago
	Well, the new month has arrived and the money is quickly dissipating to its rightful owners (ie. not me). I have a penchant for spending quickly... then again 500 bones or so a month can go quickly. But I did act very sensibly and stocked up the house before going out on the town. I also put a little cash away for the trip that is looming on the horizon... Singapore here I come! I was a bit nakal (naughty) and stayed out till the early hours of the morn last night playing pool. 9 ball is really popular here and I am coming to love it with a passion. It is jsut such a strategic game on the billiards table. Anyways, I have discovered the soft touch method of playing pool and it really helps, that and a couple pointers from the odd pro in town. Thinking of chilling in town this weekend, but then again plans can change, so more news later!

Makassar Dive Trip

661 days ago
	I had a wonderful weekend diving last week… but now I guess I am in the poor house for a while. Please next month, arrive with haste! The diving was really a fun weekend though. I went out with Jenny and Jane, two other English teachers as well as a couple of Dutch physiotherapists. Our first dive was a really deep one which landed us in a non-descript ocean floor area at 43m! It was low visibility, chilly water, and there was not a single fish. The most interesting thing we saw was a siphonophore that closely resembled a shoelace. After returning from that one we were all a bit happy to come out alive seeing as the depth was a bit ridiculous. The next dive was a bit nicer, and extremely shallow. We generally hovered around 5-7 m looking at a coral reef that was in fairly bad condition. There were parts that had avoided the insane destructive powers of the bomb fishermen, and in these sections I got a peek at a nice moray eel as well as many anenome fishes. One was the smallest bugger I have ever seen! The last dive was a night dive, and once again a bit disappointing. We missed the coral reef by maybe 50m and had to swim against the current to find it. All but the divemaster and I quit and drifted back to the boat. Once on the coral, it was really cool to see all the fish just chilling out sleeping on the bottom of the ocean. They looked really peaceful and I was able to get really close to a very large pufferfish. Anyways, now just waiting to chill out this weekend doing as little as possible with the hopes of getting paid next week!

The Weeklong Wedding Process

675 days ago
	Geez, if you could only imagine how something such as a wedding could be drawn out to be that much longer, it is sure to be done in Indonesia. Kiky's cousin just got married over this past week and it surely made the weeks activities fade away due to continuous wedding parties and such. The amazing thing is the number of weddings here as well. I think it has a little to do with the young population, but may also be that each wedding involves up to 1000 guests! That means I get invited to wedding pretty frequently. Jeff, a Canadian friend hypothesizes that it is due to the gift associated with foreigners (aka Bules). I guess he is partially right, but also I think it is just that Indonesians like to throw big parties. Anyways, I attended only three of the many meets that the wedding party held. I actually missed the reception as I had to work. I did however get to witness the "letting go of the son" ceremony firsthand. Kiky's uncle thought it would be cool for me to sit in the front row for the first hour or so of the ceremony and listen to some prayers and watch the whole process. It was interesting, but I feel that it is a bit much. I realize how important a marriage is and all and do agree that there should be some ceremony attached to it. This thing went on forever though, and I think that really the only ones who benefitted from it were the rats and other vermin seeing as there must have been a hell of a lot of food that was wasted. After all the fussing and meeting people whom I could never recall their names if I met them on the street, the end result was a bit depressing. Seeing as Kiky and I are living together and are generally together many people questioned her "status" with me. This led to a little hateful gossip which has made Kiky since then a bit sad. I guess these things will pass with time. However, I do realize now what interacial couples must go through. Although I am respected and generally revered here due to my skin colour and build, people are not so welcoming when it comes to intimately involving their family. Kiky's immediate family has been nothing but cordial to this point, however I am sure this mood does not extend to all of her vast family. Moving to Jakarta will surely be a breather in terms of this... getting away from the gossip and curiousity which is spawned by our relationship.

Chilling in Samalona

681 days ago
	Well, thursday being a day off allowed me to get out of the big Mak(assar) and head out to Samalona. It is really nice being able to go off to a tropical island which although far from paradise still has many of its properties, palm trees, white sand, and coral reefs being some of them. There was big intentions of getting a huge party going out there but as usual things didn't quite materialize. I guess I hold a bit of the blame... Kiky and I were half an hour late and some of the peeps had by then decided that it wasn't worth it. However, being the jammy one that I am rich showed up right as we got there and as he brought 5 people the trip out to Samalona cost a pittance. on Samalona I met up with Chris, Jenny and Jane, who were all diving off the island. I am thinking that in a couple weeks i may go for a weekend of diving with Chris. It was all pretty relaxed, with Kiky and I findin g a little shade tree and just enjoying the clam sea breeze and the sound of waves. Although we had to work on Friday, the Thursday off thing is definately a good way to break up the week!

Classroom Management

688 days ago
	Ok, I will first admit that in terms of discipline I do lack a little when it comes to teaching. However, most of the times this is no problem because the kids are good natured and take relatively little correction from their teacher (ah, the benifits of teaching in Asia!). Yesterday I had one of those days where I knew what my problem was, but I also figured that at this point it had gone too far and this whole thing just escalated into one of the craziest 80 minutes that I have had recently. It isn't really as much my fault for lack of discipline as the fact that they put 4 or 5 kids in one class who need constant monitoring. Lets see, I'll start at the start (boy am I bright today!). While doing the warm up game, I realized that Wiwin, a big kid who is really hot tempered, was giving people evil stares anytime I would award another team a point. He was sitting next to Justin, an enjoyable kid but one who cannot shut up. This I suppose can be seen as really good, since they all are only allowed to speak in English. Then again, getting 100 statements an hour while trying to teach a class can drive one mentally insane. To speed things up a bit... Wiwin gave Justin a hefty punch. This is not so irregular considering who Wiwin is... now the whole class started saying "we don't like Wiwin" and this got all their tempers fired. There was no actual fighting, but kids were running around like headless chickens the whole while I was trying to sort out the near fatal attack (according to Justin) that Justin had just undergone. I moved them down to the computers and this was a chore in itself... there was some kids sitting in the computer lab at that moment and one refused to leave even though I told him many times this was not his class. He eventually budged and I was looking forward to a few moments in which nothing to radical could occur. To wrap the class up we have to talk about the week with the kids. The responses I got this week made me laugh. Upon being asked how she felt this week Chelsea said "Bad". When I asked why she looked at me, smiled, and shrugged her shoulders. I think she just liked the position of the stamp. The Boss' nephew also came out with a good line: when asked if he tried hard this week he said straight up "NO". It is appropriate seeing as the kid really doesn't give a damn and usually spends time in awe with empty space. Needless to say, I am glad it is now the weekend (although we have to work on Sunday... blasphemy!)

How the Time Flies

694 days ago
	Well, once again the weekend is over and I am nothing but poorer and more relaxed. I guess that is good though, better than being rich and stressed out. After an overnight stay in Malino, Kiky and I headed back to the heat and intensity of Makassar. It was good to get home just to wash off the layer of dirt that covered out bodies after riding on the large avenues of Makassar. Saturday night was spent chilling with an international crowd. We went to a club called Score and I divided my time between playing 9-ball (similar to billiards but with a much faster pace) and dancing. I learned a great deal about how to properly play pool this weekend thanks to Paul, a dutchman who was in Makassar for the night, and Jeff, a long time Canadian resident of Makassar who may likely be the most passionate pool player around. Otherwise I was just chilling out at Kiky's father's house watching the ongoings. It is an interesting place because it is in the middle of the city but there are cows walking around and the road is in complete disrepair. Another couple months and I will be in a new city... kind of anxious to get on with the move but at the same time trying to enjoy all I can in Makassar.

A Day in Malino

696 days ago
	It has almost been a week since I went up to Malino but I thought that I may as well write about it anyways, seeing as I am going up there again today. However, this time Kiky is coming along with me and we will stay the night. Hopefully we can do a couple hikes around some of the waterfalls. Malino is a town that ia about 1000m above sea level. Here that means for cool weather all year round and although they get a harsh rainy season, the dry season is wonderful. It is well known because many negotiations have been held up there, as the negotiators of these peace treatys and cease fires are said to be much more level headed when in a cool and calm environment. It is in a good location for us Makassarese, as it only takes about 1 1/2 hours to cruise up there. There are few words to describe the natural beauty of the place. It has such a mixture of wonderful flora, interesting fauna and dramatic landscape that the hiking up there couldn't be better (well, unless there were more trails!). There are waterfalls that cascade down into deep valleys, high mountains with clouds almost perpetually shrouding their summits, and wonderful roads in which to explore most of this area. The trees vary from giant palm trees and pine trees (sometimes growing right next to each other!) to vividly coloured flowering trees, some with flowers as long as my forearm. As for my sally out there: My friend David and I left here rather late, but did take full opportunity of the area once we were there. We headed directly to Tangga Seribu (thousand steps) and took the tiring journey down to the waterfall. The steps run down the side of a bluff which is heavily forested, and the sounds of parrots calling out to each other adds that definitive tropical feel. Once at the bottom, we stowed our gear and then took a lovely dip in the splashpool. This waterfall is no baby either. If we were to even be powerful enough to swim near the chute, then we could have been forced underwater with only a marginal chance of resurfacing. After that refreshing dip we climber back up and took a nice bike ride through the back country of Malino. This time I would like very much to go for a walk in the tea plantation. It is a rather large plantation and you can just walk around inside it. The intense green of the tea bushes and the faint aroma make it a really pleasing meander. I have my sights on a peak not far from the plantation, so maybe I will get a chance to tell about my attempt to summit it next time, or maybe I will just relax and take in the beauty that will surround me.

The High Life

702 days ago
	Well, I thought that the end of the rain meant a beginning to the healthy life. So I joined up with a fitness club... ok, this isn't what I would normally do to get fit, but the problem here is that although they have great weather for being outside and all, most people have demonized the sun. It is weird, you have these ladies who don't ever go to the beach or even outside because they are deathly scared of becoming dark. Although I love Indonesians, it has grated on me lately how racist so many of them are. It is really a shame because the country is so diverse and they seem to have very paradoxical perspectives on this. On the one hand, they always say everybody is "my" brother and we are all the same. But then the same person is likely to make jokes and deride Papuans for being so dark and "primitive". I just wonder how somebody who knows their environment intimately and can live off of so little is considered stupid. Oh yeah, intelligence is based entirely on how well you can use a cell phone (it matters little that you have no idea how the battery, let alone the phone works). THe worst are my students. Being the upper crust they laugh and make fun of any black or dark skinned person they see in a book. Even 6 year olds join in... they must start the brain washing at an early age. Anyway, the lack of people at the pool really gives me an advantage. Kiky and I have the pool all to ourselves every day of the week. Since it is in a 5 star hotel it is in really decent condition and although small, it feels mighty large when you get it to yourself. It is a nice break from the everyday chaos of life around me. Although it is situated in an incredibly busy part of town, it is rather peaceful as the pool is on the roof of the hotel. This means great views and a sense of being outside the urban intensity that you can expect to find rampaging across Asia. Oh, just to add to the sweetness of the deal: for a two month membership for Kiky and I the price was very reasonable... 500 000 Rp, which comes out to about $55 US these days. Anytime you feel stressed just think of me wasting away the morning poolside and that will surely make you jealous and you will forget entirely why you were stressed to start with!

New site for travel logs!

I am going to move all of my blogs onto this site right now... I think this guy is a good place to keep the blog stuff happening. So excuse me if the first posts are nothing but repeats of what I had on other sites... it is just for record keeping!