-
Adventure Fail-My Adventure That Turned Me Into A Dripping Wet Monsoon
Somehow, I seem to be developing a habit when I travel. That is the adventure of being driven to ATM machines on the back of someone’s motor scooter. This trip was no exception as I somehow forgot to do the research and didn’t realize that Amed has no ATM machines. My hotel said that they would accept a credit card, but there would be a 3% charge. The manager said he would be willing to drive me on his scooter to an ATM 5 kilometers away. I admit, I was a little terrified. I’ve seen how people drive their scooters around here. Recklessly, dangerously, passing each other while cars are…
-
They’re Coming To America-Why This Neil Diamond Song No Longer Holds True
“Coming To America”. I remember dancing to this Neil Diamond song in my childhood over and over. My sisters and I would put on what we considered our most patriotic dress up clothes which consisted of some tube tops covered in sequins, or crazy hats, and dance and sing our hearts out to this record over and over again. Until one day, (I can’t say that I blame my parents), that record mysteriously disappeared. But, actually it didn’t just disappear. It was deliberately burned. I remember seeing it on top of the burn pile, my heart aching as my favorite music went up in flames. But my heart aches even…
-
Learning To Slow Down On Gili Air
I think there is a lesson that I need to be learning on this trip. The art of slowing down. It seems that every bit of stress has been caused when I rush, when I go against the flow of the pace of time that is here. Always rushing to catch a plane, find a ATM, a boat. That’s not the pace of these islands. That is especially not the pace of Gili Trawangan or Gili Air. Yesterday, I ate lunch at the most relaxing place. They were playing chill out music and I felt my body totally surrender as I sank into the brightly colored purple and green cushions…
-
Trapped In Asia: How It Took Me 2 Credit Cards, 5 ATM Machines, 4 Travel Agents, And A Bike Ride Through Horse Dung To Buy A Plane Ticket
First of all, know that Singapore is a great place to open a liaison office if you’re thinking of opening a business there, so make sure to do some research before you do so. All I wanted to do was to buy a ticket from Bali to Ambon and then to the Kei Islands, the next stop on this amazing journey through Indonesia. Pretty simple, right? But it took me four days to do this. Because I am the type of person who likes to get the best possible deal, I checked on the internet first. But, I know the travel agents in Asia often offer better deals than the…
-
A Bali Ceremony: How One Culture Celebrates The Purity Of New Life
Today I had the most special experience I’ve had since being in Bali. Sri, the woman who cooks our Breakfast in the mornings, invited us to a very special Bali ceremony for her baby. It is known as the three-month ceremony and is the ceremony celebrating the first time the baby is allowed to touch the ground. Before three months, the baby is considered to have a holy and pure soul and is not allowed to become unclean by touching the ground or floor. Before the baby is three months, it is usually always in someone’s arms. I imagine a Bali baby feeling very loved and protected. We were very…
