The Pasola Festival of Sumba | When the Worms Didn’t Come
In 1994, when travel journalist Ron Gluckman observed the Pasola ritual in Sumba, all of the “signs” were good –...
Travel
The Hidden Island of Savu
On his first voyage to the South Pacific, Captain James Cook dropped anchor at Savu, an island that did not...
Tana Toraja: Love for the Departed
Grace always knew that honouring the dead is central to Toraja culture. But on her second visit to Tana Toraja...
Rose of Northern Thailand’ Chiang Mai
This cultural capital of the Lanna Kingdom wows visitors with ancient wonders while keeping pace with a modern enthusiasm for...
Sins of the Father
“The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father.” – Bible: Ezekiel 18:20 When I was 17 in mid-sixties...
Dubai: The City With it All
Since the discovery of oil a mere 50 years ago, Dubai has experienced increased growth and prosperity, and has undergone...
Simeulue Island, a Decade After the Tsunami and Nature Reminds Us Still
26 December 2004, 10 years ago this Boxing Day, was a day of unbelievable violence when nature decided to wake...
Roehana Koeddoes: A Heroine of Education and Journalism
In Indonesia, Mother’s Day is celebrated on 22 December. Although it is neither a major celebration nor part of the...
Galungan: Biggest Day of the Year
Celebrating the creation of the world by the supreme god and the victory of goodness or virtue (dharma) over evil...
Comedy, Comics and Sketches of Real Life
You might already be familiar with Sacha Stevenson’s How to Act Indonesian YouTube videos in which Sacha makes some astute,...
East Java’ Cottage Industries
Nestled in the Brantas River Valley, the cradle of the Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit Kingdom of the 13th to 16th centuries –...
Going Green on the Slopes of Gunung Salak
This may sound as though I’m making it up, but did you know it’s possible to spend a weekend far...
Tabuik: the Waterfront Cultural Festival of Pariaman
Pariaman is a small town on the western coast of West Sumatra of only 73.36 square kilometres. Since the beginning...
Hiking the Hills Around Bogor
Forced urban dwellers like myself long to escape the confines, concrete and cars. I’m always on the lookout for a quick...
Two-Wheel Travel: Lampung, South Sumatra
Choice destinations for weekend cycling in West Java are often impractical because of poor access. Lido, for instance, is a...
The Dangers of Diving
Most articles about diving in Indonesia wax lyrical about the beautiful, warm, inviting underwater world, with a myriad variety of...
Changing Faces of Batik
I first met Serbian artist Mikro Kosmos (Miroslav Dukic) in Borneo earlier this year. He played a didgeridoo which he...
Balikpapan at a Glance
When I was growing up in suburban Surrey all those years ago, I knew little of the East beyond the...
Madura – Java’s Different Neighbour
The Javanese may tell you that the island of Madura – only 30 minutes away by ferry from Surabaya –...
Java’s First Photographer: Kassian Cephas (1845-1912)
The first rather rambling title for this article ran nearly three lines as it tried to convey that Kassian Cephas...
A Weekend Trip to Gunung Salak
Just two hours away from Jakarta, Gunung Salak is a large volcanic range in Halimun National Park (the largest tract...