nomad4ever

Over the last few years, some countries in Asia made it more and more difficult for long-term tourists (or none-working Expats) to stay longer than just a few months in country. Thailand only recently made their Visa Rules more difficult and complicated; before that monthly Visa Runs to the neighbouring countries were quite common.

Indonesia introduced a Visa-On Arrival (VOA) for maximum 30 days with respective fees only back in 2004 – before you could get a 3 months stamp for free. The bureaucratic processes to attain and extend a Social Visa are legendary. Although there were some rumours of longer VOA (up to 120 days) a few months back, those have yet to materialize.

written by Chris

In Singapore or Hong Kong, traffic follows designated laws and common sense rules, issuing driving licenses requires that you learn driving and prove your skills first and pass a driving test afterwards. The rules are enforced by a proper funded and highly motivated Police Force as well.

So far so good.

Unfortunately, this rosy picture isn’t the case in most other places in Asia, even cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila or Denpasar are pure Chaos during Rush Hour and still near-battle zones during any other time. Get out to the country-side and it even gets better, as you can run into Ox Carts, 5 people riding 1 bike or trucks loaded up to the horizon with whatever grows on the fields or got killed along the way.

written by Chris

If you stay a bit longer in Bali – longer than just a few days that is – and plan driving a vehicle like a Scooter or Car here, it’s almost unavoidable that you will be stopped by the police once in a while. If you are wearing your helmet how it should be or are correctly buckled up in your car – that has usually only one reason -> to extort money from you – the “wealthy” foreigner or tourist.

written by Chris

It’s astonishing how western multinational companies invested their time and money around the globe to build their brands as easily recognisable as they are today. Nobody says Cola anymore but Coke and you are used to dine at Mc Donald’s or Burger King and know that your Big Mac or Whopper will taste the same in Addis Ababa or New York or Capetown (even though that isn’t completely true).

Global brand power…

Companies like Starbucks or Pizza Hut gain their strength for expansion from their easily recognisable Logos, colours and symbols, which make a good part of a successful franchise.

written by Chris

Since my recent review of private Internet Access Options in Bali from January 2007, things have changed quite a bit. Telkom Speedy (a DSL variant) is heavily promoted everywhere for land lines with analogue connections. And a few months ago, a few operators started to roll out 3G, that is 3rd Generation for Mobile Networks.

3G or UMTS, as it’s widely called, is basically an extension to regular GSM mobile networks, allowing them for higher bandwidth (throughput) and lower latency (less delay) for Data and Voice Connections.

written by Chris

Coming back from Ubud just to eat some roasted pork on rice over there, I must say, Anthony Bourdain, the famous author, culinary in-your-face adventurer and self-proclaimed hedonist is right. You really have the best Babi Guling (which is ‘Spanferkel’ or Roasted Suckling Baby Pig) in Ubud/Bali!

Just ask anyone in Ubud for Warung Ibu Oka’s (Auntie Oka’s Stall), which was featured in his show ‘No reservations’ (running on cable on the Travel & Living Channel or Discovery Channel). Actually that’s not right, you have to ask for her house – because Ibu Oka had to move her stall recently after Anthony Bourdain visited her Warung.

written by Chris

Things happen for a reason in Indonesia. While I didn’t trust my eyes, when reading about Jusuf Kalla’s recent statements regarding Marihuana in food; the EU’s ban of Indonesian airlines flying into Europe didn’t come as a surprise at all.

After all the recent incidents surrounding Garuda Airlines, Adam Air and others, the EU probably wanted to show a strong hand – even though currently there isn’t a single Indonesian Airlines flying into Europe. Garuda was planning to take up again their Jakarta-Amsterdam route (which they suspended after the Asian Crisis) sometime in 2008, which would be a welcome competition for the current high-price trip serviced only by foreign airlines. Currently – prepare to pay anything above Euro 750 plus taxes, if you are planning to fly return from Europe to Jakarta or Bali for instance. No budget airlines in sight for long-haul.

written by Chris

Francesca Parmesane Ketututututut is the sister-in-law of famed Ukulele player/condensed milk wholesaler/land broker Made Ketututututut. She has been a fixture on the Ubud art scene for 30 years, ever since she left her native Ligurian fishing village and descended upon Bali to breathe new life into Ubud’s artistic life. Famous for her holistic interpretation of Ramayanabanana Dancing, she is currently the manageress of The Holy Moly Chakra Re-Alignment Centre in Sayan:

written by Chris