Apr 13

RyanAir - no-frills goes long-haul Airline?For a couple of years now so-called no-frills Airlines are mushrooming around the planet. Starting with the mother of budget airlines – Southwest – in the US. In Europe there was a tough fight of competition with the likes of RyanAir, Aer Lingus, Easyjet, GO and others for the last few years.

Low-cost, no-frills carriers mushrooming around the globe

written by Chris

Apr 03

The Perfect Beach - a far cry away?Ever since having read Alex Garlands ‘The Beach’ in a bamboo beach hut on Honduras’ Roatan island in Latin America, I was possessed with the idea that there must be a ‘Perfect Beach’ for everyone of us on this our beautiful planet.

So I began to look out for nice getaways in white sandy bays with crystal clear waters on my travels.

I thought the Caribbean, Egypt, Australia or the West Coast of the US would be great places to settle down one day.

written by Chris

Mar 23

Hindu Melasti Ceremony @ Petitengit Temple and Beach in Bali/Indonesia.Having watched the Melasti and Nyepi Processions here in Bali over the last couple of days; it leaves me still in awe with its colours and sounds. Thousands of people processing from temples to the beaches on the ‘Island of the Gods’.

Bali as the only Hindu oasis in a sea of 17.000 Muslim islands in Indonesia is very serious about its ceremonies.

What’s the low-down?

Melasti is a purification ritual that takes place every year, usually in March or early April, precisely two or three days before the Bali-Hindu New Year day of Nyepi (the Day of silence).

written by Chris

Mar 23

Adam Air - cracked but escapedJust yesterday we speculated about the airlines to be closed. And here comes the news from the Jakarta Post this morning:

Despite experiencing a series of accidents, Adam Air escaped license revocation as it was only categorized Thursday by the Ministry of Transportation as one of the worst airlines in the country that fail to meet several safety requirements.

The Ministry also announced that six other airlines – Metro Batavia, Trans Wisata, Tri MG Intra Asia Airlines, Manunggal Air Service, Jatayu Gelang Sejahtera, Kartika Airlines – were also put in the same category as Adam Air.

written by Chris

Mar 19

Balinese Children with 'their' Ogoh Ogoh in the backgroundOgoh Ogoh monsters are colourful monster sculptures, which are made from bamboo frames and paper mache.

They are made in the form of creatures of the underworld known in Balinese as buta-kala. The creatures are based on characters taken from traditional myths and legends, however in modern times many also take the form of modern characters, including even people in the media or in the government.

Before the Hindu new year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence – you can find Ogoh Ogoh *everywhere* in Bali.

written by Chris

Mar 17

Adam Air PlaneThis could be a quick response to the latest disasters of the last 3 months in Indonesia. As reported last evening, the airline braces itself for possible closure next week.

It wouldn’t come to no surprise, as clearly something has to be done to improve the safety of Indonesia’s Airline industry.

Nick, over from Baliblog is even advising potential customers to not book with them anymore; as you might stand a chance to lose your money or your ticket, if their license will be revoked next week. Obviously this is what happened to one of his friends, when booking 4 tickets with last year’s bust Air Paradise.

written by Chris

Mar 13

Why oh why?There is not only one chain letter going round the internet. There are thousands or even millions of them.

Most of them are plain stupid and I don’t even know, why some people still fall for the Nigerian Money Digger Mafia, the Penis ‘Extensionists’, Lottery Agencies or lost daughters of Saddam Hussein or Thaksin Shinawatra who are trying to bring their fortune millions into safety – with your help of course, haha!

Some of those schemes are quite smart and in a subliminal way manage to touch someones pride, vanity or ego.

written by Chris

Mar 08

Have a Shisha! Smoking water pipe is so relaxing!The thing I like about a place like Bali is the sheer variety of venues on where to eat, drink, relax or just hang out. One of those special places where you can do all of the above is Khaima.

What’s the venue?

Khaima is a chilled restaurant in Jalan Laksmana/Oberoi, the new ‘IN’ area of Bali. It’s one of the most well regarded restaurants in Bali and the only authentic Moroccan eatery on the island. It’s run by a Belgian/Moroccan couple.

Here you can eat like in a normal restaurant at a table – or chill Arabic style on large pillows and ground beds and smoke a Shisha (water pipe or hookah).

written by Chris