nomad4ever

I was practically glued to the TV last week when the events in Mumbai happened; couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Hard to get in front of a computer again, didn’t feel like posting anything at all about long-term traveling in India.

But then, isn’t that what those terrorists tried to achieve? To paralyzing the country and make an economical impact? Most people in this thread on the IndiaMike Forum, discussing the repercussions of this hatred, agree that they want to continue traveling to India.

So I will follow their example and won’t stop recommending it. Read on for a “Cost of Living Chart” for living in Goa, India:

written by Chris

Around 2 years ago I was raving about the so-called Dreamland Beach in Bali, situated at the west coast of the Bali Bukit, the dry hilly area south of the airport.

It’s one of the closest candidates for a Dream Beach, which Bali unfortunately doesn’t have in the abundance of let’s say Thailand or the Philippines. The only other natural white beach, west of the Padang Bai lagoon is currently developed into a 5-star Hotel resort for a Japanese company with restricted access for the average traveler.

Tough luck I hear you say, but for Surfers and Expats there was always Dreamland Beach – up until now:

written by Chris

After losing some pounds following the tips in this article – it’s now time to put some of them back – NOT!

Asia is such a vast area with many different influences, flavors and cultures, that it’s hard to pick out typical Asian dishes. Fortunately there are Asian dishes that are popular in more than one country in Asia and among Westerners alike.

Some are even so popular, that there are wars among ‘foodies’, who invented what dish and which country can claim credit of its origin.

Let’s have a look at the most popular ones and why they are so delicious:

written by Chris

…that is called ECS G10IL. And what is that? The successor of R2D2?

No, it’s the new Netbook PC of Elitegroup with a strange name – it weighs less than 1 kg and it speaks 3G.

While Asus can lay claims of having invented a complete new line or range of small, budget notebooks – the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) or Netbooks – the fierce competition is currently heating up more and bringing out new and similar gadgets every week with better value for money or smaller form factors.

written by Chris

Indonesia is planning to build 4 Nuclear Powerplants by 2025, with the first one going into service no later than 2016 in Jepara/Central Java, on the slopes of Mount Muria, despite strong opposition from local residents and environmental activists.

Due to its growing economy, there is demand for an additional 5.000 megawatts of electricity, building Nuclear Plants is said to make the country less dependent on fossils like oil or coal, while providing the necessary power at ease.

The question is: why build Nuclear Reactors in an area plastered with Volcanoes and prone to earthquakes, flooding and tsunamis? Aren’t there any alternatives? Luckily there are:

written by Chris

Dear Gloria, I just saw you on CNN, asking the US and the international community for helping the families and finding survivors of the latest ferry disaster, which hit the Philippines just 2 days ago.

The “MV Princess of the Stars” ran aground, capsized and sank just a mile off Sibuyan Island in heavy storms, caused by Typhoon Fengshen. A total of 864 people were aboard, with only about 57 rescued so far.

Why this is another sad event which causes thousands of family members to grieve for their loved ones lost; it was just another regrettable tragedy waiting to happen:

written by Chris

For Westerners it is sometimes difficult to understand Asia’s obsession with Karaoke. What’s so exciting about embarrassing yourself in front of your friends or even strangers with your non-existing singing skills?

Fortunately – Karaoke is more than that, it can be a favorite pastime or your dirty little secret.

Once you take your time to get the hang of it – you could have lots of pleasure and a great time enjoying yourself.

But let’s first shed some light on Karaoke and some stereotypes – on what most people believe to understand about it:

written by Chris

Freedom of Speech and Expression are cornerstones and the lifeblood of any democracy. For a free people in mature societies to govern themselves – they must be free to express themselves – openly, publicly, and repeatedly; in speech and in writing.

How else can one put the finger in the wound and take part in discussions about what hinders a country in its progress?

Most Westerners don’t know that Indonesia is a very young democracy. This leads to surprising insights, which surface when you look a bit deeper into the woven society fabric on its long-winding road towards ‘real’ Democracy:

written by Chris