nomad4ever

While running around this week in Singapore, I found this interesting vehicle advertising an “Overseas Courier Service – Shipping made easy around the world in 103 countries with 247 offices since 1957”.

I wonder how they are operating?

Anyway, the picture quality isn’t so great, I just had the phone camera at hand. The picture was taken @ Raffles Place/Republic Plaza Taxi Stand. It was a bit raining as well.

Since I’m back in Bali now with a brand-new-2-month Visa, you can expect some more frequent articles within the next few days.

written by Chris

In Thailand’s current political arena, things don’t look so bright after all anymore – just 6 months after the ‘bloodless coup‘ over there. Of course Tourism seems to look stable and the Sex Industry isn’t effected at all – as usual.

After the first doubts, if Thailand has a democratic future; the view of the Thai People obviously changes, they demand more clarity on how things will progress further. There are even the first demonstrations in Bangkok and the reputation of the Coupsters vanishes more and more.

Will there be truly free election again soon?

written by Chris

Regarding the improvement of the safety of Indonesia’s airlines, there seems to be some consequences finally on the way.

Indonesia’s Adam Air, Wings Air and Dirgantara Air Service could fall into the Transportation Ministry’s lowest rating category when the results of a recent audit are announced, an official said.

“It is possible that those three airlines will fall into the third category of the rating,” the head of the directorate of airworthiness certification, Mr Yurlis Hasibuan, told The Jakarta Post. The directorate-general for air transportation is set to announce this week the ratings for 15 private and state-owned airlines operating in Indonesia.

written by Chris

This 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

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

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

After the recent air travel disasters in Indonesia, things get really tricky to evaluate the safest airlines in the country. Sooner or later you have to fly in or out of the country or will use a plane to travel between one of the 17.000 islands.

What are the latest scores?

• just today a Garuda Airlines Boeing 737-400 burst into flames when landing, killing 21 people in Yogyakarta
• a few weeks back in january an ADAM Air airplane (a 737-400 as well) simply disappeared from the radar screen on its way to Sulawesi, taking a 102 lifes with it

written by Chris

What’s the fuss?

Laos is still a mysterious country, dominated by sheer nature, dense jungles, vast empty spaces and remote villages, ‘Karst’ mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, bat swarms, endless muddy rivers and rice paddies. It only opened up from communist isolation in recent years in the 1990’s.

Through Laos runs the mighty river Mekong, which is one of Asia’s largest and longest rivers. It starts in higher Tibet and is finding its way through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Ready to go backpacking in time?

written by Chris