Coffee Paradise in Ubud, Bali
My first visit to Ubud in central Bali, Indonesia was 5 years ago, mainly to check out it’s world-renowned spa and wellness scene. The Bali massage, which you can find everywhere you turn in Ubud, is a wonderful combination of relaxing and restorative. The local people are sweet and there is a huge artistic community […]
Gili Air and Kuta, Lombok Photo blog
A few words about my recent Indonesian adventure which included Bali (my next blog), the island of Gili Air and the surfers paradise, Kuta, Lombok. I really cherished my time in Ubud, Bali but let’s face it, it is crowded and there is a ton of traffic. Gili Air was the perfect onward destination […]
Top Tips For Using ATMs in Southeast Asia
Update 2020 I learned another valuable ATM lesson I feel compelled to share. After the Bali incident in the update below, I was down to one and only one bank card which was really my lifeline. Unfortunately it really started acting up, not working at all for a week or more. I called my bank […]
Sidikalang, Sumatra Coffee Tour Part 2
Heavy machinery for coffee processing The morning after our wonderful coffee farm tour ,we finally got to meet our host and the Sidikalang coffee master himself, Samuel. We had a great chat about coffee over coffee, then it was on to the Poda Coffee processing area and laboratory. This is where we would do the coffee […]
Sidikalang, Sumatra Coffee Tour Part 1
I love coffee, not just drinking it, but everything about it from hunting for the best coffee shop, trying different brewing methods, different varieties, and learning about the coffee’s journey from farm to cup. On my second trip to Sumatra I wanted to dig deep into what makes this world-famous coffee so special. I was at Lake Toba […]
Orangutans at Bukit Lawang, Indonesia
A major highlight of my travel in Sumatra, Indonesia was an opportunity to see some of the few remaining orangutan in their native habitat. Bukit Lawang is the ideal place to do this. It is located between seemingly endless palm plantations and an impressive jungle park, the Gunung Leuser National Park. After an agonizing journey […]
Magnificent Lake Toba
For my Sumatra adventure, I considered skipping this popular tourist destination, as when I researched it, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot to do there. Thank goodness I came to my senses in the end. While it is true there is not that much to do, Lake Toba is a glorious place to […]