I'm rollin'

I have nearly my entire trip booked now, a big relief. There were some highs and lows during this process. The lows mainly being that I am no longer taking an epic train journey accross Canada. I just cannot afford well over $1000 for four days of my life. The highs? I got a sweet flight instead! At a fraction of a fraction of the cost.

I'm going to have to get my travel agent a mighty fine gift while I'm away.

Other ways I'm saving money?

For starters everyone who travels and is at all social should sign up for Couchsurfers. If you haven't heard of it is one of the most amazing ways to really be immersed into the place you're visiting. The premise is pretty simple: sign up and state whether or not you have a couch availible for strangers (not a requirement mind you). The next time you travel you simply have to search for your destination (even Iraq, if you're adventurous) and Ta Da you have a free place to stay!

Its actually pretty safe as well (considering). Couchsurfers always leave references for their visitors and hosts, and obviously creeps get banned, and you never stay with someone who has a bad reference. Women can easily stay with other women too. If you are uncomfortable staying on someones couch - many people have a full bedroom!

(One of my favorite surfers, I took him along to a music festival...and we found a couch!)

I've never surfed, but I've hosted many, many lovely people. Having said that I've only ever hosted someone who I wished I hadn't. He wasn't at all dangerous, he just really was lacking in the social skill department, told me many details of his life I never needed to know.

I've been using it to line up places to stay at strategic times and locations all over Southeast Asia. I've also joined a Travel Buddy Indonesia group, which is helping me meet Indonesians with the same travel goals as me.

And just for the record: I'm excited to swim with these guys again.
Ko Jum - Here I come!

Its falling apart!

Indonesia stop shaking around like this!
Soon you'll fall apart and I'll never be able to visit your beautiful country.

My heart goes out to those on Sumatra,

I hope my new friend is doing okay. Aditya!? tell me your okay and your family is too.

South Pacific is getting pretty shaken up lately - a morbid part of me wonders about any connections. There is obviously some very alrge shift happening under the pacific. I can't imagine an earth quake, or a tsunami. I am worried about all the familes and people at their epicentres something tells me that it'll far more difficult for them to recover than if it happened here. I'm coming Sumatra! I'll be there to help!

Competing for food in Indonesia with this!

Maybe there isn't any room for me in Indonesia anymore?



This little bundle of joy was born on Friday in Sumatra. He was 19.2 pounds! Are you kidding me? I am afraid to give birth to a normal size baby - what if this creature came out of me?!

His name is Akbar Risuddin, which translates to 'big' I think. His father aparently was speaking to reporters and said, "I'm very happy that my baby and his mother are in good health. I hope I can afford to feed the baby enough, because he needs more milk than other babies."
I bet he does.

Indonesian reading

First step towards any traveling experience - a guidebook.

So yesterday I picked up my copy (40$ OUCH) of Lonely Planet's Indonesia and began skimming through it. Really there is nothing so exhilarating for me as looking at all the places I can visit, the jungles I can get lost in and beaches I can roll around on.

I've already come to the conclusion that I have to figure out the Visa situation because apparently it is complicated and shifty. I've also decided that I need a nice/light/sweet rain jacket.

I randomly flipped to a page and found a little box talking about sea gypsies, otherwise known as Orang Bajau. They are generally regarded by other Indonesians in much the same way that the Roma in eastern Europe are, which is badly. I on the other hand fell in love after reading about 2 paragraphs.

There are many groups of sea gypsies all over Southeast Asia, all with a blurry history. Basically, in Indonesia, they live off the coast of Sulawesi surviving (barely) off of fishing by traditional means.

According to Lonely Planet, in the old days there were whole familes living out of their boat roaming the shallow seas. Fathers would take their three day old children diving in order to introduce them to the sea. What a romantic tale.
On the other hand, nowadays commercial fishing, and other fisherman with access to better technology are making survival much harder.



I did read that the Bajau's Thai neighbours who lived offshore on houses made of stilts, that an entire village was saved from the Tsunami . Aparently the chief saw the receeding sea and immediatly knew from recalling a folk tale that:

those same waters will soon reappear in the form of a huge man-eating wave, destroying everything in its path.

Obviously I recognize these tales of Sea Gypsies are overly romanticised, but my imagination has still be sparked. I'm going!

Speaking of Which

Well, I'm not home yet - but I am at the really swank Crown Plaza for a few days. right next door (literally) to my job, hot tubs and pools. Its like a home away from home really.

I decided since I'm not crafting - I'll dedicate a new section of my blog to my Indonesian inspiration. Its mostly to get inspired, and figure out places that I want to see when I am there.

First a little background:

Indonesia:



17,508 Islands with 237 Million people.
Indonesia's national motto, "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" ("Unity in Diversity" literally, "many, yet one")

I was going to spot something funny about the security warnings issued, but then I started reading. Here is what may happen to me when I go:

1) Terrorist attacks in Jakarta And on Bali
2) Drinking a locally brewed beer made with methanol
3) Violent protests seemingly about everything
4) Volcanic eruptions
5) Since I am going in the rainy season, I'll be experiencing possible mudsides and flooding.
6) The various penalities that are associated with Shari’a law
7) Rabies
8) Drowning with rough seas
etc....
Now most of these warnings seem to be based on instances that have happened in the past and many are just plan common sense. But apparently I have to be very caution with this:

OFFICIAL WARNING: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against all travel to the following regions:

a) Central Sulawesi: Religious tensions and conflict around Poso remain. The situation remains tense in Palu, Poso and Tentena.

b) Maluku and in particular Ambon: Tensions between Christian and Muslim groups in Ambon have resulted in violent incidents in 2005. The situation is now mostly calm, however the potential for violence remains.

So those are off my list. I was not planning on really spending a lot of time around Bali and Jakarta because I figured that if I was going to get caught up in the countless security problems it would be there but the Canadian consulor offices are snuggled nicely into both these areas.

This paints a picture of Indonesia that looks kinda like this

Sucka Pants


So in my next entry (and any future entry) I'll talk about all the good stuff - hopefully


Ps. Don't worry Mom!