20 Words to Get You (Almost) Anywhere in Indonesia
I once ordered “fried p*ss” instead of “fried potatoes” in a restaurant. And, on presenting a landlady with her key, I announced, “I’m so sorry!...
Tagged: languages
Time For A Travel "Plan" Rethink…
We’ve crossed five Indonesian islands to get to Kupang, and had to abandon our mission to Papua. Clearly, it’s time for a travel “plan” rethink....
Yes, You Can Lock Your Keys In A Motorbike
When I was in my (very) early teens, my mother ran out of petrol while taking me home from school. She set off, on foot,...
The Sunday Six: Things You Might Not Know About Bali
1: Everyone Has The Same Names If there’s one thing you’ll notice on Bali holidays, it’s that everyone seems to have the same names: Nyoman,...
Travel Tips: Avoiding Transport “Scams”
It’s probably the commonest travel complaint on the planet from folk travelling the developing world. Transport “scams”. Overcharging… And it does relations between locals and...
Sweet Charity? On Volunteering
I have an aversion to the idea of volunteering overseas which dates back to a hospital bed in small town Mali. It wasn’t the extended...