Our two-year stint in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan (a/k/a Borneo)!
Indonesia has the world’s third largest tropical forest, after the Amazon and the Congo. And lucky us, we currently live in Kalimantan, a/k/a Borneo, where the rain forests cloister species still being discovered; currently our island — the third largest in the world — is home to a huge range of flora and fauna found nowhere…
Read More
The Jatiluwih rice fields of central Bali are a stunning destination, and a wonderful reminder that there is more to the Island of the Gods than parties, shopping and beaches. Jatiluwih Rice Fields UNESCO Designation The Jatiluwih rice fields also happen to be part of a UNESCO World Heritage designation celebrating the Balinese Subak System….
Read More
A little bit of magic happened to us a few weeks ago when we stumbled upon a home based Bali coffee factory. Some of the best memories in life come from random, unexpected experiences. Am I right? It isn’t that planned activities can’t lead to great joy, but here’s the thing: you planned for it…
Read More
Indonesia air pollution is a major topic this year, especially for those of us living under the smoky clouds. Unlike countries such as China or the USA, where air pollution is caused largely from coal factories and automobile exhaust, here in Indonesia, the major air pollution culprit is slash and burn farming. Slash and burn…
Read More
Two things I love the most about the tiny, mountain town of Munduk: the amazing hiking and the day-to-day activities going on all around. Here, for the most part, people couldn’t care less about the ogling tourists in their “Bali” pants, snapping photos beside waterfalls and limitless scenic vistas. Whatever. They’ve got coffee cherries to…
Read More
The little town of Pemuteran in northwest Bali reminds me of Bali when I was a young girl: still a tad touristy, but retaining an authentic, Real-People-Live-Here vibe. And compared to the uber visited areas of south Bali, it feels a world away. It’s peaceful. A bit more gentle and easy going. Definitely less touristy….
Read More
We recently took the Java to Bali ferry from Banyuwangi, Java to Gilianuk, Bali, and though the trip was more or less an accident, we are so glad that we chanced upon the experience! Most people arrive in Bali via the Denpasar airport: Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport. Perhaps because of this, the most developed…
Read More
Stone jewelry sales have exploded in Indonesia; particularly for men, who love to wear enormous stone rings and/or stone pendants strung with gold or silver chains. Within the sixteen months we’ve been in Balikpapan (East Kalimantan Indonesia), we’ve noticed a marked increase in stores and little stalls selling various raw and polished stones within the local markets…
Read More
Living in Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia is, for the most part, like living anywhere else … sort of. Even if you’re here as a dependent instead of the work visa spouse, you still have your chores and errands: shopping for groceries, house cleaning, laundry, exercise, cooking, and all the other day-to-day activities that are a part of being…
Read More
Balikpapan’s Sun Bear Sanctuary lies in the Sungai Wain preservation area of East Kalimantan’s rain forest, off Kilometer 23 on the road to Samarinda. Here, seven sun bears rescued from poachers and other threats roam the 3.25 acre natural enclosure. Twice daily, the bears, whose Indonesian name “Beruang Madu” actually translates to honey bear, pad…
Read More