Promotional image by Telkomsel – its SIMPATI mobile phone network is Indonesia’s most extensive with services to every province. Indonesia is well and truly wired … or perhaps that should …

Not a real robbery but rather a scene from a TV drama shoot – none-the-less be aware that this kind of petty theft can happen in Indonesia and other Asian …

Memorial at Kuta in Bali to the more than 200 people who died in the terrorist bombings of 2002. Pic Jonathan Liem – Wiki Commons Many people are nervous about …

Most of us fear finding ourselves in a foreign country where we are unable to speak a word of the language. This is perfectly understandable. Not so long ago it …

You probably wouldn’t give too much thought to health issues if planning a holiday in Bali, right? Yet if you are like most people, you might get all get all …

Many Westerners find the idea of public bargaining for goods and services uncomfortable, even a little distasteful. Unlike the societies of Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, it’s just …

Dealing with strange ‘foreign’ money in unfamiliar places can be daunting. Especially if you are a first-time visitor grappling with banknotes in unfamiliar colors with stratospherically high denominations.  I well …