Airplane Food in Indonesia

You can't expect much from budget carriers in Indonesia in the way of a mid-flight meal or snack. Most don't serve anything but a plastic cup of water. There was a surprise for us on our last flight from Bali to Makassar - a 'boxed snack'. What the box contained was even more of a surprise!



A boiled egg, and a fish-filled roll.

We're flying back to Manado on Wednesday, and then our holidays begin on Friday... but I bet there is nothing more to look forward to on the flights!

Ayam Lalapan di Sumber Urip
(Fried Chicken at the "Source of Life")


This is one of our favourite places for dinner, a little warung not too far from our place in Sorong. Warungs are semi-permanent street vendors that usually start to appear late afternoon or early evening for the dinner crowd. The structures are usually very simple: a metal-frame, tarp roof (often with numerous holes), and cloth banner 'walls' (which double as advertising space and menu). Offerings are usually fairly standard... you can see the Sumber Urip menu from the 'writing on the wall'!

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)
Nasi Ayam (Chicken Rice)
Nasi Ikan (Fish Rice)
Tahu Tek (Tofu with sauce)
Soto (Soup)
Mie Kuah (Boiled Noodles)
Mie Goreng (Fried Noodles)
Ayam Goreng Lalapan (Fried Chicken with Salad) - their specialty!

Warungs are one of the cheapest options for quick meals (other than the kaki-limas (vendor carts that remain in motion)). You usually find warungs in groupings, like this one near our house (below). Nicely-focussed picture, Ange... in case you can't tell, that's Martin standing by the motorcycles!



At the "Source of Life" warung, we've actually evolved an interesting relationship with the owners, a sweet javenese couple from Surabaya. They love having 'Bules' as regular customers... and it probably isn't bad for business either. I swear people walking by stop to eat there just so they can stare at the Bule!



This is what last nights dinner looked like:


Martin had Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice).



And I had Ayam Goreng Lalapan... Fried chicken, with steamed rice, super-spicy sambal (hot sauce), and a 'salad'. The salad consists of fresh basil, string beans, cucumbers and cabbage and is actually the only fresh veggies I've ever found available for meals! The chicken is scrumptious... I think Indonesia is the first time I've ever actually tried fried chicken!? I've had it BBQ'd, baked, shake'n'baked, broiled, and roasted... but I can't remember ever having it friend! It's a Suthen thang I guess?

Day-tripping to the Island of Doom

Last Sunday, once the monotony of going from home to office to home, and back again, with no break or change of scenery, even on weekends (because Sorong is a dive of a city; hot, sticky, dirty, uugh), I finally convinced Martin that we had to break the routine or I was going to go insane!

What better, uplifting destination that the Isle of Doom!? (Actually pronounced, and starting to be spelled, DUM) Their motto, as you can see in the sign below, is, Doom Kota Kami (Our City of Doom): Kecil, Aman, Menarik, Indah (Small, Safe, Interesting, Beautiful). In contrast to the ominous name, I found their claims to be true.



Pulau Doom is about a 10 minute, 20 cent, water taxi ride from Sorong.



It's a small, round little island that people say was the original 'Sorong'. As such, it has the complete set of social structures and facilities -- schools, government offices, church, mosque and market. Sorong was relocated to the mainland (I still say that even though they're all islands!) once the little island was all but overflowing; it is much quieter and greener than Sorong, as so won my immediate approval.



There are no cars, and few motorcycles -- only a parade of becak (tricycle taxi) travel the tiny cement streets on the island. We hopped on a becak, and were given the full tour of the entire island, both Martin and I riding cozily together in one (not an ideal state in the heat of the tropics). It cost us about two dollars.



Sometimes these becak drivers don't obey the rules!



And in the blazing mid-day sun, I think I saw more of them resting under the shade of a tree than working... it's too HOT!




I think we will go back again sometime, and now that we know there are several other islands all within reach of a day-trip from Sorong, maybe we won't go to the office 7 days a week! This is a picture of Pulau Buaya (Crocodile Island, so-named because of the distinctive shape, NOT the presence of the beast!)... maybe it'll be next weekend!?




Just a note: When looking for directions in the port city of Sorong you can't just accept the answer "pelabuhan" ("harbour", or "port")... as we found out when looking for the public transportation to the little island. You have to specify WHICH ONE! There is the fishing port, the tourist harbour, the 'regular' harbour, the oil & gas docks, and of course, the Pelni port (where the big passenger ships, Pelni, come to rest).


(In this pic you can see an example of the little yellow mini-vans that are public busses here in Sorong)

Gado-Gado Goodness!



Well, I have to say, Gado-gado almost instantly became one of my favourite Indonesian gastronomic delights! It is the closest thing that you can come to when looking for a 'salad' in Indonesia. It's not the same as a fresh, crisp, leafy-green chef's salad... but there's a reason you don't get a lot of that in Indonesia (I believe hepatitis A to be the best one)! This is a 'boiled salad'... green beans, sprouts, carrots, and cabbage, green leaves of various trees, and tofu, pressed rice, topped with a boiled egg. The contents can vary from place to place, but you get the idea.

The sauce (which I always ask for on the side, because I find they completely tend to smother the veggies with three times the amount necessary), is a yummy, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, peanut sauce. The picture below is the way it comes, sauce and all... doesn't look very appetizing, but it's really quite tasty!



I love that when you ask for something 'bungkus' (wrapped up to go) here, they still use banana leaves in some places! Not quite the same as it was traditionally (since they now also use waxed brown paper and elastic bands), but I think it's still a nice touch!

I know, I know, you're all sick about hearing about the food here... but, what else can I say... work is the same for now, day in and day out, and I'm sure you don't want to read about THAT! And outside of work, well, we have very little life! Sad, but true. (You can read a little more on why that is in my previous post!)

WHY We Have NO Social Life
AIDS in West Papua
(and why I'm blogging on a Saturday night!)

I knew that the HIV/AIDS infection rate in West Papua was considerably higher than the rest of Indonesia, and I understood that this probably meant some pretty big numbers, considering the prevalence of commercial sex and the fact that adequate and informed sexual education is found nowhere either formally, or non-formally.

What I didn't realize is that West Papua has the highest per-capita rates of infection not only in all of Indonesia, but in Oceania, and the island of New Guinea (even higher than PNG!); infection rate is reaching sub-Saharan African levels! West Papua is truly in the eye of the HIV storm.

Projections show that possibly 3% of the population of West Papua is infected with HIV/AIDS. And because of numerous factors, not the least of which is the booming resource economy currently operating in West Papua, these numbers are projected to increase exponentially in the coming years. These statistics don't hold for Raja Ampat, as until recently it has remained a fairly remote area. However, infection has begun, as development has driven the migration of many natives of Raja Ampat into the city of Sorong -- hub for transportation, trade, and, the spread of HIV infection.

HIV/AIDS infection will be difficult to control without education. "Most Papuans have heard of HIV/AIDS. But condoms are a different story. In a 2001 study, only 29% of people interviewed across the province could identify a condom when shown one." (Lesley Butt, AIDS in West Papua: Top Ten Reasons to Worry) An education program that will address this current level of knowledge will have to be immediate and intensive if it intends to make a difference! However, sex in Indonesia is still fairly taboo -- a topic shrouded in silence, shame, and secrecy. Until recent years condom ads were considered pornography and thus illegal. Good luck convincing government officials that this is a true crisis, and getting them to back SexEd and condom distribution initiatives!

So why is it exactly that we don't have a social life... Wasn't that the title of your post, Ange? Are you sure you didn't mean to entitle it "Why we have no SEX life"... no, no, no... You see, aside from all of the horror spelled out in the statistics, there is a very scary and completely incomprehensible practice taking place after dark in Sorong... A friend told us that a few HIV/AIDS infected people have taken to 'sticking' people with infected needles in bars and clubs. What is the logic behind this? I can't imagine. It just seems sick to me. What, "I'm going to die because of this evil virus, and I'm going to take as many people down with me as possible... or what!?" Needless to say, I have never been to a bar in Sorong. I have absolutely no desire to play Russian Roulette, and don't really like the 'Discos' in Indonesia anyway!

Feelin' a little sluggish...




I guess the delays with the Kalabia (Education Vessel) arriving, the uninspiring city of Sorong, and the fact that my 'counterpart' seems to be constantly 'ill' and never at the office has got me down.

The Kalabia has been experiencing technical difficulties, and is well over a month late arriving in Sorong. Although I still have plenty of work and planning to do, there are certain things that are being held up by this late arrival! However, it would be nice if I didn't feel like I were doing them alone. During this trying time of 'waiting', I am also finding it extremely frustrating that CI would hire a "Marine Environmental Education Specialist" who knows nothing about Conservation, Ecology OR Education. I understand the idea of mentoring, but usually the person being mentored takes an active interest in the task at hand, no?, or at least has some basic level of skills, knowledge, interest or motivation to build upon!? I am finding the current hiring process for our assistants to be all the more exasperating, because I am in on it, and am feeling more and more hopeless... no one else is taking the selection seriously... well, what did i expect, when they hire a 'big boss' who is, for lack of a better word, such a dud!?

I am even more frustrated when I go into the field with a CI team... why? Let's just say that very very few people who work in conservation in Indonesia are actually CONSERVATIONISTS! They don't think about the LOADS of garbage they themselves are needlessly producing, and then leaving in the pristine areas that they are supposed to be conserving. They are just as bad as every other Indonesian, who spares no thought whatsoever, when buying water for instance, as to the best way to reduce the amount of waste... they buy individual plastic bottles that they don't reuse... they could refill their 1 gallon jugs, but now that wouldn't be quite as convenient would it!? grrr....

It's not hard to see how this situation has come about... In Canada (or the 'Western world'), in general working for a Conservation NGO is not big money... people who work in Conservation are not doing it to get rich, they are truly concerned with the welfare of the planet and are trying to do something about it. They have chosen a career that may not make them wealthy monetarily, however satisfies in them something more important. This is NOT the case in Indonesia (I don't want to generalize to say the 'Developing World', although this is probably the case). In my experience so far in Indonesia, I have worked with people in a small local NGO as well as a big international one, and the basic vibe is the same... although they're working for the 'big picture of conservation', on a small scale, they aren't truly conservationists at all and are working for the sustainability of their pocketbooks. Working with an NGO in Indonesia represents a sizeable salary, and benefits, for little amount of actual work, compared to many other options available. Not very inspiring.

Sorry for ranting. Glad THAT'S out of my system!

SMILE UP!

I get a real kick out of the anglisization of many of the product names in Indonesia... this is one of the ones that makes me grin every time I'm in the shampoo/toiletries aisle in the supermarket!



I remember talking with my cousin Julianne about the thing I like most about traveling to a new country: exploring the markets, and supermarkets! I think at the time we were scanning a mom'n'pop shop in Galapagos for new and unusual sweet treats. Being in a local market or looking at the shelves lining a supermarket is what makes me really feel like I'm in a new place, and even after being there a while, reminds me I still have a lot to learn.

Fun & Games at the Office!?

A great whoop and holler, people jumping up and running out of the room... What caused this chaos in the middle of a regular Monday afternoon?

Someone's idea of a silly joke - to break the somber mood in the sweat and heat of the afternoon - was to throw a small live snake under the desk where some of the assistants were working! I didn't have my camera with me at the office, but found this pic online. Although he was actually a lot smaller than the snake in the photo, probably a juvenile, he got the desired response!



I got the chance to have a good look at our black guest while a few people set about trying to capture him to set him free again... I had the fleeting thought "hey, even though we have air conditioning and satellite internet, we're still in PAPUA... maybe this snake is not as innocent as he looks!" I settled down to my laptop and sat internet, and found out that he was most likely a Papuan Black Snake, one of the most poisonous snakes in Papua (and makes the list of most poisonous in the world!). Good thing he stayed calmer than the folks in the office!

Although we can't be 100% in identifying it (no serpentologists in the office here), everyone who saw both the live thing as well as the description and pictures of the snake agree it had to be a Papuan Black Snake.

Here's what my research uncovered: "The Papuan black snake (Pseudechis papuensis) is found in Papua New Guinea, and has been recently found on Saibai Island in the Torres Strait. Its numbers are thought to be in decline, possibly as a result of the introduction of the cane toad (Bufo marinus) into its habitat. It lives in swampy areas of the southern coastal lowlands of PNG, where it feeds on small mammals and frogs. It is usually a uniform glossy black, but may be dark brown. It is solidly built, with a large, flat head. The length ranges from 2.1 to 2.4m. It is oviparous. The papuan black snake is said to be of a nervous disposition, avoiding human contact, but will strike aggressively if cornered. [!] The venom produces coagulopathy, neurotoxicity and haemolysis. The antivenom of choice is black snake antivenom.

This snake has reportedly been used historically by native shamen for murder or assassination!

OFFICIAL BLUE AUCTION UPDATE

... and the results are in ...

An official, inside source has confirmed this morning, that, as the article posted in my previous blog states, The Blue Auction was a resounding success!

Just a note: Lot #12, the Kalabia walking shark, was expected to be the highlight of the evening, and no expectations remained unfulfilled! The winning bidder paid 500,000 for the right to name the Kalabia, Mascot for our Marine Education Program. This, and some of the other funds from the auction which are being allocated to the Education Program will cover the operational costs of the Program for several years!

You can see more in this article from the Washington Post.

BLUE AUCTION UPDATE

This is just an excerpt from an article I found online.

The Blue Auction, held on September 20th, surpassed its goal of raising two million dollars by a hair! The grand total for the naming rights of ten newly discovered marine species, as well as two other prizes, raked in $2,015,000.00. The big winner was the "walking shark," whose naming rights alone brought in $500,000. The winners will submit their names of choice to the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature where they will be reviewed by a panel.

The funds that were raised at the Blue Auction will be used directly to benefit three marine conservation programs in Indonesia: The Marine Empowerment Initiative, The Marine Enforcement Initiative and The Marine Conservation Education Initiative.

Photo Essays

One of the tools that we will use in our Education Program to have children and adults alike think about and reflect upon their natural surroundings and the values that they attribute to the environment, is a Photo Essay (or Photo Novella) activity. During this activity, participants are given a specific problem or theme to consider. They then disperse around their community in search of a photo that best captures their specific feelings about that particular topic. Although participants are invited to explain their selection, the hope is that the photos will tell the story; a picture is worth a thousand words, no!?

There is a really well done photo essay by a team of CI Staff that came from Washington to help with the initial design of our Raja Ampat Education Program. You can have a look at the people I work with and the villages in this part of the world! (not sure why I'm not in any of the pics... guess they don't want to show too much BULE (whitie) presence ;) haha!)


An interesting note, creating a photo essay may sound like like a simple exercise to all of you... but here of course, we will have to preface the activity with a lesson on how to use a camera! There are no cameras here, and when tourists or NGO workers come in with these novel gadgets it's a free-for-all; everyone wants to take pictures of their entire family and community in every possible combination! So, we shall see: can they overcome the excitement of the new toy and settle down to the task?


I recently found another Photo Essay about Raja Ampat online which you can all enjoy... Although I have been trying to share with you tidbits of the underwater world here, it perhaps does a better job of showing you the wonders of where we are! (This is a CI pic of a Manta Ray... I still haven't seen one underwater) Excellent Photo Essay by David Doubilet (famed nature photographer) online at National Geographic’s website. Just click on the underlined, linked text, for those of you who are techno-stars!)




There is also an article in the National Geographic magazine.

Enjoy!

Kalabia Outreach
(secondary programs)

Although the main focus of the Kalabia is Eduction, it is in fact an "Outreach and Education vessel". In it's 'outreach' function, Kalabia will not only serve to deliver supplies to CI and TNC field stations, but also bring doctors and essential healthcare to remote villages. We will invite visiting doctors to travel with us to villages and promote and support projects for health and community wellness.

Vaccinations are a weak point in the health care system in Raja Ampat. Although there are community 'nurses' in most communities that have been trained to give vaccinations, long distances from the city, rugged forms of transportation and lack of electricity on the islands means they don't have a safe way to transport or store vaccines in the community. With the Kalabia, we will be able to help communities and government overcome these obstacles, and provide these essentials throughout the Regency of Raja Ampat.

Another possible function of Kalabia will be to host visiting scientists doing research in Raja Ampat. The Kalabia is supposed to be equipped with a full scuba setup, so we will be able not only to host researchers looking into socio-cultural aspects of the communities in Raja Ampat, but also support the work of those looking into the ecology of the reefs and seas!

The Blue Auction



I am now working with Conservation International in the Raja Ampat (Bird’s Head of Papua) Project. I am developing the Environmental Education Program that will be based onboard a ship and travel around to the villages in the region to do programming. The funding for the Education Program is (*hopefully*) going to be bolstered by an elite event that will be held in Monaco in a couple of days, called The Blue Auction. You can check out The Blue Auction website, and, if you happen to have an extra couple mil lying around, you may just want to consider attending, or bidding!

The Blue Auction is a funky new form of fund-raising; a gala auction event with limited seating. It's not the auction part that is unique or innovative... it's what being auctioned off! The idea behind it is that people can bid for the right to name some of the new species that have been discovered here in Raja Ampat. There are several species of fish, corals, and even a shark that walks on his fins! The opening bids have been set well outside my personal budget (from $50,000 up to $500,000 for the shark!!!) It’s all for a good cause – Conservation efforts in one of the world’s last true pristine areas! I’m told that some of the folks that are going to be in attendance are some pretty big names (who obviously aren't making a volunteers stipend like me!). Word is Leonardo DiCapprio (or was it Bono or the Prince of Monaco himself?) has his heart set on naming the ‘walking shark’ (the mascot for our Education Program)!



Unfortunately I myself won’t be in Monaco on Thursday, schmoozing with the rich and famous… I will still be here.

P.S> Happy Birthday Gabs... I would buy the rights to name this species "Pseudanthia Gabriela" in honour of your Birthday, but, well, you understand... I'd have to mortgage the hubby, kids, and home, and since I don't have any of the above, you're stuck with just my bestest wishes! Love you! Here's your pretty pink fairy fish... come for a visit and we'll go diving to look for her!

The EGG Man and the EVERYTHING Man!



It doesn't seem too unusual to me anymore to see motorcycles piled with all manner of wares for sale in the streets in Indonesia. When you think about it, it makes sense... cheap and effective means of transporting an endless supply of odds and sods (depending how good you are at rigging up a carry-all or tie-down system) to all corners of the city or countryside. In the city, of course the advantage would be weaving amongst the traffic, whereas in the country it is more likely the ability to swerve to avoid potholes or washouts... either way, high-speed, high-volume... what better service! Some entrepreneurs, like the milkman, or the egg-man (above) have chosen to specialize, while others have taken on more of a dollar-store/mini-mart approach to their business:





Stopped at a red light in Bali, I was determined to think of something he wouldn't be carrying... so I asked the driver of this supermarket-on-wheels if he happened to have a medium-sized, rainbow-coloured feather duster... when he produced it in no time, what other choice does one have but to buy!? "I'm thinking of foul for dinner... you wouldn't happen to have a duck on you, would you?", I ask. "No", came the reply... "but hold on, I'll call my friend over."

Tasseled Wobbegon!

Our first 'real' dive trip in Raja Ampat made me feel like I was watching a movie - a National Geographic documentary on the best diving in the world; it was a non-stop array of fish, corals, colours and fun, the show-stopper being the Tassled Wobegon (actually THREE of them!). The ones we saw were 2 - 2.5 meters long.

These critters are also known as Carpet Sharks - must've been named in the seventies, when SHAG carpets were the big thing (have a look at the fringe along the front of the head)! Can you spot his REAL eyes?





Before the dive I didn't know much about these sharks, but upon return, I did a little research. They're mostly active at night, while during the day they are found, as we saw, lounging on the sea floor, in the shelter of a large rock or cave. They have teeth (and lots of them!). They're not aggressive, however if disturbed (intentionally or not, tricky because of their effective camouflage!), they have been known to bite... and when they bite, they clamp on and don't let go! I uncovered one story from Australia of a man who was bitten by a Wobbegong while swimming, swam back to shore, walked along the beach to his car, got in his car and drove to the hospital... all with the shark still attached to his leg!



Now, when I say, first "REAL" dive trip, it's only because the first dive we tried to do here (a couple of months ago), the current was strong... For the most part, I can handle current while diving. This current was not just 'strong', like "ooh, I actually have to kick my fins a few times", no, no, I mean it was 'strong' as in, I was holding on for dear life, while the entire ocean rushed by my body, making it feel like my head was stuck in a washing machine! As a general rule in dive sites, with current come lots of fish... and it's true, there were plenty, and BIG... but I couldn't really appreciate them, since I was concentrating on not being swept off to the neighbouring continent by the current at the time! In the meantime, we have found out that we simply dropped in on the wrong side of the rock, and that from the other side (or another time of day/tide for that matter) these fish can be enjoyed from the lee of the rock! Just goes to show why people dive WITH GUIDES!?

Meanwhile, Meos Kon, our most recent adventure, was a wonderful dive, with a little current, and TONNES of fish. Although the two human-sized barracudas that seemed to be stalking me made me a little nervous! I don't need to do research to know THEIR fame! I didn't get a picture of the two individuals in question (although the look in their eyes is permanently etched on my brain! -- no need to tell you I was concentrating on doing my most nonthreatening-diver imitation, while being sure they knew I knew they were there, so that they would leave me alone?)... but later I did manage to get one of the school.

RAJA AMPAT

For those of you who have been asking, I'm re-posting the original map I made to show y'all where we're at. Especially now that you'll be hearing much more about Sorong, and Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya (West Papua), since we've shifted our focus here from Bunaken/Manado, North Sulawesi.




You can also check it out on GoogleEarth, which, funnily enough has crisper images of this area than of Madoc! (I'm trying to figure out how to make a placemark available here).

Trying out the new video tool...

Here's a video of Martin surfing in Bali!



and another one!

TURTLE TALES

The reason we were in Bali in the first place was officially for CI Internal Workplanning meetings for the upcoming fiscal year. Although the meetings were heavy and draining, we learned a lot... especially us, being new to the CI team - I feel like my eyes were opened to the intricacies of the CI Indonesia Marine Program. We also created a vision for the program for the upcoming 5 years, which I think inspired everyone. Of course, as an International Conservation NGO, CI's ultimate goal is that their presence is no longer required in the area in which they work because the local community has taken conservation matters into their own hands in an effective manner... HOWEVER, as this is not yet the case in Raja Ampat, we weren't quite ready to devise any form of exit strategy!

It wasn't all work... we did have one day to go on a 'field trip' to a very interesting conservation site in Bali. Perancak is a community situated on an important sea turtle nesting site that has sustained a successful turtle protection program for years. They focus mostly on the conservation of sea turtles' nests, but their program also includes an education component for school children (or adults who still act like children, ie. us!)!

A few pics from our field day.

SURF ADVENTURES

A few photos from our recent mini-holiday (which was drastically cut off by Martin's Malaria illness...) Because Martin is used to surfing daily, and has spent the last year like a fish out of water, we focussed on areas that have surf - Although we wanted to get to Rote, Timor, that will have to wait for another time. Luckily, Bali is not only fabulous for the surf, but also the beaches, scenery and culture... so I was happy too!

These are pics of Martin... he really does have the moves!

surf... cont'd

can you believe this is only 2 weeks after recovering from a near-fatal bout of malaria!???

Gadget Girl...

I bought a chiPod... yup, that's right, no Apple iPod monopoly for me. This knock-off will do just fine - better in fact! The comparable iPod doesn't do 1/10th of what this little power pack can handle!



I hold in the palm of my hand an mp4 player, mp3 player, radio, camera, video camera, flash disk, ebook reader, picture viewer, and digital voice recorder... i think this little doo-dad might even brush my teeth for me, although since it didn't come with an instruction manual, i can't figure out the right buttons. Of course, as Martin says, if I were smart, I would just buy a new cell with all the above functions (as well as phone, email, internet and gps - I saw there are hundreds of Geocaches in Singapore - I would've liked to be able to catch a couple!)... but a gadget like THAT wouldn't cost me about 70$, now would it!?

The sound and video quality is actually very decent, and thus far I have had none of the nightmare-ish conversion issues that I've heard some people talking about with these fakies. Hey, I figure I might as well try it out... it beats the 400-ish dollars for an iPod that would do comparable things! Ok, so it seems I fell into the Singaporean techno trap...

Singaporean Sickness - Silver linings

Now, I would like to make a case for all relatives, family & friends of patients... I think they've got it worse than the actual sickie... not only are they super-ultra-stressed about said loved-one, giving care and compassion, and being a 24-hour private nursemaid surrounded by sickness, BUT they are cooped up going stir-crazy in a hospital room, and they're not sick! And of course, you feel guilty leaving the ill lying alone in their hospital bed to go out and get a breath of fresh air/sanity, when you know that's exactly what they wish they could be doing too!

HOWEVER... There were a few +'s in this Singapore trip. Especially once Martin was feeling a little better and back on his feet, and able to go out for small tours around the town. Singapore is truly a 'cultural melting pot', a dynamic mixture of many of the cultures found on this planet, which makes for lively mixtures of colours, sights, sounds, and smells... not to mention TASTES! I managed to eat Indian food at almost every meal (and I have a whole new appreciation for eating masala - haha! I don't know what it means in Hindi/India, but in Indonesian 'masalah' is 'problem'... so i've been literally eating up my problems!)

Interestingly, the city's fluidity doesn't translate into messy, dirty streets and unbelievably unsanitary conditions as it does in Indonesia; Singapore is so CLEAN (the hospital, the streets, everywhere)!

The overall hands-down, number one, ultimate bonus of this trip for me had to be...
the HOT water (in the hotel/hospital private room!)... which was especially appreciated since it rained the ENTIRE stay!

A few random pics from our Singapore Stay: