Welcome to the Jungle

Home? Yeah, I’m wondering where that is. Is it Indonesia now? Is it America? Is it Cape Town? Well, at any rate, I’m back in Jakarta. The Marriot was bombed downtown only days before my return – how’s that for a welcome home! It feels a bit strange knowing that I was eating sushi in that hotel in June! I must be getting used to hearing these events because it didn’t even really surprise me. I’m buying a car nextRead more

Travel and Adventure

I have 4 weeks of vacation time beginning this Friday. I narrowed my options down to three choices: America, Cape Town S. Africa, or traveling around Southeast Asia. After considering how damn HOT Indonesia is, I pretty much knocked out the States and Asia of the running. So what if I went to Cape Town in December for a month? I absolutely love it there! However, this time will be much cooler, with a high temperature of around 70 degrees…Read more

Just One of Those Days

Let me tell you about my gym. I love to work out. I love the way that an hour or two of grueling weight training or a 3-hour bike ride makes me feel. I would much prefer to do any type of exercise outside, but by living in a city of 12 million people, my options are a bit limited. So I belong to a fitness club – the type they use in movies with 5 star restaurants, day spas,Read more

Fear Factor, Brain Food, and the Roommate's Girlfriend

Let’s talk about food. Everyone has to eat. But our cuisine choices seem to differ around the planet. I’ve traveled a bit, I’ve seen some strange food, but let me tell you… Indonesia has some of the strangest choices I’ve ever seen, smelled, and had the audacity to sample. When I am feeling ambitious, I let my maid chill and I go shopping for groceries… it’s quite the experience. First of all, when you walk into the grocery store, youRead more

American Tourists and SARS

Now that I’m completely off point… let me wander back. From what I’ve seen, Asia is a land that all of the world should devote time towards learning about. From any standpoint: travel, education, investing, militarily, arts, and culturally, Asia has a tremendous offering that many people will never learn about. If Americans have a holiday, we tend to visit beautiful places within our country, or those nearby. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s simply a part ofRead more

People Are People – the World Over

Well, anyone who is reading this may notice that I haven’t written in almost 5 months! It’s not because I’m lazy, bored, or losing creativity. I simply needed to stand back and gain some perspectives in everything that is happening. It’s been a pretty amazing year with arriving, having the Bali bombing, traveling, experiencing the Iraq situation from a Muslim country, and even everyday life. I believe some of my views have changed, and my perspectives seem a bit moreRead more