Bali surprised me. I never really researched about the island, so while I was expecting beaches, I was overwhelmed with culture.

Unlike most of Indonesia, Bali is Hindu. There are temples and shrines all over the island and giant statues swathed in black and white checkered cloth.

I was frankly unimpressed by Kuta and Legian beach, but I was overwhelmed when I came to Ubud. Ubud is just too pretty. I get now why people keep on raving about Ubud. This is one beautiful reason to come back to Bali.

I love Ubud!, originally uploaded by nina_theevilone.

Sent from outer space*

* my mobile device.

I’m in BSD City, a relatively newly constructed city on the outskirts of Jakarta in Zuky’s room, my CouchSurfing host. It was hard to find good accommodation at a fair price here, so I decided to give CouchSurfing another chance (I didn’t quite like my first CouchSurfing experience in Hong Kong).

I was glad I did because Zuky was a great host. She’s very conscientious, always making sure that I’m alright. She even let me have her room while she sleeps in her flatmate’s room. She would text me every so often to check that I’m not lost, and she would quickly reply to my questions about how to go from one place to another.
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I’m writing this on my iPod, since I decided to go for a week without my netbook. I figured if I can post updates with my two wi-fi enabled mobile devices, I might as well do away with the extra weight of my Acer.

If you’ve been following JustWandering’s Facebook page or Twitter account, you’d already know that I’m currently in Indonesia. I arrived in the country last Sunday from Singapore, and late this afternoon, I’m flying to the capital, Jakarta.

Jogjakata, as it’s also known, is home to Borubudur, a Buddhist temple and Prambanan, a Hindu temple. Both are UNESCO world heritage sites. It’s interesting to have these two huge temples in a country that’s now predominantly Muslim.

I haven’t explored the city proper, but I’m liking how laid back the vibe is. I can see myself going back, if I’m in need for another break.

Yes, I’m back in Singapore. You’d think after all these years I’d get tired of this city, but no. Everytime I come here there’s always something new to discover.

Today I made two new discoveries: great Thai food along Bencoolen Street that would not burn a hole in your pocket and oh so yummy xiao long bao from Din Tai Fung.
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I’ve never stayed overnight in Tagaytay. Its close proximity to Metro Manila makes it easy to just drive up, spend the day, and drive back as the sun goes down. Thanks to Summit Ridge’s invitation to try out their facilities, I discovered the merits of spending the night in Tagaytay.

Summit Ridge

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I’m flying out to visit family, so that means buying gifts and Pinoy stuff they can’t easily get overseas. One of my brother’s bilin is cafe Alamid. Cafe Alamid, also known as kopi luwak in Indonesia is one of the most expensive coffee in the world, also said to be the best.

Kape de Mutit from Kalinga Brew

So what makes Café Alamid so special? “It starts off with the alamids picking the ripest and finest berries to eat, by smell. The animals stuff themselves with it and excrete them all in the morning as the beans cannot be digested.”
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When traveling, it’s not only the tickets and reservations that matter; what’s in your bag matters too! Several travel goods store have popped up around the metro, but you’ll be surprised that you can find travel stuff in shops you wouldn’t normally associate with traveling. Best of all, the prices aren’t too bad either!

My travel haul from Robinsons Galleria

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