I recently spent 4-days on a remote island in Papua, Indonesia called Raja Ampat. I went there for the world renowned scuba diving (supposedly the number one spot in the world for scuba diving due to the biodiversity).

The catch is the price, but there are some moments while traveling on a budget that you simply need to blow the bank and splurge. When I will be in Papua, Indonesia again, near one of (if not, THE) best diving spots in the world? Who knows, and who knows how it will change due to human impact? Needeless to say after spending three nights on the Island and going on 5 dives I was nearly out of cash (and of course there was no ATM on this small remote island). I headed to the harbor to catch the daily 12 o’clock ferry back to the mainland only to find out it had left an hour early.
Continue reading Taken in Out From the Cold in Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia →

When I travel, I sometimes enjoy doing something called Couchsurfing. The long and short of it, for those who haven’t heard of the website www.couchsurfing.org, it’s “A volunteer-based worldwide network connecting travelers with members of local communities, who offer free accommodation and/or advice”.

Long story short, I was couchsurfing in Manado, Indonesia. On Sundays, my host family goes around to two local orphanages to visit the children and make contributions. I decided to tag along with them. The kids were very curious to see this foreigner (me) along side my host family. I asked if Icould take a group photo and the kids were ecstatic.

I had to leave on a ferry for Papua the following day but luckily my host volunteered to get the photos printed and deliver them for me (well for the kids really). Much thanks to Winda (my host) for all the help.

Most travelers who venture to Tomohon, Indonesia, are usually enticed by hiking its two active volcanoes or venturing to visit the infamous macabre meat market.

The market (Pasar Tomohon) sells everyday items such as clothes, household goods, fruits and veggies, not all that unusual. However once you begin wandering around you will quickly come across some quite unique “food” to suit the desires of even the most adventurous carnivores.
Continue reading Beautiful Faces in the Macabre Meat Market of Tomohon, Indonesia →