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December 30, 2013September 3, 2018 by Red

2013 Travel Review

As is becoming a tradition on this blog, here’s a 2013 Travel Review. The first half of the year was packed, so packed that I hardly had time to sit down and properly take in all the experiences. The second half is more mute, and on hindsight, more introspective. I finally sat down and sorted out photos. Still slowly writing out the blog entries, and while doing so, reliving the great memories of 2013.

Before that. A look back at travel resolutions. I realised I did not write an entry for 2013, but looking back at 2012’s entry, I’ve crossed off another 4 from that list: The Wakhan Corridor, Iran, Central Asia and Georgia. Good times.

Without further ado, here is a summary of the places and countries I visited in 2013.

January

Romania – Counted down the New Year the square outside Bucharest’s Parliament Palace. Had a hair-raising time sliding on ice covered sidewalks in Translyvania trying not to break my neck.

Bulgaria – Went traipsing around medieval castles, ancient monasteries and rolled about in the knee-high snow. After a month in Europe I was getting used to the winter and starting to enjoy myself.

Macedonia – A brief stay in Skopje, amazed by the sheer number of monuments that has been put up. Highest concentration of statues in one place I’ve ever seen.

Kosovo – My whirldwind tour of the Balkans takes me to Kosovo. Youngest European country and youthful to boot, with an median age of 26. I spent time in local cafes mingling and making friends in Prizren.

Albania – What I remember from Albania, besides the beautiful cities of Berat and Gjirokastër is that it’s very wet. Six days in Albania and five of them in the rain. I loved exploring the Roman ruins of Butrint alone, underneath my umbrella.

Greece – Greece was a stopover, en route to Turkey. Liked it more than I expected, and that was largely due to the sun, after almost two months of snow and rain. I did not visit any of the islands though, so a return visit in the future is warranted.

February:

Turkey – A full three weeks in Turkey. Yet I was barely able to explore the country. Cappadocia which I was skeptical about lived up to its reputation as a wonderful unique destination. A highlight was finding out about an annual travel industry fair in Istanbul, where I got to experience the multitude of cultures in and around Turkey.

Cyprus – The unique experience of going to Cyprus by barge ferry (and flying back into Turkey). And Nicosia is the last divided capital city in the world.

Republic of Northern Cyprus – I would classify this anomaly as a country on its own. Occupying the northern part of the island of Cyprus, it is very Turkish, compared to the Euro-centric Greek southern half of the island.

Georgia – Everybody I cannot recommend Georgia enough, and it’s easy to see why. Tbilisi ranks as one of the best cities I’ve visited this year. Perhaps I’m biased because I spent a total of 6 nights there. And trudging through thigh-high snow up to the Kazbegi Monastery? Unforgettable.

Abkhazia – This was always planned when I set out on my long trip. An unrecognised state that is de jure part of Georgia. English was completely useless here, only Russian works. The abandoned city feel throughout the capital Sukhumi is prevalent.

Azerbaijan – Not my favourite country. Most people were friendly enough, but between getting an 8 day visa despite paying through my teeth and a visa process that took even longer than 8 days, and getting my bags emptied each time I took the metro, I was not really a fan of Baku.

March

Armenia – Loved Armenia. Met lots of people who showed me around. The churches were especially picturesque.

Nagorno-Karabakh – Since I was on a roll visiting countries that don’t exist, why not visit Nagorno-Karabakh. Officially part of Azerbaijan, it is a mountainous country that feels like an extension of Armenia, with its churches and friendly people.

Iran – My favourite country by far. Perfect for the history buff in me. Couple that with the most welcoming people I’ve ever met and some beautiful architecture. A life-changing highlight is getting stranded in the Valley of the Assassins and almost dying.

April

Uzbekistan – Always on my bucket list, Uzbekistan lived up to my expectations. The definitive silk road city. Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand are gems.

Kazakhstan – The most modern of the Central Asian states. Almaty is a good place to relax and just recover from travel fatigue. Streetside cafes and fashionable brands everywhere.

Kyrgyzstan – Ranks up there as one of my favourites. Horse-trekking and hikes through spectacular hills and lakes can be interspersed with relaxing in Bishkek and navigating the bazaars of central asia.

May

Tajikistan – The Pamir Highway is an obvious attraction, but my Tajikistan leg was defined more by walking through the central asian bazaars and towns of Khorog, Istaravshan and Khojand.

Afghanistan – A brief jaunt into the Wakhan region of Afghanistan. I regret not travelling beyond Eshkashem, but nonetheless, this was a unique experience.

China – The finale of my trip takes me back a full circle into China. This time in the Xinjiang region, and going east to Beijing overland. I was in high spirts, and everything – the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, the Terracotta Army in Xi’an – seemed fantastic.

What didn’t go well – Not much really, it has been a great year. I failed to get a visa into Turkmenistan, so that’s certainly something to go back to. And South Ossetia, Moldova and Transnistria were on my “maybe can do” list on the trip, but visas were too much of a hassle considering the time constraint. And Syria: When I began the trip in 2012, I thought that the country would be OK by the time I reached it. Sadly, it was not true.

So that’s 2013. Twenty new countries, lots of memories.

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December 26, 2013November 12, 2017 by Red

Minangkabau of Malaysia

In the 1500s, Minangkabau males engaged in voluntary migration, called merantau, across the Straits of Malacca.They landed in today’s Negeri Sembilan state and founded settlements all over the region. These settlers intermarried with the local population and brought with them the culture of the Minangkabau, or Adat Perpatih, which governs laws, political organisation, traditions and social systems.

One of the most known features of this adat is the matrilineal society, in which women are the owners of land and property. Family possessions are passed down from mother to daughter. Men, on the other hand are encouraged to leave their village to far off lands seeking fame and fortune, which might explain the migration across the straits. However, they are still tied closely to their homeland, many return home experienced and contribute to the running of the family or negeri (hometown) where they sit on the council of leaders.

Those that decided to stay on in Negeri Sembilan also formed their own villages and clans with similar councils of leaders, known as the datuk-datuk penghulu luak. They were still tied to their homeland, evident in the 1760s when a group of these datuk-datuk penghulus travelled to the seat of the Minangkabau king in West Sumatra to request for a ruler. The king sent his son, a young prince by the name of Raja Melewar who became the first king of Negeri Sembilan.

His title was the Yamtuan Besar (equivalent to King) Raja Melewar. He set his royal capital at Seri Menanti, 14km away from modern day Seremban, where it is still used as the seat of the Yamtuan Besar today. He was succeeded by members of the same royal line, a monarchy that still exists to this day.

The unique feature of Negeri Sembilan is that it is an elective monarchy, according to the Adat Perpatih of the Minangkabau. Unlike the other nine Malay States with a king (known as a Sultan) whose selection is hereditary, the Yamtuan Besar is elected by the datuk-datuk penghulus from a pool of potential princes in the royal line. Yes, the same Minangkabau chieftains of the tribes who went to search for the first ruler choose the king. This council today is made up of four undangs (district lords) in the modern day luaks (districts) of Sungai Ujong, Rembau, Jelebu and Johol. These undangs are descended from noble Minangkabau families matrilineally, and have historically been the rulers of their clans.

Then I realised how Negeri Sembilan (literal translation is “9 lands”) got its name. What I thought referred to the 9th out of 13 Malaysian states actually refers to the 9 original luaks of Negeri Sembilan. Today the state comprises 7 administrative districts, though the council of 4 undangs of the luaks still exist, performing ceremonial duties and the important task of selecting the next Yamtuan Besar.

I visited Negeri Sembilan over a weekend, and the Minangkabau influence is proudly showcased everywhere. In the main city of Seremban, overhead bridges had the distincitve curved roof structure that mimicked the shape of a bull’s horns. Even the local KFC fast food restaurant was in a standalone building designed like a traditional Minang house. In the nearby villages out in the countryside, homes still bear traditional Minangkabau roofs.

The grandest Minangkabau building is the Old Palace at the royal capital Seri Menanti. It is an impressive four storey building built in 1903 constructed without any nails. The palace is today used as a museum featuring the history and regalia of the royal family. Within Seri Menanti town, there is also the royal mausoleum, a mosque and the new Royal Palace, where the current Yamtuan Besar resides.

If you are ever in Negeri Sembilan and wish to learn more about the fascinating Minangkabau of Malaysia, you should also visit the State Museum Complex. Located in Seremban, the museum offers a look into the culture and history of the Minangkabau. The main building, a grand recreation of a Minangkabau royal home, houses everything from weapons to royal ornament. There is even a section on prehistoric Negeri Sembilan.

Istana Lama Seri Menanti : The four-storeyed old royal palace

A view of the State Museum’s Minangkabau roofs, looking out of a window of a traditional home.

A modern interpretation of a Minangkabau home

Ref:

Peletz, Michael G (1988). A Share of the Harvest : Kinship, Property, and Social History Among the Malays of Rembau. Berkeley, U. of California Press
Negeri Sembilan Youths and Adat Perpatih. Retrieved December 25, 2013, from http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

November 3, 2013September 3, 2018 by Red

An Ode to the Humble Tuk-tuk

.The first time I rode a tuk-tuk was probably in Bangkok. I didn’t have the best memories of that ride. I remember trying to bargain down the price. The driver was a young guy, wearing a t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops. He insisted on 100 baht for the journey, and was indignant when we offered only half that. We eventually agreed on 80 baht. He beckoned for us to board his three-wheeler, and we did. He was the pilot, and we the passengers. Of course, I later realised that we were still paying more than three times what the locals paid.

Despite that experience, it is hard not to be a fan of the humble tuktuk. I have travelled to more countries since then, to many places where the ubiquitous tuktuk is the mode of transport of choice of the local populace. Often painted in bright colours, their exteriors are simple, though in some countries, the sides and back panels are decorated with flowers, stickers and lavish patterns. Proud tuktuk drivers furnish the interiors of their tuk-tuks with fascinating paraphernalia that gives each tuktuk its own distinct personality.

In my opinion, the tuktuk is the best way for a solo traveller to get around. More versatile than buses, but cheaper than taxi cabs, the tuktuk can take one passenger and one backpack comfortably. Most can take up to two or three passengers, though I been squeezed in with five before. The tuktuk has a top speed of around 100 km/hr, though most are content to chug along at 60 km/hr. The biggest advantage of a tuk-tuk over a cab is that it is able to slip in and out of little side roads and bypass heavy traffic jams. They are also surprisingly able to cut through rough terrain. It’s perhaps not the best form of transport if you are sensitive to dust and fumes, since most tuktuk models are exposed to the outside environment. Also, they don’t do steep inclines very well, they: I’ve actually been charged more for a ride going uphill in Udaipur, India.

Here is a series of photos of the different variants of Tuk-tuks found all over the world.

Indonesia

More commonly known as Bajaj, after the manufacturer’s brand, Bajaj Auto. Tuktuks in Jakarta traverse the city, each within its own district, which is often listed on the front door.

A Jakarta bajaj driver sportingly gives the peace sign

I’ve seen another form of three-wheeler in Indonesia. This motorcycle and sidecar is the preferred mode of transport in Aceh and some other parts in Sumatra, Indonesia. Called the becak, it’s more pleasant to ride on one, since it gives you a better view of your surroundings. Also, you get the wind in your hair.

A photo of two becaks taken from inside a becak. Aceh

Cambodia

The Cambodian variant of the three wheeler is different from normal tuk-tuks, though both use the same name. This one seen in Siem Reap is a motorcyle attached to a cabin in the rear. Kind of like a motorcyle-powered bullock cart.

A parked tuktuk by the side of the road

India

The tuktuks in India are called autos, short for auto-rickshaws. These are found everywhere in the country. Best for short distances, but I’ve taken a 15 minute ride after a late night in Delhi. Try your best to get them to use the meters.

Besides passengers, tuktuks also carry other loads. Trivandrum, India.

Autos on the streets of Trivandrum

Autos parked outside Jagdish temple in Udaipur

China

The only time I sat in a tuk-tuk in China was in Kaiping, en route to see the famous diaolous. This was the Chinese variant of the Tuktuk. Another type I’ve seen are those that resemble 3 wheeled mini-trucks, called san-lun 三轮 san-lun

A san lun on the streets of Xingping, Guangxi, China

A san lun in the Dong minority village of Zhaoxing, Guizhou, China

View from behind a tuktuk driver in Kaiping city.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, they call them tuk-tuks. Very much similar to the Indian auto, they are found in many cities all over Sri Lanka, in various shades.

Tuktuk drivers watching a game of cricket at Galle’s Old Fortress

Colourful tuktuks of Hikkaduwa.

A decorated interior of a tuktuk. Hikkaduwa

A bearded tuktuk driver taking a break in Kandy

A row of parked tuktuks in Nuwara Eliya

Sudan

Tuktuks exists elsewhere too. This was a scene in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum. Locally known as rakshas, they are used to get from place to place all over town.

Rakshas in the central market area of Khartoum

Rakshas in the town of Kuraymah

Three travellers inside a Sudanese raksha

Ethiopia

The tuktuk in Ethiopia are known as a Bajaj, again after the brand. All of them are blue in colour, with a white canvas top.

A tuk-tuk turns the corner on the streets of Mekele.

Parked tuktuks by the road in Harar.

Bangladesh

The tuktuks that roam the streets of Dhaka in Bangladesh are called CNGs, named after their fuel source. They are green in colour, to indicate the environmentally friendly fuel that they use. Interestingly, Dhaka CNGs all have metal grills separating the driver from the passenger.

Looking out of the side window, towards another CNG. Dhaka

The driver takes a break at a traffic light

A lone CNG struggles to get past the other popular form of three-wheeler in Dhaka, the cycle-rickshaw

Pakistan

In Pakistan, I’ve seen two different kinds of auto-rickshaws. One is the Vespa three-wheeler model, similar to the Indian models, but more angular in design. They are called rikshaws¸and often have fancy decorated windows and sides.

A rikshaw in Multan

The other type of three wheeled tuktuk I have seen in Pakistan is the modified motorcyle. This type is called the Qingqi, named after the Chinese brand that made it.

A Qingqi in Multan

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September 9, 2013September 3, 2018 by Red

The Furious Panda Guide to Preparing for your RTW

So you are thinking of heading off for a round the world trip. Or at least a period of extended travel. Sounds like a pretty big decision. Lots of research and planning to be done. Where do you even start?

After being on a few long trips, I have collected a wealth of information, some learnt the hard way, that I would like to share with you.

Here’s my non-definitive list: 30 things you should do before you take that flight.

Route Planning

Plan your route

The first thing to do of course, is to plan the duration of your travel and the places you want to visit along the way. Some people know exactly when they need to be back home. Others figure it out along the way. I have also met travellers who carry on until their money runs out.

Personally, I have tried out the first two, a definite end date and one defined along the way. The most important thing to do though is to plan a general route, and assign how long you will be staying at one location. Estimates are fine at this juncture. For example: Two months in China, then three months in South-east Asia.

End product: A very rough travel itinerary.
Research, research, research – country quirks

Next you need to refine your route. And this involves quite a bit of research. Safety advisories, for example, means you may need to re-route your journey. Some mountain passes may be closed during winter. Roads to Tibet can get closed off during periods of unrest.

Some countries also have their own quirks. Having an Israel stamp on your passport means you will have difficulty going into certain countries. If you are travelling in the Caucasus, you need to go to Azerbaijan before Armenia, because having an Armenian stamp will deny you entry into Azerbaijan. Pre-trip research is required if you don’t want to miss out.
Research, research, research – visa requirements

Some countries have draconian visa requirements. You may need a Letter of Invitation from an inviting agency. Occasionally, you can only enter as part of a tour group. Some visas take ages to apply. If you intend to apply on the road, know where there are embassies or consulates, and which ones are more “lenient”.

Preparing your Letter of Invitation beforehand and obtaining visas from your home country (which is almost always easier) can reduce a lot of uncertainty – allowing you more travelling and less waiting.
Book the first flight in

After planning your route, have an idea which airport will be your point of entry. Then look at the available airlines that fly there. Bearing in mind that this site talks about budget travel, we are looking at cheap flights. Some advance planning is thus needed to book the best deals.

You do not have to plan out all subsequent flights, just that first one. Plans will change after all.

Use this handy table of budget airlines to plan your flight out of Singapore.

Finances

Plan your trip budget

Before you leave home, you need to sort out your finances. How much are you budgeting for your trip? How much is your planned daily expenditure?

Look back at the trip itinerary, try to estimate how much you will spend in each country. Some places will surely be more expensive and others will be cheaper. Average them out and you will end up with a daily/weekly/monthly budget.
Find a way to keep track of your expenses

For the last trip, my daily budget was 50 SGD (That’s around 40 USD, or 30 EUR). Some people keep track of their expenses in their notebooks. I keep a full-blown tracking spreadsheet. http://i0.wp.com/www.thefuriouspanda.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/expenses.jpg

No, I’m not insane. It is actually quite simple to keep track of your spending in so much detail. There are many budget tracking apps out there, but we RTW travellers want something that runs offline. Moneywise is the app I have been using. You record down your expenditure, and categorise it. This is added to a database which you can export out as a spreadsheet.

End product: Data, which you can use to plan your budget better

Moneywise screenshot
How are you going to get cash?

It is going to be a long trip, and you don’t want to be carry thousands of dollars in cold hard cash. So you need a way of getting cash along the way. The best way is through an International ATM.

You probably need two cards to cover all the networks. One for the Mastercard-Maestro-Cirrus network and another for the Visa-Plus network. Why these two? Because some countries may only have one network but not the other. Having an American Express or maybe a UnionPay card if you go to China could be useful, but not really necessary.

Get a bank that doesn’t charge interbank fees. I use a Citibank card (the one with the blue arrow). HSBC also has a pretty good global network. I try not to use my credit cards at the ATM to avoid charges.

Set up Internet Banking

Before you leave, make sure your bank’s Internet Banking has been properly set up. This allows you to get online and check your bank statements anytime, especially just after you have used a foreign ATM. You don’t want a shock when you get home and realise that someone has been phishing your card.

Also, Internet banking means bringing your bank security token with you, the one you use to log into your account securely. From experience, it takes some time to get one ready, so prepare early.
Have more than one bank account

For security, I would advise that you have a couple of accounts. What I did was to keep withdrawing money at the ATM from my Citibank current account. This account always has less than a 1000 SGD on it. When the money is depleted, I log on to my Internet banking, in the safety of my hostel room, and transfer money from a second account to my Citibank account.

That way, if my account was compromised, I would lose 1K, and not my entire trip budget.
Bring enough US Dollar notes

Not carrying too much cash is ideal, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. For example, due to ongoing Western sanctions, the local ATMs in Iran do not accept foreign cards. So you have to carry the entire duration of your stay’s worth of cash on you. Even countries that accept foreign cards can be problematic. I knew a guy in Tashkent who spent an entire day ping-ponging from one bank to another, trying to get a cash advance because all the ATMs rejected his card.

So it makes sense to have a supply of cash on you. Besides local currency, the US dollar is king in many places (and the Euro in Europe, of course). Have a supply of BRAND, NEW, CRISP dollar notes. Good luck trying to exchange your grimy, wrinkled dollars in places like Myanmar, Indonesia or Uzbekistan. They are worthless there.

I keep my notes double sealed, with padding in between individual notes. Bring large bills, and perhaps some small change because there are a few annoying visa offices out there that accept only payment in cash, in the exact amount.

Oh, and go buy a hidden money-belt to store your cash.
Sort out your scheduled payments

Back on the home front, you need to sort out your monthly payments before you leave. Like your car loans, mortages, insurance premiums and the like. Hold back payments, cancel subscriptions you don’t need, downgrade your phone plans. For whatever’s left, make sure there is someone managing them for you while you are away, or make sure it can run on auto-pilot, with you logging on once in a while to check your income statement.

Packing List

Prepare your packing list

It is a good idea to list down all the things you are bringing with you for your RTW trip. Since you are not on a holiday and cannot wait till you are in the comfort of your own home, you will need to include items that facilitate day to day chores, like laundry and cooking.

Tip: Uncommon items that you will find useful only after being on the road long enough: Pegless clotheslines, universal kitchen sink plugs, an electric kettle (or at least a heating coil), little transparent resealable bags (buy 50 of these for 2 SGD at Daiso), combination locks, a rain cover that wraps around the entire backpack, mini-carabiners (bring a hundred, everyone seems to want one – you can trade them with locals for cookies.)

pack list sample
Bring the correct power plugs

This is important enough to deserve its own section. Each region has its own type of power plug and socket. (I recall seeing a better graphical link, if any of you readers know the link let me know).

Get a travel adaptor or converter, maybe one with surge protectors. A universal adaptor should cover all possible combinations. Good ones nowadays will even have a USB port.

At times though, getting a dedicated adaptor instead of a universal one has its advantages. The two pins of my universal adaptor have smaller diameters than the European two-pin sockets, and they keep falling off. That or the sockets are inside round recesses which my adaptor pins cannot reach. It pays to shop around a bit for the correct adaptor before leaving home.
Pack less

“He who would travel happily must travel light.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

RTW newbies will inadvertently pack too many things, thinking that they might need them on the trip. They end up lugging around 10 extra kilos of clothing for six months. Clothing that they never wear.

How do you know how much to pack? Just pick enough clothing to last you a few days. Then half that. For me, I have three tops and three pairs of slacks. You can wear one set, wash one, and hang another out to dry. You are travelling after all, and no one will notice that you keep wearing the same thing over and over. Unless you post your photos onto Facebook.

striped blue polo photo

You will lose things, and clothes will wear out. Just replace them along the way. It is often cheaper and more appropriate to wear what the locals wear.
Don’t skimp on important pieces of clothing

One exception to the previous point: Get quality pieces for important bits of clothing. What do I mean by important? Shoes for example. Don’t bring along the oldest pair that you intend to throw away after the trip. You will regret that decision. Get something comfortable because you need to walk around in them all day.

Similarly, winter clothing, get some good winter wear, so you will not be miserable. Personally, I like comfy undergarments – like good quality quick drying underwear, and a comfortable base layer.
Organise the stuff you leave behind

Since you will be gone for a while, it is good to store your things properly. It makes it easier to ease back in when you return. I put all my worldly belongings in transparent plastic boxes. At this point, a good idea is to look around your home, do an assessment and get rid of all the things you don’t need. I can assure you that after living out of your backpack for a year, you will be able to live with less when you get back.

If you really do have a lot of belongings and intend to sell/rent out your home, one thing you can do is keep your stuff at a storage facility. They have storage units that fit in your budget, and using one is probably the cheapest, safest and most convenient way to lock away your valuables.

Gadgets

Go digital

This ties in with packing. To avoid carrying too many things, go digital. Bring an e-reader or a similar device. You can store all your good reads prior to the trip. I love the feeling when you flip actual pages, but we are looking at practicality here.

Similarly, guidebooks are great, but they are also heavy, and useless once you have moved on to the next country. Go digital. Lonely Planet sells PDF versions by chapters on their website. Or just get on Wikivoyage or TripAdvisor.

It is the same for music. Prior to the trip, store all your music in your ipod/mp3 player/phone.
Find a way to stay connected

Some people say that you should switch off your devices when you travel and just enjoy the journey. Not me. I need my social media, and I like to keep abreast of the news.

Make sure there is an easy way to get connected. I carry both a smartphone and a laptop. Getting your own device means you get the PC to yourself and some privacy (you don’t want to do your Internet banking using the PC in the common area of the hostel!) Also, you can avoid viruses on your USB flash drives.
Set up VOiP protocols

You will probably want to keep in touch with loved ones back home, so installing Skype or something similar is a good idea. Don’t forget this also means bringing along a pair of microphone-enabled earphones.

For those with a little more cash, you might even want to carry an International Sim Card. I usually just buy a local sim card if I’m staying in a country for a month or more.
Find a way to access blocked sites

Some countries ban Facebook, Youtube and other ‘unsuitable’ websites, but this doesn’t mean you have to go cold turkey during your stay there. To prepare for your RTW, install software applications that circumvent the filters. Some examples are Freegate and Ultrasurf for the PC, and Orbot for your android smartphone.
Download your apps

Unless you plan to pay exorbitant roaming data charges (not what this site is about, sorry), you want to use apps on your smartphone that run offline. A combination of Dropbox, Evernote and Pocket allows me to access everything offline. A GPS enabled offline map app is also useful.
Optional: TripIt

One useful way to keep track of all those flight itineraries and hotel/hostel bookings is to use TripIt. This organises all travel bookings in one place, by forwarding confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com. The site will somehow sort out your email and add it to your itinerary.
Optional: Automate it

I will do a proper post and link it here. But in the meantime, something geeky you might want to do before you leave home is to start using IFTTT. If This Then That is a program that allows you to create recipes that fit the statement “If this, then that”. “This” is a trigger and “That” is a subsequent action the program executes.

Here are a couple that I use:

Every time you are tagged in a photo on Facebook, it will be sent to Dropbox. – Useful when I meet fellow travellers and add them on FB. We take a few photos, and when I get tagged on FB, the photo automatically shows up in my Dropbox folder.
Every time I send an email to TripIt, any attachments will be sent to Dropbox – TripIt I mentioned earlier, stores all your itineraries in one place. This recipe complements that and adds any attachments in one easy to find Dropbox folder.

There are many recipe possibilities. You can even make your own. Check it out.

Admin

Sync all your important documents in cloud storage

I use Dropbox extensively, but any other cloud storage provider works. That way I can access my files from both my smartphone and my laptop.

First scan all the important documents that you think you might need. Then put them into your Dropbox folder. Useful documents you might want to Dropbox:

scan of your passport
proof of employment
blank visa application forms
letters of invitation
passport size jpg photos of yourself

Get a letter stating proof of employment

This comes in useful when you need to apply for a visa. Some visa offices require proof of employment. This document is a lot easier to obtain while you are still employed and not when you have quit your job to go on your RTW trip. So do it beforehand, scan the letter and put it into your Dropbox.
Defer your NS

If you are Singaporean and male like me, you would have to report back to do your National Service annually. Last I checked, you can apply for an exit permit for a maximum of only one year. So if you go beyond a year, you need to have some sort of reason to defer your call-up and hope your unit S1 is very understanding. Try ‘education’ and pick up a course along the way. Put the documental proof into your Dropbox.
Get travel insurance

Getting travel insurance is useful for those unplanned situations. Delayed flights, lost baggage, getting robbed. All potential unlikely but possible scenarios. A good insurance policy should cover all bases.

It might be difficult to get one good one if you’re the sort who end up in ‘dangerous’ places like me. My policy didn’t cover me while I was in Sudan, for example.

Another thing to note is that, in Singapore at least, no travel insurance covers lengthy RTW trips. 90 days was the maximum I found. Using a dedicated travel insurance company like Global Nomads is an option.

Health & Hygiene

Get those vaccinations done

Getting yourself immunised can mean the difference between a great trip and having to cut short your RTW. Check with your local clinic to see the recommended vaccinations in the region of travel.

Get the vaccinations done early before your trip, because vaccine schedules require a few doses spread over time. Some vaccinations, like Yellow Fever, are mandatory if you are travelling from Yellow Fever endemic regions. You will be denied entry into these countries if you don’t have it. Bring along (and keep a copy in Dropbox) your vaccination card, showing the list of all vaccines.

If you are bringing anti-malarial pills, be aware that if you are travelling for a year, you might be bringing a bucketload of pills! Do some planning, maybe use them only on parts of the trip.
Keep fit

Maintaining a certain level of fitness prior to the trip is a good idea. Unless you are really disciplined, you will not have much time to exercise while on the road. You never know when a situation might call for some physical exertion. Like running after a moving bus with your backpack on. Or finding yourself in threatening situations. For the record, I went all out and picked up Krav Maga basics after getting mugged in Bujumbura.
Pack some dental floss

This might be off-kilter, but I recommend bringing floss, especially if you know you won’t be able to find it easily where you’re going. Dental hygiene is important. I learnt this the hard way after two root canal treatments, the cost of which is equivalent to 2 months of non-flossing travel in Africa.

That’s the end of the list. Hopefully, it will help you plan for that big trip.

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June 20, 2013September 3, 2018 by Red

Lessons & Realisations

A list of thoughts after returning from almost 1.5 years of travel.

1) When you can live on a 12kg backpack’s worth of stuff, you realise you don’t really need much. No fancy cars, no second property, no expensive brands.

2) When you meet different people who dress in different ways, and have different taboos, and things that may be wrong here, are perfectly alright elsewhere, you learn not to judge someone based on where they come from, how they look, speak or how much they own.

3) When you realise that when different people from different parts of the world from all walks of life can make the effort to do what’s required as part of the religion (like praying 5 times a day, albeit with many different variations, but the intent is the same), you realise that you should follow suit.

4) When you look at the horizon from the peak of a snow-capped mountain, dive amongst schools of fishes, or even trying to survive the night while stranded outdoors in the Alborz mountains of Iran, you realise that in the scheme of things, you are very small.

5) When you end up in a situation that requires you to put your emotions aside because you need to plan your next course of action. You realise that you have no time (and no point) to be angry, or sad or disappointed, because no one cares anyway. You learn to quickly pick yourself up, be objective and move on. Change course and move on.

6) When you travel to Country A and everyone there tells you that people from Country B are all vile, nasty inbreds, and then you travel to Country B and you realise that they are in fact all very pleasant and friendly. But then Country B tells you that people from Country A are all evil, baby-eating monsters. You learn to take what people tell you with a pinch of salt. You also learn that people’s perceptions are based on past history, from a generation ago and it is better to form your own point of views, rather than just agreeing.

7)You realise that sometimes, it is better to listen, gather information, process it yet keep the opinions to yourself. Because not everyone is interested in what you have to say. And some people will not agree to what you say. Forget trying to change their minds, it’s not worth the effort.

8) You get lonely if you keep to yourself for too long. Everyone needs friends. If you are travelling alone, go out and make some. If you are at home, catch up with old friends.

9) A little bit of stress, and regular exercise (in this case lots of walking) keeps you fit and healthy.

10) This last one is a bit tough for me to learn, still getting there: Don’t be so uptight. Planning is good, keeping to a schedule is good and to keep moving is good. But take some time to look up and enjoy the travel.

For more bits of wisdom, check out this list after I returned from travelling 4 months in Africa. https://www.thefuriouspanda.com//2010/03/96-bits-of-travel-wisdom/

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March 6, 2013November 12, 2017 by Red

My Essential Travel Apps For Planning

I like writing these “travel tools” articles for travel savvy people like you. So here is yet another one. This time, a list of all the apps I use to plan my travel on a day to day basis. I like to be prepared, and have all the information I need at my fingertips. This means that I have everything I need on my smartphone. I do not need to depend on wifi or a 3G connection to be able to get around.

Trip Preparation

For me, it’s on a day to day basis, since I am travelling long term. But for someone who is on a short week long trip, the following works as well.

For trip preparation, I use a combination of tools and apps: Pocket (http://getpocket.com), Evernote (http://evernote.com), Dropbox (http://www.dropbox.com). All of them have desktop and mobile apps.

POCKET: for URLs. All websites that I need to refer to will be “saved” on Pocket. My standard go-to action is to download the Wikipedia page and the Wikivoyage page for the location I am going to. For example, if I am headed for Yerevan tomorrow, I would have downloaded both the Wikipedia (to prepare myself on the history and current information about the city) and the Wikivoyage (which is like an online travel guide) entries for Yerevan. It automatically syncs the websites to my mobile phone for offline reference. Also handy are the Wikivoyage phrasebooks .

EVERNOTE: for image clips, and website tables etc. If I do not want the entire website, I can clip specific images and paragraphs to Evernote. Most tables when I submit a query, (eg. train timetables for 10 Mar 2013) can be saved as an Evernote file. Failing this method, the fall-back would be the smartphone camera.

DROPBOX: for files like PDF and DOC. Used to save maps and pdf copies of my travel guides. Dropbox saves the entire file for later reference. You have to highlight the file as a ‘favourite’ so that it is saved on your phone for offline access and not just in the cloud.

I do all the planning on my laptop, which is a lot more convenient, the three apps above automatically syncs data to my phone for offline use.

Moving Around

MAPSWITHME: I already talked about my go-to application Maps With Me (http://www.mapswithme.com/) which I use extensively to get around. I pre-download the country beforehand, so I can access the location function without an internet connection. Some of the open-source maps there can be a little bare, especially in remote little towns. If so I will refer to Google maps (https://maps.google.com/) which might have more details but the “Make available offline” option is useful only for small areas of the map. Selecting too large an area makes the downloaded file too big.

If I need to get from point A to point B, I look for point B’s address beforehand and pin a marker on my MapsWithMe map. That way, when I’m out on the streets, I just need to turn on my GPS and make for the marker. This is how I find my hostels and hotels.

For getting around by public transport, the public transportation system like buses normally have their own website. Googling that allows me to look for bus timetables and the available network of buses around the city.

AMETRO: This is a simple app which displays the subway networks of all the cities around the world. You download whichever city you need. Ametro (http://www.ametro.org/) is a lot easier than googling online or asking the tourist office for brochures.

GENERAL INFO:

ACCUWEATHER: I pre-download the city I’m in beforehand. And update it whenever I get a connection. AccuWeather (http://www.accuweather.com) basically lets you know whether you should bring your umbrella out or wear more layers.

XE CURRENCY CONVERTER: This is the other indispensable app I use to track my spending. XE Currency Converter (http://www.xe.com/apps/).On the spot, after each purchase, I will key in the price and it converts to SG dollars, which I record in my MoneyWise app.

So here is a typical day of preparation. Tomorrow I head to Yerevan, Armenia. So I save to Pocket the Wikipedia and Wikivoyage entries for both Yerevan and Armenia. I save a PDF file of Lonely Planet: Armenia to my Dropbox. I search “Yerevan Bus Station” on MapsWithMe to see where exactly in the city I will arrive. Then I go to HostelWorld and book my place to stay for the night. I check out the address and pin the location on my map. Then I look at how to get from the bus station to a landmark near my hostel. Too far. And there is no metro line running near the bus station. I need to take a public bus. A quick online search tells me which bus number I should take. Simple. The weather tomorrow will be sunny. AccuWeather tells me tomorrow there will be a chance of flurries, so I better take out my umbrella.

Simple effective data gathering that takes less than an hour. =)

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February 5, 2013November 12, 2017 by Red

A Traveller’s Tool: Using Maps With Me

There are a few GPS maps navigation apps out there. There’s of course Google Maps, Be On Road and MapDroyd, to name a few. But I’m here about to talk about Maps With Me. I’m not in any way affiliated with Maps With Me, but I love the App so much so here’s a post on how I use the tool. Maps With Me is an app that’s available for download on iOS and Android. It basically works like Google Maps, but using OpenStreetMap, an open-source map resource. It doesn’t require an Internet connection to use, unlike other map Apps. Meaning, you can be out in the middle of the countryside in some Turkish village (like me right now) and still find your bearings. All you need is use your wifi connection to pre-download a map of your destination beforehand, switch on your GPS, and your location is pinpointed on the map. You don’t have to buy expensive data plans, which for someone going through so many countries in one trip, is completely not feasible.

Here are some uses I’ve had for Maps With Me as an independent traveller.

Orientate myself to the surroundings – When I arrive at a new place, I whip out my smartphone and check my location, then head off in the correct direction. When you step off the Train Station or arrive at a Bus Station, there are normally touts who come up to you and just overwhelm you. By having a map, and directions, you can make an informed decision and decide whether you even need to take that taxi when your hostel is merely 100m away.
Research my next destination – I look at the map for landmarks, including the location of the next place I’m staying. I familiarise myself with the general layout. And when I am there, since it is the same map I am referencing, getting around becomes easy.
Planning my transport – Wondering whether to take the train or go by bus to your next destination? I look at their respective locations on the map and decide, based on whether the location is convenient. Sometimes the train stops right in the city, and the bus station is way out of town. At other times it is the other way round. And while on the journey, I can refer back to it to know my current location and how far I am from my destination.
Hostel hunting – I use the app to look for my hotel or hostel. It comes especially useful if you arrive at night. One time, I took the same bus as one other traveller. He arrived 2 hours later at the same hostel because he got lost looking for it, all the while carrying his huge backpack. He eventually paid a cab driver to take him there. I used my app and walked there easily.
Shortcuts – Getting from Point A to Point B when you have a map is easy. I’ve save plenty of time by not following the main roads, and taking pedestrian pathways listed on the map.
Hiking off the beaten path – Some of the user-contributed maps are really detailed and I often go off the listed paths, which involve getting into alleyways, across farmland, or non-touristy places within a tourist town, and this gets you a better idea of the local life.
Search for stuff – The paid version of the app allows you to access the Search function, while opens up a whole new set of uses. Search for:
1. Nearest restaurant
2. Nearest bus stop/bus station/train station
3. Tourist sites
4. Nearest supermarket
5. Nearest bank

All come in useful when you don’t want to waste time randomly looking for places. Want fast food? Search for nearest McDonald’s. Need to go? The nearest toilet is just 5 minutes away in that direction. Easy.

A virtual tour guide – By using the search function filter to show only tourist locations, I am able to have a list of places to visit. So I just use the app to trace a route that checks out all the tourist spots. It’s like following a trail of goodies. I’ve found quaint little village churches and memorial statues that are not listed in guidebooks. As an added bonus, landmarks like monument are named in the App, so you have some idea of what you are looking at, even though the panel on the monument could be in some other language.
As a car GPS – The Apps default setting is to orientate the map with North being the top, but by using the rotate function available in the paid version, you can use it like a car GPS, when the map rotates around your present location. I don’t prefer this view, but I can see how it might come useful for someone familiar with GPS navigators used when driving.
Make new friends – I share the app with travellers I meet. This girl tells me “Oh, when I arrive at a new destination, I turn on my 3G just for a few seconds so I know my bearings.” Another tells me he buys a SIM card with data usage to access online maps. When I tell them about the app, it’s great because they save money!

Of course, the tool isn’t perfect. Sometimes the GPS takes forever to detect the location (this is true for all GPS apps though) and sometimes I have trouble reading the map names (since the OpenStreetMap data is often gathered by local contributors); I was trying to figure out names of places written in Greek on the app while in Athens. But on the whole, it is an awesome app, and the developers improve it with new updates frequently.

If you have other uses for the tool, do share and leave a comment below.

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December 25, 2012November 12, 2017 by Red

A 2012 Travel Review

Greetings from Belgrade. It’s the end of December and time for another Travel Review. This is where I look back at the previous year’s travel experiences. In last year’s review, I had multiple short trips out of Singapore, and visited a total of 4 new countries.

This year however, has been a blast. But first, let’s take a look at last year’s travel resolutions and see how much of that I managed to accomplish. Out of 10 items on the list, I managed to complete a mere 3 items: North Korea, Petra in Jordan and the Karakoram Highway. No big deal. But when we look at the things I instead DID manage to do this year, I can only be thankful.

Of course, being on an extended trip allows me to do so much more. So here is a summary, for everyone who has not been following the blog posts regularly.

Mar: China – Travelled for 2 months within inner and coastal China, cavorting with giant pandas, almost getting kicked by a horse off the cliff edge of the Tiger Leaping Gorge, dancing with tribes in Guangxi, awed by the bright lights of Shanghai, experiencing cultural Beijing and the serene gardens of Suzhou, ogling at the pretty ladies of Dalian and admiring the Great Wall.
Apr: North Korea – A short but memorable trip during Juche 101, the 100th anniversary of the birth of the eternal leader of the North Koreans, Kim Il Sung.
Apr: Mongolia – Homeland to Genghis Khan, and where I had my first taste of the Cyrillic alphabet. Horse riding in the steppes. Well worth the butt-ache.
Sep: India – Up the Malabar coast, from Kerala to Goa, from Mumbai to Aurangabad. And the Rajasthan Loop, including the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
Oct: Pakistan – Experienced the natural beauty of mountainous North Pakistan, in the Karakoram Mountains, and the unrivalled hospitality of the Sindh region, in the south.
Nov: Oman – Just a few days in the country, but what friendly people. The fortresses and sea views are spectacular.
Nov: UAE – A second visit to the Emirates of Sharjah and Dubai, this time with more depth. Sharjah has some amazing museums and is a cultural gem.
Nov: Jordan – Jordan is a tourist’s paradise. Small but with so many attractions packed in. Travelled through Roman ruins, Petra, Wadi Rum, swum in the Dead Sea and dived in the Red Sea.
Nov: Israel – The confluence of 3 of the world’s major religions, Israel has even more to offer. I read through stacks of Wikipedia info to familiarise myself with the history, which spanned thousands of centuries.
Dec: Italy – A decision to detour into Eastern Europe first took me to Italy, where I lived my Assassin’s Creed fantasies in the cities of Florence and Venice.
Dec: Slovenia – My first country in the Balkan region, Slovenia is friendly, compact with much to offer, especially since the winter celebrations were ongoing in Ljubljana.
Dec: Croatia – I didn’t expect to stay so long in Croatia: I ended up staying nights in the cities of Zagreb, and city hopping along the Dalmation coast cities of Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik.
Dec: Montenegro – The rainy weather made the trip short, but it was enough to see the beautiful Bay of Kotor.
Dec: Bosnia & Herzegovina – One of the countries I eagerly wanted to visit, Bosnia did not disappoint. The food was fantastic. Mostar’s old bridge evoked a wistful sense of wonder and Sarejevo’s museums and post-war buildings made me sit down and reflect.
Dec: Serbia – Belgrade is a vibrant capital which contributed even further to my burgeoning knowledge of the countries in the region.

And here were some highlights.

Experiencing my first major snowfall.

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February 6, 2012September 4, 2018 by Red

The 38th Parallel: A view from South Korea

21 Jun-11

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is the line on the 38^th parallel bisecting the North and South Korea. The line came about after the Korean War, when an armistice was signed to cease hostilities, in the process creating a 4km wide exclusion zone.

I visited the southern side of the DMZ, on a day tour. Imjingak is the visitor’s centre for tourists eager to experience a bit of the border.

This is the Memorial Altar. Every Chu’sok Day, north koreans in the south will visit the altar and pray for the reunification. The 7 granite screens represent the 5 northern provinces and 2 more in North Korea.

In Imjingak, there is also the remains of a locomotive train abandoned in the DMZ during the Korean war. Bulletholes and bent wheels can be seen on the train.

A view of the Bridge of Freedom which crosses the Imjin River and leads into Panmunjom. Special permission is required to head into Panmumjom. Wire fences line the grounds, with

Flags are put up by visitors wishing for unification, and a prayer for souls of ancestors to the North.

These curious little stone guards stand on either side of the bridge. A couple more stand outside the 3rd Aggression Tunnels.

Found on the South Korean side so far are entrances to 4 tunnels. These tunnel leads from North to South Korea. I went to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. No photos allowed inside, but here is one of the tunnel plan. When found, the North said that these were coal mining tunnels, but no evidence of coal had been found. Instead the walls had been painted black and made to resemble coal.

Next up, we took the bus to Dorasan observatory. From here, you can look through binoculars to North Korea in the distance. No photos allowed beyond the yellow line. Try and the guards will tick you off, and were heard to even delete the offending shots.

The Dorasan station is the last station before you go into North Korea. The line currently stops at Dorasan, and perhaps in the future, will continue on to Kaesong, and then Pyongyang. Should the line open, the railway will stretch from South Korea all the way to Europe.

And out on the track. The sign says “Not the last station of the South, but the first station towards the North.”

A souvenir to bring home, stamped tickets.

For a even close-up view of North Korea, there are tours right up to Panmunjeom, right up on the demarcation line between North and South Korea. This is the JSA (joint security area) where you can see North Korean soldiers striking tough poses across the line.

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February 4, 2012September 4, 2018 by Red

Getting Off The Beaten Track in Indonesia

Week five of the Indie Travel Challenge 2012 is about traveling in Asia. If you’ve traveled in Asia, what’s your favorite destination? Share a story of one of your best experiences in Asia, or tell us about a place you love

Being located in one of the main transport hubs in Asia allows for easy trips around the region. In this week’s Indie Travel post, I will share a few of the less common places to visit in Indonesia, one of my favourite countries. Mention Indonesia, and the traveller will think of Bali, but with more than 17 000 islands in the archipelago, Indonesia has a lot more to offer. If you have been to Indonesia before, go there again and try some of these other sights, new destinations you can visit. Ranked 1 to 5 hearts, with 1 being unusual but pretty common and 5 hearts being really way off the beaten track.

1. Dieng Plateau, Java

Going into Java, one of the most exhilarating sights is the temple of Borobudur. The other major UNESCO listed sight are the Prambanan temples. Both are reachable from Yogyakarta. But did you know from Yogyakarta you can go on another side trip to the little known Dieng Plateau, where the oldest stone structures in Indonesia are found. 8 Hindu temples remain from the Sanjaya empire remain, out of 400, built around 750 CE. From there, you can take an ojek ride to catch the sunrise at the 2300m peak above the plateau. Around the volcanic plateau are Kawah Sikidang (Deer crater), a boiling sulphuric pool and Telaga Warna (Coloured Lake) where you can see clear turquoise waters with tiers of farming landscapes in the background.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥

Getting There: From Yogyakarta, take a bus at the terminal to Magelang. At Magelang, take another bus to Wonosobo. This drops you off at the Wonosobo terminal, just outside of town. Join the crowd taking the bemo to town and you’ll get dropped where the minibuses to Dieng are.

2. Banda Aceh, Sumatra

Once badly affected by the 2004 Tsunami, the city has been rebuilt, its coastline fortified with bunds to protect against future disasters. The Aceh province is somewhat special, under a higher level of autonomy than the rest of Indonesia and with a staunchly Muslim population. Thus when travelling in the city, you will see the locals covered up, but no less friendly. The Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is a magnificent landmark. Banda Aceh is the springboard to Pulau Weh, for some fantastic diving, and also to Bukit Lawang for the orang utans.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥

Getting there: Either take a bus from Medan, or fly into Banda Aceh’s airport. Take the international flights from Malaysia or the domestic flights.

3. Gili Islands, Lombok

Tourists wax lyrical about Bali, but Lombok is an up and coming alternative. And the three small islands off the north-west coast of Lombok is a little piece of diving heaven. Gili Trawangan is the party capital, Gili Air with local villages and Gili Meno is the quiet one. Go there soon, before the infrastructure gets too developed, and the tourist population starts to outnumber the locals.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥

Getting there: Flights to Mataram, the capital of Lombok, from Singapore, and domestic flights. From Mataram, arrange for a transfer to Bangsal harbour, and take the public boat across.

4. Waikabubak, Sumba

For eleven months of the calendar year, no tourists will turn up in Sumba. The only time that you will see a smattering of foreign faces will be during the Pasola horse festival. During this event (normally in March), riders atop decorated horses charge and throw wooden spears at each other. The aim will be to draw blood, “returning blood back to the earth”. Other rituals before the festival include boxing, and auguring the nyale, sea worms that get wash ashore during this period. The Sumbanese also practise a syncretism of Christianity and animistic beliefs, reflected in the megalithic tombs that you see all around Waikabubak.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Getting there: is not easy. Local Merpati flights fly into Waikabubak or Waingapu, the other main town on Sumba island. Merpati though, does not handle online ticketing, so you would have to either arrange through an agency or buy over the counter.

5. Ternate, North Maluku

This is another destination way off the tourist radar. Ternate island however is rich with history, being one of the original sources of nutmegs and cloves. The region is collectively known as the Spice Islands, and this was where back in the 16^th century, European explorers shipped back precious spices and trade made the locals kings rich. Wars, treachery and bickering between the neighbouring kingdoms were common, and the Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and English took advantage of this. Today however, Ternate and its surrounds are little visited but great scenery and the remnants of foreign forts are visible throughout.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥♥

Getting there: Flights from Jakarta. From Ternate, boats go to the neighbouring islands. The smaller islands have less frequent public boats and you may need to spend the night there.

6. Tangkuban Perahu, Bandung.

From Jakarta, the locals take a weekend drive to nearby Bandung, cool and a shopping paradise, with many factory clothing outlets. Just a little way out of Bandung however, is the crater peak known as Tangkuban Perahu, which literally means ‘upturned-boat’, after a local legend where a man kicks the boat he was building in anger. From Bandung, that is what the peak looks like. It is a well visited tourist spot, with locals from the capital regularly dropping by. From the top, you can look down and even walk into the crater. Other activities are checking out (and boiling eggs!) over the boiling hot pools of Kawah Domas.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥

Getting there: From Bandung, it is an easy bus ride to the foot of Tangkuban Perahu. From there, just hire and ojek to take you up to the visitor’s area.

7. Lake Kelimutu, Flores

This is yet another one of those remarkable but rarely visited sights Indonesia has to offer. The Kelimutu lake is actually a group of 3 crater lakes. What is so special about them? All three are of a different colour. And they change colour over time. Today, one is reddish brown, one is green, and one is turquoise. 10 years ago, one was black, one was dirty green and the other some shade of blue. Experts say that it is due to the mineral content of the rocks. Locals more interestingly believe that the three lakes carry the souls of the dead. One each for the old, the young, and the wicked.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥♥

Getting there: Fly domestic into Flores (most likely Maumere) and make your way to Moni, the little town from which you can arrange transport up to Kelimutu to catch the sunrise.

8. Rinca Island, Flores

Here there be dragons. Komodo dragons! Rinca and Komodo Islands are side by side, off the western coast of Flores. Most people come to Komodo National Park for the spectacular diving, and include a visit to Komodo or Rinca. For me, I took a boat from Labuanbajo, and visited Rinca, the nearer of the two islands. Everyone knows about these Komodo dragons, and to actually see them upclose meters away from you is really something. Try not to poke them though, your guide, even with his big stick won’t be able to help.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥

Getting there: Fly domestic into Labuanbajo, the town on the westernmost point of Flores, either from Bali or Jakarta. In Labuanbajo, look for a shared boat through either your guesthouse or one of the travel agencies or dive shops on the main road.

9. Tomohon, North Sulawesi

Out of the way: Pulau Bunaken in Manado, one of the most exquisite diving spots. Even more out of the way: Nearby Lembeh Straits, which is where you can do world-class muck diving. Why-in-the-world-would-anyone-want-to-go-there-out-of-the-way: Tomohon, a little hill city nearby overlooking Manado city. Here and the nearby connecting towns are where you can find the heartland of the Minahasa people. Hikes to Gunung Lokon can be made from here, and if you are feeling brave, take a walk down to the local wet market to check out the fresh animal produce.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥

Getting there: Easy buses from from Manado head towards Tomohon, where labelled bemos go elsewhere in the area.

10. Mt. Kerinci, Sumatra

I did this a while ago, so I don’t have pictures to show for it. Gunung Kerinci is located in Sumatra’s Kerinci Seblat National Park and is the highest volcano in Indonesia. Attempting the peak requires some level of fitness. At the summit though, you would be rewarded with magnificent views of the surroundings as well as a look into the sulphur belching crater. Do not tarry at the peak though, the fumes are poisonous.

Off the beaten track rating: ♥♥♥

Getting There: From Padang, take a bus to the village of Kersik Tuo at the foot. Arrange for a guide and other essentials there.

** Bonus: Bali.

And finally, I mentioned Bali at the beginning of this post. Not exactly off the beaten track. But here is one time when Bali IS off the beaten track. Taken on the main tourist drag in Ubud, 2009, it shows Bali during Nyepi, the Balinese day of silence. Once a year on that day, shops are closed, the airport is closed, no one goes out, electricity is cut. It is a ghost town, enforced to ensure that when the demons overhead look down, and upon seeing no life, they will fly past and ignore Bali for the next one year.

That’s my list of uncommon places to visit in Indonesia. Other destinations on my bucket list (can’t list them on this post, haven’t been there yet) are Tanah Toraja in Sulawesi, Ponorogo in Central Java, the Cenderawasih Bay in Papua and the Banda Islands in Maluku.

What other places in Indonesia do you recommend?

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