Overnight ferry

Getting to Wakai Today, I have to travel to Wakai to catch the big ferry Tuna Tomini to Gorontalo.  My original plan was to catch the public speedboat which takes 1h.  But seeing that some people had trouble with it being full, despite holding (unpaid) bookings, I thought I’d try sharing a private boat (which […]

Read more

Jellyfish lake and a white beach

After breakfast, my dive buddies from yesterday (Marco and Barbara) set off on our long day trip at 0850.  The boat had a capacity of four, and as all other guests were couples, we didn’t have any luck with anyone else joining us. It was a two hour ride to the jellyfish lake where a […]

Read more

My back-to-basics paradise

I like to remind myself how little I need in life once in a while.  Pokipoki is my back-to-basics paradise with 5h of electricity each day for lighting (and pricey slow satellite internet for important communications). They are fullboard with simple meals made up from local ingredients: Breakfast of pancakes or homemade bread and fruit […]

Read more

Taupan Island

Staying at Pokipoki at Batudaka in the Togean Islands, my nearest/only dive option was Bomba Divers at Araya Resort. Pokipoki took me, along with Marco and Barbara, around 0800 to the dive shop after breakfast.  After paperwork and fitting our gear, we were taken to nearby Pulau Taupan where we did both our dives. The […]

Read more

Quake damage and my little deathtrap

Exploring earthquake-stricken Palu I woke at 0330 and lay, not even dozed, till 0530.  Subconsciously, I wanted to wake early to explore Palu before leaving.  That combined with the fact that I retired 2100 last night. It was already light at 0550 when I left the hotel for a walk to explore Palu, to see […]

Read more

Monkeys & Sulawesi

Proboscis Monkeys Breakfast at the Gajah Mada was pretty good local food with two generous big fish (two share) and lots of meaty chicken curry.  I left the hotel around 0800 for the Mangrove and Proboscis Conservation Area about 5+ minutes away by foot.  The weather was still pleasant and not too hot. Speaking in […]

Read more

Down the east coast of Borneo

Breakfast at the Lucky Hotel was simple with soup, fried small fish and rice.  It’s not very often I get a smiley fish for breakfast with chilli.  It was actually delicious and I had two, almost went for a third. As I relaxed in my room offered to take me out for coffee, to which […]

Read more

Borneo’s international sea crossing

Kuching to Tawau by flight I left home by Grab car at 0830.  The driver took an unusually long route directed by Google Maps getting me to the airport around 15min later than I had expected at 0915.  I had breakfast at the lounge before settling in to do some last minute work on the […]

Read more

Hazy experience

It had been kinda depressing being with aunt.  Few years ago, she was still swimming 20 laps in an Olympic-sized pool but now she is barely walking.  I try to put it into perspective with the fact that she is 90 years old. Fortunately, my uncle (and aunt) from Christchurch dropped in and we went […]

Read more

Nightstop

Despite having left late, we arrived in Singapore at 1630, 20 mins early.  For a change, we were parked near the immigration area which meant no train ride or a long walk.  There were no queues for immigration and taxis meaning that I got to my aunt’s in no time.

Read more
Go top