In what will be my first trip to our largest continent - I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that - I'll be heading to Singapore and Indonesia in July. I'm crazy excited about it.
In addition to being a nice way to spend several weeks of "winter" break**, the official purpose of the trip is to do some unofficial research for my thesis. (Perhaps reflecting the litigious times in which we live, an "official" research trip involving interviews requires full authorization from the University. If I HAPPEN to run into a few academics/potential interviewees while on a "personal" trip, so be it, right?). Singapore is the academic center of Southeast Asia - as well as a place that I am extremely intrigued to visit in its own right. In addition to meeting a few people and developing some good social networks (very important, particularly in Southeast Asian culture), it will hopefully give me a reasonable idea about what I've gotten myself into. If all goes according to plan, I'll be heading back to Singapore (and definitely Jakarta, which remains a side-trip possibility for this trip) in January/February for the official business.
Here's the Lonely Planet guide to Bali, as well as the Rough Guides guide to Indonesia generally. For those that are interested, here's a collection of photos from Bali, plus one to the right. :) By all accounts, Bali is one of the more beautiful and serene (populated) places you can visit on the planet. It's a big destination for a lot of Aussies on holiday - perhaps the US equivalent of the Bahamas, or Acapulco - though the native culture (unique for Indonesia, heavily Buddhist) has remained resilient in the face of the tourist hordes, and in fact has remained a major attraction, though also a regrettable if unavoidable source of commercialization.
It also has some of the world's best SCUBA diving, which I plan to partake in with my good friend Eileen Dietrich. She will be in Bali at the end of July as well, and is the proximate reason for me making the side trip. I'm REALLY glad she's given me a good excuse! :) Signing off for now, with dreams of Bali floating through my head...
**Australia does have winter, contrary to popular belief, even if it never drops below the freezing point here in Melbourne. Snow is an extremely rare occurrence in the city, though it should be said that I felt colder last winter than I have during most DC/VA winters. Acclimatization to (almost) year round warm weather can be a very powerful thing.
hej mate,
I don't know if you have contacts here already. If so, thats great, if not, I will be more than happy to show you around, and depending on when in July you come, I might be able to get you some free accommodation. Also if you are looking to go to Jakarta, you can get flights on jetstar asia for around $200 oz return from Singapore. Just drop me a line at herrhelmut@hotmail.com
Posted by: Angus | May 19, 2007 at 03:19 PM