Java

when i arrived in Java on the Ferry i started to feel quite ill. so i rode to a hotel, had some dinner and fell asleep. the next morning i felt even worse which prompted my decision to take a bus to Yogyakarta instead of riding the bike. in addition to feeling sick the bottom bracket on my bike was falling apart and the only solution would be to replace it,this would not be an easy task as there are not many bike shops in Indonesia that would have the kind of bottom bracket i need. it was also damn humid and the traffic in Java is somewhat crazy and unpredictable. which does not make for the most enjoyable riding conditions.

it took two long days riding on various buses before i arrived in Yogya, i then spent two days staying with a very nice family as they helped nurse me back into shape. the reason why i came to Yogyakarta was because i have always had a wish to visit the amazing Borobodur stupa mandala which is just outside of Yogya.

Bali

heading for the hills

i arrived at the airport in Bali at around 8pm and went through immigration and collected my luggage. very happy to see my bike box waiting for me sitting by herself in a quite corner. then went through customs and was out on the streets of Bali before i knew it. the sounds and smells along with the humid climate felt great. Ahhh, back in Asia! i found a peaceful place to reassemble the bike and organize my luggage.then i was off cruising in the direction of Kuta beach. the famous party town in Bali. it was more or less exactly how i had imagined it to be. busy streets lined with clubs, restaurants and trendy surf shops selling cheap beach ware. i had no real idea where i was going, was just riding along until i found some suitable accommodation for the night. after stopping at a couple places i finally found a cozy hotel hidden down a dark ally just off the main road. the next morning i woke up and had a solid breakfast at the hotel and then went back out on the streets to ride up to Ubud (the cultural capital of Bali). it only took me about 3 hours to get to Ubud from Kuta. got lost a couple times trying to navigate the countless intersections. as i rode through Denpasar i was blown away by the amount of traffic lining the streets and the manner of driving. the style of driving in Indonesia is crazy and nonsensical, similar to Nepal and India but even looser with hardly any regulation. a anything goes driving style.it seems to work in some ways but not very efficient and also quite dangerous. i spent nearly a week living in Ubud exploring the streets and temples, eating fantastic food and simply lounging around in my hammock. i liked Ubud a lot but it was yet another place that i would have liked to have visited 30 years ago before it was 'discovered' and highlighted in every guidebook one could find. it was a bit too busy and touristy for my taste. after a week i was ready to leave so i rode out of town and over to the opposite side of the Island to Lovina beach. to get there i had to climb over the volcanic mountains of central Bali. it took me two days to get to Lovina. one day to get to the top of the mountains and then a short day going down the other side. i then found a peaceful bungalow on the beach and spent 3 nights there. this was a place i was sad too leave, it was the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the ocean. i only have a one month visa for Indonesia and want to leave some time to see Java so i then rode to the port town Gillimanuk and crossed over to Java on the ferry.

view from Lovina cottage

hotel balcony Ubud

can you see the dolphin?

good bye bali

Globalization and Living in a Changing World

Banksy Americans

  

Anyone who travels around these days will notice how things are becoming more homogenized. Whether national or transnational, cultures are merging with one another along with long held values and beliefs. Obviously the world has always been in a evolutionary process of becoming, however the interesting fact about the time we live in now is that this ever present transmutation of human society has increased exponentially in both scale and speed.This is due to many factors, such as the widespread effects of the internet, TV, air travel, etc. Globalization is an inevitable fact and there are perhaps advantages and disadvantages regarding this natural trend towards a universal monoculture. Many people would say that the negative effects far outweigh the positive effects. Here is a short list of some potentially negative effects:

* Developed nations have outsourced manufacturing and white collar jobs. That means less jobs for their people. This has happened because manufacturing work is outsourced to developing nations like China where the cost of manufacturing goods and wages are lower. Programmers, editors, scientists and accountants have lost their jobs due to outsourcing to cheaper locations like India.
* Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods.
* Job insecurity. Earlier people had stable, permanent jobs. Now people live in constant dread of losing their jobs to competition. Increased job competition has led to reduction in wages and consequently lower standards of living.
* Companies have set up industries causing pollution in countries with poor regulation of pollution.
* Fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC are spreading in the developing world. People are consuming more junk food from these joints which has an adverse impact on their health.
* The benefits of globalization is not universal. The rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer.
* Bad aspects of foreign cultures are affecting the local cultures through TV and the Internet.
* Local industries are being taken over by foreign multinationals.
* Multinational Companies and corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions.


It is my belief that we should try and preserve multiculturalism and cultural diversity in general.This will only help the world in the long run by keeping intact indigenous cultures and other traditional worldviews which have a timeless history of experience/intelligence to draw from. If the East is primarily interested in importing Western culture and vise versa this can lead to a dangerous situation that will supplant local communities with far reaching socio-economic implications.

I am writing this from a small village in Bali, Indonesia. Through observing the relationship local people have with foreign visitors (such as myself) provoked this short rant. It is the same sort of relation you will see in most Asian countries that have less access to education, opportunity and other such resources so many of us in the western world take for granted. The foreigner has the money and the local people do there best to provide services to cater to the visitors in order to provide jobs for their local community. Thereby creating a a disproportionate cross cultural playing field. I am not drawing any conclusions to the state of the world. Merely sharing my thoughts and observations as I travel.

To say the least, I feel privileged to be witnessing this time in history.

Sydney to Brisbane (part 2) - Conclusion to Australian Tour

Brisbane

the route I followed through Australia

Byron Bay train station

after two days in the lovely town Port Macquarie i continued north up to Byron Bay and spent a week there enjoying the stunning beaches and surf culture. it was good to have some down time and just simply relax on the beach without a fixed plan. i arrived after dark one evening and was not really sure where to go so i rode south along the coast looking for a place to camp. i found a small path leading into a nature reserve and then continued into a small patch of trees which seemed hidden enough from plane sight. to my surprise when i woke up i was very close to a public walking trail and had people walking past while giving me funny looks as i packed up my tent. at least i woke up early and had a good nights sleep. later in the day i was lucky enough to find a very suitable camp ground for the week and set up my tent and hammock in a grove of Eucalyptus trees. i had a fantastic week enjoying the the sun and surf culture, saw some live music and explored the costal region. from Byron i carried on up to the Gold coast to Surfers Paradise and when i was on the outskirts of Brisbane i got on the inter-city train into the heart of the city. Brisbane is my final destination in Australia and marks the end of a very enjoyable and succesful tour of New Zealand, Tasmania and the south eastern coast of Australia. there have been some very challenging days battling the summer heat, hills and busy roads but it was all worth it. i feel like i have had a relatively short but extensive taste of the dynamic and unrelentling Aussie spirt and landscape. thank you Australia! Next Stop? Bali, Indonesia! - looking forward to being back in Asia...

Byron waves

Why Go Touring By Bicycle

i have been thinking about writing an article about why i have spent so much time traveling around the world by bicycle. my family and many friends at times seem to be at a loss as to why i live my life as i do. i then came across this article
by Ken Kenfir which elequently articulates many similar views and experiences that i have had traveling via bicycle.
so i decided to post it here:

Why Go Touring By Bicycle?

Long-distance bicycle touring is by nature a Quixotic activity. In these days of light-speed communications, multimedia entertainment, fast, powerful, and prestigious automobiles, luxurious homes, exotic restaurants, and instant gratification, why would someone choose to pedal at slow speeds up high hills carrying a heavy load to boil rice in a small pot in the dark, insect-filled woods alone at night? Are bicycle tourers and bikepackers driven by a masochistic self-hatred that causes them to perform painful and anachronistic pilgrimages?

Actually, long-distance, loaded, bicycle camping is one of the most pleasurable activities I have ever experienced. I generally sleep poorly at night; but in the woods on a tour, I sleep like a baby, lulled to sleep by the music of insects. In the morning, I am awakened by the cheeping of birds. I eat a snack before getting up, and then I quickly pack my sleeping bag, air mattress, tent, and other gear and get on the road. I'm slower in the morning, having less speed but also a greater desire to stop at pleasant spots, dawdle, and enjoy. Traveling by bike allows me to stop anywhere, such as meadows, lakes (especially places to swim), woods, and scenic spots, not just at the tourist traps and overlooks. My large panniers may look very heavy to the passing motorist, but I barely notice their weight; actually, the bike feels better loaded than empty; it's a lot more stable. Somewhere near lunch, I find a small grocery and buy some bread, sandwich materials, and fruit. I find a town park or other shady spot to wait out the high mid-day sun and maybe nap. In the afternoon, my speeds are higher, and I spend less time at stops (but I still usually stop fairly often, sometimes a quick dash into a grocery for bananas, sometimes a stop to pick wild berries). My body, tanned, lean from cycling, hardened by climbing, feels fantastic. I relish the climbs. In the late afternoon, I start riding slower, and I start having thoughts about stopping. I finally find a place in the early evening, cook a simple meal, and rest and cool off. As it starts to get dark, I pitch my tent, crawl in, and fall asleep.

There are exciting times and difficult times as well. Visiting strange or famous places and accomplishing goals are always exciting to me. I meet and talk with interesting people along the way, sometimes other traveling cyclists. Beautiful views, strong tail winds from nearby storms, encountering wild animals (usually at my camping site), and traveling up and down hills also stir me up. On the other hand, I may run into a rainy or hot spell, have to repair my bike or tire, encounter a hostile motorist, or just find myself in a bad mood. The problems are infrequent and are easily dealt with; the pleasures remain in my mind for years.
www.kenkifer.com