When I first started traveling, I had the romantic notion that “real” traveling had to be all about having authentic experiences. I also had a specific idea of what “authentic” meant. It meant eschewing pre-packaged tours. It meant immersing in strange lands where there were less “tourists”, where the local folk spoke a different...
Read MoreContinued from my previous post… If all experiences are true and valid and equally valuable, then does this mean we all sit at home and do nothing, as that is also an equally worthy experience? No. So here’s my take. Experiences serve two purposes. To entertain and to grow. Entertainment experiences are for the pleasure centers. To...
Read MoreDuring our week long stay on the Karimunjawa islands, we spent a day with a German that had decided to make the village of Kemujan in Karimunjawa his home. Married to an Indonesian woman, they and their newborn baby live in a modest house just outside Kemujan. While chatting with him, he dropped a bomb on us when he said that his monthly expenses (which was the...
Read More…Continued from The Fisherman – I : Consumption The fisherman I met in Kemujan led a simple life. He caught enough fish for the day to feed his family. Had creature comforts such as biscuits occasionally, and had loads of free time. Similar to that fable about the American businessman and Mexican fisherman (“Buy more boats! Start...
Read MoreJodee and I spent a month in Indonesia traipsing through it’s various islands. There’s little I knew about this country before we arrived here. I chose Indonesia mainly due to it’s promised Snorkeling spots (See my blog on purpose-based travel), and they did not disappoint! However, moving through this land, experiencing it’s cultures, I am humbled and in awe....
Read More
Recent Comments