Oftentimes when you are on the road you see something that moves you. On my recent trip to Bukit Lawang, Indonesia I visited a small, local school. The kids, ranging from pre-school to early teens, were all adorable. They attended a range of classes from general studies to after school English as a second language. But that’s not what caught my attention. What moved me was the emphasis of this school. In an area that is highly important in terms of protecting orangutan habitat and population, the students were actually learning how they could help and be stewards of the environment. In a huge juxtaposition, the area is also known for its palm oil plantations, a practice that is actually doing the orangutans the most harm through habitat loss and harmful crop burning.

I was amazed as I sat in on a lesson about sustainable fishing and again when I saw how they had actually made notebooks from scratch, recycling the paper for the notebooks themselves. The kids were also being taught about proper nutrition and were encouraged to eat healthier through small initiatives like Fruity Fridays where fresh fruit is served as opposed to the high fructose corn syrup drinks served in plastic bags that some of them have become accustomed to getting at local food stalls.

It was a real pleasure and quite refreshing to see this small team of local teachers and one volunteer leading the children. But I was also saddened to see the condition of the school. Some of the rooms had a pretty significant black mold issue. These children and staff members were breathing this in daily. I stayed only a short time but couldn’t stop thinking about what the mold could be doing to my body. What if I worked here and had to breath in this air everyday? What impact was this having on the kids, with their still developing lungs?

So rather than go back home and forget what I saw, I’m trying to solve the problem. I’ve created a Go Fund Me and am working with the school trust to eradicate the problem. If you are interested in donating please have a look at the fundraiser. Of course not everyone will be moved to donate or be able to, but I encourage you to check it out or share. The school also runs partially on volunteers so if you are interested in volunteering you can get in contact with them for more information. The town is so far removed from touristy areas that it seems to be a genuine experience where you can immerse yourself completely in the culture.

I look forward to going back once the funds have been raised and am almost half way towards the goal. Thank you to everyone who has donated already and to everyone who will!

Fresh Fruit Friday!

The school makes excellent use of space, utilizing the roof for learning and play as well. But even up there is pooling water and mold.

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A few weeks ago I headed to Bukit Lawang, Indonesia for a 4-day weekend. I heard great things about the area, particularly my chances of seeing an orangutan, so it seemed like the perfect way to escape Singapore for the Chinese New Year weekend. I was right! I couldn’t have asked for a better way to detox and unwind. If you’re interested in a similar trek, read on for details and suggestions.

Getting There

To get to Bukit Lawang you must fly to Medan, Indonesia, and then take a 3-4 hour drive. The drive is only so long because of the conditions of the road. Do yourself a favor and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to and from the airport. I also suggested not arriving too late. The drive is much safer when you can actually see everything around you, and after you leave the city you also leave behind most of the well-lit roads.

One of the many orangutan we saw on our hike.

Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking Company

The company itself was great to deal with. I e-mailed using the information provided on their website and Janine got right back to me. She arranged all details for me, from airport pick-up to the trek itself. After spending one night at their lodge, we left early the next morning to start the trek. We had two guides, Jim and Roni who were both fantastic. They were very knowledgeable about everything in the forest, but also great cooks and were kind and funny. When I took a tumble they rushed to make sure I was okay and then checked to make sure I could handle the pace of the trek with my bruises. They also gave us plenty of time to prepare when an orangutan was approaching and knew almost all of them, including their habits. At certain points we had to retreat when an aggressive orangutan approached, but at other times we had the opportunity to get closer or actually interact with them. I even lost count of how many orangutans I saw. Once we got to camp after a long day of hiking, I figured that was it for seeing orangutans; but I was wrong. There was a mom and baby that slept along the river with us. They were very laid back and chill so we could just enjoy watching their daily life while we bathed in the river or ate breakfast. It was fantastic! In addition to the stars of the show, the orangutans, the rain forest was unbelievable. There was green as far as the eye could see, but also snakes, birds, monkeys, streams, waterfalls and even a little river rafting.

Packing Suggestions

You will have to carry everything with you, so make sure to pack light. If you are going to be staying in the area after your trek you can leave behind another bag. Bukit Lawang Trekking was nice enough to store everything for us in a locker. I packed a sleeping bag and was glad I did. It gave a bit more cushion to the mat where we slept. I also used my extra clothes as a pillow, which was a lifesaver. As a vegetarian I often pack some extra snacks just to make sure I have enough to eat, but I can honestly say I wasn’t hungry at all. Bukit Lawang Trekking did an excellent job with the meals and even made sure to dispose of everything so as not to tempt the monkeys or orangutan.

Giving Back

There are a few organizations in the area that you can visit to learn more about the surrounding town and some of the problems they experience. Living in Singapore, I’ve always been curious about the palm plantations and associated burnings that happen every year. I was amazed to see the rainforest essentially side by side to the palm. We not only got to see the palm plantations, we also visited rubber plantations, where many make their living, a local school where kids are being taught how they can positively impact the environment, and we even did a tree planting. My boyfriend and I planted fruit trees to help feed the orangutan and prevent them from going into neighboring farmland where they may be killed. I absolutely recommend visiting both the school and planting a tree. While I loved hiking and seeing the orangutan, tree planting and getting to visit a local classroom were a close second. If you book with Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking, ask how you can get involved during your visit.

Happy camping!

I even got to pick the type of tree I wanted to plant. Mango!

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Outlet Shopping

The outlets are located in various shopping districts. You could easily spend a few hours in one of the districts, hopping from place to place. They all carried a combination of men, women and children’s clothing, local and western clothing, plus shoes, purses and accessories. And with the exception of the shoes and some purses, I think everything was nice quality. The best part was the prices. I didn’t spend more than $12 on any item and walked away with some high quality pieces.

Jl. Setiabudi

Rumah Mode

This was by far the best outlet. It had the best variety of brands (Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, DKNY, Miu Miu, Mango, Zara, etc.) nicest dressing rooms, and even had a food court and courtyard. It was also well lit, had ample parking and was well staffed. If I could only visit one outlet, it would be this one.

Fashion World

This store was next door to Rumah Mode. It had some items, but I was actually turned off by the personal shopper. The moment I picked something up there was someone to assist me. I couldn’t relax and inspect everything the way I wanted to with someone following behind me and holding my bags.

Jl. Riau

Heritage, Summit, Passion, The Secret

These four outlets are all within walking distance from each other and are all relatively similar. They carried similar brands to Rumah Mode and were well organized and clean, but the clothing felt a bit more dated. Still there were very good deals and some even sold house ware.

Jl. Dago is another shopping area, but I would actually skip it. Some of the more famous outlets in the area have since closed down. The remaining outlets seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, with Nike being way too expensive and Donatella looking really cheap.

Beauty Services

When you grow tired of shopping the Tribeca Nail and Wax Bar is a total must. The salon could easily be located in an upscale U.S. neighborhood in terms of the layout, design and quality of the services. I got a spa mani and pedi along with eyebrow threading for about $30 USD total. And I must say it was one of the best eyebrow threadings I’ve ever had. I didn’t even have to do the customary skin stretch so that the threader can get in closer. Instead they had two people providing the service. It was very relaxing. The polish was also top notch with a range of OPI products as well as organic products for pregnant women or the more health conscious customer. I also enjoyed a massage at the Amaia Spa. For the equivalent of $11.50 USD, I had a 1.5 hour massage in a private room. The spa even had an adjacent kiddie spa and playroom.

So is Bandung a girl’s best friend? It was certainly an interesting experience, but because of the traffic in the city I would say only do this trip if you are already in the area. I would also suggest splurging for your hotel room. After a long day of shopping, you will want to relax and be comfortable.

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In the world of Air B&B, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I just won big! When the pension I normally stay at near the center of town was completely booked, I used it as an opportunity to find something quaint, outside of the hustle and bustle. What I found was so much more than I could have hoped for. For the U.S. equivalent of about $80 per night, I’m staying in a two bedroom, two-bath villa with a wrap around balcony that overlooks the rice paddies.

But it doesn’t stop there.  Even the view from the bathtub is something from a postcard. There is also a crystal clear pool, a welcome drink, a local cell phone to carry with us to communicate with the reception desk, two daily round-trip rides into town with a private driver, and a 30-minute welcome foot massage. And perhaps the best part is that the staff is so welcoming, polite and smiley. Everyone is genuinely so happy, including me. I couldn’t have asked for more.  For once, I think I’ll have to have a day where I do nothing but enjoy the room.

Interested in trying AirBnB? Click here for $20 off of your first day.

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Yesterday we went on a bike tour of the Bali countryside with Bali Bike Tours and it was spectacular. We started the tour with a visit to a coffee plantation and coffee tasting. Bali is known for kopi lewak, the most expensive coffee in the world. If you can get past the fact that it’s so tasty because the lewak digested and then excreted it out, you’ll find that it’s actually not bad. And this is coming from someone who hates coffee. The coconut coffee was also delicious and there were tasty teas ranging from hibiscus to lemon grass as well.

Coffee and tea tasting.

Biking through the Balinese country-side.

Next we had breakfast overlooking the volcano, Mount Batour. I could have done without the breakfast, but the views were worth it. After the volcano we biked the countryside for about two and a half hours, mostly downhill.  It was quite a hot day, but the steady breeze from zipping downhill made it very pleasant.  And when off the main road you simply get lost in the rice paddies. Between that and the village life going on around you, you really feel the essence of Bali. Some of the kids were totally desensitized to the flow of tourist going through their town, but most were just so happy to yell hello as you passed through. I particularly enjoyed seeing the older ladies work the rice fields and the children walking home from school in their uniforms, toting large backpacks.

The trip ended with a wonderful lunch at Warong Padi Organic Restaurant.  They served some delicious BBQ tempeh skewers with rice and vegetable and all with the most beautiful stream, flowers, rice paddies and blue skies surrounding our table.

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First we went to a small, family owned business off of the main roads. It didn’t have a huge well-lit show room, but it did have a very personable owner who demonstrated and explained his craft. The shop had some beautiful pieces, but the real treasures were sort of hidden three or four rows down. I really had to hunt and scrutinize everything.  I bought three pieces in the end, a bracelet and necklace set, and a set of silver and pearl drop earrings. It wasn’t the best price in the world, but they were solid pieces, decently priced (once I negotiated).

UC Silver Entrance. No cameras were allowed inside.

The next place we went to was UC Silver. I hadn’t been there before but wanted to go thanks to the reviews. UC Silver is on the main road that leads to and from Ubub, just outside of Celuk. It’s a wonder I didn’t notice it before since the building itself is SO gaudy. They had a very large workroom and allowed us to walk through and take pictures of everything. But once through the front door of the actual store cameras had to be put away.  At first glance I was immediately impressed. The show room was bright, well arranged and the quality was definitely better than some of the other places I had seen in Celuk. We weren’t allowed to negotiate and the prices were more, but everything was so striking. On the first floor they had silver and a small section of plated costume jewelry. On the second floor were diamonds and gold. It really was something to see and I was slightly bummed that I couldn’t photograph it.  I ended up buying earrings and two rings. My cousin and aunt also bought the same ring (a huge silver piece with the god Ganesha) and their rings were sized free of charge as well as delivered to the villa once completed.

If I had to choose between the two options again, I would easily select UC Silver. They stand by their pieces and guarantee the work for a full year. I felt that these were more so pieces that could be passed down and would stand the test of time and I’m glad that I splurged a bit.

UC Silver Workshop

My aunt listening to a small shop owner explain the process.

My purchases.

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After doing a lap around the grounds, I settled on a vegetarian plate with 4 different sides and white rice. I picked a cauliflower and cabbage blend with sautéed onions, sautéed spinach with slivers of garlic and chili peppers, BBQ tempeh strips with an island flair I couldn’t quite put my finger on and a unique coconut salad with green beans, coconut and ginger. This was so far from the flavors I’m used to. It was delicious and incredibly cheap! I paid the US equivalent of $3.70, including a Bintang beer. I don’t drink beer often, but I couldn’t resist, as this beer seemed to be half lemon. It had none of the bitterness of regular beer, making it very easy to get down. I only wish I had more of an appetite so I could try more.

Although I found plenty to eat, this event was really meant for seafood lovers. Every stall was packed with today’s catch; muscles, shrimp, blue crabs, red snapper, rainbow trout, prawns, salmon, etc. The smoke from the grills permeated the air and the lines were wrapped around the stalls. They also had some rare items such as an entire grilled baby chicken and fried critters.

I’m definitely glad we stopped in for a bite. It was a great meal and a great experience to see the small town come to life with its enthusiasm for eating well. If you happen to visit Gili Trawangan, I would highly recommend you do the same.

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Today was a beautiful, albeit strange, day in paradise. We spent most of the day lounging on the beach. When we got tired of that we decided to walk through the village. I’ve never seen a place with such unique charm. Once you leave the main road of Gili Tarwangan, you’re not in Kansas anymore. The streets were lined with eclectic houses and messy shacks. Everyone was so lively and warm. I could have wandered for hours. Somewhere along the walk we set our sights on making it to the other side of the island to watch the sunset. We stopped here and there, including stopping to watch the local soccer game. It seemed like the whole village was wrapped up in this match.

Suddenly people were running wildly. My eyes followed the crowd and as I looked up I noticed a dark cloud of smoke. We ran along with them, stopping only when we got to the house set ablaze.  People were coming from all over trying to help put the fire out. Buckets, water hoses and even a fire extinguisher, but it was too late.  The house was gone.

Next people rushed to pour water on the nearby houses. This kept going for a while until someone must have brought people’s attention to the fact that something might blow up. People began running and screaming in what seemed sure to be a stampede. We thought it best to get away from this chaos and decided to keep chasing the sunset.  I am so glad we did.

Just passed the soccer field the houses opened up to a long, winding road flanked with palm trees and the occasional calf or rooster. It was stunning. I didn’t care anymore if we reached the sunset because I was awestruck right where we were. I’ve been in the middle of nowhere a lot, but this felt different. I almost felt like I was in Africa. It was dry, but tinged with elements of the tropics. I highly recommend spending a day getting lost in Gili Tarwangan. Can’t wait  to uncover more of this island tomorrow.

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