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Read full story for latest details. Read more…

Read full story for latest details. Read more…

Read full story for latest details. Read more…

Potrass handicrafts on Jl. Legian in Legian, stands out to passersby, because of the array of large wooden necklaces on display. The staff, Bayu from Jawa Barat (west Java) allowed me to try on some necklaces. I looked ridiculous, but if you want to dive headfirst into going ‘troppo’ this is a good place. Bayu [...] Read more…

Bali has a new thirst quenching drink, PowerAde Isotonik made by the Coca Cola company. We already have Pocari Sweat, made a Japanese company, now this new version is available in many convenience stores. Visitors to Bali often are not used to perspiring so much and get dehydrated without realizing. Water by itself won’t help either. [...] Read more…

Ebano is located on Jl. Legian, north on Rum Jungle Rd. There are actually 2 shops, the other on Jl. Oberoi, in Seminyak. The first thing that grabs your attention in this shop is the selection of wooden hairpins. I thought they were chop sticks at first. There are also pendents and bracelets. The staff at [...] Read more…

Visitors to Bali are familar with the Legian area and walking through there this afternoon I took a few photos of familiar sights. These include a couple of young Balinese kids at the art market on Jl. Melasti, Balinese locals passing the time making offerings, massage ladies looking for customers, a horse drawn carriage, a [...] Read more…

US President GW Bush may visit Indonesia next month, according to the International Herald Tribune. Indonesian President SBY is a friend of America and needs foreign investment. Bush is keen to court the friendship of the world’s largest Muslim country. I was here in 2003 when Bush last visited. He stayed at the Patra Jasa (now [...] Read more…

Swimming in Bali can be dangerous, there’s no doubt about it. When I walk along the Kuta in Seminyak, I can tell where rip currents are likely to be. Sometimes there will be a single red flag, postioned on a sandbar to indicate the area in not safe for swimming. Quite often I also watch Euro’s [...] Read more…

Indonesia is a like friend who smokes 40 Marlboro a day. He’s your mate, but you wish he’d stop affecting your health. The annual burning of forest and crop waste in Indonesia, has once again affected other countries in SE Asia. Yesterday a plane skidded off a runway here in Indonesia, due to poor visibility. The [...] Read more…

The highlands of Bali offer a multitude of routes that are perfect for a slow cruise, in a car, or on a motorbike. My recent trip to Jatiluwih, which took about 7 hours roundtrip from Seminyak. Another area close to Jatiluwih is Wongayagede. Taking the route that I did, heading up to Bedugal, and turning [...] Read more…

Nasi padang is a version of Indonesian fodo that originates in Sumatra. All over the Kuta/ Legian / Seminyak area are padang places, selling a version of the same thing. Basically you get a plate of nasi putih (steamed, white rice) and select from plates of food in the window. A curtain protects the food [...] Read more…

Here is a rundown of the sports on offers in Bali by region. •South Bali: Surfing: The beach areas of southern Bali and the Bukit peninsula have extensive infrastructure for surfing. Beginners can take a lesson from a surf school in Kuta / Legian. Experienced surfers can head to the reef breaks on the Bukit. Horse Riding: Riding a horse [...] Read more…

If you’re a nudist, you’ll want to act fast on this travel tip. The first nudist cruise to the north, which takes place next July on Holland America's Amsterdam, is reportedly filling up fast. The Inside Passage cruise is said to be 70 percent booked. Read more…

Northwest Airlines' Coach Choice program, which lets you pay $15 for an exit-row seat in economy class, has been roundly criticized as a money grab by the bankrupt airline. But no one has ever accused the carrier of taking the money and giving its passengers nothing in return. Until now. Read more…

This time of year is normally smooth sailing, as far as ship-borne viruses are concerned. But not if you're cruising to Alaska on one of Celebrity's ships. For the second time this summer, a wave of illness thought to be from norovirus has hit a Celebrity ship along the Alaska coastal route, according to reports. Read more…

What happened to Ted flight 1462 from Reno, Nev., to Denver on July 23rd? Here's what went down according to one passenger on the flight. Ted 1462 was supposed to leave at 5 p.m. but was delayed until 7:30 because of "weather," according to a reservations agent. Read more…

There's nothing wrong with rewarding a chief executive for a job well done. But news that US Airways' CEO Doug Parker sold 270,000 shares of company stock for a total of $9 million -- a move criticized yesterday by the carrier's unions -- raises some important questions. Read more…

For several weeks now, I've been saying that Northwest Airlines probably won't be crippled by a flight attendants' strike. Looks as if I'm more or less right. A federal judge has ordered flight attendants to stay on the job, and has suggested that he may issue a permanent injunction against a strike. Read more…

It is one thing to gripe about a delayed flight or rude airline employees, as I frequently do on this blog. But the ultimate example of bad customer service is, without a doubt, being killed in a plane crash. Read more…

If you have any doubts that customer service is a joke in corporate America, just tune in to Jeff Hoyt's latest podcast, Voice Jail. It will make you laugh ... and cry. Read more…

Here we go again. An Ohio woman has gone missing from a Carnival ship on a four-day cruise to Key West and Mexico. She is presumed to have fallen overboard. During the last six years, 62 passengers have gone overboard and died on cruises, according to a tally by the Safecruise blog. Read more…

Here's a question United Airlines shareholders -- and maybe a passenger or two -- are probably asking themselves: Does United Airlines' chief executive Glenn F. Tilton deserve his new $850,000-a-year salary? Read more…