Adjusting
Apr.26
0

Adjusting to a “local” level

Posted by in Challenge, Change, Finances, Life

Human beings are known for their ability to adjust. They do it (of course with the proverbial exception to the rule) swift, and smooth. One thing from one of our previous travels comes clearly to mind. We did a dive in Moalboal, Philippines. The air temperature was 26 degrees Celcius, and so was the water temperature. Upon returning to the boat our dive guide started shivering like crazy, he wrapped his arms around himself to warm himself up and his lips turned blue-ish. He was terribly cold. Kaisa and I…read more

Apr.21
0

10 things to forget when packing for exotic travels

Posted by in Life, Travel

Packing can be a b**** on wheels, and if you’re like me, you could literally end up accompanying one throughout your travels. Below some guidelines on what you can forget. Meaning, you’ll be traveling so light you won’t have to worry whether or not you’ll actually get to your end destination, because the luggage just might not fit into the vehicle they came to pick you up with (true story). Below the ten sins we have committed and learned from… Forget washing clothes after just one wear. The western wear-once-then-wash…read more

Apr.16
0

Want to become a millionaire?

Posted by in Finances, Life, Life Coaching, Travel

Isn’t this the dream. And lucky for you all, I have the answer on how to become one! To become a millionaire, all you have to do is travel to Indonesia (sure, you’ll need some to get some), find an ATM and withdraw the equivalent of about 88 USD (€68). The machine will cough up a million rupiah for you, and you’re left living a scene from Friends: “My wallet is too small for my fifties*, and my diamond shoes are too tight!” *In Bali that would be fiftythousands It’s all…read more

Heat-proof pyrex glass bottles with a colorless transparent liquid inside
Apr.11
0

On communicating in different cultures (part 2)

Posted by in Change, Life, Travel

For my IDC (the diving instructor course) I was required to present a medical statement in which I am declared physically fit by a GM/physician. I had one of these done already last year when I did the Dive Master, but apparently that wasn’t enough. So in my study material there was a form with -again- all these questions. Do I have any allergies (not to my knowledge)? Am I pregnant (not to my knowledge)? Do I have or have I had heart problems (too big, but I doubt that…read more

Apr.08
0

The day when Bali plays dead

Posted by in Outdoors, Travel

We have been fortunate to see many wonderful things during our travels. We have celebrated a Christmas eve in a beach-hut in the Philippines playing crazy games and eating like locals. We have watched the year change on a roof of a hotel in Hong Kong. We have celebrated midsummer in the middle of Guatemala listening to local bands play. We have swam with large manta rays in the Cayman Islands. We have hiked in the jungles in Malaysia and slept in a cave where elephants and tigers just passed…read more

Toilet paper
Apr.05
0

On communicating in different cultures (part 1)

Posted by in Challenge, Travel

In the past weeks we’ve noticed that communication isn’t as self-evident here as it is for us “back home”. Both Kaisa and I have been around quite a bit and we speak very proficiently in two or more languages. English is the second language to both of us, it’s what we mainly speak (also together) and if you aren’t a native speaker, you probably wouldn’t know that we aren’t. And we don’t even think about it. It’s not only the second language, but it’s pretty much second nature. Sometimes I…read more

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