Soapbox

There was a time, not that long ago, when it was really possible to get lost in Bali. To wander down unmarked roads and lanes and sit quietly under banyan trees in unnamed villages. There was nature in Kuta and fields in Seminyak, there wasn’t a single building in Nusa Dua nor a villa on […]

Sustainability is the hot word of the moment. Encompassing environmental friendliness, economic viability, community sensitivity and ethnical employment. It is a huge and complicated subject. But it’s not just hot, it’s important. Almost everything, no, actually everything needs to be sustainable. While most of us think of sustainability as an environmental issue and absolutely abhor […]

British Poet John Masefield wrote his famous  poem ‘Sea Fever’ in 1902 which so beautifully expresses our fascination with the sea. The second verse sums it up well: “I must down to the sea again, for the call of the running rideIs a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied” We […]

The art world is one that is very hard to understand, and I think those that control it want it to be that way! Which artist fetches the top dollar for their work? And why? It doesn’t always seem to be about what we (amateurs!) call quality, in fact some of the absolutely hot, top-grossing […]

I suppose most people want to be fit, and everyone wants to be healthy but isn’t it amazing that we don’t try very hard to achieve either? We bumble along putting off exercise schedules and programs and delay health checkups as if these were causes of the problems not the solutions. Don’t deny it! Part […]

Richard Rogers captured our imagination with his wonderful lyrics to this song from the movie ‘South Pacific’ in 1949. Not some enchanted morning, not some enchanted lunch time, no, the magic of love only starts at night. Maybe the magic is somewhat diffused by the latest additions to Bali, motorcycles roaring past and very loud […]

Our May 2019 issue is all about health, spas and wellness (which is different from health apparently) and how to generally look and feel good.  Now while you might not be aware of it, Indonesia (which includes Bali as a province) recently had national elections for all elected positions from city and provincial councils  to […]

It has always struck me that education is very unbalanced in most schools around the world, concentrating more on maths and science, which most people will only use a tiny part of for the rest of their lives, compared to health and nutrition which they need every day of their lives. And on which their […]

In our March 2019 issue you will find heartwarming stories about how some people actually do look after other people less fortunate than themselves. Please read them and think not, “wow , well done them” but “what can I do to help?” Actually it’s easy. Just give some money! What’s not easy is doing the […]

“I really fell in love with Bali the first time I came here”, said one American lady I know, and she has been here a long time now. What’s surprising perhaps is that she doesn’t speak Balinese, nor Indonesian, and isn’t really up to speed on Balinese customs, rituals, beliefs, ceremonies and well, really everything […]