Indonesia is a vast and diverse archipelago that continues to impress and surprise longtime expats and even locals. To think that because you’ve seen Jakarta and done Bali then you “know” Indonesia is to be sorely mistaken. There are 17,508 islands here! How can I even summarize that much information and Indonesia travel advice in … Read more
Whenever I’m in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, there is only one place I stay at: Back Home Hostel, one of the most relaxing hostels I have ever encountered along my journeys. Located near Chinatown among several other prominent hostels, Back Home stands alone in terms of comfort. The entire place truly has that “back home” feel … Read more
Having spent two weeks checking out the Bangkok nightlife I can now say that I understand and appreciate the words to the One Night In Bangkok song that much better. But before I get into the sordid stories of Thailand‘s capital city after dark, let me just first say a few things: I came to … Read more
Raging motorbikes, breathtaking natural wonders, a thriving art and culture community, the northern region of Vietnam is truly as stunning as it sounds. Covering the larger area of land and has all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, northern Vietnam is something not to be missed in your lifetime. Below are the top 8 reasons why … Read more
This week’s FriFotos theme is ‘thanks,’ meant to coincide with Thanksgiving. Unfortunately since I am in southeast Asia and have no family, either here or anywhere else in the world, I do not celebrate this holiday anymore. I am however still thankful for lots in my life. The awesome job that I left behind to … Read more
I grew up acting then gave it all up for a career in a cubicle. Fun stuff, right? NOT! After five years of the Office Space-lifestyle I had a midlife crisis at 24. That is why I started traveling and what has led me to where I am today. Those of you that follow my … Read more
Located in Surabaya, the House Of Sampoerna is museum and active factory, as well as a popular tourist attraction. In 1913 Liem Seeng Tee, a Chinese immigrant to Indonesia, started what would become one of the biggest cigarette businesses in the entire country. Despite the ridiculously high number of smokers in modern Indonesia, tobacco is … Read more
Before returning to Southeast Asia, my favorite corner of the world, six months ago I was in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. While there one of the places I visited was the Marina Mall, situated out among the marinas of the Persian Gulf in the western side of the city. Marina Mall is Massive The … Read more
Continuing my First Impressions series, the new country this week is Thailand, known as the Land Of Smiles. And for a good reason too. Most everywhere I’ve explored the locals have greeted me with a smile, especially in some of the more rural and non-touristy areas. However, once I started walking through the slums of … Read more
This is part two documenting my first film in Indonesia — Be sure to read the beginning before continuing on. Those first few days in Siak were 16+ hour workdays with only 2-4 hours of sleep a night for most of us. In fact on the third night while filming the office scene we … Read more
I had just finished breakfast one morning at EDU Hostel Jogja when a lady came up to me. “Hi, you’re Derek, right?” “Yes I am. What can I do for you?” Little did I know the entire course of my life in Indonesia was about to shift directions! As we talked she showed me a … Read more
That’s right, I’ve been living out of the same hostel for nearly four months. But in my defense if you saw this place then you would understand why. Located in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, EDU Hostel is the premier hostel of Jogja. Not only is it the biggest and cleanest but it is also located in one … Read more