Tag: Indonesia

Fire in the belly: about falling in love on top of an active volcano

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Is there a better place to experience a turning point than the top of a mountain?

For those with a decided lack of talent for rhetoric, the ones who immediately want to denounce that you may as well experience such turning point on the platform of a train station, or seated down on a toilet: the answer is, of course, no.

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The art of disconnected travel: Is it possible to travel without a smartphone?

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I always travel without a smartphone. For the simple reason that I don’t own one, never have and I have no intention to buy one in the near future.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against technology.

I don’t use a horse and carriage to get to places. (Instead, I cycle, walk or use public transportation.)

I don’t live in a mud hut in the mountains of New Zealand, disconnected from electricity and running water. (At least not yet.)

I definitely don’t carry around a portable typewriter, like the bohemian writers and beatniks of the old days. (Although I admit that the idea sounds kind of cool.)

No, on the contrary. As of late, I’ve evolved in quite the flashpacker. I almost invariably carry a laptop (for writing), a camera and an iPod (remember those?) around. I am fond of my toys. But a smartphone? Nope, I’d rather have my balls slowly removed with a rusted spoon.

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