We're stood watching torrential rain fall on the beach in front of us. It seems on the Gili Isles we can't predict what time the rain will come. Yesterday it was 5pm as we lounged by our stunning pool, today it started at 11.45am so we are caught out as we circumnavigate the island on foot. We're still full from breakfast so we don't even fancy taking refuge in one of the many beach bars to have some lunch. It's been pouring for forty minutes now and is showing ...

I'm writing this listening to frogs, crickets and cicadas, overlooking rice paddy fields in a gorgeous little bar area illuminated by fairy lights. I can only see lights reflecting in the rice paddies as the sun has already set. Above me is a canopy of stars in a sky now perfectly cloud free, despite the afternoon downpour and loudest and longest thunder I have ever heard. Bali, or Ubud, as this is the only bit of Bali we have explored, has exceeded our expectat...

Driving across the remainder of Java towards Kawah Ijen. Up in the mountains it is exceptionally green and undeveloped, a complete contrast from the very urban and congested highway that linked Yogyakarta with Mt. Bromo. Yesterday it took 12.5hrs to travel 400km, that's an indication of the traffic! Thankfully our eleven seater mini van had only four of us in it so we had room to stretch out. This part of the journey sees us in a car all to ourselves! We've cert...

We circled Jogjakarta airport for ten minutes before being given permission to land. As we went around and I could see the same landscape time and time again, I could see the skies darkening and I was keen to land before the storm broke. We did, just. The heavens opened just as we settled ourselves in a taxi, and stopped just before we pulled up at our guesthouse. Talk about timing! We thought we may not need a visa, we did however as exemptions only apply if f...

The dusty plains of Bagan gave way to completely different scenery which we hadn't yet seen in Myanmar. The mini van climbed windy mountain roads with hills thickly clad with trees. We were definitely heading into trekking country. Kalaw is a town where you don't really want to linger. The restaurant offerings were just about sufficient for our one night stay. Thankfully within an hour of arriving we had found a hotel for the night, booked a trek, ordered lunch...