Bali Island, or commonly known as the island of the God, is one of the famous islands in Indonesia and also in the world. Bali Island is located in the province of Bali, Indonesia, which lies among the island of Java and Lombok island. Bali Island is a beautiful small island that is decorated by mountains and many beaches are a great attraction for all tourists.

Bali Island presents a variety of attractions both natural ambience, religious and also cultural attractions that make it becomes the main tourism object for domestic and foreign tourists. Bali has a million beauties that made everyone always wants to go back there. Between many attractions that are served on this island, there are four main attractions which are always attractive for foreign tourists and also domestic. There are Kuta beach, Sanur beach, Nusa Dua and Tanah Lot.

Bali is a major tourist destination in Indonesia, which has many tourist-rich coastal surf and sunset charm as the main attraction. One of the most popular beach is Kuta beach. Kuta beach is a tourist place located south of Denpasar, capital city of Bali, Indonesia. Kuta is located in Badung regency. Kuta itself has many shops, restaurants and tourism destination that you can visit. Kuta Beach sometimes called Sunset Beach as opposed to the Sanur beach.

In Kuta beach, visitors can do surfing, playing soccer, flying kites, just lying on the warm beach sand, or sight seeing of Western tourists who are watched the sun. If you are interested in hair ponytail or temporary tattoo services, it also can be found at this beach.

The second beach you can visit is Sanur beach, which is also famous as the location for surfing. Sanur Beach is famous for its wave that makes it as favorite place to surf for foreign tourists. Instead of surfing, Sanur beach is also famous for white beaches are clean and soft. In addition, Sanur beach is a rocky beach that is also known as Sunrise beach as opposed to Kuta Beach.

Furthermore there is another beach tourism attractions that become favorite tourist destination between tourists, there are Nusa Dua and Tanah Lot. Nusa Dua is a promontory located on the southern island of Bali. Nusa Dua tourism area was born out of necessity be objective quality rooms for tourists who are expected to continue to increase in number from year to year. Nusa Dua is located about 40 kilometers from Denpasar. This area consists of rocks of this limestone; there are many tourist attractions, such as Jimbaran Beach and Garuda Wisnu Kencana.

After enjoying the beauty of nature in Nusa Dua, you can visit Tanah Lot, which is also believed to be sacred ground for the Hinduism. Tanah Lot is located in the village Beraban or 13 km west of Tabanan. Tanah Lot is almost always offered by every tour guide in Bali to visit. There are two temples are located on a large rock. One is located on the boulder and the other is located on the cliffs similar to Uluwatu Temple. Tanah Lot temple is a sea temple which is functioned as a place of worship to the gods who guard the sea.

Four tourist attractions above are just a few attractions that you can visit as your destination when you travel to Bali. Instead of those places above, there are still a lot of tourism destinations you can use as a place to relieve fatigue and relax with your entire family.

Basically, every human being cannot forget the memory of a passage in his life journey. It is the same thing with the retro cars. The collectors who remain loyal to the cars care for them and gather in one unity. They eventually bring back memories of the cars they have ever seen, felt and been proud of at one time in their life.

The definition of retro car itself is still ambiguous. However, in Indonesia, it has been interpreted as a car that has attained the age of 25 up to 40. Meanwhile, the car that has attained the age of over 40, it is classified as vintage car.

In the past era, there were many brands of cars in Indonesia. You could find them that were made from America, Europe, Australia, and even from the Uni Soviet. You could also find them that were made from Japan. It is known that the cars that were made from Japan have dominated the automotive world in Indonesia. However, following the passage of time, nowadays, only a few brands are survived and they are eventually collected by their fans.

Because of the rally racing events, some brands of cars become a legend. Among them are Toyota, Datsun and Mitsubishi. Not surprisingly, many people have those. Those become the prime target of the fans of retro cars in Indonesia.

In some generations, the retro cars are not just a hobby, but there is nostalgic value that is formed with the cars. Driving them is like expressing again the years of adolescence, school, courtship, and the period in which they spend most of their time to enjoy life.

Indeed, the years of adolescence always have a special place. In this case, the fans repeat the fondness of racing cars in the passionate young man. The retro cars that they have are also those that are ridden by them while they were in senior high school.

The coffee regions of the South Pacific include Indonesia and the Pacific Islands; Sumatra; Sulawesi or Celebes; Java, and New Guinea. Each of these regions has unique coffee attributes for flavor, aroma, after-taste and fragrance.

Indonesia and the Pacific Islands: Indonesia is the world’s third largest producer of coffee. Only 15% of the crop is Arabica beans; however, they are some of the best in the world. Indonesian beans are prized for their richness, full body, earthiness and gentle acidity. A limited number of quality beans are available for the gourmet, specialty coffee industry.

Sumatra: Sumatra is the largest of all the Indonesian islands. There are over 13,700 islands comprising the Republic of Indonesia, some with famous and well known coffees. Sumatran coffees are considered some of the heaviest, smoothest and most complex coffees in the world. Sumatran coffees have spicy, herbal notes and earthy aromas sought after by coffee lovers. The finest of the traditional Arabica coffees from Sumatra are marketed as Sumatra Mandheling and Lintong. Mandheling and Lintong are in the Aceh province on the volcanic mountains near Lake Tawar. The average growing altitudes are between 2,500 and 5,000 feet which is ideal for coffee cultivation. This region has shaded coffee farms and the processing method is “semi-washed.” This method depulps the coffee cherry from the coffee seed before they are dry. This cleans the coffee seed from the fruit pulp that naturally surrounds it. Mandheling is known for its herbal aroma, full body, low acidity, rich and smooth flavor.

Sulawesi or Celebes: Sulawesi was formerly known as Celebes. Coffee from this area uses the dry method and possesses a unique combination of sweetness and earthiness. The highest grade Sulawesi coffee comes from the mountainous area near the center of the island in the Toroja region. Sulawesi coffee is low in acidity with a deep body resembling the taste and fragrance of maple syrup. Japan consumes most of the supply available which tends to be small due to the limited yields.

Java: At the beginning of the 18th century, Dutch explorers brought the first Coffee Arabica trees to Java where they were planted and grown successfully. The island of Java became the world’s leading producer of coffee until a rust disease wiped out the entire industry. Farmers replanted the trees but the crops were devastated by military occupation during World War II. Talk about bad luck! Once again, the acreage was replanted with disease-resistant Robusta stock which is predominant although Arabica has made a comeback. Java Estate coffee is a wet processed coffee that is more acidic, lighter in body, and quicker to finish than other coffees in the region. There are traces of spices in this coffee such as nut, vanilla and spice. Old Java is Java Estate coffee that is stored in warehouses for two to three years. This aging process in storage causes the coffee to lose acidity and gain body and sweetness.

New Guinea: Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. This is the coffee growing region of New Guinea and the coffee is usually labeled Papua New Guinea coffee or PNG. What is very interesting is that the seedlings planted in Papua New Guinea in the late 1930’s that started the island’s coffee cultivation came from the Jamaica Blue Mountain region in Jamaica. Papua New Guinea has ideal weather and soil conditions for growing coffee beans. However, the plantations are very secluded at very high elevations. Very often, these coffee farms are accessible only by foot. Papua New Guinea coffee is grown organically and processed completely by hand. One great benefit for coffee lovers is that the slower processing time makes for a better quality of coffee. Coffee from Papua New Guinea offers a full, syrupy body, balanced snappy acidity and wonderful complexities. Papua New Guinea coffee is reminiscent of Jamaica Blue Mountain flavor and taste.

So, are your ready for a delicious cup of Papua New Guinea AA Estate freshly roasted to order just for you? This is a true gourmet specialty coffee with a pleasingly full body, crisp acidity, a clean taste that finishes sweet, and a luxurious aroma with hints of tropical fruit such as mangoes and papayas!

Pandan, also known as Pandanus lea­ves, is a very popular flavouring in the tropical countries such as Asia, from South India to New Guinea. They are used in many different purposes, but somewhat in relation with rice, it is because rice can gain most from the hay-like odour of pandan leaves.

In some continents in India, there are only a few usage of pandan leaves. They are commonly used for Singhalese vegetarian or non­vegetarian curries in Sri Lanka, sometimes it best suits with curry leaves. There are also talked abouts that it is also used in scattered areas of South India. Mostly, Indian cookbooks nevertheless mention this beneficial spice. But many have seen it used by Indian people.

On the other hand, pandan (Pandanus leaves), is many used in the countries located in South East Asian Parts of the globe. The examples of these countries are Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. In the said countries, pandan or pandanus leaves are best valued because if you add it to the rice, it will produce a very unique and distinct odour. They are a very good flavour enhancers. On the other hand if you would chose to cook plain rice and add coconut milk with Pandan leaves, you wouldn’t regret it, you can eat it even with plain rice. But with an additional ingredient, a very good delicacy will be produced. This is the Indonesian specialty Nasi Kuning. The most delicious delicacy you could produce with its leaves is by steaming rice in small baskets together with its leaves. This delicacy is mostly prepared in Indonesia. Pandan, Pandanus leaves, is a much known plant in Bali, Indonesia.

The nutty, intensive aroma of its leaves is also present in some rice products such as Thai jasmine rice which is also known as khao hom mali that can be found in South East Asia. Smaller varieties of rice are usually cooked with its leaves to enhance and stimulate the flavour of the high bred types of rice. Others experts would say that, when used this way, Its leaves not only contribute in adding flavour, but it also adds green colour to the rice. It is proven in many countries most likely in the Philippines.

In Thai specialties, its leaves are usually used as fragrant wrappers. The best example of a Thai cuisine is the Pandanus chicken, gai hor bai toey, is an old recipe and is eventually the most commonly ordered cuisine in restaurants. The marinated chicken is wrapped in pandan leaves and deep-fried in a wok. Even though the leaves of pandan are very hard to eat, they have a great impact in the contribution of a very unique aromatic smell to the meat.

Pandan leaves are very applicable in the culinary desserts in the areas of South East Asia. In Thailand, cold drinks from coconuts with pandan leaves flavour are very well known. In countries like Indonesia, pandan leaves are developed into delicious ice cream like concoctions. Anyhow, Pandanus leaves are used more likely in puddings or custards from sticky rice or glutinous rice. For the concoctions, glutinous or sticky rice is boiled in the water; add palm sugar and pandan leaves to have a heavy mass that when cooling becomes a semi-solid. A thick coconut milk is put before serving it. In this recipe, pandan leaves are often substituted with vanilla or other nutty flavours such as hazelnut.

Because the leaves of pandan cannot be dried without losing its fragrance, cooks from all over the globe prefer to have the essence. A food dye is added which makes the essence bright green in colour. These best suits in South East Asian countries that preferred to have unrealistic colourings that are applied in all types of snacks.

Unlike its neighbouring islands Bali or Java, Sumatra doesn’t attract a lot of travellers and even though this is exactly what drew me to the island, it’s hard to understand why. It’s the largest island in Indonesia and it has plenty to offer; jungles, orangutangs, elephants, volcanos, waterfalls,… Briefly: an untouched paradise full of adventure!

Gunung Leuser National Park

Home to the orangutang and the Sumatran tiger, Gunung Leuser National Park is a wonderful place for a jungle trekking. Don’t be disappointed that you – most likely – won’t see any tigers though, as my guide told me no one ever sees one and it would probably be the last thing you’d ever lay eyes on anyway.

Leaving early from Bukit Lawang, it didn’t last long before we were surrounded by orangutangs and Thomas Leaf monkeys climbing the trees. It was amazing to see how well the guide knew how to behave around each orang tang, as they all have their own personality traits and some of them like stealing bags!

Tangkahan

This peaceful village at the border of the Gunung Leuser National Park really stole my heart. There’s plenty to do here; washing elephants, river tubing, swimming in the waterfalls,… all this being surrounded by the beautiful tropical forest. A perfect place to connect with nature.

Although Indonesians are particularly friendly people in general, this is undoubtably the place where you will meet the most kindhearted people ever. Always ready to help and keen to tell you about their culture, the guides will do everything to make your stay truly wonderful.

Also, elephants are wonderful animals and I want to see them happy. I’m not an expert but I do think I saw happy elephant faces in Tangkahan.

Sibayak Volcano, Berastagi

Mount Sibayak is one of Indonesia’s active volcanos and the view hiking up to its crater is astonishing. As you climb up to the top, the smell of sulphur gets stronger and there are steaming vents with yellow coloured rocks all around.

Funnily, as I was applying sunscreen my guide asked my why on earth I was covering myself with this white cream all the time. He first looked at me in shock, then started laughing uncontrollably when I said I’d turn red if I didn’t.

Samosir island, Lake Toba

An island on an island! You will not only find beautiful landscapes here, Samosir is also home to the Batak people, an ancient tribe that will gladly teach you about their culture. With their traditional dances, colourful ensembles and beautiful houses decorated with geometrical designs, their culture will astonish you.

Banda Aceh

I was a little hesitant at first to put Banda Aceh in my list of favourite destinations in Sumatra but the culture shock I experienced there and the tsunami remains the city holds turned my visit into an unforgettable experience. One day in this city, as a transit point to Pulau Weh, was enough though!

Being governed by strict Sharia law, this destination is not for everyone but if you decide to go there, it will surely leave you in awe.

Banda Aceh was hit by the tsunami in 2004 very badly and the impact it had on the city is still visible. You will find the unusual sight of boats in the middle of the city or on top of a house, left untouched as a memorial here. The Tsunami Museum offers an insight to the horrifying experience the people endured and it’s worth visiting too.

Pulau Weh

This is a tiny island located right above Sumatra, easily accessible from Banda Aceh by ferry. With its crystal clear water and white sanded beaches, Pulau Weh is a paradise to snorkel, dive or to relax. There are so many exotic fish here that I felt like I was floating around in a natural aquarium!

Our earth has undergone extreme climate change in the form of the theory of global warming in recent years. Average temperatures have increased by 1.8°C since 1880 and while some blame it on the influence of human activities, others believe that climate change is purely natural and humans have insignificant effect on its cause.

The greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere to increase average temperatures. This phenomenon is exacerbated by improper agricultural practices especially characteristic of Less Developed Countries (LDCs). In the Kalimantan rainforest of Indonesia, Sumatra, slash-and-burn agriculture is predominant and due to excessive, constant burning emitting carbon dioxide, this has largely increased the amount of greenhouse effect occurring over Indonesia. Humans here have managed to exert so large an impact that the original tropical climate with abundant rainfall has now been reduced to hot,baked farmland with sparse rainfall, averaging 32°C. Had agriculture been carried out sustainably without such environmentally harmful burning, temperatures over Sumatra will definitely not increase so much, unlike the rest of Indonesia with an average of 28°C. In this case, humans definitely are the main influence of climate change.

However regarding the above point, humans may be limited in their effects as well, as urban microclimates usually do not reflect the regional or even national climate as in Indonesia’s case. Extremely hot and drought-like conditions exist mainly in Kalimantan and over Sumatra where slash-and-burn practices occurs, however extending the scope to Java, Bandung and most of Indonesia, temperatures have not been noticeably altered. Needless to say, where global temperature change is concerned, intense carbon emissions over Sumatra alone will not exert significantly large effects.

Human activity also comes in the form of urbanization which involves the industrial revolution which has been taking place since the late 19th century. Today the burning of fossil fuels and consumption of coal and other natural resources for energy to power industrial activities and economic development have reached an all-time high, more than doubling since the 1990s. Such human activity in countries like China, the world’s largest burner of coal, has contributed to 34 billion tonnes of carbon emissions in 2011, also the world’s largest carbon emission per capita.

This has proven to be a main cause of global warming within China, especially industrial hotspots like Shanghai and Beijing. While it is true that human activity may seem limited in effects as there are no records to show that average temperatures in China are increasing, recent evidence of earlier spring blooms, increasingly humid summers, milder winters and extreme local flash floods show that it is very possible that human activity has been causing an incremental, significant effect to climate change.

Looking at natural factors, climate change is not affected by humans only. Volcanic eruptions that occur periodically over consistent recurrent intervals emit sulfur dioxide, ash, cinder and particulates that act as heat-absorbing nuclei to increase average temperatures. However this does not hold as contrary to belief, volcanoes have a cooling influence in the long-term. Sulfur combines with water vapor in the stratosphere to form dense clouds of tiny sulfuric acid droplets. These droplets take several years to settle out and they are capable of decreasing the troposphere temperatures because they absorb solar radiation and scatter it back to space.The 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption in Philippines produced the largest sulfur oxide cloud in history. The combined aerosol plume of Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Hudson diffused around the globe in months. The data collected show that mean world temperatures decreased by about 1°C over the subsequent two years. Also, scientists estimate that human activity emits 150 times more carbon dioxide than volcanoes annually. Thus ascribing the blame to natural factors is not valid in the long-run.

Perhaps the more valid natural reasoning would be evidence that shows that earth undergoes a natural 1500-year cycle of alternate warming and cooling. Experts postulate that warming has been occurring since 1824 as greenhouse gases and air has been found in polar icebergs. The HMS challenger plunging to 300m deep and covering about 300 oceanic regions found that ocean surface temperatures have rose 0.59°C since the 1870s, indicating that global warming had occurred hundreds of years earlier than expected before the industrial revolution. Human’s effects seem to be limited here.

In conclusion, I disagree that human activities have only limited effects on climate. While it may be true that climate change is a natural process involving negative feedback of the earth’s regulating mechanism, it is definitely exacerbated severely by humans who provide excessive amounts of greenhouse gases and chemicals extremely conducive for this process to be heightened at unprecedented rates. Should humans have moderate carbon footprints and burn natural resources at reasonable rates, climate change would not be affected by such an increase in its speed.

Borobudur is the biggest temple in Indonesia. Borobudur temple is located in Magelang, Central Java, in addition of being a famous tourist attraction, this temple also becomes a center of worship for Buddhists in Indonesia, especially at every celebration of Waisak. Borobudur temple is also known as “Monastery in the hills” because it lies in the hills.

The temple was built around 800 BC or 9th century it has been established as one of the cultural heritage of UNESCO and it does not only makes proud for all people in Indonesia but also throughout the world. This Buddhist temple has 1460 relief panels and 504 Buddha effigies. Borobudur was built by Samaratungga, one king of Old Mataram Kingdom, Sailendra descendants. Gunadarma is the architect of record as someone who is successfully built this temple.

The base of Borobudur, called Kamadhatu, symbolizing human beings that are still bound by lust. Four levels mentioned above represents Rupadhatu, humans who have set themselves free from lust but still tied to appearance and shape. Borobudur temple as a whole has ten levels consisting of six levels of a square, circular level three circular and a main stupa as a peak. At every level there are several stupas. Altogether there are 72 domes besides the main stupa. In every stupa there is a statue of Buddha.

On the wall there is a wall relief of Borobudur temple which tells of a legendary story of Ramayana. In addition, there are relief panels describing the condition of society at that time. All relief panels in Borobudur temple reflect the teachings of the Buddha. Hence, this temple functions as educating media for people who want to learn Buddhism

With all the grandeur and mystery that is only natural that every person from around the world want to visit Borobudur. Borobudur is the excellence and evidence of human intelligence has ever made in Indonesia. It also became the cultural attractions and major in Indonesia instead of Bali and Jakarta.

Endurazyme / Lime / Rice husk ash blend.

Black laterite soils in Indonesia.

Much research has been done to into the problem of soils high in fines and plastic index in areas that have no gravels available within reasonable reach.

Over the years waste materials such as fly ash or pozzolanic materials have been used for soil improvement. Recent research, based on pozzolanic activity, found that rice husk ash was a potential material to be utilized for soil improvement.

When the mechanical stability of a soil cannot be obtained by combining materials as in proportional mix design, it may be advisable to order stabilisation by the addition of cement, lime, bituminous material or special additives [Endurazyme]. Cement treatment is most applied to road stabilisation especially when the moisture content of the sub-grade is very high. Lime or waste is also sometimes applied for stabilisation.

Calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) is most widely used for stabilization. Calcium oxide (quick lime) may be more effective in some cases, however. The quick lime will corrosively attack equipment and may cause severe skin burns to personnel. Ingles (1972) recommended.

Rice husk ash (RHA) is a pozzolanic material that could be potentially used in Indonesia, considering it is sufficiently produced and is widespread. When rice husk is allowed to burn under controlled temperature, higher pozzolanic properties than other leaf plants were observed. Silica is a main mineral of RHA. When reacted with lime, it will form a bonded gel [Ca(SiO3)]. Silica fume can used as a cement replacement with great success.

By using a mix of Endurazyme / Lime / Rice husk ash [RHA] it is feasible that large increases in strength will be achieved plus Endurazyme will increase the impermeability ensuring that the Lime does not leach out. The lime and RHA will help in dewatering wet soils and sub-bases and decrease the curing time for the total pavement or embankment this is especially important in Indonesia and most Asian countries.

Lime reacts with any other fine pozzolanic component (such as hydrous silica and RHA minerals) to form calcium-silicate cement with soil particles. This reaction is also water insoluble. The cementing agents are exactly the same for ordinary Portland cement. The difference is that the calcium silicate gel is formed from the hydration of anhydrous calcium silicate (cement), whereas with the lime, the gel is formed only by the removal of silica from the clay minerals of the soil. Therefore, it can be concluded that Endurazyme, lime and rice husk ash (ELRHA) can improve the engineering properties of soils. Practically, the effective lime content should be blended in the range of 2% to 6%Lime and 4% to 10% Rice Husk Ash.

Results From Research By Agus Setyo Mantohar and Gendut Hantoro .

The results from the LHRA (lime-rice husk ash) blend confirmed that the blend would diminish swell behaviour of clayey soils. Their PI (plasticity index) would decrease from 41.25% to 0.96% when subjected to a LHRA blend of 12-12.5%. Their swell potential would decrease from 19.23% to 0.019% when subjected to the same blending as well. Their CBR (California Bearing Ratio) value would increase from 3.03% to 16.3% at a LHRA blend of 6-12.5%.

Their internal friction angle concerning shear strength parameters would enhance from 5.36 to 23.85. Soil cohesion increased as well from 54.32 kN/m2 to 157.19 kN/m2. Increasing the shear parameter caused bearing capacity to be 4131 kN/m2 from 391.12 kN/m2. At LHRA 6-10%, consolidation settlement was lowered from 0.03 to 0.006. All of these factors can be summarized to say that by blending lime-rice husk ash together, you may enhance the engineering properties of clayey soils. This is advantageous for work construction in the civil engineering field.

Conclusion

Lime stabilization is commonly used for clayey soil. This research shows: 1. Physical properties such as consistency limits and swell potential exhibit improvements when mixed with the appropriate ELHRA blend.

2. LRHA stabilization is more advantageous when moisture content of soil in the field is very high or applied in the optimum condition.

3. The engineering properties of soil improve:

a. CBR, and shear strength of soil improve at a lime range of 6 – 10%

b. Consolidation settlement diminishes

c. Rate of consolidation enhances by increasing of ELRHA.

4. Economically, utilization of ELRHA for geotechnical applications is cheaper.

5. Physical properties such as consistency limits and swell potential exhibit improvements when mixed with the appropriate ELHRA blend.

6. ELRHA stabilization is more advantageous when moisture content of soil in the field is very high or applied in the optimum condition.

7. The engineering properties of soil improve:

a. CBR, and shear strength of soil improve at a lime range of 6 – 10%

b. Consolidation settlement diminishes

c. Rate of consolidation enhances by increasing of ELRHA.

8. The engineering properties of soil improve:

a. CBR, and shear strength of soil improve at a lime range of 6 – 10%

b. Consolidation settlement diminishes

c. Rate of consolidation enhances by increasing of ELRHA.

Add to this the efficacy of Endurazyme and we have a working model for high swell high fines soils, including wet soils.

“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world”. When Socrates uttered these immortal words around 450 BC, residency matters were clearly much more straightforward. Perhaps, today taking into account Greece’s financial troubles he would probably classify himself as a citizen of the E.U. Similarily, when someone decides to live in Bali, one of the first tasks is to determine your current situation and circumstances and then apply for the appropriate visa. You will be offered many shortcuts and tricks to beat the system but I strongly advise against those options and to play it straight. If you plan to spend many years in Indonesia it is surely worthwhile to take time to understand the basic application process and familiarize yourself with the paperwork involved in living and working in Indonesia, legally.

Having decided to live in Bali, and with a job lined up, the next step is to apply for a visa. I know of many companies who tell their employees to get business visas as it is much easier and quicker. They are correct in saying it is much easier and quicker but it is also illegal to work in Indonesia under a business visa. A business visa is only applicable where someone is visiting or staying in the country short term to conduct business such as sourcing products and services or arranging contracts with manufacturers. If you are employed by an Indonesian company or an Indonesian division of a foreign company and are based here long term, then a business visa is not suitable and you need to apply for a KITAS (temporary stay visa) with work permit. There have been several incidents over the years of people who were working illegally under business visas being detained, deported and barred from Indonesia for a period of years.

The KITAS permits are valid for one year and are extendable in-country. To lodge an application you will need to provide the following documents:

– Copy of your passport.

– Curriculum Vitae and references

– Copy of Acedemic qualifications

– Passport photographs with red backgrounds (21 x 4cm x 6cm, 8 x 3cm x 4cm, 6 x 2cm x 3cm ).

Additionally, you will need your employer to provide the following original paperwork.

– The company Deed (Akte Perusahaan)

– The company’s domicile documents (Domisili Perusahaan)

– The company’s tax number (NPWP)

– The company’s business license letter (SIUP)

– The company’s registration number (TDP)

– Organisational chart

– Copy of employee contract between you and company

– Director’s identity card (KTP)

– Commissioner’s identity card (KTP)

– Certificate of registration to the Department of Labor (UU no. 17, 1981)

– 20 company letter heads, signed by the company director, and sealed with the company stamp.

It would be wise to check that your prospective employer actually has all these papers before getting over excited about your career prospects.You must also give instruction as to which Indonesian consulate abroad you wish to pick up your visa. Before a work permit can be issued the applicant must pay the sum of 1,200 USD into a government bank account which is supposed to fund training of professionals who will one day replace expat experts. This payment should be made in person or at least you should accompany the agent when making this payment. There have been many cases where unsuspecting applicants had their agents make this payment on their behalf only to find out that the dodgy agents pocketed the monies leaving the clients with fake work permits and thus liable to a prison sentence if detected.

Expect the whole application process to take up to a month after which time a fax will be sent to the Indonesian consulate you nominated authorizing them to issue you with a Kitas. After entering Indonesia you are allowed about 5 days (exact period will be on immigration stamp in your passport) to report to Immigration office to validate your visa. Your agent will normally accompany you on this visit and babysit you through the ensuing fingerprinting process.

On completion of the process you should have in your possession 4 original documents issued in the following order. A KITAS – identity card, a Blue Book – immigration log book on which will be logged any changes to your immigration status including changes of address, martial status,etc. a work permit IKTA and a police certificate SKLD. You should bring your KITAS with you at all times and remember you are allowed only to work for the company documented as your sponsor and in the capacity listed on your KITAS and IKTA.

Once you are granted a KITAS you are obliged to get a personal tax number NPWP and file your tax report at end of tax year. You are responsible for this process, not your employer. In many cases, the employer undertakes to pay taxes on behalf of the employee, however you must be sure to demand certificate of payment from your employer. There have been many documented cases where the employee only discovered at the end of a contract that he/she owed a lot of money to the taxman.

Once a KITAS is issued, you are not allowed to leave the country without an exit permit, there are a few options here like single re-entry exit permit, multiple re-entry valid for 6 months or multiple re-entry valid for twelve months. I would recommend you have a valid permit at all times should you need to travel abroad for emergencies. At the end of your KITAS period you have the option to extend in-country. If you are not extending you must apply for a termination certificate EPO, this is basically a guarantee to the government that you are not leaving with any “unfinished business”. Overall, it would be advisable to memorize and understand the terms KITAS, IKTA, SKLD, KTP and EPO as you will hear them over and over again.

If you have much time and patience, you can process the visa and work permit yourself but be prepared to spend many days waiting in Government offices. There are many agents “Biro Jasa” offering visa processing services and though they appear to be selling similar products their prices vary quite considerably. Shop around until you find an agent you are comfortable with and do not not base your decision solely on price. Contacting an agent who gave you a great price and whose office is on the back of a motorbike may be more challenging than communicating with an established professional firm. A couple of practical questions to ask an agent before committing would be:

1. How long they have been providing this service?

2. Can they introduce you to somebody who has been a client for years (original application and extensions).

You should also visit their office and get familiar with the individual handling your application. It may sound complicated and a hassle but frankly if you plan to live in Indonesia, it is definitely worth the effort to get familiar with the process and then future extensions will be just a minor formality. You also wont need to be looking over your shoulder and suffering from anxiety attacks when you hear rumors of a “razia” or raid by the immigration officials, or end up like Socrates “philosiphying” about weighty matters, – like why you didn’t go to the trouble of getting the correct visa in the first place and avoiding the repercussions.

Many Asian countries have each evolved their own system of martial arts, and Malaysia is no exception. Most Westerners are familiar with Karate, Judo, Tae-kwondo and Kung-fu thanks to action movies from Hollywood and Hong Kong. Yet there is also a graceful, yet deadly, martial art called Seni Silat that is deeply rooted in Malay culture. This art of self-defence is practised not only in Malaysia but also in Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and in varying degrees even in the Philippines and Southern Thailand. In Indonesia, Silat is referred to as Pencak Silat, while in the Philippines it is called Kali Silat. The late Bruce Lee, Hong Kong’s martial arts legend and founder of Jeet Kwon-do, was also known to have been learning Silat to prepare for his next movie prior to his untimely demise.

The word Silat is coined from the term “Si Kilat”, meaning “one who moves like lightning.” However, the origins of Silat are hard to trace because of lack of written records; nevertheless, it is believed that Indonesia is its birthplace. This martial art resulted from the observation of the fighting tactics of animals such as monkeys, tigers, eagles and cobras. Such movements were slowly built up into an elaborate system of self-defence. The turbulent history of the Malay Archipelago made fighting ability a much-valued asset; thus, silat spread far and wide throughout the region.

Archaeological finds indicated that formalised fighting systems had existed during the 6th century in the Malay Archipelago. Warriors from the ancient kingdoms of Srivijaya in Sumatra (4th to 7th century) and Majapahit (13th to 16th century) displayed effective Silat skills that enabled them to overrun what is now Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. According to Hisbullah Rahman in his book titled “History of the Development of Pencak Silat in Indonesia”, many Chinese went to Srivijaya’s University of Nalanda to learn both Silat and Buddhism. Early trade and migration from other countries also brought foreign influences to Silat. As a result, many Indonesian Pencak Silat systems feature Hindu weapons such as the trisula (forked truncheon), Indian grappling styles, Siamese costumes and Arabian weapons. Early migration by settlers from Indonesia fleeing from clan wars and, later, Dutch domination gradually swept Silat to the Malay peninsula.

Malaysia’s legendary Silat experts were Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah (1459-1477) in Melaka. Today, though the Multimedia Super Corridor is paving the way for the IT era in the country, Silat is still alive and kicking. Both rural villages as well as cities have Silat schools. Silat performances are incorporated into wedding ceremonies, official functions and the performing arts. The national organisation for the promotion of Silat is the Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Malaysia (PESAKA) or The Malaysian National Silat Federation.

Silat has many styles, and they are named after the region of origin, an animal, its founder, a spiritual principle or a physical action. An estimated 200 styles are currently practised. Among the two most popular styles are Silat Seni Gayong and Silat Cekak. Silat Seni Gayong was founded by the late Dato’ Meor Abdul Rahman bin Uda Mohd Hashim (1915-1991). It has practitioners in the Middle East, America and Europe. A Bugis, Dato’ Meor was a direct descendant of Daeng Merewah, a famous silat expert from Sulawesi. Silat Cekak has is roots in Kedah, and was developed by the late Ustaz Haji Hanafi bin Haji Ahmad. During the reign of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin (1854-1879), it was widely practised by his senior warriors. While many Silat Gayong moves are acrobatic, Silat Cekak techniques are mostly executed with a straight posture. A third school of Silat that also has a huge following in Malaysia is Silat Lincah.

Silat Gayong Fatani is infused with influences from Muay Thai or Thai kick-boxing. Silat Chikalong is based on the wing motions of a flying bat while Silat Harimau feature techniques similar to that of an attacking tiger. From Kelantan comes Silat Kelantan which is similar to Japanese judo as it incorporates a lot of throws and locks. In East Malaysia, Silat Betawi (named after Batavia, the Dutch name for Jakarta) has a strong following. This style is similar to Chinese Kun Tow (martial arts) and originated from Java. Silat Medan emphasizes weapon techniques, while Silat Setia Hati is named after a flower, which is beautiful yet deadly poisonous. Distinguishing the various styles of silat is not easy, and only experts can do so.

Irrespective of the style, silat consists of two dimensions: the pulut and the buah. Pulut is soft glutinous rice that is eaten at wedding receptions and gatherings. Therefore, Pulut simply refers to the aesthetically beautiful moves that are executed for entertainment purposes. Pulut is also referred to as Bunga (flower). On, the other hand, Buah, (which literally means Fruit) alludes to the practical aspects that are not displayed to the public. In actual combat, however, both the Bunga and Buah are combined with devastating effects. Bunga will distract and confuse the opponent with its graceful moves, which will suddenly change into explosive strikes at lighting speed -the Buah. In this strategy, the Flower leads to the Fruit.

The traditional attire of the silat exponent is a pair of loose pants and top. A sash completes the outfit. For exhibition purposes, a tengkolok is usually worn. Silat instructors are categorized according to the following levels: kang (lowest), guru, pendekar and mahaguru. In the olden days, finding a Silat instructor was extremely difficult as each teacher used different criteria in selecting students, though the prime consideration was always character and moral standard.

Training with weapons plays an important role in the advanced stage of silat. Depending on the curriculum of the school, a student is expected to master the following: kris (a short wavy dagger), pisau (a short knife), tali (rope), belantan (cudgel), pedang (sword), lawi ayam (a sickle), tongkat (a walking stick made of hardwood), tekpi (trisula), and badik (dagger with straight cutting edge and a back curving at the tip)..

Silat offensive moves are usually executed with the arm, knee, fist, elbow and legs. In addition, there may be a combination of claws, tear and pokes to the vital points. The Silat exponent practises with a combination of Juru-juru (or upper body manouevres) and Langkah (or footwork). The amount of emphasis on one or the other depends on the style and tactical approach.

Silat is not just a system of fighting techniques. There is also the spiritual and moral dimension that complements the blows, locks and kicks. Most Silat instructors in Malaysia are Muslim so their spiritual systems reflect the tenets of Islam. However, Silat transcends religion. In the Philippines, for example, Kali Silat incorporates Catholic ideals in its spiritual dimension, while in Bali, Hindu teachings are prevalent in its spiritual component. This religious aspect of Silat is aimed at personal development.

The future for Silat is exciting. Though, The Netherlands, by virtue of its historical association with Indonesia already has a strong following, Silat schools and interest groups are expanding in Japan, USA, France and the United Kingdom. The establishment of Pencak Silat Federation of the United Kingdom, Silat Federation of United Kingdom and Pencak Silat Bongkot of France are testimony of the growing popularity of this art of hand-to-hand combat.