Earthquake and Volcano

Just wanted to let everyone know that both the earthquake and the volcano eruptions have had no impact on us here in Jakarta. The earthquake took place on the island of Sumatra and we are on Java island. As for the volcano, it is on the opposite side of the coast and almost on the other side of Java. So no need to worry.

Puncak - Cottage Country just outside Jakarta

Finally, a breath of fresh air!

We had a great weekend up in the Puncak area, about an hour outside Jakarta. What a difference an hour makes. These pictures really don't do the scenery justice, it really was spectacular. It was great to catch up with Lynn and just "chill" like typical cottage living (with the exception of someone making your bed, doing your dishes, going for a beer run, etc.).

We tried to beat the traffic coming home by leaving early Sunday, only to find out that the ONLY road that goes in and out of the area was only open one way (not our way) for another hour and a half. So typical. So we sat on the side of the road for an hour and a half and then were on our way back to Jakarta.

Lynn and Anne were off on their 2 week journey of Indonesia first thing Monday morning.

Lynn Arrives!

Our first visitors have arrived! Lynn and Anne landed down in Jakarta on Wednesday night. We were so excited to see them and to show them our new lives. We spent Wednesday night catching up on our balcony while sipping on a few glasses of wine. Thursday was quite an adventure as Maya finally got to see Damma. It only took about 30 seconds for the two to become inseparable. After a tour of the complex, a relaxing dip in the pool, we treated ourselves to a hot stone reflexology foot massage. Needless to say, they quite enjoyed themselves. We finished the day with a yummy sushi dinner (is anyone seeing a pattern here?). A great day with two great ladies, can't wait to do it some more.

Local Plants

Just wanted to show you what a typical area that sells indoor/outdoor plants looks like. This is one I visit frequently to pick up beautiful orchids for $4 each. Sure beats Home Depot's garden center doesn't it?

Birthday in Jakarta

We celebrated our first birthday abroad this past weekend (oh yah, it was mine). Went out to eat at an awesome Japanese restaurant with some new friends on Friday and was treated to a homemade dinner by my husband on Saturday. Surprise, surprise, got a few extra massage gift certificates to use in the next little while!

Sunday was also our first holiday away from home. Strange celebrating Thanksgiving in 30C weather without family around. We did however attend a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving dinner at a non-traditional venue - the Four Seasons hotel. The turkey was actually pretty good!

Again with the rain

I know I just blogged about the daily rain we're receiving, but I just took a short video of the beginnings of a storm today and had to share. The winds, lightening, thunder and rain got a lot heavier so I had to close the door to stay dry. Almost all the plants on our balcony were blown over and the patio furniture ended up on one side of the balcony. Normally, you can see the skyline on either side of the building, but as you can see it was all a big blur. It's just crazy!

Another weekend come and gone

Weeks just seem to be flying by lately. It has now been 2 months since we left home. Some days it feels like we've been here forever and other days it's as if we just got here. Jared held his first guys poker night in Jakarta on Friday night which was a success (for Jared anyway!). We indulged in a 2 hour massage on Saturday morning and brunched with some friends on Sunday morning.

The weather in Jakarta has been crazy lately. It turns out that there really wasn't much of a dry season here this year. There are times that after only an hour of rain, streets are flooded with water past your ankles. The rain is really affecting the locals. Their homes are getting flooded every few days. Most of them use motorcycles as their means of transportation, which are close to impossible to maneuver in that kind of rain. I think that the locals discuss their rainfall just as much as we discuss our snowstorms.

I keep forgetting to bring my camera along when I go out, so for now, I have posted a photo of our typical evening at home. Maya wresting with Daddy before bath and bed!