A Tale of Two Budget Airlines – Part I of III: AirAsia ASEAN Pass – the Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and How Easy it Is to Lose a Customer for Life

Having just rounded up a two-month journey courtesy of the AirAsia ASEAN pass, I thought it would be timely to reflect both on my experience of using this innovative travel resource, and my occasionally difficult adjustment from business traveler to Weekend Explorer (read, budget traveler.) #firstworldproblems

But before I launch into the tale, I acknowledge that people may not have the time to read a lengthy blog post – let alone three. So here is the key takeaway. Jetstar is the King of Budget Airlines in Asia, I will never fly AirAsia again.

Now on to our story.

First, kudos to AirAsia’s marketing team. They are definitely unsurpassed in the Asian budget airline realm for coming up with innovative and attractive campaigns for the masses – of which I am but one. The AirAsia ASEAN Pass is one such initiative.

As the first promotion since the fatal Dec. 28 crash of AirAsia 8501 (which killed all 162 people on board enroute from Surabaya to Singapore) it was important for the ASEAN Pass to manifest a vision beyond cheap travel. Thus, Air Asia Group CEO Tony Fernandes explained, in advance of this year’s anticipated ASEAN Economic Community and Open Skies Policy, “the [ASEAN] pass allows us to bridge communities and attract more foreign tourists to the region. It’s the perfect instrument to promote ASEAN integration.” I should add that I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Fernandes at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Manila last year, and that we had a charming and witty conversation about Malaysian politics. I respect him, and his accomplishments, immensely. But would that be enough to save AirAsia this customer?

But I am getting ahead of myself. What was the promotion that launched this saga in the first place? In a nutshell, the AirAsia ASEAN Pass is a pre-purchased travel pass that allows travelers to book air journeys with credits, at least 14 days or more before the departure date to travel to more than 140 routes across ASEAN’s ten member states. Travelers can opt for a 10 credit/ one month pass for MYR 499, or a 20 credit / two month pass MYR 888. The clock starts counting down from the first day of travel, not date of purchase. The two step process works as follows.

As a relatively early adopter, I was able to capitalize on a number of advantages from the 20 credit pass. This worked for me primarily because of my own scheduling flexibility. At my time of purchase, eligible flights below two hours were valued at one credit, while flights of two hours and above were valued at three credits. However, the number of one credit flights has decreased since then, as has flight availability. (Non-Malaysian travelers may be able to take advantage on the ringgit’s recent drop vis-à-vis the USD and still enjoy discounted travel benefits.)

I took four separate (AMAZING) trips with the pass – Singapore, Borneo (Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Bandar Seri Begawan, Miri and Kuching), North Sumatra (Medan), and Kuala Lumpur. There were some minor hiccups here and there (mostly due to fluctuating availability and the unpredictable performance of the AirAsia website). But the REAL nightmare happened on the final leg of the journey – prompting me to write this post.

Challenges began when, as usual, I tried to pre-book 20k of check-in luggage for each leg of the journey. (I’d had no problems booking Singapore and Borneo, but Medan and Kuala Lumpur were proving to be a huge headache.) It just WASN’T working, no matter what I did. So I tried to get in touch with AirAsia customer service to resolve this seemingly benign issue.

Attempt 1: Live Chat

Air Asia’s live chat option is a great, cost effective way to communicate with irate/frustrated customers – in theory. The challenges are as follows. First, the queues are horrendous – lasting anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes (in my four attempts over the course of several days, anyway.) Second, if you are not vigilantly at your computer for every waking moment of this time, you instantly lose your place. (I made the mistake of taking a bathroom break to discover that my computer had gone to sleep and I was kicked out of the queue with only 10 minutes to go!) No problem, this was my fault. So I brilliantly set a movie to play in the background of my laptop to maintain an active connection, and went on with the mundane tasks of the day. FINALLY I got in touch with a representative, who, after learning about my problem, told me that the issue might be with my browser and/or cookies. Now I am not the most IT savvy person (by far) but even I shouldn’t have been THIS dumb. Once I cleared my history as instructed, he told me to close the browser and try again. Great advice – except closing my browser OBVIOUSLY disabled the chat. (Duh!) Now, when you register for the service, they ask for your email address and/or mobile phone number. (I’d included both.) So I waited expectantly for an email to ping or my phone to ring. Neither happened. I attempt to register for a new chat, only to find the wait time at 95 minutes. FORGET that. So I proceed to option B.

Attempt 2: Indonesia Customer Service Hotline

I get through to the call center relatively quickly, only to be greeted by someone with barely comprehensible English. (Now keep in mind that I’ve both lived and worked around Europe and Asia, have resided in Indonesia for 18 months, and am pretty good at deciphering different accents.) After a long back and forth, I finally manage to communicate my challenges to him, and he proceeds to pull up all of my upcoming itineraries. “No problem,” he explains, “the luggage is already booked,” which explains why I’ve had challenges trying to pay on the website. “OK,” I reply, “but why isn’t it showing up on my itinerary?” He sends me a new link, and sure enough, the luggage is right there where it should be. Phew – problem solved. Right?

Well, the problem was solved for Jakarta – Medan and Medan – Kuala Lumpur. But on the last leg of my journey, after a lovely lunch with an old friend, I made my way early to the KLIA Ekspress train for the airport , since there are worse places to while away an afternoon than Kuala Lumpur International Airport. But this is where the true trials and service breakdowns begin.

I check in at a kiosk, and wonder why I have not been given an option to print out baggage tags. Oh well, no problem here – in Medan even though you CAN print out your tags at the kiosk, the ground staff end up ripping them up and printing new ones at the desk. So maybe this is a new security measure. I haul ass to the other end of the airport (for some bizarre reason the kiosks and the baggage drops are at opposite ends of the airport.) With a smile, I put my suitcase on the scale and hand over my travel documents. “Everything is in order with your boarding pass,” she explains, “but you have not pre-booked luggage. So I cannot check your bags in.” “But I have,” I say wearily, and proceed to recount the entire customer service saga to date. “Sorry,” she replies, “but if it’s not in my system, there’s nothing I can do.” “Fair enough,” I say, “but is there a supervisor I can speak with to attempt to resolve this situation?” She directs me to another counter with a long queue.

Forty five minutes later, only two people have been helped – one of whom has been yelling non-stop for 30 minutes. (I initially thought he was a complete jerk, but by the end of my own experience I was slightly more empathetic!) A little over an hour later I finally get through to the representative. “You are in the wrong line,” he tells me, “there are no supervisors here, and you actually need to go to the baggage payment counter over there.” ANOTHER line. At this point, I nearly blow a gasket I have been at this for nearly two hours, and have gotten exactly nowhere.

From arriving at the airport 3.5 hours before my flight, I am now running dangerously close to missing it. He takes one look at my face (at the threshold of bursting into tears, yelling with true rage, or hysterically laughing), and offers to walk me over to the right desk. (AirAsia staff at KLIA have an odd habit of running around to different posts so I can’t even find the initial representative who sent me on the wild goose chase to begin with!) I explain my problem to him, and he gives me the same reply – if it’s not in THEIR system, there’s nothing they can do. Oh, and there’s something else. Not only is it significantly more expensive to book luggage at the airport – there is a weight limit of 15 kg. So there is a good chance my bag won’t even make it on the flight.

As we walk over to my fourth queue of the day, I explode. (In typical Jennifer fashion, I explain in advance to the representative that I am not angry at him directly and that I appreciate his attempt to help me, but that I am overwhelmed by the obstacles I am facing given a situation that is in no way my fault.) He goes up to the counter and asks his colleague to take care of me, and then returns to his post.

Paradoxically, this is the nicest AirAsia representative I’ve dealt with so far – and this is the point where I get most irritated. Because he tells me the truth. He is very sympathetic to my plight, and agrees that it does not make sense that I would book luggage for three out of the four legs of my journey, and not the fourth. He tells me frankly that this is not the first time this has happened. But there is NOTHING he, or anyone, can do. I tell him step by step what has happened to this point, and he analyzes every misstep.

They HAVE been having issues with their website.
They do NOT always keep records of customer service interactions. So my strongest point of proof that this was not a problem on my end would become a “my word against theirs” scenario, since all I had on my end was a record from my mobile phone carrier that a call had taken place – but not what was said.
There is a strictly enforced 15 kg limit at the airport.
I can try to seek recourse after the fact, but nothing is likely to happen.

So here I am, facing missing my flight, throwing out a quarter of the contents of my check-in luggage, or. . .? He tells me that he can give me 1kg “grace” and that I can either pay a steep overweight fee or put some items in my carryon. “But” . . . , I say, being the law/policy-abiding Oregonian that I am, “you have a clear 7kg limit on hand carry luggage. Removing 5 kg of items from my bag will put me way over this.” “No problem,” he says confidentially, “we NEVER weigh hand luggage.”

So the net result – and the net weight on the damn plane – is ultimately the same. But AirAsia has lost a number of customers that day. I am one of them. (As, I’m sure, are some of the others in the “fake” supervisor queue.)

The sad thing is that this could have been resolved so easily. Having been a consultant (arguably one of the more challenging customer service jobs out there), I am truly empathetic to those sitting on the other side of the desk. Where I lose my patience, however, is when systems break down. What could AirAsia have done differently?

Accountability. The thing that riled me the most was that at every step of the way, my challenges were someone else’s fault/problem. Not only could no one resolve my relatively minor problem – no one could even direct me on how to fix it.

Empowerment. When you have ridiculously rigid policies, your customer service representatives end up finding their own ways to cut corners which short-change the airline and do nothing to make a customer feel valued. My check-in luggage issue was a drop in the bucket for AirAsia, but felt like the struggle for my life on my end.

Record Keeping. By far the most shocking was the admission that records are not always kept of customer service interactions – and that there is no single CRM system to link the different parts of the chain. Now perhaps Malaysians are by nature less litigious than we Americans, but wouldn’t it simply be good business practice (and common sense!?) to cover one’s tracks?

Quality. Traveling on a budget airline does not have to feel like a budget experience. Reflecting on my recent travels with AirAsia, two things stood out. First, I really felt like a meaningless cog in a big machine. If I were a dissatisfied customer, no worries – there a millions of others out there. Second, the quality of the passengers themselves was surprisingly low – by this I mean the seatbelts off up the minute the plane lands and elbow old ladies in the ribs to get bags variety. You get the customers you cultivate. That means fewer of me, and more of them. And who wants that?

Longevity. In the short run, this philosophy will hold true. For every one of me there are millions more in the wings. But as experiences such as mine are recounted, and, well, experienced on an exponential scale – who is left to ensure the airline’s sustainability? Certainly not the customers with the purchasing power to make a long-term difference on the airline’s bottom line. And that’s just a crying shame. . .

Read the second part of the series, A Tale of Two Budget Airlines –Part II of III: Why Jetstar is the King of Budget Airlines in Asia, here.

June 9, 2015 Jennifer

Lake Toba: Relaxation and A Tale of Two Beginnings

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View image | gettyimages.com

At the first glimpse of Lake Toba on the winding road to Parapat, one can be forgiven for momentary confusion — is this Indonesia or Switzerland?! Dark blue waters, green hills, and an assortment of church steeples (the Bataks indigenous to the area are predominantly Christian) greet the eye. Upon reaching the ferry port at Parapat, however, you are undisputedly in Indonesia, with motor bikes, Padang canteens, and a warm and friendly chaos taking over your senses.

Shameless ferry selfie

I am drawn to the region after no fewer than four jungle excursions in the past month, and look forward to relaxing in a more temperate climate for first time in months.

There is no dearth of accommodation in Tuk Tuk, the main tourist area on Samosir Island — an “Island within in Island” located about an hour’s ferry ride from Parapat. I’ve chosen the quirky and slightly more upscale Horas Family Home, where I am regaled by stories by the garrulous owner, indulge in not only home cooked, but also home grown/raised food (TOP RATE!!!), and float aimlessly on the lake. I also enjoy hot showers and access to my own fridge — luxuries I will never take for granted again.

There are many ways to grill a fish — Scenes from the Horas Family Home Fish Barbecue

Nature’s spotlight — sun shines through the rain on a late afternoon on Lake Toba

Paddleboarder and Fisherman cross paths along the southeastern bank of Samosir Island.

This turns out to be a good choice, for even though it is officially the beginning of the dry season in Northern Sumatra — Mother Nature has other plans. I find the nightly rain drumming on the roof to be very soothing, but with the occasional afternoon squall, I also find myself grateful that there are not many more things to do in Lake Toba than relax.

On my first full day (coincidentally also the driest) I decide to venture out and explore the island. A walk around Tuk Tuk takes about an hour — but 15 minutes in I cave to the heat and decide to rent a motor bike and helmet (at, I might add, twice the rate of bikes in Lombok!) With only the most rudimentary of maps, and an occasionally confused Waze / Google Maps GPS combo, I venture out in search of the renowned “Ambarita Stone Chairs.”

While the Romans had thumbs up or thumbs down to determine gladiatorial fate, the pre-Christian Bataks had the stone chairs where they held council. Whenever an enemy was captured or a local was accused of some misdeed, the elders would invite the rulers of neighboring villages to convene and determine the fate of the victim. If deemed guilty, the poor soul would be rubbed with garlic and chilli, beheaded, and, er, savored. (If you are “lucky” you can be selected as part of a “live demonstration” on site.)

This sounded cool, if somewhat macabre. I head in the general direction over some seriously steep and rocky roads, and quickly find myself spinning in circles thanks to Waze taking me off course. (Asking for help is surprisingly useless, even in Indonesian. For every person who told me to turn left — another would tell me to turn right.). FINALLY I spot signs for “Famous Ambarita Stone Chairs”, and after parking the motorbike in a shady spot, dutifully sign the registration log and make an IDR 10,000 “donation.”

Climbing a steep, mossy (read, slippery!) staircase carved into the rocky outcrop, I snap pictures of the Batak statues and carvings along the way. Upon reaching the top, I see no stone chairs in sight. Could I have missed them? Carefully making my way down again, I see a miniature set of stone chairs that could have comfortably seated a Council of Elders — were such council comprised of children or dolls. And this looks NOTHING like the photos I’ve seen online.

Feeling duped (but also feeling too foolish to confront the man at the registration hut), I get back on the bike and decide to wander a bit further. Down the road, I see signs for “Huta Siallagan” — the ACTUAL stone chairs. They are certainly more to scale, and an impressive sight to behold, but the fake Batak village and souvenir market somehow cheapen the overall experience. So I find my earlier irritation fading, especially considering that as part of my earlier “donation” I was given a rather cute carved keychain as a souvenir.

The not-so-real miniature stone chairs.

The much more reasonably-sized stone chairs.

I gained three key takeaways from this little adventure (misadventure?). First, given that this was the historical highlight of Samosir, I would not feel guilty for spending the rest of my stay taking in the scenery at my own, VERY SLOW pace.
Second, even though one was officially a mistake, I was quite happy to appreciate the two different sites from an aesthetic perspective, especially when not ascribing any particular historical importance to either. Third and most importantly, I realized that it was the story, more than the site, that appealed to me. One of my favorite pastimes is to collect folk and fairy tales from around the world. So, over the next sleepy couple of days in Lake Toba, I greatly enjoyed learning two tales of creation behind this very special place.

Version 1: The Batak Legend of Samosir

Once upon a time, there was a young farmer named Toba. He lived in a fertile valley and while by far not a rich man, he was able to support himself by growing crops.

One day, Toba awoke with a craving for fish, and headed to a nearby river with his fishing pole in tow. The river was usually teeming with fish, but on that strange day, not a single one was in sight. Just as he was preparing to leave (with great disappointment) he snared a big fish. As he slowly reeled it in, he was surprised to hear a voice pleading with him to let the fish go. Looking around, he saw no one. He then realized that the fish itself was speaking to him.

Astounded, Toba released the fish back into the river. Suddenly the fish transformed into beautiful young woman. The woman explained that she was actually a princess who had been cursed to live out her life as a fish. In gratitude to the young farmer for breaking her curse, the princess said that she would happily become his wife under one condition — he must never tell a soul about her previous life as a fish. If he did not heed this condition, she warned, a terrible tragedy would befall him.

Toba and the princess were happily married, and soon after she gave birth to a baby boy, whom they named Samosir. Samosir had a tremendous appetite. In a perpetual state of hunger, he would devour all the food on the table without leaving his parents a single morsel to eat.

One day, Samosir was sent to bring food to his father who was busy working in the fields. Absentmindedly he began nibbling at the delicious meal that his mother had packed. Toba was both famished and tired after a hard day’s work, but discovered that was no food left for him to eat. In a fit of rage, he lashed out at the boy, calling him a son of a fish.

Crying, Samosir ran home and asked his mother if he really was a son of a fish. Shocked and saddened, the princess told the boy to climb the to the top of the tallest tree on the hill behind their home. Hurrying to the river bank where she and Toba first met, the princess suddenly disappeared.

The sky turned black as night, and thunder, lightning and heavy rain besieged the valley, causing a great flood. The water levels continued to rise until the valley was no more — it had turned into a large lake. The hill became an island, named after its sole survivor, Samosir. Legend has it that Samosir is the father of the Batak people of North Sumatra. Toba, the harbinger of disaster, is commemorated by the lake which today bears his name. Of the princess, sadly, nothing remains.

Version 2: Science Stuff

Lake Toba and Samosir Island were formed after the eruption of a supervolcano some 75,000 years ago. Due to its unique topology, Samosir is quite possibly the only place in the world where you can both stand on an island on an island (The island of Samosir in Lake Toba on the Island of Sumatra) and swim in a lake on a lake (Lake Sidihoni on Samosir on Lake Toba)

Quick Facts

Lake Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world, and is one of approximately 20 recognized “supervolcanoes” in the world.
The lake was formed after a massive eruption approximately 74,000 years ago, believed by scientists to be the largest volcanic eruption of the past 2.5 million years
Ash from the eruption has been found as far away as Lake Malawi, Africa
The Toba Catastrophe Theory posits that the last eruption was so severe that it led to an ice age, and wiped out most of our prehistoric ancestors in everywhere but Africa, creating a “genetic bottleneck” explaining the origins of the human race stemming from that continent.
However, the above theory is being increasingly discredited as new science comes to light
The North-South Sumatra fault line, which bisects Sumatra, runs through Mount Toba.
In theory, any activity along this fault line could trigger another Toba eruption.
Samosir is the largest island on an island, and the fifth largest lake island in the world
Samosir was originally a peninsula, connected to mainland Sumatra by a small isthmus

I think both versions are pretty interesting — which one do you prefer?

June 1, 2015 Jennifer

Borneo Jungles: The Beauty of Disconnecting

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View image | gettyimages.com

Hello Internet! After nearly 3 weeks in the jungles of Borneo and over a week laid up in bed back home it’s a pleasure to reconnect. Or is it?

If there is anything that I’ve learned on this month-long hiatus, it’s that wifi is worse than any drug. Truly. I realized that I had a problem when I was more stressed out at not being able to connect than I was by being so remote that I couldn’t buy cigarettes. (Even in Brunei, the height of modern civilization in Borneo, there are no boozy beverages or smokes to be found. But I was more saddened by the fact that the wifi was too slow for me to connect to my website. . .)

On a practical front, I was concerned that while traveling alone, I had no means of telling friends and loved ones that I had not been devoured by a crocodile. (I did get attacked by leeches on two separate occasions — but that’s its own story!) On an emotional front, I felt like a crappy friend who couldn’t be consistently accessible to friends going through tough times. One by one my Word Feud and Words with Friends Games were automatically resigned. And without Facebook — a key tool not only for my blog but for my LIFE — whatever was a girl to do?

EVERY once in a blue moon, the planets (or more accurately, the satellites) would align for JUST long enough for me to receive a flurry of updates and Whats App messages — only to disconnect before I was able to reply. The WORST was not being able to respond to a birthday invite from a friend in Jakarta, and to just barely get three words out to her on the actual day. But amazingly, one’s true friends are surprisingly understanding about the realities of leaving the urban jungle for an entirely different one.

Like beating any addiction, the first 48 hours were the hardest. But then slowly I discovered new ways to stay engaged and in touch.

No wires — no makeup, but definitely a cave spelunking badass!

1) News. Just like in the “old days” news DID make it to the jungle with each new wave of visitors. I learned about the horrific events in Nepal from an actual person. As a result, rather than voyeuristically perusing news updates and heartbreaking photo montages, we quietly mourned those lost, and reflected on how lucky we were in so many ways.

2) Sensory Stimulation. The only thing better than cute monkey videos is seeing monkeys in action — in the flesh. (And, I might add, some interesting mating habits were revealed!) My first day in the jungle, I literally couldn’t see the forest for the trees. But by the second and third days, I found my eyes identifying both primates and birds camouflaged in the leaves — and being quite proud of my newfound abilities. (Unfortunately, since I don’t have a zoom lens, you’ll have to take my word that the fuzzy blobs in my snaps are in fact animals and insects in their milieu!)

3) Social Engagement. As a single traveler (and a woman) I frequently find myself using my devices to keep potential weirdos at bay — from the endlessly chattering seatmate on a long-haul flight, to Casanova acolytes who assume that there is no earthly way you could be content with your own company. Maybe it’s just that willingness to venture into the jungle automatically makes you kind of cool — but overall I met some amazing people that I probably would have been less inclined to engage with under other circumstances. (I am frequently described as “reserved” or “slow to warm up.”)

4) Sleep Quality. I truly do believe that unplugging, coupled with trekking and fresh air, had a positive effect on my ZZZ’s. This made me generally more sharp, observant, and communicative. Since I know that in reality I will probably continue to be on at least one of my devices before sleep, a more practical long-term solution that I plan to explore when I return home is amber-tinted specialty glasses designed to filter out blue light.

5) Gratitude. Without distractions, and living an albeit temporarily simpler life, I found it easy to take time out to appreciate how lucky I was. In many ways, this is the most important lesson of all.

So a blogger can’t post without Internet access — but at the same time, may come up with unexpected inspiration without it. . . .

May 21, 2015 Jennifer

On Marathons and Meanderings – A Weekend in Inner Mongolia

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Recently I was thinking about the purpose of this website. Giving yourself a specific purpose to take a short weekend away somewhere, I believe, will always add something to your trip. A national day here, solar, lunar or other celestial holiday there — a literary festival in Ubud, Bali, or maybe even a volunteering opportunity. Whatever the reason, having something to base a short trip around is a fantastic way to discover the new and unique.

With this in mind, I got to thinking about a trip I took a couple of years ago in China.

Smiling to mask the pain!

In 2012, I decided to run the Grassland Extreme Marathon (or really half, for sake of disclosure!) in Xiwuqi, Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia. I had decided to participate not just because I am one of those people who finds exhaustion and sore muscle fun — but also because I ran it with a group of others for Operation Smile a wonderful organization which provides free cleft lip/palate surgery to children around the world. Doing something like this for an NGO really does add something to an already amazing adventure.

The journey was not the highpoint but that was more to do with my planning than anything.

The problem is that if you look at a map of China, Beijing to Inner Mongolia does not seem too great a distance. But it is MUCH farther than you expect. Taking the coach the event organizers had arranged was not the brightest idea I have had but the die was cast. (Interestingly enough, a cancelled flight and work in Ordos meant that I would have to do a similar journey a year later. . . )

So taking the coach was much like all coach journeys, boring, tiresome, and the odd stop in the middle of nowhere. The thing is about this part of China is that often roads stretch off into the distance before stopping without being completed. Leading to an 8 hour journey taking somewhere in the region of 13 hours. You definitely get a sense of the vast expanse that is China — but that’s about it. So should you decide to follow this itinerary, catch one of the many flights to major cities in Inner Mongolia daily from Beijing.

View image | gettyimages.com

Xiwuqi is a tiny town on the edge of the wide expanse of the Mongolian grasslands. Small but very beautiful, it has a gorgeous Buddhist monument overlooking the town square, which entails a very pleasurable hike. The people are as friendly as you can imagine. They go all out to make you feel welcome and are always wanting to take a picture with visitors.

View image | gettyimages.com

The three day trip that was part of marathon included hotel and food – both more than adequate for this part of China. It also had the option of staying in a yurt the night after the marathon for a party thrown by the local government. Who could resist this?

Now, when I did this there was so much food and baijiu on the go that it was hard to keep up, especially after running. (Since the crackdown on lavish spending, it is hard to believe that it will be quite the same.) Either way, staying in a yurt was well worth it whether you are being plied with alcohol or not.

The grasslands themselves passed me in a sweaty blur. However, when I did take a few moments to drink in my surroundings, they were stunning. You are never likely to see a bluer sky in your life, and the moment wild horses run past you, your breath is truly taken away. Even if you do not do a run, you can get out into the grasslands with ease and take in its beauty.

Honestly I cannot speak of this trip highly enough. The beauty of Asia – especially for runners – is that there are so many out of the way places that hold events to participate in. If you are not a runner there are so many other reasons to take a short trip into the unknown.

If this post has convinced you to unleash your inner masochist, you can learn more about this year’s Extreme Grasslands Marathon here.

May 5, 2015 Mark

Backups and Contingency Plans: The Weekend Traveler’s Key Tool

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The theft of my iPhone in Senggigi (in all honesty, due ENTIRELY to my own negligence), my very own amusing CSI Lombok experience with the local police and “Find my iPhone” maps that were virtually useless on a largely uncharted island, and the ultimate combination of threats and bribes that finally got the phone back into my own hands, made me realize how much we take for granted, and how easily a weekend voyage can be ruined without adequate advance planning. But hopefully these tips, and accounts of my own travel snafus, will be of some use!

Even the most seasoned, well-prepared traveler can find him or herself in an unexpected jam. Sometimes this is entirely of one’s own making (a moment of spaciness, forgetfulness, or general fatigue). Other times it is simply an instance of Murphy’s Law, or the universe conspiring to make life inconvenient at the most inopportune moments. Being prepared for the worst case scenario, however, can make these travel hiccups bearable. So, in order of likelihood:

1) Weather

View image | gettyimages.com

Inclement weather and inappropriate attire can place a spanner in the works of any trip. Too many times I’ve seen people who traveled for hours turned away from holy shrines due to inappropriate attire, shivering on so-called tropical mountains, or otherwise paying an extortionate amount for appropriate gear on site. And yes, on occasion I’ve even been one of said travelers. My weirdest experience was getting caught in a freak rainstorm in Eastern Europe and having to explain to bemused immigration officials how my Hungarian visa stamp had literally washed out of my passport which had been rather foolishly stowed in the back pocket of my jeans. (I was 19 at the time, so perhaps can be forgiven for the lapse in judgment.) A more plebeian instance was freezing my butt off on Capetown’s Table Mountain after sunset and having to buy a US$ 100 fleece!

Nowadays I always travel with the following: a light umbrella in my purse, layering pieces of clothing, and a scarf/sarong that in a pinch can serve as a picnic blanket, beach towel / outdoor changing station, or head/leg covering for visiting holy sites. I also always throw in a pair of thin flip flops, one pair of sports shoes, and one pair of comfortable but presentable shoes that can go from day to night should an unexpected evening out / business meeting come into play. While packing too many pairs of shoes is the most common a rookie mistake, bringing only one is equally risky as you are really stuck if your shoes get wet (or, as could only happen to me, if you fall into an irrigated and fertilized rice paddy and, well, smell a bit ripe.) Ziploc bags weigh nothing and in a pinch are great for protecting passports, wallets, and mobile phones/cameras, not to mention saving a lot of headache from leaked shampoos, gels or worst of all — oils. (Remember that changing pressure in the baggage cabin can cause even the most sturdy travel bottles to expand/contract and therefore leak.) For more intense, rugged travel, investing in a dry bag and/or specialized housing for your phone/camera is a worthwhile expenditure.

2) Lost/Delayed Luggage

View image | gettyimages.com

2.1: BEFORE it is lost.

For most of us, bags missing a flight are simply an inconvenience. However, before your trip there are a few steps that you can take to minimize risk and/or survive the experience.

Handcarrying the basics: I always bring at least one extra pair of underwear, an extra shirt, prescription medication, and any other vital items in my carry-on luggage to ensure that I am not stranded unawares. (You can choose to pack your toothbrush/toiletries, but keep in mind that these are typically easy/cheap to replace.) I once had to go to a 9 am business meeting in a denim skort and tshirt because my luggage had missed my flight — which happened to be the last one of the previous evening. Luckily the meeting was with an NGO and my predicament served as an amusing ice breaker. But it was a dumb move on my part.

Minimizing distractions and the number of items you need to take out/off in the security lane. I was once so flustered in the Mumbai airport that I left my laptop in the security lane while running to catch a flight. But happily I had taped my business card to the bottom of the computer, and when I called the airport upon landing, they had it safely stowed for retrieval by my very kind Indian colleague. Taking a critical conference call while going through security at Washington National Airport, I left my watch in the bin. It wasn’t particularly valuable, but I never got it back. Normally I would have placed it in my bag and grabbed it off the conveyor belt, but being distracted and stressed, I strayed from my routine and paid the price for it.

Properly tagging / marking your bags: Those with extra cash to burn / higher stakes to lose may wish to consider investing in newer RFID-tagged luggage that ensures that YOU can find your bags even when the airline can’t. You can also invest in RFID luggage tags for a little less, but don’t make the rookie mistake of placing them on your baggage handle where they can easily break/ fall off. Place them inside your suitcase. And remember that even the best technology is useless if you don’t register it in advance. But even the travel Luddite can maximize the chances for recovery by taking a few small but effective steps.

Include a copy of your itinerary (dates and hotel names) INSIDE your luggage. The best place is the unlocked front pocket of your nylon luggage. This both helps with identification and ensures that your tropical vacation gear does not get sent back to your home in sub-arctic Michigan mid-vacation.
Write your email address and phone number on your luggage tag.
Do NOT put your home address on your luggage tag. This is an open invitation to rogue baggage handlers / thieves who have definitive proof that you are not home. Use an office address if possible or, as stated, above simply put your electronic contact details.
Differentiate your bag. Reporting a lost, unmarked black ballistic nylon bag is about as helpful as describing an Asian as having dark hair. Popular tricks include putting colored tape on the bottom of the bag, any variety of luggage belts, yarn/ribbon, and other “crafty” solutions. Tacky, but effective!
Do NOT put fragile stickers on your bag. This essentially broadcasts that there is something valuable to steal (even if there isn’t.) Proper packing can insulate almost any breakable item — and if it’s really that valuable/fragile, you should probably be hand carrying it anyway.

Checking airline baggage tags in advance: Yes, mistakes ARE made on occasion. Ensuring that your bags are going to the right destination is an obvious but frequently overlooked first step. Fully understanding procedures surrounding international transit (Do you have to clear customs with your luggage and drop it off at a separate belt? Or does it automatically transfer through?) is next. Furthermore, if you are traveling an “unusual” route, don’t assume that the airline staff at your departure airport are fully familiar with the policies and procedures at your destination. Ask again on the ground.

2.2: AFTER it is lost.

Report it EARLY. Don’t wait for the luggage belt to stop — by then there will be scores of people in line at the lost baggage desk. If you’ve seen the same bags go around the loop twice or more, chances are that’s it.
Note as MANY details as possible on the form. Bag type, dimensions, any other identifying marks make it easier to find your luggage if the airline’s tags have accidentally fallen off. Have your baggage claim stubs handy.
Politely request that the staff member try to track WHERE your bag is. Knowing that it is safely sitting in a specific airport waiting for shipment on the next flight out is VERY comforting. If it cannot be found, ask about your options (including a stipend for replacing essential items, and potential liability for an irrevocably lost bag.)
Keep receipts for any items you purchase to replace essential items as they may be claimable.
Ensure that you know how to track the progress of your bag once you leave the airport. Some airlines have an online system while others will provide you with a contact phone number or email address for updates.
Make sure that you leave contact information for the delivery driver to reach you, and an appropriate protocol (do you require a signature? Can the bags be left on the front porch?)
Inform your host / hotel that a bag is expected to be delivered and when it will arrive. This minimizes confusion upon arrival.

3) Electronic / Technology Disasters

View image | gettyimages.com

Theft or travel destruction of electronics while traveling is a surprisingly common occurrence. I mentioned my own recent phone theft,

Backup, backup, backup. I always back up my laptop onto an external hard drive before I leave for a trip. What I have neglected to do in the past (and will be far more religious in doing in the future) is to ensure that my phone (and phone photos) are regularly synced to my cloud account. Learn how to back up iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices. I am probably the only person on the planet without a tablet, but back that up too!
Download your camera photos /videos regularly (either to a laptop or even better, onto a cloud account.) I’ve lost more irreplaceable digital photos than I care to admit over my years of travel. 🙁
Know how your phone tracking software works. Apps like Find My iPhone, Find My Android Phone and BlackBerry Protect make it easier than ever to track your phone and even communicate with the thief / finder. Through a series of messages that the Find My iPhone app allowed me to post on my phone’s home screen, I was able to both threaten and cajole the thief by informing her that if I blocked the phone it would become a useless brick that she couldn’t resell, whereas by returning it to me she could get a reward. Happily this turned out to be an effective approach.

4) Theft / Loss of Valuables

View image | gettyimages.com

The best solution is not to bring valuables at all. But of course this isn’t always feasible — so keep these tips in mind.

The in-room hotel safe is NOT your friend. I have countless friends who have lost everything from money to engagement rings and family jewelry by depending on these electronic theft traps. If you happen to be traveling with a lot of cash, irreplaceable documents, or expensive jewelry, call your hotel manager to arrange for these to be stored in the hotel’s business safe. Other things, like your passport, ordinary electronics, and day-to-day jewelry are far safer being locked in your luggage than in the in-room safe.
Separate your credit cards and cash. Keeping your money and cards in one place may seem like the organized thing to do, but can be catastrophic when someone walks off with your bag/wallet. Make sure that you have at least one emergency credit card and extra cash (preferably in an easily convertible currency like USD or Euros) tucked away in a safe location. Also, in addition to cloud-based backup (I personally use MSecure because of its multi-platform reach) make sure you have the phone numbers of your card companies noted down in a notebook or other safe place so that you can instantly call to cancel/replace your stolen cards.
Consider whether a wallet is the way to go. Long ago on a trip to Rome, an Italian friend gave me some great advice that I still use to this day when traveling to places renowed for pickpockets. Put your money loose at the bottom of your bag and hold it tightly — that makes it almost impossible for a pickpocket to do a quick “slight of hand” move.
Have photos of any valuables that you are bringing with you readily available to include with any police / insurance company report.

5) Fine Print / Contractual Issues

View image | gettyimages.com

Visa Policy: Arriving in Vientiane on a late night flight last month, I found myself in line behind a German tourist who was incredulous that the visa counter did not accept credit cards. Luckily for her, I had extra USD cash on hand and managed to do a quick exchange. Five seconds on the immigration and customs website could have saved here this hassle. China has been known to incarcerate visa overstayers (though they are typically fined). So caveat emptor!

Flight Delays: Most people assume that if a flight delay prevents you from making a connection, that the airline is responsible for finding you an alternative flight at no cost. This is rarely the case if you have booked two separate itineraries independently. When you make travel plans, especially to places notorious for delays, weight the costs and benefits carefully.

Not Checking for Errors: More times than I can count, I’ve found my name misspelled or in the wrong order on airline and train tickets. With heightened security around the world, this simple error could mean that you will not be allowed to travel. Recently in New Zealand, a friend of mine got a notice from the airline that her original connecting flight had been cancelled and, as a result, they had booked her on an alternative flight. This would have been fine in theory, but it turned out that they flight they had rebooked her on departed EARLIER than her originating flight. There was no way humanly possible for her to make it. Given that she had important meetings the next day, this would have been a disaster for her.

6) Force Majeure

View image | gettyimages.com

Even in my own short life I have lived through some actually scary (Philippine People Power Revolution, Tiananmen Square) and overhyped (Y2K, Indonesia’s remarkably calm 2014 election). I’ve also some close calls (airport bombing in Karachi, typhoons/hurricanes, Sichuan earthquake. It is generally a good practice to register your travel plans with your home embassy to ensure that they update you on evacuation plans should unexpected force majeure incidents impact your travel plans. Most of my friends think this is crazy paranoia, but having been evacuated twice out of two different countries, I feel that two clicks on a website are well worth the peace of mind.

7) Don’t Give Up!

View image | gettyimages.com

Finally, even when faced with the most intractable policies, never give up. From asking to speak to someone more senior, to approaching a newspaper’s travel ombudsman, better business bureau, or regulatory agency, you may still be able to resolve your problem. And remember that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar — losing your cool or being insulting/arrogant with staff will far more likely harm than help your case. (Pleading my case with a Jet Star check-in agent in Singapore and getting her sympathy saved me from baggage fees that would have exceeded my ticket price!)

In short, expect the best, prepare for the worst — and either way remember to enjoy your trip! Sometimes the worst travel disasters make the best stories. . .

April 12, 2015 Jennifer

Layover: Frankfurt in 8 Hours

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Minimum layover time required: 6 hours

My European readers have complained (justly!) that I have yet to write any posts about the continent, which got me thinking about this wonderful 8 layover that I had in Frankfurt.

Follow signs for the S-bahn, Frankfurt’s commuter rail that gets you to the central train station, Frankfurt Hauptbanhof, in less than 15 minutes. From Haupbanhof, take tram 11, direction Fechenheim Schießhütten-straße 4 stops to Römer / Paulskirche. (A Frankfurt transport map can be viewed here. )

Your Frankfurt adventure begins at Paulskirche, or St. Paul’s Church, an example of early Lutheran church design and the birthplace of German democracy.

Next, take a short walk down to Römerberg, the “medieval” city hall square that is arguably one of Frankfurt’s most noted landmarks. (Medieval is in quotes because while the square remains true to its original architectural style, the 1405 square was destroyed in WWII and subsequently rebuilt.) Weed through the throngs of tourists to catch a glimpse of the fountain of justice, and note the plaque commemorating the Nazi book burning .

Then, make your way down towards the waterfront. Those with the time may wish to pop into the Histo risc hes Museum Frankfurt (which sadly was being renovated when I visited).

Afterwards, a relaxing option — assuming that jet lag is beginning to set in after a red eye flight — is to hop onto one of the Main river cruises which launch from the Eisener Steg bridge. Commentary will focus on the different architectural styles along the river banks — interesting but certainly no match to Chicago’s river architecture cruise. The main draw is soaking up the sun and appreciating the blue sky

After your “snooze cruise” it’s probably time for lunch. (Naturally, lunch can be enjoyed at any point along the way depending on your schedule!) Make your way past St. Leonhardskirche to Hauptwache where skyscrapers abound. Schillerstrasse pedestrian street takes you by the Frankfurt Börse – the hub of the city’s finance district. From the Börse, Finally, meander along the Zeil, Frankfurt’s main shopping / pedestrian street, where shops and eateries abound.

Allow yourself at LEAST 2.5 hours to get back to the airport before your scheduled departure. From Hauptwache, catch the S-bahn (S-8 or S-9 direction Wiesbaden) back to Frankfurt Airport.

And there you have it — a lovely layover in Frankfurt!

PS: Should your layover fall over a weekend, another option is is try The Ebbelwei-Express Historic Tram Tour, a hop-on hop-off tour on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Get your bearings with a downloadable podcast, enjoy a glass of apple wine (Ebbelwei) and even try your hand at learning basic Hessian. (Full disclosure — I haven’t had the opportunity to try this but it certainly sounds fun!)

March 31, 2015 Jennifer

Weekend Exclusive: A “Quintessential” Day as a 1%er

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One day this will be my name. In the U.S. I might just BARELY get away with pretending my name is Wisnu, but in Indonesia and India they would laugh me out of the country!

I have a new mission in life. It’s to become a 1%er for just long enough to join Quintessentially‘s global “lifestyle management” and come up with a reasonable (and legal!) concierge request that completely stymies them. (On my current earnings as a writer I estimate that it should only take a millennium or so to achieve!)

Over my global wanderings I have on occasion found myself fortunate enough to be an “HNWI by association.” (That’s High Net-Worth Individual for you plebeian 99%ers). I’ve flown in a Lear Jet, brunched in Palm Springs, taken a helicopter to lunch on an exclusive resort on France’s Île de Porquerolles, and hot air ballooned my way through California. (I still kick myself for missing out on the Concorde’s final flight in 2003!) I was the only one of my siblings NOT to be sent to finishing school (grateful eyes cast up to the heavens), but from the age of six, was expected to comport myself in a way befitting my station as an expat hopefully-not-so-brat in first class cabins and five-star hotels. (They didn’t have seven-stars back in the good old days!)

I have also played a role as “HNWI enabler,” beginning my professional career as a paralegal and personal assistant where my polyglot skills proved useful in wheedling sold-out tickets out of the Paris Opera and securing last-minute reservations at Positano’s exclusive Le Sirenuse hotel for my Europhile boss. Conspiring with colleagues at a global consulting firm in China on how to get the ever-masked WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio, Jr. through immigration in Beijing without revealing his identity to the public and getting Meg Whitman’s corporate jet through the red tape of China’s People’s Liberation Army-controlled airspace also fall into this category of unique life experiences.

So it was with moderately experienced and very jaded eyes that I visited Quintesentially’s Jakarta office today. Co-founder Lius Widjaja graciously stopped in on my chat with Maketing and PR Office Darius Widjaja to learn more about this global yet local concierge service, and the expectations of Indonesia’s elite.

A number of things instantly strike me. First, where one might expect airs and condescension, instead I found passion and commitment to service. Second, a true “the sky is the limit” approach to the the job. Literally. (As I write this the team is negotiating with operators in Nevada for an Indonesian client to take a trip to space!) Third, the insanely rich can be BATSHIT crazy. (In my humble opinion. . .)

You can read almost any media article to understand the full range of services that Quintessentially provides around the world — from Abuja, Nigeria to Warsaw, Poland. But what interested me is how this mammoth organization mobilizes to serve some of the most difficult (my word, not theirs) people on the planet — and what these people expect out of their travel experiences. I explain that while Weekend Crossroad doesn’t specifically cater to HNWIs, what my readership has in common with this group is a lack of time, and a desire to experience unique journeys off the beaten path.

What does it take to be a Quintessentially Concierge?

Our Lifestyle Managers must be emotionally stable and have a good, positive attitude as HNWIs have high expectations and can be extremely challenging to deal with. They must maintain a calm face at all times, have the patience of a saint, and be excellent multitaskers. We frequently use the word “resilient” when we describe our work — Lifestyle Managers must be able to withstand all kinds of pressure and identify solutions for the most challenging tasks. We save our panicking for behind the scenes!

This sounds like a 24-7-365 job. How do you keep your team motivated and avoid burn-out?

Many of our lifestyle managers become close friends with their clients – which leads to mutual appreciation and respect. We do encourage them to set reasonable boundaries, while our great CRM system allows anyone in the world to step in seamlessly to help with a unique client challenge. We also carefully limit both our overall membership numbers and the number of individuals that any single lifestyle managers oversees. During busy times, even non-operations staff such as me step in to help.

What is the biggest challenge you face?

Time. Most of our requests come at the last minute from extremely busy individuals or organizations who have extremely high expectations. Most of the time we are able to make this happen. Sometimes we get complaints about factors that are completely beyond our control — delayed flights, bad weather (requiring the cancellation of yacht trips, etc.) But for the most part our loyal clients are extremely satisfied.

Where do you draw the line?

As you can expect, we get all sorts of crazy requests from members. If it’s illegal or unethical this is a no-go for us.

Have you ever had to “fire” a member?

Happily this is a rare occurrence for us. For the most part, there is a clear etiquette, ethical standard, and mutual respect between our staff and our members. But if someone repeatedly crosses the line –for example, requesting that we procure prostitutes, or makes unreasonable requests that put our carefully cultivated relationships at risk — we have no qualms about letting them go.

Are there any experiences that you feel especially proud of?

We once had a member whose luggage was lost somewhere on a journey between LA and Jakarta (via Singapore). After EXTENSIVE legwork we discovered that the luggage had somehow been misrouted to Malaysia, where it was sitting unnoticed. We delivered the newly-found bags to our member’s door, and learned that the luggage itself was of inestimable sentimental value as it was a vintage gift from his late grandfather.

I notice that your membership is heavily skewed to an older, male demographic — what, if anything are you doing to attract more women to your offerings?

Given that our membership is primarily comprised of CEOs, directors, and entrepreneurs, today, approximately 70% of our members are men and 30% are women. We absolutely want to increase our proportion of women members, and organize specific events — from fashion shows to exclusive personal shopping opportunities, and once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences. We rely heavily on word-of-mouth and referrals, and this will be key to attracting more women to our services.

What kind of travel experiences do your clients expect?

As you pointed out, anyone can book a five-star hotel or a first-class air ticket. We seek to provide our members with unique travel experiences — from the luxurious to the extreme. For example, we once helped a member join a North Pole expedition (at our request he even planted a Quintessentially flag to prove that this happened!) We also have a number of people on the ground who help provide what we call “local gems” — truly unique, individualized experiences off the beaten track. Anyone can book dinner in Tuscany. But can you have a home-cooked meal by a Michelin-rated chef with Andrea Boccelli?

True dat. It’s gratifying to know that even though I won’t become a member anytime soon, I have a concierge expert one-tap away on What’sApp.

March 27, 2015 Jennifer

Observations of a (VERY) Amateur Barista – the ABCDs of Coffee

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After a long (though highly enjoyable!) month of traveling, I find it quite nice to be back in Jakarta, sitting in a coffee shop, and writing at long last! I am astounded at how the 6 hour time difference between Jakarta and Auckland is impacting me more than my typical 12+ hour experiences, so it seems appropriate that today’s post should be about coffee.

I caveat this post with the confession that I barely passed high school math or chemistry. (Many thanks to the patience and understanding of one Enrico Marchetti, then Beijing-based Scotch-Italian teacher extraordinaire!) But still I find the precision of proper coffee preparation fascinating (even though at times frustrating!)

My favorite thing about all of the teachers at ABCD — Hendri (Phat Uncle), Ve, and Izman (LatteArtBandit!)— is that they are truly driven by passion and a deep love for what they do. They gently direct, rather than correct, and make coffee both accessible and a wonderment. No one is too dumb, or too unsophisticated for this course. And that’s really saying something for a subject that is just as complex (if not more) than its frequently more standoffish cousin, wine appreciation.

I’m not going to give EVERYTHING away, because quite frankly, if you live in Jakarta or thereabouts, I strongly recommend this course. If I had three thumbs, I would gladly raise them all to ABCD. But I will happily debunk some common coffee myths in this post.

Myth 1: Arabica is always better than Robusta.

Wherever you fall in this debate, Hendri informs us that with global warming and other environmental factors affecting the productivity of coffee plantations, the world will increasingly become a Robusta place. (The ROBUST in Robusta is no coincidence. Robusta grows in more climates, is more resistant to pest infestation, and matures in a shorter time than its delicate sister.) There ARE high quality Robusta blends out there – just like there are crap Arabica ones. Robusta is frequently maligned because of its “harsher” flavor and occasionally “muddy” texture. In truth, it is increasingly it is becoming harder to tell the difference. And for you resident workaholics out there, know that Robusta contains two to three times more caffeine by weight than Arabica. Fun fact — if you want to differentiate the two different types of beans in a snap – look no further than bean and furrow shape. Arabica is oval and has an S-like furrow, while Robusta beans are round, with a straight furrow.

Myth 2: Coffee shelf life and storage – freezing makes coffee last longer

To freeze or not to freeze remains a frequent debate among us “normal” coffee drinkers. The most common wisdom is that freezing prolongs the shelf life. Many coffee aficionados – from Portland, OR to Brooklyn, NY have told me definitively NOT to do this, but Hendri was the only person who gave me a clear scientific explanation. First, freezing beans produces condensation, which affects both flavor and chemical makeup. Second, both the excess water (from condensation) and the hardness of the frozen bean will ultimately damage a good coffee grinder. The only way to store coffee? In a dark and airtight container in a cool and dry place. (Check out the AirScape container available here and at specialty stores). The optimum time for enjoying coffee? Within 10-14 days of roasting. Still tolerable? Within two months. Fully stale? Within a year. But drinking stale coffee, however unpleasant, is unlikely to make you sick.

Myth 3: Dark roast and light roast coffee have different levels of caffeine

: Dark or light? Take your pick!

Most beginning coffee drinkers (including me in my college years) begin with the belief that due to its stronger flavor and deeper color, dark roast coffee contains more caffeine. At the next level (me until three days ago!) we graduate to the belief that light roasts are more highly caffeinated because the caffeine is “roasted out” of dark roasts. But at ABCD, I learned that caffeine is actually a very stable molecule. (Scientific American explains the decaffeination process here.) Similarly while, espresso may have more caffeine by volume because of its concentrated nature, when imbibed “normally” (i.e., not 10 shots in a single sitting) it has the same amount of caffeine as a comparably “normal” cup of drip coffee.

Myth 4: Shade-grown coffee beans absorb flavors from their accompanying shade trees.

You will often hear coffee drinkers comment about the orange notes in Bali-grown coffee attributed to the orange trees that frequently shade coffee crops on this beautiful Indonesian island. But you would be hard pressed to find eucalyptus-tinged coffee – which is one of the most common shade trees used among other coffee growers in Indonesia. Flavor variations in coffee come from a number of factors, including altitude (coffees grown at higher altitudes tend to feature more sweetness and acidity), temperature, soil, etc. Roasting and storage also affect bean flavor. The most significant way that a shade tree ACTUALLY impacts the coffee it protects is how the two plants compete for resources — water, nutrients, etc.

Myth 5: There is only one proper way to brew coffee

It would be so easy to walk into the course assuming that all of the processes and procedures taught are the ONLY way to drink coffee. There were a couple of helpful guidelines though:

Agitation (swirling the water or gently stirring) is key to the drip coffee brewing process. The bubbles are gas being released from the grounds, while the oily top layer holds in the aroma.

One of ABCD’s many professional espresso machines. In brewing espresso, balance and timing are key. (Photo shamelessly appropriated from the ABCD website. Many thanks Ve!)

Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:15 – for every gram of coffee, add 15 ml of water (so a full cup is something around 15g of coffee and 225 ml of water)

Ideal Brewing Temperature: Between 92-96 C (too high and your coffee will be bitter; too low and you will not extract enough flavor from the bean.)

Milk Storage: Under 5C. (Fun fact – every additional 3C reduces its shelf life by half.)

Milk Heating: Never heat over 72 C, and never reheat.

But let’s face it – the majority of us don’t have THAT much time to devote to making our morning cup of Joe, nor do we have the budget (or the counter space) to invest in high-end equipment. I really like the definition of coffee snob that Hendri provided on day one (read here). But when I sheepishly confessed that I owned a Nespresso machine back home and asked his opinion, he had this to say. “Is it as good as specialty coffee? No. But is it better than pretty much any other one button solution in the market? Absolutely. For people with limited time, this is a perfectly good machine.” He added “Coffee appreciation is a process. If people move from instant to fresh ground, from pod based drip coffee to properly pressurized machines like Nespresso, it’s all progress. And that’s a good thing.”

ABCD also emphasizes that coffee appreciation is about experimentation. Volume of grounds, grind size, keeping or tossing the first few drops of your drip coffee (which tends to be the most acidic – good if you like this flavor, less so if you don’t!) – all are a very personal choice. So while the above formulas are general best practice guidelines, they are not a rule set in stone.

On I lighter note, I will end today’s post by sharing some wisdom from Mrs. Hughes, my 11^th Grade IB English teacher. A cup of coffee will not make you any less intoxicated – it will simply make you an “awake drunk.” So appreciate a cup of specialty coffee when you’re fully sober – and stay with water while drinking!

March 9, 2015 Jennifer

Kranji, the Wild West in Singapore

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When I think of the Wild West two things spring to mind: the tiny period of American history that has somehow been blown up to be a cinematic staple … or the awful Will Smith film. You know the one: not funny, with the terrible CGI spidery thing, from back when Mr. Smith was a bankable star. Anyway, I digress. I certainly do not think of Singapore. Yet recently I found myself chugging along on a bus to what is billed as the Wild West of Singapore – Kranji.

Now if you go to Kranji, leave the notion that this is some kind of remote outlawed land on your breakfast table. This is Singapore after all. There is no such thing as remote land. However, if you are in the mood to try something a little different and maybe see another side of Singapore that isn’t all Boat Quay and Orchard Road, then there are some things to recommend.

Kranji Reservoir is much more than a beautiful vista. It is also a key source of water. Photo courtesy of PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency.

Kranji countryside is essentially a farmland area in the Northwestern reservoirs of Singapore that is an MRT and bus ride away. The bus, which only services the Kranji area, stops off at the six farmlands that participate in the Kranji Countryside Association.

“What does this mean?!?” I hear you scream. The association is essentially a collection of farms that welcome visitors and are accessible via this bus. While it says online that most of the other farms in the area do not receive guests, signs you pass along the way say otherwise. So I really think it depends.

If you only have time to visit one farm, I strongly recommend Bollywood Veggies.

Does the warrior attack the platter? Or does the platter attack the warrior?

Bollywood Veggies is a truly wonderful place. Their farmland is beautiful and allows for a very interesting and educational tour of all the things they grow. There is also a fantastic café in the middle. (Try a glorious dish called the “Warriors Platter” and their particularly good banana cake.) If you are lucky and it is not too busy, Dillon, one of the owners, will dust off his guitar and play any song you could possibly think of. We could not recommend this place more highly.

There are a couple of key things to consider before embarking on this trip. First, the bus only comes every hour-and-a-half, so once you get dropped off at a particular farm, you are stuck there for a good while. This is not so bad if you plan carefully. But be warned: some stops are far more interesting than the others. The goat farm left a lot to be desired, bar the fresh milk which is highly recommended. (Bring a cooler and a book, perhaps?) The bullfrog breeding farm was OK, but did very much feel like the end of the line.

Second, the fact that you are tied to the bus stops means getting to other parts of the area can be difficult. We were told the fish farm in the southern part of Kranji is beautiful and truly worth visiting, but without one’s own transport it is a no go. Note to the Association: bike hire is the way forward because the area really feels like a different country. In the meantime, for other business travelers, Uber is always a good option.

Kranji countryside is definitely worth the trip if you plan carefully — especially for those who are tired of the urban jungle. Weekend Crossroad’s recommended itinerary:

Begin with a midmorning visit to the Kranji War Memorial, billed as the largest of its kind in Asia. Next, catch the bus in time for a leisurely lunch at Bollywood Veggies. Finally, end your visit at the Kranji wetlands (the last stop on the bus route before the MRT). Even to locals who “know” Singapore, Kranji feels like a totally different world. Moreover, it proves that if you lift the lid on this city-state, you can find something truly unique.

March 3, 2015 Mark

Travel in the News: Weekend Crossroad’s Jennifer Hart on Charming Cirebon

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I am excited to share my inaugural Jakarta Post travel article with readers of Weekend Crossroad! The article can be accessed on the JPlus website at http://jakplus.com/?p=3674

To all my dear Bandung friends out there, rest assured that I hold your city close to my heart. But I hope that by reading the below article you will see why Cirebon is well worth your while.

February 23, 2015 Jennifer