HMS Henning

Category: Ship Log

  • Bali’s Bang for the Buck

    Rupiah, the Indonesian currency, look like play money, and stack up like it, too. Today, the posted exchange rate is about 9,175 rupiah to one U.S. dollar. Our last ATM withdrawals netted less, of course, and the cash machines typically allow a maximum of 1.5 million rupiah ($175) per withdrawal. Cash is king; surcharges are…

  • 10 Things I’ve Learned from Traveling (with my husband of 34 years)

    1. The morning is for people who have someplace to go. The afternoon is for wandering around aimlessly, long lunches, reading, or napping. Do what you need to do in the morning or you’ll never get it done. If you arrive at a bank or office after hours, you can be sure it won’t open…

  • Subak and rice growing in Bali

    Subak and rice growing in Bali

    A couple days ago, our cousin and host, Kasey, invited us to a Rotary Club meeting of the Ubud, Bali, chapter. The featured speaker, J. Stephen Lansing, professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona, is an authority on evolutionary biology and specifically on the rice terrace irrigation systems of Bali, called Subak. For over…

  • Free Entertainment in Siracusa

    We spent 10 Euro each for admission to the Archeological Park in Syracuse, Sicily, this afternoon. It was quarter to three when we entered, and we knew we’d have enough time in a couple hours to see the major points of interest before the site closed, or the rain started. The rain came first, but…

  • In the meantime, via Minnesota

    The interim included a visit to Vegas, joining Tom’s mother (“they don’t have anything like this in Council Bluffs”), a week in Lake Tahoe with Bartels, a week in Washington with Bonnie and Luke, and a time in Minnesota. The stay was extended unexpectedly, but that gave us a chance to wear out our welcome,…