Hello all,

This is Rob reporting from lovely warm, sunny Java!...

OK, I lie. The sun is not shining, in fact all I can hear is the faint echo of another call to prayer almost drowned by the roar of torrential rain. I’m sure the dry season is just around the corner though, mind! I hope so – my washing’ll never dry otherwise. And what about my planned trip to tropical white sands and bowed, coconut-bearing palms in Sumatera? But aside from the slightly depressing concept of never-ending rain, life’s not treating me too badly. I’ve thus far (and here’s hoping it stays that way) avoided contracting any major tropical ailments, the snakes and lizards have neither strangled nor eaten me, and the very large, poisonous spiders are yet to tie me up and leave me hanging between the bamboo and a banana tree.

The good news doesn’t stop there either. Despite the fact I have to eat it every day, I still haven’t gone off rice. Somehow I avoid sunburn, and then there’s that little thing I came here to do – gamelan, my abilities and knowledge of which are progressing nicely too.

I’ve just been (or at least so it seems) given permission to stay up to an additional year, and I’ve not yet specified a return date, so I guess I’ll just take things as they come. It turns out a good friend who intended on coming to visit me is now unable to do so, but I maintain hope that my immediate family will make it out here this summer, and if any of you lot decided you wanted to tour south-east Asia and take me along with you as a guide, I would happily oblige.
As for the rest of you, I guess I’ll see you upon my return. I’m very much looking forward to seeing who and what’s changed while I’ve been away, but if any of you feel like spoiling the surprise, you could always drop me a line while I’m out here.

Love to all,

Rob