CANDI ARJUNA
Desa Dieng Kulon, Kecamatan Batur, Kabupaten Banjarnegara
ARJUNA TEMPLE and KALIASA MUSEUM – The Mysterious Peaceful Three-Headed Shiva Palace

Cultural relics as the witnesses of the past greatness scattered in every corners of the archipelago. The example is the Arjuna Temple, one of the oldest temples in Java. In this complex, only five of more than a thousand years old temples that still stand sturdy. The temple was pretty crowded with visitor both domestic and international that evening. They walked around for a closer view of the temple. The atmosphere was relaxing and peaceful. A group of young people took an advantage of terrain on the right temple to play football.

These temples were first discovered by a British soldier named Van Kinsbergen in 1814. Unlike the other temples that mostly found buried underneath the land, the temples on Dieng plateau were found on a water swamp. The drying process started more than 40 years later. There is no clue about who named the temples after the puppet characters. The main temple is Arjuna which is facing a smaller temple with an elongated shape that is often called Semar Temple.

Srikandi Temple, PuntadewaTemple, and SembadraTemple stood in line on the left of Arjuna. Puntadewa has a shape that is almost similar to the Arjuna, while Srikandi Temple and Sembadra Temple slightly smaller and shorter. Based on the folklore, Puntadewa Temple is in the midst of Srikandi and Sembadra as a mediator for the two sisters who both became the wife of Arjuna.

Beautiful gardens with pine trees and flowers around the temple complex presented the beauty in the midst of peace and serenity atmosphere. On the distance, white smoke is billowing endlessly from numerous volcanic craters. The hills and mountains surrounding added a peace in to our mind. Many young people took advantages of the beauty and serenity of this temple by spending the times with their spouse or partner. YogYES walked slowly on the grassy land surrounded the temple, while admiring the natural beauty of God’s creation and breathe fresh air that is almost impossible to find in the middle of urban areas. The turf felt soft and bouncy. It was bouncy. The complex was once a swamp, so the ground around the temple contained a lot of water. As a result, walking on the ground felt like walking on foam.

Trimurti Gods at Srikandi Temple

Arjuna temple complex is the oldest Hindu temple in Java Island which was built in 809 AD and was a place of worship of Shiva. This can be seen from the Lingga and Yoni in the main temple, and the statues of Goddess Durga, Ganesha, and Agastya on the building. The statues are now placed in the Kaliasa Museum near the temple. Architecturally, Arjuna Temple was influenced by the Indian culture. The shape is similar to a temple in southern India called Wimana. Meanwhile, Semar Temple was likely copied the form of Mandapa, which became part of a temple in India as a place for the pilgrims and festivals.

There is not many temple reliefs found in this complex. There was only a relief depicting the Trimurti Gods; Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, strengthens the evidence that this temple is a Hindu temple. But strangely, these reliefs were not carved on the main temple. Depictions of the three Gods were found on the walls of the Srikandi Temple. While the walls on the other temples were plain. None of the 12 inscriptions found in Dieng explain about this. There was only Kala decoration at the entrance of temples and niches where statues were placed.

Three-Headed Shiva in Kaliasa

After enjoying with the beauty and peace fulness of Arjuna Temple, we followed the path toward the southwest. Approximately 10 minutes walking, we arrived at a small temple called Gatotkaca. Rows of shops and stalls lined nearby, provided a variety of souvenirs, traditional food and drink of Dieng.

Across the street, on the slopes of a hill stood a museum called the Kaliasa Museum. There are 4 buildings in which two showrooms functioned to display variety of objects and artifacts of historical heritage. Most items on display are statues and stones from the complex of temples in Dieng. The most interesting item is the three-headed Shiva statue often referred as Shiva Trisirah. Shiva Trisirah is known as the oldest form of worship to Shiva. In addition, the museum is also displaying various information about the typical life of the indigenous Dieng people, traditional arts, as well as information about the phenomenal of the dreadlocks children. There is also a theater space to play the documentary film about Dieng’s natural and cultural potential that would be played for at least a 10-visitors group.

Exiting the museum, we walked up the stone steps leading to the building located at the highest. It turned out that this building serves as a cafe. While unwind after going around the temple and museum, sat in the cafe, sipping hot drinks and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Dieng Plateau is just amazing.

Dieng has an extraordinary natural and cultural wealth. One of the icons is Telaga Warna (the Colorful Lake), a beautiful lake with natural forest around it.

TELAGA WARNA
Desa Dieng Wetan, Kecamatan Kejajar, Kabupaten Wonosobo
TELAGA WARNA (the Colorful Lake) – Beautiful Twin Lakes

Hidden among the rows of hills at an altitude of more than 2000 meters above sea level does not make Telaga Warna (the Colorful Lake) lack of visitors. Its beauty and mystery always attract anyone who visits Dieng. Entering through the main gate, us was greeted by a path that has been slicked up by the paving blocks with dense forest on either side. Culminate in a T-junction, Color Lake outspread ahead. Greenish water looked calm, no ripples at all. The sound of the wild birds chirped and the thick forest which is wild maintained present a reassuring atmosphere of peace.

Followed a road that branched off to the right, us found another intersection. Paving road towards Semar Cave and a muddy trail. Driven by a curiosity, we took a dirt road trail straight ahead. Jumped on the slippery ground formed by the rain on the previous night, we fought hard to avoid the mudded ground. And suddenly a broad meadow emerged, reminiscent to the movie Little House on the Prairie. Although we were a little in doubt, we kept on walking. Voila, suddenly another lake appeared in front of us. The water was very clear that reflected whatever image was on top of it. Well, it felt like in a different place. Paving road was somewhere out there, meadow was on the other side, and tall trees were all around.

Although we were fascinated by the beauty of this crystal clear lake, but the desire to explore Telaga Warna finally brought us back to the first lake. This time the exploration carried out by following the road that leads to the left. In some places the surface seemed bubbly and pulled out the small bubbles. It caused by the sulfur that contained in the water. Unfortunately, as far as we could see, the entire surface was remained green without a touch of other colors.

Apparently there is a trick to enjoy the beauty of this lake. At the back door, there is a trail uphill towards one of the hills that enclose the lake. This dirt road is very narrow, just enough to pass one person. The climb is not so steep, but slippery enough considering Dieng area frequently hit by rain. After a few hundred meters climbing, we reached the top of the hill which surrounded by the views that would make anyone spellbound. Down below, outspread a beautiful lake surrounded by thick forest with beautiful purple color of water on the edge, shaded in green in towards the middle, and pale green in the center of the lake. On the other side, a narrow meadow separated it from another lake called Telaga Pengilon or lake which reflected like a mirror. Further ahead, Mountain Prau and Mountain Pakuwaja rows in circle, formed as if to protect these two beautiful lakes from anyone who wants to damage it.

Despite centuries of sleep, Dieng has several volcanic craters that are still active until now. One of the most interesting is Sikidang Crater, a heaven for sulfur miners which supposedly likes to jump and move.

KAWAH SIKIDANG
Desa Dieng Kulon, Kecamatan Batur, Kabupaten Banjarnegara
SIKIDANG CRATER – The Jumping Volcanic Crater

Sikidang Crater gives another nuance on Dieng’s natural beauty. Fresh green landscape suddenly vanished as we entered this crater complex. As far as the eye could see, there was jwet a barren stretch of land surrounded by hills with a smoky pond on the other side. A few meters from the entrance there is a warning sign for you to be careful in moving, as well as a fire ban and throwing cigarette butts.

Walking in this crater mwet be very careful. we had to jump around and look for dry ground to put a step. Crater holes were everywhere. In some places the ground looked wet with bubbling water. These lands are dangerowe to be stepped on becawee it’s very fragile and prone to landslides. The smell of sulfur was getting stronger. The farther we walked, the smell got even stronger. A middle-aged woman was standing in the middle of the barren desert, wearing a traditional hat and covered her nose. There was a lying sack in front of her with brimstone on top of it. She was going to sell the stones to the visitors as souvenirs from Sikidang Crater. Yes, this crater is still a heaven for the residents who make a living on brimstone mining. Despite the strong odor, the steam contains sulfur that is believed to smooth the skin and eliminate acne.

Sikidang crater lay at the end of this complex. A large pool of water mixed with gray mud kept bubbling. We were not able to see another side of the pool becawee of the thickness of puffy white smoke. It is said that the water and mud has a temperature of 98 degrees Celsius, and maybe even more. Bamboo fence was built around the crater for the safety of visitors. Nevertheless there were violations of this safety limit. There weed to be a visitor who dared to take pictures at the crater’s edge, he stuck his leg and fell. When he lifted his leg, the skin had melted and only the bone left. This place is unique and exciting, but you mwet always be very careful as the crater is still quite active.

There is a magma chamber beneath Sikidang Crater. This magma chamber produced heat and energy with a very strong pressure. If this pressure reaches its peak, there will be eruptions and formed a new crater. Sikidang name is taken from the word “kidang” a Javanese word means deer. The uniqueness of this crater is the main crater is always on the move, as if it’s jumping to find a new place. A big hole right in front of the complex is the former main crater before it got “bored” and jumped to move to another place. If you’re lucky, you can also see some sulfur miners bwey looking for chunks of sulfur. If you want to experience standing on a pot of magma of the earth, Sikidang Crater is the place. But remember, be careful in moving and do not light a fire. Good luck!

Fira Location: 10 km from the main port, Athinaios
Description: The capital of the island, Fira, has 1,600 inhabitants and is located on the west part of the island.
Fira is perched on the edge of a 260 meter cliff and offers a fantastic panorama on the volcano.

OIA Location: 11 km north from Fira, the capital
Description: It is obviously the most beautiful and picturesque village of Santorini, as it calmly hangs from the cliffs.
Oia offers you a different angle of view on the volcano (Palia & Nea Kameni) and on the small island of Thirasia.
Nearest beach: Cape Columbus

Imerovigli Location: 2 km north from Fira, the capital
Description: This village is situated at the north at 2 km from Fira on the lip of a higher cliff. Its name comes from the word “vigla” which means day. The position of the village permitted to have a great panoramic view.
Nearest beach: Paradise Beach

Firostefani Location: 2 km north from the capital, Fira Description: Firostefani is the continuation of the island’s capital, Fira. It is one of those traditional villages perched on the cliffs. Nearest beach: Paradise Beach

Perissa Location: 8 km south east of Fira, the island’s capital Description: Perissa is a beach resort situated 15 km southeast of Fira. It is a very tourist-crowded village and has an impressively long black sandy beach. It’s most noticeable feature is the Mesa Vouno, an enormous rock rising from the sea. Nearest beach: Kamari

Megalochori Location: West side of the island, near the port Description: It is a beautiful and traditional settlement situated in the mainland, just a few Km away from the capital, Fira. Nearest beach: Vlychada Beach

Akrotiri Location: 8 km south from Fira, the capital Description: You will find Akrotiri next to the famous Red beach. It is the most important archaeological site of Santorini, with some amazing two and three-storey buildings and prehistoric findings dating back to 3600 BC. Nearest beach: Red Beach

Pyrgos Location: 8 km south east of Fira, the island’s capital Description: Pyrgos is a mountainous village. It has being built on a hill which offers a full 360 panoramic view of the island. It is situated 7.5 km south-east of Fira. It has a population of 500 inhabitants. Nearest beach: Gialos

Messaria Location: 4 km south east of Fira, the island’s capital Description: Messaria is a small traditional village situated four km southeast of Fira. The houses are built in the traditional style of the Cycladic islands. Nearest beach: Vlychada

Mesa & Exo Gonia Location: 8 km south east of Fira, the island’s capital Description: Traditional farming villages with installations for the production and storage of wine. Once at Mesa Gonia, you can visit the church of Episkopi. Nearest beach: Kamari

Finikia Location: Settlement next to Oia Description: It is a chaming settlement located just next to the famous village of Oia in Santorini. The village is very small and a few hotels are available. Nearest beach: Cape Columbus

Emporio Location: South part of the island of Santorini Description: Approaching Emporio from the west, one is greeted by the fantastic site of a whole string of old windmills on the hillside. Nearest beach: Perissa Beach

Karderados

Location: Couple of km south from Fira
Description: The main street contains a number of eateries and shops. The village is geared up for the tourist industry and there are many hotels here.
Nearest beach: Exo Gialos

Temporary repairs have been put in place ahead of a major rebuild of the city’s wastewater networks and roads.

In spite of the earthquake, Christchurch is still the gateway to the South Island, and the home of new opportunities.

Hanmer Springs

Hanmer Springs Village is New Zealand’s premier alpine spa destination. Located in the South Island of New Zealand, Hanmer Springs is best known for the award-winning Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa, where visitors enjoy pampering and relaxation amongst beautiful alpine vistas.

Day 1: Christchurch to Hanmer

Depart to the alpine spa village of Hanmer Springs along the Alpine Pacific Triangle Route. As you will be driving though the Waipara Valley, enjoy a wine tasting at one of the wineries along the way.

Arriving in Hanmer around noon, head to the Powerhouse Café for a special lunch where fresh, natural and wholesome ingredients sourced from neighbouring growers, farmers & artisans wherever possible.

This afternoon experience the 4×4 Hagglund – Swedish military vehicle in the forest tracks of Hanmer Springs. You will be surprised by the places this vehicle can take you and of course, you will be rewarded by amazing views. A great way to see Hanmer!

For dinner this evening head to Peppers Restaurant & Bar, home of award winning Chef John Gibson who has won several New Zealand lamb and beef awards.

Stay at the Hanmer Heritage – a great place to experience one of New Zealand’s premier Alpine Destinations.

Day 2:

Start the day off at Thrillseekers Adventures. A one-stop shop for a wide range of adventure activities based around the Thrillseekers lodge, overlooking the Waiau River and historic Ferry Bridge. Here you will experience a thrilling jet boat ride in the Waiau Gorge, and if you are a bit of a dare devil – try bungy jumping off the Ferry Bridge!

For lunch head over to The Garden House Café, located in the Thermal Pools complex where you will be delighted with mouth watering food and wines.

In the afternoon relax at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and indulge with a luxurious treatment of your choice at The Spa. Since 1859 the thermal springs of Hanmer Springs have attracted visitors seeking to relax, unwind and ease their aches and pains in the soothing mineral waters – now it’s your turn to enjoy New Zealand’s largest thermal complex!

For dinner this evening enjoy fine dining with matching wines, in a warm and relaxed atmosphere at The Laurels.

Day 3: Hanmer to Christchurch

After breakfast at the Hanmer Heritage, enjoy a walk in the Hanmer Forest before you head back to Christchurch. The Hanmer Forest dates back to 1901. Prison labour was used to plant a wide variety of exotic tree species, to test their commercial viability and to beautify the area. In 1978 the recreation values of these forests was recognized with the formation of the Hanmer Forest Park.

Panic swept Tokyo on Tuesday after a rise in radioactive levels around an earthquake-hit nuclear power plant north of the city, causing some residents to leave the capital and others to stock up on food and supplies.

Several embassies advised staff and citizens to leave affected areas, tourists cut short vacations and multinational companies either urged staff to leave or said they were considering plans to move outside Tokyo.

The families of a number of Israeli diplomats stationed at the embassy in Tokyo returned home on Monday, although Foreign Ministry sources said their return was not connected to fears of a nuclear crisis. In a statement, the ministry said the families had been brought home to give them some “temporary rest and relaxation” from having to contend with the aftershocks that continue to rock Japan.

Early on Tuesday, a third explosion in four days rocked the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in northeast Japan, the country’s nuclear safety agency said. According to reports, radiation is spewing from the damaged reactors.

The blast at Dai-ichi Unit 2 followed two hydrogen explosions at the plant – the latest on Monday – as authorities struggle to prevent the catastrophic release of radiation in the area devastated by a tsunami.

The nuclear core of Unit 2 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in northeast Japan was undamaged, said a spokesman for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, Shigekazu Omukai.

The agency suspects the explosion early Tuesday may have damaged the reactor’s suppression chamber, a water-filled tube at the bottom of the container that surrounds the nuclear core, said another agency spokesman, Shinji Kinjo.

Radiation levels measured at the front gate of the Dai-ichi plant spiked following Tuesday’s explosion, Kinjo said.

The prime minister has warned residents to stay inside or risk getting radiation sickness.

In one sign of the panic that has seemed to take over the country, Don Quixote, a multistory, 24-hour general store in Tokyo’s Roppongi district, was sold out of radios, torches, candles, fuel cans and sleeping bags on Tuesday as a Reuters reporter visited the shop.

U.S. banking giant Citigroup said it was keeping workers constantly informed of the situation, but that there were no current evacuation orders from headquarters, said a spokesman, adding that the bank was closely following guidance by the U.S. embassy, which has not urged nationals to leave Tokyo.

Some international journalists covering the disaster from the worst-hit region around the northeastern city of Sendai, devastated by Friday’s mammoth earthquake and tsunami, were pulling out.

The Tokyo office of Michael Page International, a British recruitment agency, was closing for the week. “I am leaving for Singapore tomorrow and will work from our Singapore office,” said one employee.

Kyodo News said “minute levels” of radiation have been detected in Tokyo and radiation levels in Saitama, near Tokyo, were 40 times normal levels — not enough to cause human damage but enough to stoke panic in the bustling, ultra-modern and hyper-efficient metropolis of about 12 million people.

Winds over the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear-power complex, about 240 km north of Tokyo, are blowing slowly in a southwesterly direction that includes Tokyo, but will shift westerly later on Tuesday, a weather official said.

The wind is moving at a speed of about two to three meters per second, said the official with the Japan Meteorological Agency who is based in Fukushima Prefecture, the location of three troubled reactors.

The French embassy in Tokyo warned in an 0100 GMT advisory that a low level of radioactive wind could reach Tokyo in about 10 hours, advising its citizens to leave the city.

The German embassy issued a “general advisory” urging all Germans and their relatives to register on a “crisis list” and to consider leaving Japan, especially those with families.

Some urged an expansion of the 30 km evacuation zone surrounding the plant.

“The evacuation zone may not be enough,” said a Hiroshima-based Japanese scientist who treats nuclear radiation victims.

“The main lasting effect will probably be in milk produce and the radiation in milk, because the cows go around like vacuum cleaners and absorb the radiation spread over a wide range and those particles are easily transferred into the milk, which is in turn easily absorbed by babies and children.”

The number of stranded passengers swelled at Tokyo’s main international airport at Narita as airlines cut flights.

“The airport appears crowded due to the stranded passengers, but we have not experienced a surge in passenger traffic,” said a Narita official. “Of the 534 flights scheduled yesterday, 27 were cancelled and five were delayed for the next day. So traffic is not rising.”

China’s national airline cancelled flights to Tokyo on Tuesday after reports that low-level radioactive wind from a damaged nuclear reactor could reach the city later in the day, but other carriers they were still monitoring the situation.

Air China did not give a reason for the cancellations of flights from Beijing and Shanghai to Tokyo. Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand and several other airlines said they were monitoring the situation but had not cancelled any services to Tokyo.

The fear at the Fukushima plant is of a major radiation leak after the quake and tsunami knocked out cooling systems.

The worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986 has drawn criticism that authorities were ill-prepared, and revived debate in many countries about the safety of atomic power.

Komodo Island National Park was made by the Government of Indonesia, which is then recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1986. Together with two other large islands, namely Pulau Rinca and Padar, Komodo Island and several small islands around it continued to be maintained as natural habitat reptile, dubbed is “Komodo Dragon”.

Health was regarded as a primary responsibility of the individual, and disease as a mistake in lifestyle. The greatest value traditional Chinese health care holds for modern medicine lies in the many simple but effective methods Chinese physicians developed for cultivating mental and physical health, balancing essence and energy, preventing disease and degeneration, and prolonging life. They recorded their discoveries in the medical archives of ancient China, which remain as valid today as they were then.

Longevity not only enables you to enjoy the other fruits of your practice, such as health, vitality, clarity, and equanimity, it also supplies you with the extra time and experienced required to traverse the highest paths of spiritual development and take a shot at the ultimate goal of enlightenment, or ‘spiritual immortality’.

‘The reason people die so young these days,’ states the Classic of the Plain Girl, ‘is that they no longer know the secrets of the Tao.’

That was written over 2,000 years ago as China entered its ‘modern age’ and people began to ‘lose the Way’.

Straying far from the Great Highway of health, longevity, and spiritual awareness, people prefer to wander down the dead-end byways of worldly desires, where they’re snared by the emotional machination of the “Chief Hooligan” and deceived by the sensory tricks of the “Five Thieves”. Ever since civilization divorced man and woman from nature, human life has lost its natural harmony.

According to the Taoist view, nature designed the human body to live an average life span of about 100 years, and if we take measures to prolong our lives, we should be able to extend our life spans to 150 years or more.

There are many examples in Chinese history of Methuselah’s who lived even longer than that, the most recent case being a Taoist adept and master herbalist from southwest China named Lee Ching-yuen, who lived to be over 250 years old.

Lee Ching-yuen was born in 1678, during the seventeenth year of the Manchu emperor Kang Shi’s reign. He left home at an early age and traveled around southern China with a group of itinerant herb traders, from whom he learned the basics of herbalism. Subsequently, Lee had the good fortune to meet several highly accomplished Taoist masters, who taught him internal alchemy and Tee-Jung, and showed him how to utilize diet and herbal supplements for health and longevity.

Though not a strict vegetarian, Lee consumed very little meat and also limited his intake of grains and root vegetables.

His daily diet consisted primarily of lightly steamed vegetables, fresh fruit, and tonic herbs. The herbs he recommended most highly for promoting health and prolonging life were ginseng, gout kola, polygon, multiform, and garlic.

Nor was Lee Ching-yuen celibate: over the course of his long life he married fourteen times, and by the time of his death in 1930, he counted almost 200 living descendants within his extended family.

After his death, modern scholars confirmed his identity, traced his life all the way back to the year of his birth, and conclusively verified his life span.

Lee Ching-yuen’s life demonstrates how well Taoist longevity techniques work when properly practiced. The point here is not only to add years to your life, but also to ‘add life to your years”, i.e., to maintain your health and vitality until the very end of your days.

Lee Ching-yeun continued to take long hikes in the mountains until the final years of his life, remained sexually active for over two centuries, never became senile, and died with all his own teeth and most of his hair. These days, few people even reach the age of sixty in that condition.

Modern Western medicine like to claim that it has extended the human life span by over twenty years since 1900, but this claim is based entirely on a dramatic decline in infant mortality, not on better health or longer life for adults.

Several studies have shown that the average beggar in India and peasant in Mexico are healthier than the average American college student, and few people in Western societies today reach old age with their bodies and minds intact.

While it is true that thanks to live-saving medical technology, a baby born in American stands a better chance of survival than in Africa or the Middle East, the USA now ranks thirty-seventh in the world for the life expectancy of a twenty-year-old person.

In an article published in the New York State Medical Journal, Dr. Norman Joliffe points out that ‘although in America the life expectancy at birth is near the best of any civilized country in the world- at the age of 40 life expectancy in American is near the bottom’.

The overall health of the entire population of America- from children to the elderly – is appallingly poor and continues to deteriorate.

Mount Bromo (2,329 metres) is easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. It sits inside the massive Tengger caldera (diameter approximately 10 km), surrounded by the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) of fine volcanic sand. The overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

The major access point is Cemoro Lawang (also Cemara Lawang or Cemora Lawang – blame the East Javanese accent!) at the northeastern edge of the caldera, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (southwest). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.

2. Lombok
Lombok is situated just to the east of Bali, and can be reached in just 25 minute by plane or an hour by the new fast boat service from Bali. Lombok is rapidly emerging as the new Indonesian destination and is a haven for those seeking the un spoilt beauty of the” Bali of old”. Indeed many people refer to Lombok as “ Bali 20 years ago”; however in this correct, when you want consider the landscape and cultures that are uniquely Lombok. As the old local saying goes: You Can See Bali in Lombok, but You Can Not See Lombok in Bali.

Lombok island is almost as large Bali, and like her famous sister, has a wide range of attraction and activities for all types of traveler. Wheatear you are looking for action and adventure, discovering different cultures and traditions, or lazing on perfect beaches in the sun.

The island of Lombok is the new tourism destination with a pristine environment, a fascinating culture, stunning beaches and island, jungle and waterfall, and world – class trekking on Mt. Rinjani and the island also combine these with fantastic diving, fishing and ecotourism opportunities, and an exotic tropical lifestyle, and it is obvious Lombok is winner.

Visit the small villages and town for a look at authentic lifestyles, unchanged by tourism, shop for traditional handicrafts, weaving and pottery; or witness fascinating dance and musical performances unique to Lombok. Wherever you go, you will be greeted with smiles and friendly Sasak hospitality.

Lombok island is also delight in clean oceans bordered by lovely sandy beaches, and fringed with coconut palms, Or visit the famous “GILI ISLAND” for world-class diving and snorkeling, boating and water sport. Swim in turquoise clear water by day and, at night, dine at some the bst restaurants in Lombok.

In Lombok island you will find a wide a variety of accommodation to suit your personal tastes and budgets from opulent luxury resort to quaint thatched bungalows on the beach. Enjoy sumptuous fine dining in Senggigi or eat grilled fish on the beach at Gili Island. Climb the world-famous volcano Mt. Rinjani 3726, or have a massage at the Mandra Spa, Challenge the huge waves of Bangko-Bangko, or have pedicure on Senggigi Beach. And so on…. The option are endless.

Come and discover the magic of Lombok, Get feeling stay in New Paradise in the world, and then let your imagine to fly over….!!!!

History
Lombok today has become Indonesia’s new “in” destination. Lombok ‘s area and population are just slightly smaller than Bali’s. There is cultural connection between these two islands.
The named “Lombok” is said to come from a fiery red chili pepper, used as a condiment in Indonesia, although this may be a folk etymology. Lombok also called “Bumi Gora” by the Sasak – the natives of Lombok , which means the dry farmland.

Little is known of Lombok’s prehistory, but it is mentiond in the 14th century chronicle of the great East Javanese Majapahit empire as a dependency. At this time also, Islam was introduced to Lombok and become the native’s religion up till now.
In the 17th century, Lombok was dominated by Balinese state of Karangasem and then continued by the Dutch. Lombok got its fully independence in 1949 became a part of the new province of Nusa Tenggara Barat (West Nusa Tenggara)

Geography
Lombok is a small island, which stretch just 80km from east to west and about the same distance from north to south. There are several clusters of small islands off Lombok’s coast, all called Gili, Sasak word means island. The best known islands are Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno which have relaxing white sandy beaches, calm and clear water, varieties of colorful fishes, and the best snorkeling and diving in Lombok.
Lombok is also dominated by Gunung Rinjani, Indonesia’s highest volcano. Rinjani crowns a group of mountains that dominate the north – central section of the island.

Population
Lombok’s population is just over three million, dominated by Sasak (90%) and the rest is Balinese and several number of Chinese, Javanese, Bugis and Arabs. The Sasaks are Muslim and have much common with the Javanese. They have spread over central and eastern Lombok. Most of the Balinese lived in the western part of Lombok.

Society
In Lombok, artistic activity is strong in certain village but rare in others. Cultural performances are far less frequent than in Bali. Dance and music are directly tied to cultural identity in Lombok and particularly custom relating to birth, circumcision, courtship, and marriage.
The large Balinese minority in western Lombok retain their temple festivals and performing arts only at the festival.

Production

Production of DHEA from Cholesterol
Comprehensive overview of Steroidogenesis, showing dehydroepiandrosterone at left among the androgens.

DHEA is produced from cholesterol through two cytochrome P450 enzymes. Cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone by the enzyme P450 scc (side chain cleavage); then another enzyme, CYP17A1, converts pregnenolone to 17α-Hydroxypregnenolone and then to DHEA.[6]
[edit] Role

DHEA can be understood as a prohormone for the sex steroids. DHEAS may be viewed as buffer and reservoir. As most DHEA is produced by the zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex, it is argued that there is a role in the immune and stress response.[who?]

As almost all DHEA is derived from the adrenal glands, blood measurements of DHEAS/DHEA are useful to detect excess adrenal activity as seen in adrenal cancer or hyperplasia, including certain forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome tend to have elevated levels of DHEAS.

Effects and uses

Depression

DHEA is a cortisol antagonist. Research studies indicate that DHEA supplementation has an anti-depressant effect and protects from cortisol overconcentration over long time scales.

Memory

DHEA supplementation has been studied as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, but was not found to be effective.[11] Some small placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial studies have found long-term supplementation to improve mood and relieve depression[12][13] or to decrease insulin resistance.[14] However, a larger placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 found that DHEA supplementation in elderly men and women had no beneficial effects on body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or quality of life.

In contrast to the non-beneficial effects of DHEA on memory in the elderly, a randomised UK study[16] found that a 7-day course of DHEA (150 mg twice daily) improved episodic memory in healthy young men. In this study, DHEA was also shown to improve subjective mood and decrease evening cortisol concentration, which is known to be elevated in depression.[17] The effect of DHEA on memory appeared to be related to an early activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and it was suggested this was due to neuronal recruitment of the steroid sensitive ACC that may be involved in pre-hippocampal memory processing.

Consistent with this hypothesis are DHEA-S data from several studies of military special operations units. In these studies, warfighters who exhibited higher levels of DHEA and higher DHEA/cortisol ratios during extreme stress were those who also exhibited superior hippocampal and prefrontal dependent cognitive abilities during stress.

Physical performance

DHEA supplements are sometimes used as muscle-building or performance-enhancing drugs by athletes. However, a randomized placebo-controlled trial found that DHEA supplementation had no (statistically significant) effect on lean body mass, strength, or testosterone levels.

Cardiovascular disease and risk of death

A 1986 study found that a higher level of endogenous DHEA, as determined by a single measurement, correlated with a lower risk of death or cardiovascular disease. However, a more recent 2006 study found no correlation between DHEA levels and risk of cardiovascular disease or death in men. A 2007 study found the DHEA restored oxidative balance in diabetic patients, reducing tissue levels of pentosidine—a biomarker for advanced glycation endproducts.

Cancer

Some in vitro studies have found DHEA to have both anti-proliferative and yet also apoptotic effect on cancer cell lines. The clinical significance of these findings, if any, is unknown. Higher levels of DHEA and other endogenous sex hormones are strongly associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer in both pre- and postmenopausal women.

Diabetes and carotid atherosclerosis

A 2005 study, measured serum DHEA in 206 men with type-2 diabetes, and found an inverse relationship between serum DHEA and carotid atherosclerosis in men. The authors say the study “supports the notion that DHEA, which is sold in increasing amount as a food supplement, is atheroprotective in humans, and that androgen replacement therapy should be considered for men with hypogonadism.”
[edit] Men over 65

A 2006 study supplemented DHEA to men of average 65 years of age, and found that the men experienced significant increases in testosterone and cGMP (Cyclic guanosine monophosphate), and significant decreases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The authors say that the “findings…suggest that chronic DHEA supplementation would exert antiatherogenic effects, particularly in elderly subjects who display low circulating levels of this hormone.

Longevity

A 2008 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, June 2008, measured serum DHEA in 940 men and women ranging from age 21 to 88, following them from 1978 until 2005. The researches found that low levels of DHEA-s showed a significant association with shorter lifespan and that higher DHEA-s levels are a “strong predictor” of longevity in men, even after adjusting for age, blood pressure, and plasma glucose. No relationship was found between serum DHEA and longevity for women during the study period. The study did not find a significant difference in longevity until the 15-year follow-up point, which the researchers note may explain why some past research that followed men for less duration found no relationship.

“No reason to prescribe”

An anonymous 2002 review, in the French journal Prescrire, concluded: DHEA plasma levels are so low in most animals that they are difficult to measure, hindering studies on DHEA and aging. DHEA had not yet, at the time of writing, been linked to any specific health disorder. Side effects are linked to its androgenic effects, unfavorable lipid metabolism effects, and “possible growth-stimulating effect” on hormone dependent malignancies. “In practice, there is currently no scientific reason to prescribe DHEA for any purpose whatsoever.

Disputed effects

In the United States, DHEA or DHEAS have been advertised with claims that they may be beneficial for a wide variety of ailments. DHEA and DHEAS are readily available in the United States, where they are marketed as over-the-counter dietary supplements. A 2004 review in the American Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that “The marketing of this supplement’s effectiveness far exceeds its science. Because DHEA must first be converted to androstenedione and then to testosterone in men, it has two chances to aromatize into estrogen – estrone from androstenedione, and estradiol from testosterone. As such, it is possible that supplementation with DHEA could increase estrogen levels more than testosterone levels in men.

Side effects

As a hormone precursor, there has been a smattering of reports of side effects possibly caused by the hormone metabolites of DHEA.Some of these include possibly serious cardiovascular effects such as heart palpitations.

Increasing endogenous production

Regular exercise is known to increase DHEA production in the body.Calorie restriction has also been shown to increase DHEA in primates. Some theorize that the increase in endogenous DHEA brought about by calorie restriction is partially responsible for the longer life expectancy known to be associated with calorie restriction.

But then Google came along and started to recognize the unique and original content that these trite little sites presented and the rules of the game suddenly changed. After all, unique content is what makes the Google world go round, and what better way to command the attention of Google than by creating a dynamic environment with content that is solely your own.

At this stage, a whole new SEO world emerged and in the process, brought with it traffic opportunities like never before. People began blogging on more than what they had for dinner last night. They started to blog about new products, exciting travel adventures and all things related to online commerce.

The evolution quickly continued and today, with RSS feeds, sites like pingoat.com and many other content clearinghouses, blogging is big business and not to be overlooked by hungry entrepreneurs looking to establish a web presence.

What currently makes blogging so attractive is the sheer speed with which blogs and blog posts are able to get indexed in the search engines. It is a simple matter of static versus dynamic and the search engines love the dynamic.

Let’s take two different scenarios to see how traditional websites and blogs differ in their index-ability:

Scenario One:

One person creates a website to advertise gardening products and services. Each page of the site contains the traditional information about the company; it’s founders, the services they offer and the products they sell. Maybe, at best, the site has articles and content that is updated with some small frequency that are relevant to the avid gardener. When visitors arrive at the site, they have the option of signing up for the company newsletter and receiving valuable tips and new offerings.

In this scenario, the Webmaster or business owner will need to tend to many SEO related tasks in order to get and maintain high search engine ranking for a tight list of selected keywords related to the gardening niche. Not only will this activity require great skill, it will also involve many hours to achieve the intended results.

Scenario Two:

The same business owner as above also creates a blog to supplement their company website. Now, instead of focusing on simply one set of tightly selected keywords, the blog itself remains a broad overview of the gardening niche, while each individual post reflects a drilled down topic within that same niche.

So when the business owner writes a blog post about the benefits of “organic vegetable gardening in backyard containers,” this individual post becomes a keyword rich, targeted wonder and when indexed by the search engines has a far greater opportunity to bringing highly targeted traffic to the blog based upon that single post.

Through time, the blog expands with many similar posts that are targeted to sub niches within the broader gardening niche and can even be categorized from inside the blog structure itself. What has now been created in Google’s eyes is an extremely dynamic, naturally evolving site that is content rich and niche specific.

When properly constructed and promoted, each time the business owner posts to the blog, that individual post can get indexed in anywhere from two to twenty four hours on average. This opportunity is far greater than any options available at the static website.

Additionally, when the business owner endeavors to have a visitor signup for a newsletter, further segmenting can occur and subscriber lists can be refined and targeted. And because the blog is the front-end showcase to the original website, each blog post has the opportunity to link back to specific and relevant products at the main site.

When properly structured, blogs are the biggest SEO asset to a website that currently exists. The wise business owner will recognize these benefits and when implemented, will enjoy many opportunities that do not currently exist with traditional websites alone.

Here are several questions to ask yourself before starting to plan your vacation. Do I want to relax? Do I want adventure or a learning experience? Do I want to get away from my job? Once you know the answers to these questions, then you are ready to plan your trip.

Vacations are needed for our emotional, physical and mental balance. Vacations give a person a chance to relax, renew his energy, and free him from his daily routine. Vacations can be far away or close to home. Wherever the vacation may be, it does the same thing. It provides satisfaction, which is far more important than the destination itself.

Generally, there are some different types of travel according to the activities involved. Here are some of them:

1. Responsible Travel. Traveling doesn’t always have to be self-serving. With responsible travel, one could have enjoyment as much as respecting the local environment and the people.

2. Rediscovering nature. Rediscovering travel is all about nature and everything in it. It revitalizes the soul while experiencing everything there is to know about nature.

3. Tribal cultures. In today’s world of high technology, it is wise to experience the simpler life of the tribal people who have lived close to nature in the same way for thousands of years.

4. Responsible Diving. Diving not only lets travelers appreciate what is in the sea but also helps make the traveler more aware of efforts concerning conservation of our natural resources.

Plan your travel to a country that will leave a great mark in your traveling diary. Here are some of the most popular destinations today:

1. Thailand. Thailand is also known as Siam. It is an Asian country bounded by Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Behind the back draft of Thailand’s jungles of bamboo, rubber trees and vines are the Five-star hotels of modern conveniences. In some parts of the country, elephants are still being use to lift timbers and buffalos are still being used in farming.

2. China. China is now the second largest country and fastest growing economy in the world. Most parts of China are still unexplored by tourists; however, the eastern portion is now popular to western tourists. First class hotels now offer the highest class of amenities and dozens more are still being built.

3. Italy. Italy is a boot-like shape country bounded by Switzerland, Austria, France, and Slovenia. The main attraction of Italy is St. Peter’s Square where the Pope resides.

4. Caribbean. Caribbean is an archipelago of islands, 2000 square miles across. Most of the islands are plateaus and eruptions of underlying mountain systems. It has nice beaches of crushed coral and white or pink sand and the water at the shore is a deep blue.

The success of any vacation will not depend on how much money the traveler spent or the destination. The final outcome will depend on the degree of enjoyment experienced by the traveler.