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”.

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.

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.

If you can just set aside for a moment your urge to shop or to spend the evening in a fine dining restaurant, you can enjoy some of the other sensations Singapore has to offer.

Singapore knows how to arrange things to continue providing new sensations. The city is filled with tall buildings that seem to be competing to reach the sky; as if that weren’t enough, there’s now an equally impressive wheel attracting tourists’ attention.

The Singapore Flyer (Giant Wheel) on Raffles Avenue is the latest new way to appreciate Singapore. It will take you into a unique experience, rotating 360 degrees to observe the greatest entertainment in Asia, from sunrise to sunset, exploring the panorama of Singapore from a great height: beautiful Marina Bay, the varied architecture of the skyscrapers, lush tropical greenery, and the sparkling city lights.

Since it was opened in early 2008 after two years of construction, this structure has become Singapore’s instant new landmark. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower and the London Eye, it was designed by Dr. Kisho Kurokawa from Japan in partnership with DP Architects.

Rising 165 meters into the sky, equivalent to a 42-story building and 30 meters higher than the London Eye, the Singapore Flyer comprises 28 capsules, each 4×7 meters with a 28 square meter interior, which can hold 30 passengers each. The capsules are made of ultraviolet-proof glass and will carry you in air-conditioned comfort for the 30-minute rotation.

The Singapore Flyer operates every day from 8.30 AM to 10.30 PM. Tickets are S$30 per entry for adults. So what can you do inside one of these capsules? Whatever you want, because whatever you do inside will be an extraordinary, new sensation.

Entertain guests at the top of the world? Why not? The exclusive corporate-themed capsule offering elegant dishes and even wine is the best way to treat your VIP guests.

The Singapore Flyer is also ready to be part of your romantic experience. Take your sweetie up to the heights and tell him or her something special between the enchanting heavens and the entrancing panorama of Marina Bay.

Once you’ve caught your breath, you will find a delightful atmosphere in the area: a shopping centre full of lifestyle-concept shops, local specialties at well-known restaurants, the lively ambience of the Greek Theatre, which offers live performances right on the bay, and pamper your senses at Terminal Retail, sheltered in a dense Asian rainforest with cool waterfalls.

For an unforgettable evening, Singapore offers a huge range of options. Get your adrenaline pumping and leave behind your pointless modernity; go visit a house full of 1200 animals of over 110 exotic species, on the Night Safari.

You will have the rare chance to see tropical animals that laze about in the daytime but are very active at night. Before you go around seeing what the animals are doing, take the time to watch the fire-eating show, an exciting start.

When you get on the tram, after a queue that is often long but usually quick, listen for the repeated announcement “no flash for photography for your safety and comfort”. It’s true; flashes could startle the animals and drive them into a rage.

The trams start running at 19.30 and will take you around for 45 minutes, a satisfactory time to watch the park’s residents do what they do at night. You’ll pass through several different landscapes with subtle lighting changes and other dramatic effects. The lively announcers will help you appreciate what you are seeing.

Look, there’s a group of hippos right before your eyes, while your ears capture the cries of a pack of hyenas. But you don’t need to get out of the tram; you’ll be safe as long as nobody uses a camera flash. The tram will continue through the forest along its dedicated trail, passing by nodding giraffes.

When you arrive at the Himalayan Foothills, bharal and Himalaya tahr (both are types of wild goats) and vultures will be waiting to greet you. At the Indian subcontinent, you will see rows of hyenas, lions, and lazy bears. And so on, into different zones where you will see animals you may never even have heard of. The Night Safari simulates geographical zones including Southeast Asian tropical forest, African savanna, a Nepalese river valley, the South American pampas, and a Burmese forest, all of which are fascinating.

At certain points, you can leave the tram and go trekking along the Forest Giant Trail, which invites you to explore pockets of a natural Singapore forest. You can also explore the Fishing Cat Trail and the Leopard Trail, or take the tram back to see what many Night Safari visitors think is the peak part of the experience, the “Creatures of the Night” Show.

You’ll have to queue again if you want to get a good seat. Once again, you’re reminded not to take flash photographs. This message is so important that it is repeated in several languages: English, Hindi, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Tagalog, and even Indonesian.

The stars of the show include bearcats, otters, civet cats, owls, wolves, hyenas, and a snake that hides behind a row of seats to give the audience a bit of a fright. You can also be a bit player in the show if you want; if you take up the offer, it will be an unforgettable experience.

And that’s still not all the sensations that await you in Singapore. Near the Esplanade Theatre, along the riverbank leading to the city’s iconic Merlion statue, right next to the Singapore Flyer, they’re building a casino; when it’s finished, what else will it offer but more sensation?

Looking back, I realize that I was refining my practice of vulnerability, a practice as rigorous and soul-scouring as any contemplative art. Becoming vulnerable requires concentration, devotion, and a leap of faith—the ability to abandon yourself to a forbiddingly foreign place and say, in effect, “Here I am; do with me what you will.” It’s the first step on the pilgrim’s path.The second step is absorbing a lesson that grows from the first: The more you humble yourself, the greater you become. I have felt this in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, imagining the ceaseless processions of worshippers who had come before me and would come after. I have felt it in the main train station in Calcutta, adrift in a sweaty, sharp-elbowed, eternally jostling, cardamom-scented sea of humanity. I have felt it walking alone on the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan, between towering peaks so ancient and enormous that I felt smaller than the tiniest grain of sand. Travel teaches us how small we are—when we truly understand this, the world expands infinitely. In that moment, we become part of the larger whole; we lose ourselves to the Parisian stone, the Indian crowd, the Himalayan crags.

This truth has led me over the years to a third illumination: Every journey takes us inward as well as outward. As we move through new places, encountering new people and food and artistic creations, new languages and customs and histories, a corresponding journey winds within as we discover new morals, meanings, and imaginings. The real journey is the ongoing and ever-changing interaction of the inner life and the outer.

When we travel, we connect the external world with the one inside. On the best trips, these connections can become so complete that a kind of samadhi (union) is achieved: We transcend not just the barriers of language, custom, geography, and age but the very barriers of self, those illusory isolations of body and mind.

These moments do not last. We exit Notre-Dame, buy our ticket in Calcutta, climb back into our minivan in the Himalayas. But we come back from those moments—like the Japanese pilgrim I met—lighter and energized, with a refreshed sense of the meaning of life.

What I relearned on my circuit of Shikoku is that every journey is a pilgrimage. Every sojourn offers the chance to connect with a sacred secret: that we are all precious pieces of a vast and interconnected puzzle, and that every trip we take, every connection we make, helps complete that puzzle—and ourselves.