Just after today’s 8.0 earthquake in Samoa, a 7.6 earthquake has hit West Sumatra near Padang.
Initially there were tsunami warnings, but they have since been scaled down. While there might be some damage to buildings, it doesn’t look like there has been any serious injuries yet or loss of life.
It is still early to tell though. The earthquake could be felt in Malaysia and Singapore according to CNN.
Update: CNN has reported that 13 people have died in the quake.

I have been to Lake Toba a few times now and always have a great time staying there. It is one of the most quiet and relaxing places I have ever been to.
The people are very friendly and it is a very cheap place to stay. I am planning on adding more information to the site in the coming months.
www.laketoba.info

Two foreign hotels in Jakarta have been hit by suicide bombers killing at least 9 people and injuring many more.
I was hopeful that terrorism in Indonesia had died along with the 2005 Bali bombers, but it seems as though Indonesia is again under threat from further senseless acts of violence aimed at western interests in Indonesia.
Some parts of tourism had just started recovering in Indonesia and now the bomb blasts are going to resurface the previous attacks in Jakarta and Bali.
It just makes me sad, as I have …

There has been quite a lot of controversy in the letters section of the Jakarta Post over the fact that the new Miss Indonesia Kerenina Sunny Halim can’t even speak Bahasa Indonesia. She impressed the judges with her English ability but need a translator when it came to answering questions in Indonesian.
“It’s been hard for me *to speak Indonesian*, because I use English every day,” says the half-American woman. “But I will learn. Indonesian is an easy language, as long as we’re willing to learn.”
Since she will be representing …

I am in Jakarta now for a few days and experienced heavy rains here for the first time. Of course it rained often in Medan where I have been living, but the drainage system seems to work well there. Not so in Jakarta. I was using the free wifi in a hotel restaurant and when I thought the rain had subsided, I tried making a quick dash back to my hotel in backpacker ghetto of Jalan Jaksa.
The street looked more like a river. The footpaths along …