An Inharmonic RantDaniel PopeJune 14, 2022 by Daniel PopeJune 14, 20220393When I was a scabby-kneed schoolboy interested in geography, I used to slowly rotate the classroom globe with my fingers,...
Nature’s HoundsDaniel PopeJanuary 12, 2022 by Daniel PopeJanuary 12, 20220262Ready to recycle more and drive less? A green lifestyle generally prompts a healthy one and taking care of yourself...
Lost In BaliDaniel PopeSeptember 28, 2016 by Daniel PopeSeptember 28, 201601128Daniel Pope recalls a new year that didn’t begin well I am a mobile technology geek. As well as carrying...
Return of a FriendDaniel PopeSeptember 7, 2016 by Daniel PopeSeptember 7, 20160743Jakarta’s Jalan Jaksa was once a great place for making odd, surreal and semi-imaginary friends, as Daniel Pope recalls. When...
CrossingsDaniel PopeMay 24, 2016 by Daniel PopeMay 24, 20160690Daniel Pope remembers some of his international comings and goings. In 1986, while the cold war was still going on,...
Indonesian CrittersDaniel PopeMarch 22, 2016 by Daniel PopeMarch 22, 201611854You don’t need to watch a scary movie to make your flesh crawl, as Daniel Pope explains. A fellow English...
The ImposterDaniel PopeJanuary 25, 2016 by Daniel PopeJanuary 25, 20162 1180Daniel Pope muses on how sometimes it’s better to tell fibs when you want to fit in with the culture....
Marching OrdersDaniel PopeDecember 15, 2015 by Daniel PopeDecember 15, 20150620An army marches on its stomach and so does an English teacher, as Daniel Pope found out. Despite my earning...
Medical AnomaliesDaniel PopeSeptember 19, 2015August 4, 2017 by Daniel PopeSeptember 19, 2015August 4, 201701276When well-off people in Indonesia need medical treatment, they often head off to Singapore. Daniel Pope thinks he knows why....
Fun With WeaponsDaniel PopeAugust 21, 2015August 4, 2017 by Daniel PopeAugust 21, 2015August 4, 201702156Daniel Pope contemplates whether a foreigner could get away with murder in Indonesia. My local hangout in Jakarta in the...
Jakarta, Rattle and RollDaniel PopeJuly 13, 2015May 1, 2021 by Daniel PopeJuly 13, 2015May 1, 20210865Not long ago, I watched Dawn of The Planet of the Apes in 4-D at a Blitzmegaplex cinema complex in...
Making the Possible ImpossibleDaniel PopeMarch 10, 2015August 23, 2017 by Daniel PopeMarch 10, 2015August 23, 20171965Any foreigner who has dealt with a government department in Indonesia—whose offices maintained a 1960s atmosphere of clattering typewriters and...
Getting to the Other SideDaniel PopeFebruary 23, 2015August 23, 2017 by Daniel PopeFebruary 23, 2015August 23, 201702404The safest time to cross the street in Jakarta can be when the city is at maximum danger level, as...
Water, Water EverywhereDaniel PopeJanuary 26, 2015August 8, 2017 by Daniel PopeJanuary 26, 2015August 8, 20170740A weekend getaway to the Thousand Islands brings these seafaring friends more than they bargained for. No other start to...
For Whom the Beer FrothsDaniel PopeNovember 17, 2014September 5, 2017 by Daniel PopeNovember 17, 2014September 5, 20170660Had you needed to take refuge from a local war a decade ago when the city’s foreigner hang-outs were livelier...
Love Thy NeighboursDaniel PopeSeptember 8, 2014August 8, 2017 by Daniel PopeSeptember 8, 2014August 8, 20172 795Indonesians are among the friendliest people on the planet, keen to avoid confrontation at all costs. Just don’t ever give...
The Big DrinkDaniel PopeAugust 11, 2014August 11, 2017 by Daniel PopeAugust 11, 2014August 11, 20170809It was breaking point for Jakarta. Days of torrential rain and years of incompetent urban planning were about to exact...
The Big NoiseDaniel PopeMay 20, 2014August 18, 2017 by Daniel PopeMay 20, 2014August 18, 201701168Jakarta is not the ideal domicile for a person fond of peace and quiet. It is packed with roaring vehicles,...
Playing with FireDaniel PopeApril 23, 2014August 18, 2017 by Daniel PopeApril 23, 2014August 18, 20171740The swiftest punch in the face I’ve ever received came from a dense fist of tobacco smoke. I was in...
Trains, Planes and Other PerilsDaniel PopeJanuary 13, 2014August 16, 2017 by Daniel PopeJanuary 13, 2014August 16, 201711771As a lifelong train enthusiast, I felt a great sense of achievement upon making the journey across Java by all...
The Long Way HomeDaniel PopeOctober 7, 2013August 16, 2017 by Daniel PopeOctober 7, 2013August 16, 20178 1122English teacher Daniel Pope recalls his 1997 nightmare journey from Bintan to Jakarta - It began with a motorcycle accident....