Should all pictures not load - click on "REFRESH"
The KHO News is published monthly
for friends of John and Jamal, covering
news and their life and times in Bali.
November 2007
SINGAPORE OCT 25: History in the making at 08:16 hours when the first commercial flight of the long awaited super jumbo, Airbus A380 Serial No: 003, SQ 380 took off from Singapore bound for Sydney.
The aircraft tracked straight out of Singapore on a track of 132 degrees straight for the Bali airport beacon, just 4 km SW of the KHO.
A380 Seat Sells for
A$115,000
AGENCIES: The first A380 flight tickets were placed on ebay for auction by Singapore Airlines, raising US$1.25 million for charity, 
Seat 1A on the first flight was sold at auction for A$115,000 (US$100k).
John Gets a Seat
The KHO travel department logged on to ebay, but they couldn't find a ticket at a price that the KHO Slush Fund could cover, so they did the next best thing and went to the Singapore Airlines site, with the intention of getting John on the second flight. After hours of key- board clicking they got a ticket on the Sydney - Singapore A380 flight.
John
proudly
displays his
Inaugural
Singapore
A380 
e-ticket
Not the second flight, or the third nor even the tenth flight - but the 
298th flight on August 19, 2008.
John's Inaugural Flight
John is so happy and is looking forward to his very own personal  inaugural flight on the A380.
TELEGRAMS
THE KHO was not inundated with congratulatory telegrams on the announcement of the successful KHO bid, but we did get one email.
John, It gratifies me to know that there is still something left in this world which can stir you to enthusiasm. Let's hope that when the day comes, SQ don't have operational problems and have to replace the A380 with a shuttle fleet of 45 year - old DC8s
            ....... Mr Bear, Melbourne
John's A380 Itinerary
John arrives in Melbourne end of July, 2008 then on Aug 18, he will return to Bali via Sydney and Singapore. First to Sydney on JetStar Flight JQ 3. overnight Sydney, then 08:30 Singapore Airlines A380 flight SQ220 to Singapore, arriving  14:20. Later departing 16:40 to Bali on SQ 946, 
a Boeing 777 arriving at 19:10. This will be John's first flight on a B777.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 2
 
Where to Sit or Sleep?
Singapore's Sky Cabin
The Singapore Airlines A380 is configured with 12 personal first class single sleeping cabins, with the
four central ones being convertible into two double berth cabins. Costs over A$10,000 return from Sydney.
Business Class has 60 1x2x1 seats and is entirely on the upper deck.
The aircraft has 349 economy seats, 311 - 3x4x3 on the main deck and 38-2x4x2 on the upper deck. 
Main Deck Economy
Upper Deck Economy
Main Deck Economy 3 x 4 x 3
Upstairs economy - 2x4x2 seating, far preferable to the 3x4x3 seating below with the dreaded third seat. 
Comfortable Upstairs 2 x Seat
John chose a window seat 79K in the rear of the upstairs economy cabin, close by the promenade deck where one can stretch ones legs have a drink at the bar & socialize.
Isn't it nice to have something to look forward to. Don't miss the KHO News - Sep 2008 edition for a full in-flight photographic report.
History in the Making
THIS IS A MILESTONE aviation event. In John's lifetime many major aviation events have happened.
In the early days it was always about the fastest airliner, then in 1977 it became about the biggest with the introduction of the Boeing 747, which ruled the skies for 30 years. Many new passenger aircraft have been designed and built in the last 30 years, but none faster or bigger than the venerable B747.
De Havilland Comet: British Overseas Airways flies first ever jet service London to Johannesburg. The aircraft suffered catastrophic metal fatigue problems, once solved set the path for future safe jetliners.
PanAm Boeing 707: First trans Atlantic service. Heralded the death knell of trans Atlantic passenger shipping with one aircraft in 7 days 
carrying twice the passengers of the Queen Mary over the same period.
British Airways Concord: First Supersonic airliner. The Americans couldn't compete, decided 4 times the size and half the speed was the better equation and design the 747.
The Boeing 747 "Jumbo Jet": First flown by PanAm, New York to London. The aircraft revolutionized air travel. It was the last major historical passenger airliner event.
The Airbus A380: Worlds largest airliner flies Singapore to Sydney.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 3
 
The A380 over Bali
We decided to try and see the A380 overfly Bali on it's inaugural flight to Sydney. Flights from Singapore to Sydney usually track straight to the Denpasar airport beacon, then Derby, Alice Springs and on in to Sydney. John, with his piloting knowledge made up a flight plan for the A380 Inaugural Flight
Scheduled to depart SIN at 08:00 it would travel the 6313 Km to Sydney in 7hr 25mins, we estimated it's ground speed at 853 Km/hr, therefor with a distance of 1765 Km to Bali from Singapore it should appear overhead 2hrs 28 mins from departure. We checked the actual departure time on Singapore Airport web site which reported Flight SQ380 departed 16 mins late at 08:16. ETA at the KHO 10:44. 
At 10:15 we all headed for the KHO 
John with his Canon S3 and fake
Breitling Pilot's watch in action
balcony, coffee, cameras and binoculars in hand to await the historic flyover of the A380. We waited, waited and waited, then at 11:08 Dede suddenly sighted a high flying aircraft. "There it is" he cried
Jamal & Dede - "There it is!"
but it was only a small prop-jet. We were all so disappointed, especially John.  Oh well, at least we tried.
John & Jamal on Holls
November 7, John & Jamal depart for a weeks holiday to Kuala Lumpur and Phuket, Thailand. Look for the full report in next month's edition of the KHO News.
The Idul Fitri Exodus
THE FASTING MONTH of Ramadan finishes with the celebration of Idul Fitri for Indonesia's 220+ million Muslims. Not unlike the Christmas celebration, it is the tradition to travel home and spend time with the family, giving gifts and enjoying special food. As many Indonesians must move to the big cities to find work, the holiday creates a great exodus, where every mode of public transport is packed to capacity as all try to get home.
Packed Holiday Train
Date Determination
The actual date of Idul Fitri is determined by the luna calendar, 
and the sighting of the crescent moon. Each year Ramadan and Idul Fitri fall around 10 days earlier than the previous year.
This year two of the major Muslim organizations were split on when Idul Fitri should actually fall. NU the largest Muslim organization headed by former president "Gus Dur" decided Idul Fitri should fall on the 13th, while the second largest organization, Mohammedia decided the holiday should be on the 12th the day before, resulting in the holiday being split over the two days and even into the third day. The Government decreed the 13th and 14th and most of the following week as public holidays in order to reduce some of transport pressure.
Idul Fitri in Bali
Although Bali is predominately Hindu, most of the menial workers are Muslim from Java or Lombok. Bali is deserted for the week with them returning home. Most offices, shops and all Government offices closing for the holiday, with the tourist areas operating as usual.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 4
 
Motor Bike Traffic
JAKARTA POLICE noted this year an incredible increase of motor bike traffic, every one seemd to be forgoing the public transport and driving themselves home, sometimes non-stop for 20 hours. Inevitably there were many fatal accidents.
Idul Fitri Motor Bike Traffic
A new motor bike is a huge status symbol amongst Indonesia's majority poor, a sign one has made a success in the big city. 
A big reason to take the shiney new possession home to show off to the family. 
The latest fashion bike can be bought these days for just A$60 deposit. 
The Popular Honda Vario
sells for
~A$1350
Sadly the buyer not often aware that they are paying 30-36%pa interest on the 5 year credit plan.
Jamal to Bandung
For Idul Fitri
THURS OCT 11 we took Jamal to Bali airport for him to catch his 2pm AirAsia flight to Jakarta. We went early to have lunch at the newly opened inexpensive food court outside the domestic terminal.
Airport Food Court
On entering the food court we couldn't help noticing this poster in the window.
They have an extensive range of authentic 
Indonesian food, freshly baked pizza slices, a bakery and a fresh juice bar. I even had a cappacino. Lunch and drinks for three cost ~A$10. .... Not bad for an airport.
A last cigarette. Jamal has always been a nervous flyer - not that surprising in Indonesia.
Farewell at Departures
Jamal's AirAsia flight left on time and he arrived in Jakarta at 2:30pm. Jakarta time is 1 hour less than Bali.
Jamal was planning to take the train to Bandung, but everything was booked out, so he had to take a share charter mini-bus.
Crazy Traffic in Bandung
Then the short suburban train ride out to Jamal's house in Ranca Ekek.
Jamal's family together on Idul Fitri Day - L-R Teteh, Ajang, Amih, Bobi, Elis, Noldi, Mimin, Duta, Atep, Aldi, Ani & Lina
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 5
 
Jamal's 74 yo mum Amih
Of course Jamal's mum was so happy to have him home for the holiday, naturally she dressed in her finest for the occasion.
Brother Deni & daughter Salsa
Deni's daughter Salsa is now two years old, she can walk, but still can't out run Grandma Amih. She can already speak both the local Sunda language and the national language, Bahasa Indonesia.
Jamal's brother Atep & Amih
Mum Amih surrounded by the new generation
Jamal with Grand Nephew Sena
Jamal will return home again in Jan. with John, enroute to Hanoi.
The Singing Pilot
YOU COULD HEAR the pilot singing to the accompaniment of warning alarms and bells as the aircraft headed for the runway at 247 Km/h faster than the normal approach speed, said press reports after listening to the cockpit voice recorder from the Garuda B737-400 that crashed in Yogyakarta on March 7, killing 21, including 5 Australians and injuring dozens of others. The long-awaited report of the National Transportation Safety Committee was released on Oct. 22. It said that the pilot ignored 15 separate soundings of the Ground Proximity Warning System and calls by the co-pilot to abort the landing.
Australian Foreign Minister Downer has called on the Indonesian government to prosecute the two pilots. However he has placed no blame on the airline which is, under international law responsible for the training standards of pilots. How did this loony get through the Garuda and state licensing system? Mmmm!
TO MARK THE HOSTING of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Bali 3-14 Dec. the Indonesian Government has announced it will plant 79 Million Trees in the week prior to the conference, at an estimated cost of US$51.5M, the trees will be planted in minimal lots of 1,000 trees in 78 areas nation wide. The program, devised by the Indonesian Forestry Department, also provides for the care of the trees for the next 7 years. Believed to be the largest tree planting blitz in history, the trees are intended to have a real impact on global climate change, 400 trees planted on a single hectare of land are capable of neutralizing between 100-150 tons of carbon. The Indonesian contribution of 79 million new plantings is part of a global campaign targeting one billion new tree plantings worldwide in connection with the watershed UNFCCC conference in Bali. 
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 6
 
Sobat Expands
BATU BELIG: Now Bali is back on the world tourist map, our favourite restaurant Warung Sobat is literally packed to the rafters every night. 
Pak Made really hates turning guests away so he has decided to move his successful painting shop and make that shop part of the restaurant.
The new area will be called "The Gallery" and feature a selection of paintings from the Sobat painting collection displayed on the walls.
View into the new area
Pak Made's son Gede and Dede size up the Sobat renovations
Pak Made explained to KHO News
that he will be able to fit seven extra tables in the new area increasing 
the restaurants capacity by 28 seats. Pak Made said, "the only problem we have now, is the ability of the kitchen to handle the extra customers," he went on to say "we just pray the people don't all come to the restaurant at once."
But There's More
Pak Made has acquired land right across the road from Warung Sobat and has built a modern new shop. What for?, he is not divulging.
Shop across the road
Dendi (Pak Made's son), Dede, Pak Made and Jamal in Sobat after Jamal had just returned from celebrating Idul Fitri in Bandung with his family.
We meet up with Jonathan from Melbourne in Warung Sobat after he returned from a tour of Java.
Dr Geoff & Andi in Bali to sell their villa - they plan to invest elsewhere.
We meet Ray from Melbourne, here also to sell his villa with along with  friend Liza from New Zealand, with Dede, Wiwin, John and Pak Yoga.
We met Shingo from France, here on a 6 month journalism study tour. Pak Made's wife at back, John, Dendi, Dede and Pak Made.
We meet Jack from California, Rick from Vancouver, Canada and Allen from Burma, Nepal & Thailand with Wiwin, John, Dede and Pak Made.
Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007
Page 7
 
AUSTRALIAN survivors, families and friends gathered October 12, to mark the fifth anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings in a ceremony  in the gardens of the Australian consulate, Bali. About 140 people attended to remember the 202 people, including 88 Australians who died. They held a minute's silence in memory of those killed, before they lined up to place bunches of flowers, homemade cards with victims' photos and yellow daisies at the base of a permanent wooden cross built in the consulate's memorial garden. 
Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Greg Hunt delivered a message on behalf of Prime Minister John 
Howard. "Australians demonstrated great courage, compassion and charity in the face of horror and adversity immediately after the bombing," he said.
Bali Overcrowded
Peaceful Bali Rice Field
BALI POST: Bali is becoming over populated. Ideally Bali's 562,000 hectares of land is enough to support 2.4 Mill. people, far short of the 3 Mill. plus people that call Bali home. The current average is 400 people per sq. Km and in crowded Denpasar as high as 800 per sq. Km.
The Chairman of Committee I of the Regional House of Representatives in Bali, Made Arjaya, said now is the time to limit migration into Bali, prohibiting Indonesian nationals who do not hold an official Bali identity card from staying or seeking employment on the Island. Arjaya also called on Bali land and rental owners to gather complete personal details and proof of Bali residency before leasing lands and buildings to newcomers. 
WED OCT 3: Indonesia gave the initial go-ahead for the world’s longest road and railway suspension bridge across the 30km Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. 
The $10bn (A$1.2bn) project is for a series of bridges carrying a six lane highway and double track railway traversing three small islands in the strait. The longest span would be about 3km, more than 50 per cent longer than the longest existing structure, the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge in Japan. Experts say the initiative, which was first mooted more than a decade ago, is technically possible, even though the strait lies in one of the world’s most dangerous earthquake zones. “With today’s technology this sort of project is perfectly possible,” the expert said. “It’s just what price are you willing to pay to compensate for the earthquakes. This will have to be able to take a magnitude 9 quake.”
Nusa Dua Fiesta
NUSA DUA BALI: October 18-21 the Nusa Dua Fiesta sponsored by the Bali Tourism Development Corporation was held at the Luxury Nusa Dua Hotel on Bali's southern peninsula.
Nusa Dua Hotel
Jamal's cousins from Bandung came to Bali to exhibit their fine collection of glass paintings and craft work at the Fiesta. Friday night they took time off to have dinner with us in Warung Sobat before returning to Bandung via Yogyakarta where they spent a couple of days.
Asti, Dede and Ajat at Sobat
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 8
 
The "Traditional'' Balinese Kecak Dance - Choreographed by Spies
In almost everybody’s opinion, Walter Spies was the greatest and certainly the most flamboyant painter to live in Bali. Where his name has become a legend. Born in Russia to the parents of German diplomats, Spies was both a brilliant artist and musician. He settled in Bali in 1927, when he was 27 years old.
Cock fight boys - Walter Spies
There he created his best canvases during the 14 years he spent on the island. Often called a surrealist for the dream-like quality of his paintings, Spies' works combine a rich and fluid imagination mingled with Balinese scenes and myths. While a great painter, his production was limited as he was always busy with countless other projects, such as supporting local arts and artists and co-authoring books on dance and drama. 
As Bali's most famous European resident in the 1930s, he entertained such luminaries as Charles Chaplin 
and conductor Leopold Stokowski, some of whom bought his works. 
Persecuted as a homosexual, he was helped by famous anthropologist Margaret Mead and her husband Gregory Bateson, who testified that his 'transgressions'
were not inconsistent with Balinese culture. He was deported with others as a prisoner in 1942 for holding a German passport. 
The ship was bombed, and, as the ship slowly sank, the prisoners perished in their locked cells, because the captain declined to free them. 
Walter's tragic death has only added to his romantic myth. 
Spies House - Tjampuhan Hotel
Spies house was at Campuhan, Ubud and in the grounds of today's Tjampuhan Hotel, where you can actually stay in his room.
Bali Dawn - Walter Spies
Creating the Bali Myth
Walter Spies influence over Miguel Covarrubias classic book "Island of Bali" spread the Walter Spies 
created myth of the Island Paradise throughout the world. Exotic reading in oppressed Victorian times, telling of beautiful topless girls & unashamed sexual adventures. 
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 9
 
Mt. Soputan Erupts
KHO & AGENCIES: Mt. Soputan, an active volcano, only 60 km from 
Manado and Adelaide friend Les' resort island of Lembeh blew it's top October 26. The volcano spewed ash on
nearby villages forcing 100's of people to evacuate. spokesman, Ronny Suwarno said "Villages in S.E. Minahasa district on which ash has fallen have been put on red alert." 
Ash also rained on a number of villages in South Minahasa.
The KHO Disaster Department wasted no time in contacting Les on Lembeh island. Les replied: "Quite honestly we heard nothing 
about it here in North Sulawesi. Strange!!!" The last major eruption was in 1984 when many villages were destroyed. Mt. Soputan briefly erupted August last year. 
Mt Kelud Alert
BANDUNG, Indonesia, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Indonesia's Mount Kelud volcano, which was put on the country's second-highest alert level last month, shows several alarming signs indicating it may erupt. 
Major Volcano's Java - Bali
Indonesia's top volcano expert Surono, said "I'm scared about Kelud," The number of volcanic earthquakes at Mount Kelud, 90 km (55 miles) southwest of Indonesia's second-largest city Surabaya, has risen to as high as 23 in one day. 
Mt Kelud - Java
Compared with a maximum of 15 a day just before its last eruption in 1990, Surono said. The 1,731-metre (5,712-foot) volcano's expansion and deformation has increased, and
Monitoring Mr Kelud
gas or mical levels have risen. Surono and his team have been in Bandung, monitoring Mount Kelud for weeks, after three other volcanoes erupted earlier this year.
Satellite Photo-Crater Lake
When Kelud last erupted in 1990, at least 30 people were killed, while an eruption in 1919 killed 4,011 as it ejected scalding water from its crater lake. Local people have been told to stay out of a 5 km radius of the volcano, but an estimated 350,000 live within 10 km, growing coffee, sugar cane, pineapples and papayas on the rich volcanic soil or feeding their cattle on the volcano's slopes, and some are ignoring the warnings, Surono said. 
Stop Press: Oct. 28 Anak Krakatau started spewing smoke and ash.
Local authorities have taken precautions, ensuring channels and barriers to protect the area from lahar, a mix of hot stones and water, have been strengthened. Some villagers who survived the 1990 eruption have said they plan to shelter under tables rather than leave their homes. "Many people experienced this volcano, and they say they will stay in their houses because they are not scared," said Surono, although he fears such measures would prove inadequate if Mount Kelud showers  hot ash.
Major Eruptions
Since recorded time volcanoes have so far killed about 150,000 people in Indonesia. Superstitious locals believe a major eruption is an omen of major political significance. They  believe that sacrifices of animals will appease the volcanoes’ fiery spirits.
Year Volcano Deaths
1586 Kelud
10,000
1672 Merapi
 3,000
1772 Papandayan
 2,957
1815 Tambora-Sumbawa
92,000
1883 Krakatau
36,417
1919 Kelud
4,011
1930 Merapi
3,000
1963 Agung-Bali
1,184
1990 Kelud
30
1994 Rinjani
30
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 10
 
LIVING IN BALI we are always looking for cheaper air fares for our visa runs and holidays. Recently I found from my friend Young Fu who runs a travel agency in Surabaya Java, that from Bali I could purchase a return ticket to Melbourne for around A$700, over a $100 saving on the Low Cost, meals and drinks extra JetStar fare. The only problem is in order to get a Social Visa from the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne you must show a ticket out of Indonesia.
I decided as we always holiday in Malaysia before I return to 
Melbourne my AirAsia ticket out of Indonesia would cover that requirement, which it would. However JetStar have their own in house requirement, in that 
you must have a return ticket from your port of departure. 
One assumes they do this to cover themselves, in the case of a passenger being refused entry into Indonesia by Indonesian immigration. In which case it is the airlines responsibility to fly the passenger out of the country. Otherwise the airline faces a hefty fine from the Airport Authorities.
Nervous Moments
Liza from Auckland New Zealand told us recently that she flew to Bali with Qantas, she was ticketed by her travel agent
Auckland to Melbourne with Qantas then after a 10 hour wait, Qantas code share on JetStar from Melbourne to Denpasar, Bali. 
Her return ticket is Denpasar- Sydney, code share with JetStar, then Qantas back to Auckland. 
At Melbourne check-in, they asked to see her return ticket. 
She was told they couldn't accept her on the flight because her ticket must be a return ticket back to Melbourne not Sydney.
JetStar Check-in
Liza said that after complaining bitterly, the check-in attendant called a supervisor who authorized her to be accepted for the flight.
JetStar Scare Tactics
People who live in glass airports
MELBOURNE: JetStar Airlines are obviously very worried about AirAsia X's foray into their territory, when they announced to the press  in October that prospective AirAsia X passengers should be aware that AAX only have one leased ageing aircraft, that could break down and leave passengers stranded. JetStar amnesing the fact that they left passengers stranded in Hawaii a few months back when one of their aircraft "broke down".  AirAsia X was quick to point out that even if they had 10 aircraft, all would be totally utilized and there would be no "spare". AirAsia X added that they have an insurance plan for such contingencies, which covers passenger expenses and hotels, should a flight be delayed. More than JetStar allegedly got together for their Hawaii passengers.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 11
 
Ines Leaves Again
Ines Jets Out of Bali - China Air
HAVING JUST returning from Europe, Ines suddenly headed off to the USA. She flew China Airlines to the West Coast via old Formosa. 
She told the KHO
"I will accumulate so many 1000's  of frequent flyer points on the way to the US, that I will be able to upgrade to
Ming Class for the return journey." 
Her partner and newly graduated Chef Andi, has stayed at home to cook for the cats and the dogs.
Paddle Pop's ice cream are running a frequent flyer program in Bali. With each ice cream you get  50 points. Save 5,000 and you get a Playstation.
Buyer Beware
BUYING A VILLA IN BALI
AT THE KHO we constantly hear stories of people who have had bad experiences buying property in Bali. not understanding that Indonesian law is totally different to their home country and that there is no consumer protection whatsoever.
Liza and Ray are a couple we recently met who have got into a difficult situation over a villa they
purchased. This they only recently discovered when they decided to sell the property and found to their horror that the building doesn't have a building permit, called an IMB. They were never made aware by the selling agent or the solicitor (Notaris) that they were buying a property that didn't have an IMB. Liza and Ray may eventually be able to get an IMB, we wish them luck.
The IMB number comes in the form of a car number plate and is to be
displayed on the front of the building. No one does this because people steal them to put on their building. KHO's is kept in the safe.
Unlicensed Villa's
The Badung tourist Office, which covers the Kuta tourist area has 276 unlicensed villas on it's books and is clamping down on the operators. Bali Post says that the head of the office, I Made Sumbawa will commence sealing and closing down any villas not complying with local laws by Dec. 31, 2007. Bank Indonesia estimates that villa operations are costing Bali an estimated Rp. 3.2 billion (~US$348,000) each day in lost foreign exchange earnings ?????!
Indo Aircraft Safety
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION has announced that six Indonesian airlines now meet the Category I standard. The six "safest" airlines are;
Fourteen other Indonesian airlines still reside in the Category II "not completely safe" listing. 
Perth- More GA Seats
Garuda Airbus 330
GARUDA: Due to increased demand ex Perth, Garuda Indonesia has added 1,096 seats to its capacity on the Perth-Bali route to cope with demand up 50%, by replacing B737's with A330's on some flights, adding 137 seats. A clear indication that Bali is back on the map for Australian travellers. Arrivals ex-Australia to Bali for the first 8 months of 2007 totalled 124,397, up 52.8% on the same period last year.
Ubud Unsafe
BALI POST reports that Bali's Chief of Police, Inspector General Paulus Purwoko, has renewed his call on the people of Ubud and their regional government to introduce a co-ordinated system of community security, he is growing increasingly unhappy with the lack of tangible progress on promises to improve Ubud’s security situation nearly one year after a vicious robbery attack on two Korean tourists in Dec. 2006
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 12
 
The Short and
Narrow of it all
Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport has been under pressure for some time to expand. Basically the runway is now too short for a fully laden B 747-400 to take off and defiantly too short and narrow for the new Airbus 380 super jumbo. 
The main undercarriage on the A-380 consists of 20 Wheels with a track of 17 meters
5m more than the Boeing 747
There was even talk of building a new airport in Bali's west at Negara. At last it has been decided to extend the runway 600 metres to the east even though it will destroy some protected wetland areas. The sole road to the south will be diverted around the end of the runway. An underpass was mooted, but this is a no-no to the Balinese people because of their caste system. Overpasses and underpasses are not allowed in Bali because someone of a lower cast may be above a person of a higher caste.
The authorities have announced that eventually a second runway will be built to the south and they already have acquired the land. The work will be completed over the next five years. The airport is operating close to capacity handling six million passengers annually.
Denpasar Aerodrome November 7, 1944
The aerodrome was an all over grass field with no runways, 
pilots checking the wind sock, then landing into the wind.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 13
 
Leo & Erna Coming
Leo & Erna at Home in Holland
KHO HOLLAND: It has just been announced that popular Bali  couple Leo and  Erna will return to Bali early in November, after a successful summer season running their Pension at Cadzand-Bad in the south of Holland. The seaside town is a popular Dutch seaside vacation spot. Once the season is over they close their hotel for the winter and move to Bali where they have a luxury 2 storey villa just a short walk from Warung Sobat in Batu Belig. They will return home at the end of February.  - What a life.
Leo & Erna's Luxury Bali Villa
Allen in Town
WELL KNOWN Asian gadabout Allen who spends his life circulating 
from Bali to Nepal Thailand and Burmai arrived in Bali mid Oct. for a restful stay. Allen has been through a very stressful time, when
recently he was caught up in the civil unrest in Rangoon. Allen will celebrate his 67th birthday Nov. 4 at W. Sobat - Happy Birthday Allen.
AirAsia News
AirAsia Thailand has received it's first Airbus A320. Air Asia has 40 A320's on order and is taking delivery of five per year.
New Routes
Phuket-Singapore daily
Bangkok-Ranong 3 per week
Bangkok-Jakarta daily
Vietnam Deal on Hold
The Vietnamese government has rejected AirAsia's plans to open a joint venture no-frills carrier with Vietnam's largest ship-builder.
AirAsiaX First Flight
AirAsia X will fly their inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur direct to the Gold Coast, near Brisbane, on Nov. 2. Initially they had some limited over promoted A$99 fares, but they were soon snapped up.
AirAsia X A$ 633
The standard fare being offered now is A$ 663 return, with meals at A$7 and baggage 15kg A$7 extra.
JetStar A$ 1,230
Low Cost JetStar also offer flights from nearby Brisbane to Kuala Lumpur via Sydney for A$ 1,230 + $30 for meals, 15kg free baggage.
Visit the Bali Zoo
THE BALI ZOO is home to more 
than 350 creatures. Situated on Jl Raya Singapadu, Sukawati. Open every day except Nyepy, 9AM-5PM. 
Entry fees:- Adult: US$18, 
Child 2-14yrs: US$9, 0-2yrs: Free, Family Pass 2 adults & 2 children: US$48.80. Domestic/ KITAS holders: Adult: Rp40,000, Child 2-14yrs: Rp20,000, 0-2yrs: Free.
Bali Airport Secure
JAKARTA, OCT 11 (Reuters) - The United States lifted a security warning against the airport on Indonesia's Bali island on Thursday two years after it was issued following a string of bombings on the resort island. The decision came ahead of U.N. climate talks in December when delegates from 189 countries will gather in Bali to discuss a pact to slow down global warming. The decision to lift the warning was based on an assessment by the united States
Transportation Security Administration that found security measures at the airport complied with International Civil Aviation Organization standards, a U.S.
official said. In 2005, U.S. homeland security declared the airport in Denpasar unsafe and discouraged U.S. planes from flying directly to the island following the attacks in 2002 and 2005 that killed over 200 people. Tourism in Bali suffered a massive blow after the bomb attacks, but has mare than recovered in recent months.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 14
 
The KHO Computer
KHO: Many people ask us what kind of computer are we running at the KHO to produce the glossy Internationally acclaimed monthly?
The KHO computer was built from
spare parts and some components obtained at the Bali Computer Centre. If you need a computer for just
surfing the net, word processing and printing, why spend a fortune for a top of the range computer designed for
The KHO Computer
- No it's not a Mac
full motion graphics, when you can build this computer for peanuts.
Make Your Own PC
Yes - you can Do It Yourself and save yourself Millions (Indonesian Rupiah that is.)  buy your components at a swap meet or check out a recycling centre.
The KHO computer's heart is the Centaur Haulis x486 Cyrix III 1.3Gb Central Processing Unit 
CPU
(CPU), these are far cheaper than Intel processors also AMD processors are another option. The KHO mainboard is a P6SEP-ME, a low cost unit  for home PC's and it even includes on board graphics.
What You Need
Tower, usually inc: Power Supply.
Mainboard - with AMD or other processor + Memory card 128Mb.
Monitor Keyboard & Mouse
Hard Drive Floppy Drive -  CDR
HD cable Floppy cable
Modem Windows CD
Screwdriver Box of Screws
Mainboards come with an instruct- ion manual, Example of Mainboard Manual just follow and plug everything in to the right sockets, take your time, be patient and John Howard's your
uncle. First mount the mainboard into the computer tower, usually requires 4-6 screws, these are available in a plastic pack at computer outlets.
Next install the Hard disk/s, then remove the blanks and install the CD/ROM and the floppy disk in the provided slots.
Connect the disk drives to the mainboard with ribbon cable,
supplied with the drives. Note the floppy cable is different to the HD/ CDROM cable. Connect the power leads to the drives, mainboard and fans from the power supply.
The power supply plugs only fit their destination sockets.
Connect the on/off connectors. 
Insert the memory card, careful not to touch 
contacts. Double check all plugs. Connect the monitor, key- board, mouse 
and modem. Turn on the power, insert the CD, format the hard drive, install the operating system and any other programmes and your ready to go.
......  Don't call us if it doesn't work.
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 15
 
Jamal's Honda 125
Gets a Major Overhaul
LATE OCTOBER: Jamal's Honda 125 received a complete overhaul, new clutch and a head job. The bike will be ten years old next January and has done 58,869 Kilo meters. 
Gee that's almost three times from Bali to London and back.
Stripped to the bone
John's Cooking Spree
KHO KITCHEN: Last week John
spent hours  making a new four litre batch of spaghetti bolognaise sauce which yielded 
almost thirty serves. Then later he 
decided to use some of the excess and make a huge dish of lasagne,
even rolling out his own pasta sheets made from 2 cups of flour, 2 eggs and a teaspoon of salt. 
A fraction of the cost of bought lasagne sheets and you can roll out sheets the size of the baking dish.
All these recipes and more can be found in the KHO Recipe book.
cried Australia's internationally acclaimed Thespian, Dame Edna Everage, when a possum told her about the Bali Mozzarella Factory.  "I just love Italians with their soft Mozzarella's.  But remember if it feels rubbery at all, you should reject it straight out of hand" she said.
THE BALI MOZZARELLA
Factory was established a few years back to supply the ever burgeon- ing Italian food market in Bali with a  reasonably priced local product. Even Jl Batu Belig is not immune, a large Italian restaurant is shortly to open near the Petitenget end.
Mozzarella is a generic term for the several kinds of Italian fresh cheeses that are 
made using spinning and then cutting (mozzare-to cut)  mozzarella di latte di bufala is made from unpasteurized water buffalo's milk. Mozzarella fior di latte is made from pasteurized cow's milk. 
Cornelius de Houtman
The Discoverer of Bali
Dutch explorer Cornelius de Houtman 1565 - 1599 and his crew were the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Bali in 1597.
The armada of four ships, the Amsterdam, Hollandia, Mauritius and Duyfken departed from Holland in 1595 for the Indies in search of spices. They travelled through Madagascar, where 1/3 of the crew died from scurvy. They sailed on to Java and then while sailing further east discovered Bali. When it came time to leave Bali, a number of de Houtman's sailors chose to stay behind, entranced by Bali's exotic and erotic culture, the Balinese king alone had 200 wives. 
Simply Irresistible
Kerobokan Home Office News - November 2007
Page 16
 
What are you waiting for?
As you all know John has travelled the world all his life, he now shares his knowledge with you to make this fantastic 21 day tour of over 18,000 kilometres for this fantastic low price. Calculations are based on current airfares, bus, train, boat and hotel rates available on-line Oct '07.
This tour is possible because Tiger Airways are running a special price for the month of February 2008, Melbourne to Singapore for just A$467, plus some cheap AirAsia fares we have made up a very attractive Malaysian/Bali holiday for you. Imagine 21 nights including hotels and all fares just A$1019 per person, twin share or just A$ 1353
for a single traveller. John has spent hours putting this itinerary together to save you the hard work. Of course you don't have to follow our itinerary exactly, but it is a solid base to work from.
First you fly Melbourne via Darwin to Singapore, spend 2 nights there. 
We suggest Hotel 81 Palace. At Sing$59 (A$42) per night it is an absolute bargain. In Geyling just 7 mins to downtown on the SMRT.
then on to Malaysia by bus to ancient Colonial Malacca where we suggest the central Fenix Inn Hotel
After 2 nights another pleasant bus trip to Kuala Lumpur. The bus stops right in 
China Town bus station, walking distance to the China Town Inn  @ A$ 33/ night.
Then by o'night KTM train departing Sentral Station KL to beautiful Langkawi Island. A second class sleeper will only cost you A$16 per person.
Take a bus to the Langkawi ferry at Alor Setar. Stay at budget AB Motel on the beach.
Next take the high speed hydrofoil to Colonial Penang and stay at the classic Cathay. From Penang fly
to KL & connect to your Bali flight.
YOUR ITINERARY Feb '08
07 MEL-SIN TG 2000-0350 
249
Singapore x2N Hotel 81
84
10 Bus SIN-Malacca 
4
Malacca x2N Fenix Inn
58
12 Bus Malacca-K' Lumpur
4
K'Lumpur x2N China Inn
66
14 Train KUL-AlorSetar
16
15 Alor Setar to Langkawi
11
Langkawi x2N AB Motel
40
17 Hydrofoil L'kawi-Penang 
12
Penang x2N Cathay Hotel 
44
19 PEN-KUL AK 1225-1315 
19
KUL-DPS AK 1440-1940
75
Bali x7N  Call KHO
259
26 DPS-KUL AK 0355-1635
67
K'Lumpur 1N China Inn
33
27 Bus KUL-SIN
10
Singapore x2N Hotel 81 
84
29 SIN-MEL TG 1810-0800 
218
Total Airfares AUD 
628
All Fares/Hotels 21N A$1353
Legend: MEL-Melbourne 
SIN-Singapore KUL-Kuala Lumpur 
PEN-Penang DPS-Denpasar Bali TG-Tiger Airways AK-AirAsia
To totally enjoy your holiday, the KHO recommends
Lonely Planet's
excellent
Malaysia Singapore Brunei guide book
RRP A$ 39.95.
The KHO is the affectionate name of our house in Bali, this is a non - commercial site, to keep our many friends in touch 
with the local scene. Our aim is to help the local people through promoting tourism. 
If you would like to subscribe (it's free) and receive notification of a new edition email us at:jbsymons@indo.net.id
Check Past Editions
Copyright ©2007 The Kerobokan Home Office - All Rights Reserved