Howdy friends, family, students, professors, and all other curious readers! I just completed my 14th week in the Asia Pacific and have only T-20 days left before our flight home. Soon, I will be back in my own bed, enjoying the third season in a row of heat as we return for Memorial Day celebrations. To kick things off, I nearly missed my time slot to register for classes Monday night. Thankfully, I remembered just in time while talking to Tomy in the kitchen that evening. I should make it so my phone buzzes for important events like that, but luckily things worked out to my favor! My work at CLA Global TS has been consistent the past week—lots of reviewing client work and applying my skills to understand and conquer different cases. I could not be more thankful enough for all my colleagues’ help supporting me in such a collaborative and cultivating environment. I had an excellent Korean chicken lunch on Wednesday. Almost everyone was in the office, and the chicken and fries were superb. We also went out to a perfect chicken and rice place on Thursday. Although I had a light breakfast, I was super hungry and impressed my colleagues by ordering thrice! Although I love the food in Singapore, I miss my habit of drinking multiple glasses of milk a day. Back at home, my go-to drink was milk, while applesauce was always my favorite side dish. Although you can buy milk at the grocery store here, it is not as easy to come by at Hawker centers and restaurants. Speaking of good pastimes, I miss my seven-year-old boxer dog, Rosie. I am already picturing the day I walk back into my home, greeted by her excited energy, running in a million circles and jumping up and down. It will be a glorious day indeed!

Floral Fantasy

I ventured off to Mariana Bay Sands on Tuesday after work to do some exploring. Although I planned on adventuring in the Gardens by the Bay for a while, my options were limited once it started to downpour. I just entered the Mariana Bay Mall right before the rain picked up speed. Phew! After walking off my dinner, I went to the Gardens by the Bay area and bought a ticket inside the Floral Fantasy. Granted, this was the only attraction open due to the downpour, but one was better than none. I ended up taking a ton of cool photos. The actual pathway was not as long as I expected, but the quality of the characters, flowers, and mini waterfalls 100% make it worth it. I even got to spot three different colors of poison dart frogs in a small exhibit near the end of the venue. The level of detail Disney puts into making the experience feel real was unfathomable. As an avid Disney farm, I was blown away by the creativity and would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick walkthrough of some amazing Disney details.

Bintan Adventures

As part of our program, we went to Bintan Island on Friday since most people had that day off from work. We set off early Friday at 8 am to leave for the ferry terminal. I woke up early that morning to hop on the treadmill and run several miles. My goal was to bring only my backpack to make the luggage less of a hassle. This was different from Melbourne, for example, when I brought my suitcase and backpack. After we got to the terminal, we waited until we all got our tickets from Faiz, the GAV coordinator who would guide us on our trip. After that, there was much waiting in the busy terminal before our group got called to board the Ferry. The journey to Bintan only took about an hour. One thing I observed when I arrived on the island was the four or five locals who would stand in a line with their hands together, welcoming us into the country. It was one of the first things I noticed upon arrival, and I loved it. After we all went through security and immigration, we got on a bus that was booked for us and we arrived at the Nirwana Resort Hotel shortly after. The weather was also better once we got to the resort which was a huge plus.

From my initial impressions, the Nirwana Resort Hotel was quite spacious and extravagant. We first had lunch at the restaurant near the pool downstairs before settling into our rooms. The lunches were all pre-selected by us, and I got a triple-decker chicken sandwich. It was terrific, and I made it to the clean plate club this time. For those of you who do not know what the clean plate club is, it’s a phrase my grandfather introduced to me when I was young to encourage me to finish everything on my dinner plate and not waste food. This goes hand in hand with not taking more than you can finish and making rational decisions. Advice aside, I enjoyed the welcome lunch, and it was a nice opportunity to catch up with other Bucknellians I have not seen as often.

After lunch, most people decided to lounge at the pool and beach. Although I forgot to pack sunscreen, I was able locate a mini-mart that sold it in the lobby area (shoutout to Lauren and Maddie for pointing it out to me!). I spent a while in the pool, swimming about and doing different tricks, such as somersaults and handstands, while laughing with a few other Bucknell guys. I felt like I was 10 years younger, just swimming around and enjoying life. Nothing beats a pool/beach day in my books! After exploring the pool a bit more, the lifeguard got my attention and asked if I wanted to play with the volleyball. Without hesitation, I graciously said yes to his offer!

We played a very competitive game called “Monkey in the Middle,” where one or two people stand in the middle of the playing field and try to intercept the ball from the other players. Although the rules and strategies can vary based on the game, the general goal is not to be the “monkey.” Even though my reaction time was not the best for games like these, I showed off my water acrobatic skills including diving, jumping, and swimming for the ball like a shooting star. We eventually upped the stakes in the game by closing the playing field to just a small square and only allowing a one-handed catch. Our group included Owen, Andrew, Jonah, DK, and myself; Aleksa stood out as the true successor, making even the tough grabs look easy with his D1 water polo experience! After the intensity of the water polo had died down, I visited the beach for the first time. The cool thing about the pool was that the water’s edge lines up right with the wall, so you get a great view of the beach just being at the edge of the pool. Once I got onto the beach for the first time, though, my feet were burning hot! I quickly threw a towel under my feet so I would not look like I was training to be a professional stunt dancer. After throwing on a generous amount of sunscreen, I talked with some other Bucknellians before running into the ocean. One part of this trip that I enjoyed was that the sea was refreshing but not too warm. I often struggle to go into the water on the Jersey shore because I was never a fan of jumping into tower waves that were freezing cold (at least at first). Here at Bintan island, the waves were calm and perfect for someone who just wanted to enjoy a leisurely swim in the ocean. I even gave a few of my friends some pointers for good swimming techniques, including showing them the starfish position, which involves lying face up on your back in the water with both hands and feet spread out like a starfish. This allows swimmers to maximize buoyancy and stability in deep water and is critical when conserving energy in such precarious situations. I walked for a while on the beach after swimming, taking many photos while enjoying the scenery.

Dinner at Spice Restaurant

Before dinner, I took a fairly long walk around the resort before circling back to the main building. The Nirwana Hotel Resort is fairly extensive, making it inconvenient to travel between buildings, especially at night. As an easy fix, the resort has a free shuttle service that runs through different locations every thirty minutes. Although my walk lasted a while, I returned in time to go with Estrella and Bianca for dinner. We took the shuttle, and after just 5-10 minutes, we made it to the restaurant, where we got situated at a table. We sat in the front room because the restaurant was so popular that night. Many other Bucknellians were already there, far into their meals, by the time we sat down. After thoroughly reviewing the menu, I chose the mixed platter, Naan bread, and a cold glass of milk. As someone who used to drink over half a gallon of milk daily, I found the milk there to be one of the best I have ever had. Bianca and Estrella also ordered amazing dishes, including these two different types of chickens and rice. After dinner, we returned to the main resort building, where I got ice cream with my roommate DK and some other guys. My toughest decision of the day may have been choosing what ice cream flavors I wanted, but I eventually settled on dark chocolate and tiramisu. The ice cream was refreshing, especially considering the consistent 85-degree temperatures in Bintan. I noticed that the weather, especially near the equator, tends to hover around the same temperature most of the time. For example, two days I saw on the weather app had a high of 85 and a low of 81 degrees. Talk about consistency! I lastly called it an early night after making arrangements to take a private tour the next day.

Picture Perfect: Tour Time at Bintan

I woke up early the next morning to get breakfast at the hotel restaurant and meet the driver in the lobby. I paid 400,000 rupiahs for the four-hour taxi service. To put that in perspective, as of April 20, 2025, 400,000 rupiahs is equivalent to only $23.72 USD. Talk about a good deal! The driver (whose name I do not quite remember, but I know sounds similar to Dimitri) helped guide my thoughts and answer all my questions on Bintan Island. Also, the car was the coolest thing ever. It was a Japanese car and had two rows. Its compact design but modern interior were stunning, so I could not help but share a picture below! On the tour, I learned “Hati Hati” means slowly, and you often find street signs that say that to warn drivers to slow down. The driving is similar to Singapore, with drivers on the left side of the road. However, there was no traffic, and we seldom passed by other vehicles, even when entering the town. Although I forgot the name of the city/village, we passed by a “checkpoint” that would mark the boundary between the area where locals live and the resort part of the island (there were other resorts near us too). Driving through the area, I noticed that it resembled Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam but with fewer shops, people, and activities. That being said, the location of Indonesia we were in was closest to Singapore, and only was a small reflection of the 280 million citizens living there. We first stopped at the Mangrove River, where I took an hour-long river tour.

Mangrove River

The first thing I noticed was that there were so many roots alongside the river. When I first got onto the boat, the tour guide in front informed me the river was in the low tide, so usually, most of the roots are submerged in the high tide. Hearing about the different types of roots and the trees above was fascinating. The tour guide also pointed out multiple mangrove snakes in the trees and they are nocturnal (active at night). He also pointed out numerous fruits, including one poisonous rounded pom fruit that “even the monkeys avoid.” He also talked about the abundance of charcoal factories on Bintan Island, starting with when locals cut down the trees for wood, and the government would have to step in to prevent mass deforestation. Another use of the wood was in Poonivha (do not remember exact spelling), which is used to make strong tables and chairs, amongst many things).

Bintan Desert: Blue Lakes

On the next part of the tour, Dimitri took me to a sand dune valley where the Blue Lakes were. This was a prime opportunity to take as many photos as I could. I even ran into Estrella and Bianca, which was quite a remarkable coincidence since we were on different tours. Although I never rented the ATVs, a few were available and looked quite fun. However, I decided to stay on foot since I still had much more to do throughout the day. At the Blue Lakes, you could climb a small hill to get a 360-degree view of the area while under the shade of a tree. Standing on top of that hill under the shade of a large tree was a relief since it was scorching hot outside. I felt like I was in the middle of a desert (which was partially true). Much of the sand here was dug out, which explains all the rough hills and bumpy patches. An interesting trivia fact is that the sand here was used to build Sentosa Island in Singapore. Never would I know that would be the case.

Jetski Time!

After returning to the ResortResort around 1:30 pm, I returned to my room to prepare to go Jet Skiing. When I looked at the itinerary sheet Professor Alexander had sent us, I instantly knew Jet Skiing would be my top-to-do item. I spent about 1.14 million (with the GST and government taxes) for a half hour on the water. I was debating whether to do the thirty-minute or one-hour package at first, but I settled on the thirty minute option because it was expensive enough to cruise around and if I took good photos, I would be more than happy. I had brought my Aiekos camera to film some of the best moments on the Jet Ski. I have included a short clip and some photos below. I apologize for the quality and the clarity of the footage. It can be hard to get good video shots when you are going fast, but I am super happy with the photos the staff member took of me. Overall, the experience was excellent, and I even got a few extra minutes over 30, which was especially kind of the staff.

In summary, I started by boarding the Jetski from the side. Once I got on the watercraft, there were two main handlebars that I was to hold onto at all times. The left handlebar contained the green start and red stop buttons. The right handlebar contains the throttle to accelerate the Jet Ski. In order to accelerate, you have to hold the throttle and the start button down simulatanously. By doing so, you would jumpstart the engine and would be free to up the throttle to your liking. Thus, once the engine runs enough, you do not have to touch the start button again. If you decide to idle the vehicle for a long time or you press the red stop button, the engine will turn off.

I began the experience by following the crew member to a giant triangle, where he led me around all three buoys. After two laps, I was allowed to continue to do more laps or race around within the permitted area. The space was big, so I had plenty of room to do cool maneuvers. That being said, the combination of the rough waters and my beginner Jet Ski skills made it so I did not get overly ambitious on the speed or turns. Nonetheless, I practiced the entire time and eventually got more comfortable speeding up and making quicker turns as time went on. Going against the waves was the most choppy, while going with the waves was the most fun. Before I knew it, my time finished, and they let me do one final lap before I rode to the beach. For anyone curious about Jet Skiing, I highly recommend it. It is truly a surreal experience and one I will never forget!

Dinner at The Kelong Seafood Restaurant

On Saturday evening, we all met in the hotel lobby around 5:45 pm to go to the Kelong Seafood Restaurant, which was situated on the other side of the Resort right on the water. This restaurant was on pillars (similar to being on a boardwalk), and a really cool bar was connected to the restaurant via a long path. We split up into two tables, and there was no specific menu that we would order from (other than the drink menu, which we would have to pay for on our own). It worked well because there was a spinning middle section of our table where the waiter/waitress would put different dishes as they came out in the middle of the table. We all then shared the food by spinning the middle section and taking reasonable portions for ourselves. We started with soup before they brought us different fish and related food items. I can’t quite decide which dishes are my favorite, but I enjoyed the prawns (the word for shrimp here), crab, and the rice. Even with the wrench the crab was difficult to pry open. Nonetheless, the dining experience and food were excellent, and many thanks go out to GAV for covering the cost of the meal.

After dinner, most of us enjoyed the evening at the bar connected to the restaurant before returning to the hotel. After a while, we went back to the resort. We found a cool place to have a karaoke night. Although I have never participated in a choir before, I am proud of my singing skills and felt confident in the rhythm and lyrics of many of the songs. The room was small but vibrant and the perfect size for our group. In my opinion, this was one of the best nights of the trip and the room’s energy was absolutely electric! After a while, we were exhausted, so most of us went to bed to prepare for a quick day the next morning.

Archery and Bowling!

After getting up roughly the same time I did on Saturday and Sunday morning, I got a quick breakfast before heading to the Archery location. It was only a short 5-10 minute walk. I paid about 115,000 rupiahs for 25 arrows, and it was incredible. The crew helped me learn the basics of shooting an arrow (it has been ten years since I have done archery, so the quick refresher was just what I needed). After just two shots, I quickly got the hang of hitting the target. On the contrary, I was not quite getting the bullseye area and typically only hit the two outer rims. That being said, I chose one of the farthest targets, making it more challenging to get good shots. One technique I can take away from archery is not to face the target but to face the side while looking at the target. In addition, it is best to use three middle-most fingers to pull back at the string and to have the arrow be at eye level so you can accurately aim for the bullseye. Also, your leading arm should be pointed outward (slightly bent), and the back arm should be up. With these simple tips in mind, I found my footing in mastering the basics of archery. The next time I try archery, I hope to do at least double the arrows to get even more practice!

After a fun round of archery, I ran off to the bowling alley. After seeing a few Bucknellians there earlier, I went inside just in time to catch Jonah, Ariana, John, and Aleksa signing up for a game. I ended up joining them for a quick bowling match. The game was intense! I quickly turned an early lead and held on until the end of the match. My primary bowling strategy was rolling the ball directly for the side of the center pin. I performed well overall! I was surprised I still had it in me to score above 100. Sadly, though, the strike I got in the last round was not properly scored on the machine (giving me a nine instead of a strike on the scoreboard); thus, altering my final score. Although it remains a mystery what my true final score could have been, I had a fantastic time bowling with my friends!

Sanctuary in the Storm

After a quick morning at the Resort, we all returned to the terminal to get ready to board the Ferry back to Singapore. The timezone difference was one hour, so we would all go forward an hour on our way back. After returning to the accommodation at Orchard, we all were welcomed with a small Easter cookie treat, which was super lovely! Dylan, Tomy, and I were exhausted from the trip but we were happy to see our other roommates when we returned. After a quick run on the treadmill downstairs, I swiftly got ready to go to Easter mass with Paul, Deven, and Luigi. I was lucky to run indoors because, after just a short while, a powerful storm swept through the area. It easily lasted over an hour and was inimical in almost every way possible. BANG. While waiting for our Grab to arrive, the guys and I heard a massive lightning strike. Although I would not want to be an unlucky witness to this most outrageous work of Mother Nature, we all had our laughs at how insane it had gotten.

After a bit more waiting, our Grab arrived, and we all hurried inside the car to avoid getting drenched. I have the utmost respect for any Grab driver; driving in such horrid conditions definitely takes grit. Nonetheless, our driver was perfect and after arriving, we all found our seats and the mass started shortly afterward. Considering how bad the weather had gotten, the church was an oasis that we all were glad to be at. My roommate Paul even pointed out a waterfall of rain going off the side of the building. Yes, an actual waterfall of rain. That goes to show how tremendous it was. Nonetheless, we were all happy to have arrived without being too wet. Once the service was over, the weather had improved significantly. With the rain down to just a drizzle, we all walked home amid the aftermath before heading to a Hawker center for an Easter dinner.

Foodie Favorites (4)

The Fourth Edition of Foodie Favorite is here! Below are Colin’s top picks on the best cuisines from his 5th week in Singapore!

Wrapping Up the Blogs

Hey everyone. It has been an absolute pleasure sharing my journey with you guys. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my experiences and gained new insights into the “Land Down Under,” “The Little Red Dot,” and other incredible places. Since arriving in Sydney, I have been a part of countless amazing experiences that have undoubtedly made the journey spectacular in every way possible. I have felt like a true adventurer, from meeting other runners at UTS to eating at the most amazing Hawker centers of Singapore. Yes, I could have stayed at Bucknell for the semester and had a normal school year. However, I decided to take a leap of faith and travel away from my home country for 1/3 of a year to really experience another culture. It is also amazing, all the friends I have made during this journey. For all those considering making the leap of faith by going abroad (or are thinking about going on a big trip), go for it! You only live once, as they say.

I will leave it with this excellent quote:

“I came back with a carry-on full of dreams, friendships, and stories I can’t quite explain.” -Andrea Bouchaud.

Psst–> Oh, and do not worry, friends. I have two weeks of bonus content planned, so you can keep following the end of my journey. Peace out!