When the whole world stopped amid a pandemic lockdown a few years ago, I decided to part ways with Sydney. After eight years of living in a western suburb of Sydney and calling it my home, it never crossed my mind that one day I would sell my one-bedroom apartment…

Exploring Balinese Heritage, Healing, and Intellectual Enlightenment — It was the hottest time of the year in Ubud, during the dry season in October. Maneuvering through the bumper-to-bumper traffic on a rented scooter, with temperatures reaching their peak during the day, proved challenging. But October in Ubud is also the time for literary-loving pilgrims worldwide to make their…

Creative freedom or queerbaiting? — Nestled in an agricultural village named Ubud, with winding rivers adorned with mossy rocks, multiple terraces of rice fields, and towering coconut trees on the horizon, the 20th Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2023 (UWRF 2023) has opened its doors to authors and thinkers from all corners of the world. …

A Spiritual Journey Through The 20th Ubud Writers And Readers Festival. — When I arrived in Bali in October 2023, the scent of incense sticks, frangipani flowers, and floral offerings in the multicoloured offering woven coconut-leaf trays of canang sari were familiar. Each time I returned home to Australia, I missed them dearly as they reminded me of the island of gods…

I arrived in Seminyak, southern Bali, on 6 October 2023. It was the right decision to stay only three days in the south. I no longer feel like I fit in with the gay scenes of bars and glamorous friends in Seminyak. It seems like everything about Seminyak’s iconic gay…

I don’t hate capitalism, but I wouldn’t say I like being bombarded by constant ads that make me feel like I need to buy more to be happy. We are living in a world where capitalism feeds on growth, and growth feeds on us to spend more. We are told…

Elizabeth Gilbert’s iconic travel memoir reveals the untold stories of beloved characters. — On January 30, 2006, a travel memoir was published about a woman who journeyed to three countries. It’s been 17 years since ‘Eat Pray Love’ was published. Whether you like it or not, this memoir has motivated many individuals to commence their journeys of self-discovery and spiritual exploration. At the…

The celebration of the age of a thousand moons. — Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside while still alive. Never surrender. - Tupac Shakur It was half past four in the morning. The cold winter air was creeping around my feet. From my kitchen window, the moon was full and hazy…

Here lying in the dark The cold creeps through the windows of sorrow Silence pounds As the night deepens Sleepless mind wanders Will I be seeing the sunlight Of tomorrow? Will i just skip it to the dark side? Here Staring at the empty ceiling the old man sleeps in his bedroom With faded photos Of black and white The smell of aged rugs filled the silent air His breath sang The lullaby of illness he carried The lonely bones await his departure But death isn’t his fear, he said It is dying alone On the couch of dust And frozen past He fears the most