DEAR Readers,

I think it is safe to say that our “foreign” issue features two of the most talented and interesting foreigners currently living and working in Indonesia. Helen Milne started out by designing a wedding dress for a friend in Cape Town, and now she is living and working in Bali creating dresses for rich and famous clients all over the world. British artist Rob Pearce discovered his talent for photography while motorcycling through West Java, then became a professional photographer, then, driven by a major life-changing event, burst onto the art scene in this country with his unique and stunning creations. One of his masterpieces is featured on the cover of this issue.

Staying with our “foreign” theme, we asked Rinka Perez to tell us about her recent family holiday in Western Australia and there is a good chance you will want to follow in her footsteps once you have read about her adventures. Kate Paradis is from Canada so she knows all about keeping warm in cold climates, and in her column this issue she has some useful advice for any first-timers planning to visit one of the colder regions of the planet.

We also take a look at Hong Kong/Chinese-Indonesia relations through the eyes of the Director for Indonesia of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and Kenneth Yeung once again highlights one of the latest scams being pulled in Jakarta, helping you to avoid being tricked into parting with your hard-earned cash.

All in all, a very interesting read even if we do say so ourselves!

Happy reading!

Edo Frese