At this time of year the air can be crackling hot- at lunchtime hot enough to burn and blister the soles of your feet if you are silly enough to be walking through the sawah without shoes on. The rains threaten to come everyday, but as the day ebbs to dusk it is ultimately an unfufilled promise.

Because of the heat, and also in part because its the fasting month, we decided to do our monthly expat walk up into the hills early than normal. The group was smaller than the last walk I lead, only six of us. However the 2.5 hour trek up ridges, through coffee groves and past the friendly villages that cling onto the slopes of this mountainous area was fantastic. The friendly men and women that make up this rural area always heartens me. Sitting down, chatting about coffee- also about the western world where we all come from is something I always look forward to. I think if more expats could just experience this magical part of Indonesia, then a lot of the bad press this country gets would be washed away.