Check out this news report from the last time Mt Bromo caused air traffic chaos two months ago – note that ash that time was shooting 2,300 ft into the air… this time it is 18,000!

Volcanic ash has the consistency of tiny glass particles, particles that when sucked into a jet engine has the potential to completely shut it down – hence no one wants to fly through it!”

For the third time in recent months, volcanic ash from East Java has forced airlines to cancel flights into Denpasar.

Mt Bromo, of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, ordinarily a tourist attraction itself is once again the culprit with the volcano pushing volcanic ash into the atmosphere again yesterday after being reactivated in November after a year-long lull. The ash was reaching heights of 5,500 metres in a south-east direction which has attracted the concern of flight operators.

Airline websites have posted important information about the situation – Jetstar cancelled all flights late yesterday and Pacific Blue have announced that they are cancelling all flights for the next 24 hours as a precautionary measure, several other international airlines have taken the same action. The situation is being closely monitored by aviation officials, however at this point the airport at Denpasar has NOT closed, with some flights still arriving/departing.

If you are due to fly into Bali today, please check with your airline as to whether your flight is still scheduled and if not what options are available to you in using your ticket at a later date.

If you are due to fly OUT of Bali today and can’t? There are definitely worse places to be stranded! Be thankful you weren’t on Jetstar flight 116 from Perth yesterday that had to turn away just one hour from their destination and head into Darwin then back home to Perth… not my idea of a holiday!

Indonesia boasts the highest number of BlackBerry users outside of North America, and for that reason Research In Motion (RIM) couldn’t resist choosing beautiful Bali as the location for the BlackBerry Developers Conference.

Engineers from Bali company Mitrais were among the developers to attend the conference which took place in Nusa Dua, in attendance also were senior RIM executives from Canada and South East Asia.

With competition within the Smartphone industry hotting up, bringing events such as this to Indonesia provides a great opportunity for developers from South East Asia to learn from the experienced, and also make some contributions of their own.

Discover beautiful Bali for yourself!

Arrested Development, the two-time Grammy winners alternative Hip Hop group from Georgia, will be performing their set at the Hard Rock Cafe in Kuta on the 16th of January.

Founded in 1988 by Speech, Arrested Development have been ground-breakers in their industry providing a very different sound than other musicians of their time, have forged  a new genre of  Hip Hop.  The positive vibes conveyed by their sound also translate into their lives outside of music, with the group well known for their humanitarian work putting their support behind Nelson Mandela, UNICEF and the National Coalition for the Homeless – to name just a few.

Arrested Development are touring to promote their ninth album, Strong.

The event will be strictly 18 years and older, doors open at 9.00pm with Arrested Development taking the stage at 11.00pm – tickets are 250,000 RP, please consult that Hard Rock website for more details.

Will you be in Bali for this event? Why not check out some more of the island while you’re there? Take a day trip in Bali and experience the beauty of this exotic island.