Existing Member?

Itchy Feet "I am going because I would have no peace if I stayed" - Donald Crowhurst.

Trip: The Island of Sumatra

There are [39] stories from my trip: The Island of Sumatra


THE LAST REMAINING PASSENGERS

INDONESIA | Thursday, 28 Aug 2014 | Views [614]

Departure day.  Time to head home to Melbourne.  At Medan airport, the neon sign said Boarding Gate Opens at 3:15 .  We were with staff at that time & had to fill out a departure card.  Dave couldn’t find his (we received ... Read more >

Tags: airport, indonesia, medan, sumatra


SHOPPING & EATING

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 27 Aug 2014 | Views [633]

Day 27.   We are in room 632 on the 6 th floor of the Danau Toba International Hotel .  Our huge window opens wide.  It has no fly screen or security screen.  The wall ends at thigh height & that is where the window ... Read more >

Tags: food, indonesia, medan, shopping, sumatra


Photos: Sabang Island (Pulau Weh, Weh Island)

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 27 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery

An island off the tip of Banda Aceh, Sumatra
See all 27 photos >>
 

Tags: pulau weh, sabang, sabang island, weh island


Photos: People & Paparazzi

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 27 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery


See all 4 photos >>
 


Photos: Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 27 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery


See all 5 photos >>
 


LEAVING OUR ISLAND PARADISE

INDONESIA | Tuesday, 26 Aug 2014 | Views [642]

Today after 10 days in this tropical paradise, we have to leave Pulau Weh & we really don’t want to.  Our holiday is nearly at its end and we have to head towards home.  We were up at 6am.  A friend of Ivan’s met us in ... Read more >

Tags: airport, banda aceh, boat, bule, durian, harga pas, lion air, market, medan, sabang


GAPANG BEACH, RUNNING OUT OF FUEL & JAPANESE BUNKERS

INDONESIA | Monday, 25 Aug 2014 | Views [599]

At Gapang Beach we walked along the beach/jungle edge for an hour and two lovely dogs adopted us and came with us for the walk.  The water was a bit murky in the shallows so we walked up the pier beside an enormous abandoned resort that didn’... Read more >

Tags: gapang beach, japanese bunkers, pulau weh, sabang


UNDERWATER VOLCANO

INDONESIA | Sunday, 24 Aug 2014 | Views [979]

We walked into town to find a driver to take us to the Underwater Volcano.  No one was there.  This has never happened to us in Indonesia.  Ever!  To not find a person with a vehicle willing to drive you somewhere for a fee just doesn’... Read more >

Tags: fish, pulau weh, sabang, snorkelling, underwater volcano


KILOMETRE ZERO

INDONESIA | Saturday, 23 Aug 2014 | Views [532]

Kilometre Zero is basically where Indonesia begins.  Km 0 is marked by a monument.  It is the most westerly and the most northerly point of Indonesia.  In many countries,  Kilometre Zero  or the Zero mile marker, control ... Read more >

Tags: indonesia, kilometer nol, kilometre zero, km 0, pulau weh, sabang island


AT HOME IN THE WATER

INDONESIA | Friday, 22 Aug 2014 | Views [436]

We clambered over the rocks beneath our bungalow this morning & hopped straight into the sea.  We snorkeled from 9:30-1:30.  We saw:   A Spotted Eagle Ray.  The biggest sea creature we’ve seen so far. A turtle ... Read more >

Tags: fish, iboih, indonesia, pulau weh, sabang, snorkelling


FISH INSULTS

INDONESIA | Thursday, 21 Aug 2014 | Views [490]

We’ve been using a book called Marine Fishes of South-East Asia to identify the fish we see each day while snorkeling.  I think some of the fish names would be excellent to use as insults. You Purse-Eyed Scad! You Green-Racked Croaker! ... Read more >

Tags: fish, insult


PLUS OR MINUS

INDONESIA | Thursday, 21 Aug 2014 | Views [726]

“Don’t dance on a volcano” – Proverb.   Day 21. Today we were driven around the island of Sabang (Pulau Weh) side by side on a motorcycle becak with our driver, Ivan.  Ivan is the first Indonesian non-smoker ... Read more >

Tags: jaboi, pulau weh, sabang, sabang island, volcano, waterfall, weh island


Photos: Signs & Engrish stuff

INDONESIA | Thursday, 21 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery

We love Engrish!
See all 3 photos >>
 


Photos: Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia

INDONESIA | Thursday, 21 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery


See all 5 photos >>
 

Tags: banda aceh, indonesia, sumatra, tsunami


STOP SANDAL!

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 20 Aug 2014 | Views [615]

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish that they are after” – Henry David Thoreau.   Day 20. Iboih, Pulau Weh   Over a rice-porridge breakfast, I spent 1.5 hours editing ... Read more >

Tags: fish, iboih, pulau weh, sabang, snorkelling


BEING WEIGHTLESS

INDONESIA | Tuesday, 19 Aug 2014 | Views [388]

“A good holiday is one that is spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours” – John Boynton Priestly   Day 19.   After breakfast at Yulia’s , we walked up a jungly path & climbed ... Read more >

Tags: iboih, oongs, pulau weh, sabang, snorkelling


LOBSTER, PARROT FISH, GOATS & A ROOSTER

INDONESIA | Monday, 18 Aug 2014 | Views [479]

Day 18.  Iboih, Sabang.   “I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad” – George Bernard Shaw.   We have found that in Indonesia: To clean your teeth, your legs get wet To use the loo, you step ... Read more >

Tags: iboih, pulau weh, sabang, whale shark


INDONESIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

INDONESIA | Sunday, 17 Aug 2014 | Views [422]

“Life is short and the world is wide” – Simon Raven. Day 17.  Sunday 17th August 2015.  Iboih, Sabang. Woke to a loud BANG on our tin roof.  Dave spotted the hugest gecko ever.  He could hardly support his ... Read more >

Tags: gecko, iboih, pulau weh, sabang, snorkelling, vertigo


IN THE SHADOW OF A TSUNAMI

INDONESIA | Saturday, 16 Aug 2014 | Views [451]

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart” – Confucius.   Day 16.  Travel day from Medan to Banda Aceh to Pulau Weh (Sabang).   We saw Danny Trujo & Morgan Freeman’s Indonesian doubles at the ... Read more >

Tags: banda aceh, iboih, pulau weh, sabang, sumatra, tsunami


SMILE FOR THE PAPARAZZI

INDONESIA | Friday, 15 Aug 2014 | Views [471]

Day 15.  Medan .  Had a pretty lazy day inside shopping centres in the cool today.  We went to Sun Plaza & Palladium Plaza & the cinema and saw Teenage Ninja Turtles 4.  It was….as you would expect it to be. ... Read more >

Tags: bule, medan, paparazzi, plaza, sumatra


FOOTPATH FAILS, BUMPING INTO PEOPLE & INDONESIAN TV

INDONESIA | Thursday, 14 Aug 2014 | Views [473]

Day 14.  MEDAN .  Ate a spicy rice breakfast at our hotel, Hotel Ibunda because that’s just what you do here in Indonesia.  We had a short walk to a nearby plaza, treading very carefully on the footpaths.  There was one ‘... Read more >

Tags: advertising, airport, bule, cigarettes, footpath, indo mie, kuala namu, medan, sumatra, tv


MISSING GUNUNG SIBAYAK

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 13 Aug 2014 | Views [678]

Day 13.  Today was a total wipe out.  Got up at 5:30am for our trip to Gunung Sibayak (Sibayak Volcano). According to google, Mt.  Sibayak  is a small  stratovolcano  overlooking  Berastagi  in  northern ... Read more >

Tags: bali belly


Photos: Bukit Lawang. Sumatra. Indonesia.

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 13 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery

Bukit Lawang.
See all 2 photos >>
 


Photos: Tangkahan. Sumatra. Indonesia.

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 13 Aug 2014 | Photo Gallery


See all 5 photos >>
 


LONGHOUSE PALACE, A WATERFALL & ROBYN WILLIAMS

INDONESIA | Tuesday, 12 Aug 2014 | Views [518] | Comments [1]

Day 12.  I wrote a haiku: Sitting in the car And watching the world go by Contemplating life.   Through the hotel we arranged transport from Danau Toba to Berastagi.  135,000 Rupiah each ($13.50).  We shared the ... Read more >

Tags: berastagi, brastagi, king, longhouse, robyn williams, sipiso-piso, waterfall


SAMOSIR ISLAND ON LAKE TOBA

INDONESIA | Monday, 11 Aug 2014 | Views [409]

Day 11.  A very laid back day.  We three separated for the day.  Dave had Bali belly and stayed in the room all day reading An Idiot Abroad and running back & forth to the toilet.  Dan hired a motorbike and drove all ... Read more >

Tags: an idiot abroad, bali belly, bedspread, danau toba, lake toba, motorbike, shopping, toilet paper


A BIRTHDAY & A SUPER MOON

INDONESIA | Sunday, 10 Aug 2014 | Views [470]

Day 10.  Lake Toba. I had lots of lovely birthday messages today via internet including one from Nic J:  “Happy birthday International Woman of Mystery.”  The lake view from our bed is beautiful.  We can see the ... Read more >

Tags: birthday, danau toba, lake toba, room service, super moon


THE THINGS I SAW

INDONESIA | Saturday, 9 Aug 2014 | Views [444]

Day 9.  Bukit Lawang to Danau Toba   This morning Retno picked us up at 6:30 am for the drive from Bukit Lawang to Danau Toba.  From the car, this is what I saw: An albino school boy coming out of the school yard with friends.... Read more >

Tags: batak, batak dancing, chilli, danau toba, lake toba, on the road, parapat


ORPHANAGE, FRUIT & A TINY TURTLE

INDONESIA | Friday, 8 Aug 2014 | Views [472]

Day 8.  Had a solid sleep in our king size poster bed of amazingness.   I woke to find that Dave had descended & re-ascended our 55 steep stairs to bring us morning cuppas.   We drank them while listening to the call of ... Read more >

Tags: bukit lawang, fruit, honeymoon suite, indonesia, jungle inn, macaque, monkey, orphanage, sumatra, turtle


ATM & BLACKOUT

INDONESIA | Thursday, 7 Aug 2014 | Views [497] | Comments [2]

Today we are leaving Tangkahan & heading to Bukit Lawang. The total of our bill for 3 of us, for 6 nights in 2 rooms, plus all meals & all drinks was three million, nine hundred thousand rupiah or $390 Australian Dollars.  We said ... Read more >

Tags: atm, blackout, bohorok, bukit lawang, dry season, grotto, honeymoon suite, jungle inn, sumatra, waterfall room


1 2 Next >