Our world Travel On 10th May 2007 I fled the UK on a journey around the world with a long list of places to go. Got as far as the Philippines where I met my wife. We got married on 11th May 2010 and are now sharing the experiences of travelling the world together

This is a long journal. Grab a cup of coffee, a packet of your favourite biscuits, switch off the TV and read on….

 Sun 31st May – We are heading off on a trip to Indonesia later today, but the flight isn’t until late and have some time to kill until then. The day started nice and sunny and everyone in the neighbourhood seemed to be out in the street gardening and cleaning up. I later learnt that twice a year in summer they do this. Clean the pavements of weeds, plant trees etc, as part of the housing association involvement.

Had to go to the ATM again before leaving and then went home to check my bank account statement on-line, to find that following the hassle I had recently with my account, it wasn't over. There had been two cancelled transactions that had actually withdrawn money from my account. Too late to do anything about it now, but will have to do something about it when I get back; another pain that I could do without.

We had planned to leave for the airport at about 3pm. At 5 minutes to 3pm the sun went in and the rain started, at first it was light, but then turned rapidly into a deluge. Typical timing, and had to run for a tricycle in the rain. It chucked it down all the way to Manila. By the time we reached the drop-off point where we had to get a taxi, it was like a river, and got soaked. So much for arriving at the airport clean and composed!

Then the frustration increased; had to pay 1,620 pesos 'Travel Tax' for Shiera; nothing for me - A ridiculous amount. On top of that it cost 750 pesos each for the 'Airport Tax'. At a currentl exchange rate of £1=76 pesos, that is a lot. It has never cost so much to leave a country! In normal fashion there then followed the farcical baggage search, as they never seem that thorough to me. I am happy that they have baggage search for obvious reasons, but in this particular case, they just touched my bag with a wooden stick, didn’t even look inside and then waved me through. So what is the point of employing people to do that…sympathy for the out of work?

 With loads of time to spare until the flight departed at 21:10 (Philippine Air PR535), more time to people watch. Philippine ladies are beautiful, and so always a chore...heehee! I was watching one of the female security people searching the girls as they walked through the usual security scanner­ - Now there's a nice job! She was having a good rummage around every female's bottom and a few close boob fondles with a smile on her face. She seemed to be enjoying her job a bit too much... Envied her really!

 On board the Airbus A320-200 and a very swish service from the staff and the very amusingly named Captain 'Superficial' – I wonder if they employed him because of his name? The plane was immaculate along with the impeccably manicured smiling staff, with nice in-flight entertainment and a delicious meal washed down with some red wine – That’s the recipe for getting into holiday mood. Now, how is it that they seem to believe that human beings are born jugglers and contortionists? First comes one person with a set of earphones for the entertainment system, swiftly followed by a newspaper, immediately followed by a glass of wine, then the health department card to fill in, and the immigration card, then the meal, and the cup of scalding coffee, and the blanket....all in an itty bitty little space the size of a gnat's fart....and all with the dexterity of a pair of hands and circus skills. Before you have time to break wind, they send around the duty free cart and the...do you want more drinks cart, and then the collection of leftovers, before you have even drawn breath and unleashed the pen from your nose, cos it got wedged there cos you had nowhere else to stick it when your hands where grappling with the fifty sections of the Philippine star forest killer newspaper....and at the same time trying to figure out which of the channels to get the film sound on. Too late, you missed the important funny line in the script...cos you were still extricating the pen and trying to make a paper hat from one of the newspaper sections. Now for a game of Sudoku...

Why is it that at that critical moment when you have just made your paper hat, worked out the audio, got rid of the rubbish and felt that you had it organized.....the person next to you wants to pee! So pack it all away and here we go juggling the bits so they can extract themselves through the narrow leg-space whilst you balance everything in mid air…the joys of the in-flight entertainment!

The flight was generally a good one, with only a little turbulence. Arrived in Jakarta on time, and had a little confusion about the visa system. For me, Visa-on-arrival cost $25, which you get at a booth on the left hand side on the way to the passport checking booths. No fee for Shiera, both for 30 days non-extendable. Then seemed to be ages in the immigration queue for the all important full page visa to be stamped. The wait had been so long that our baggage was sat there on the conveyor belt when we arrived in baggage reclaim, so no waiting around. Another little farce then, as hand luggage was scanned on the way out of the airport! No idea why. Also the health card we had been given to fill in, accompanied by large signs of 1.5million Rupiah fines and 3 years imprisonment wasn't even asked for. So why did they bother?

Plenty of ATMs and money changers outside of the main building. Got a rate of 180 times the value in Peso. That is, 1000 pesos = 180,000 Rp. Lots of zeros with this currency! Was carrying nearly 2 million Rupiah. (1 pound = 16,300 Rp at the moment), so I was a millionaire at last....Feels good!

I had been told about the scam run by the taksi drivers to charge inflated prices to tourists. Expected a maximum of 250,000 Rupiah for the 40km or so journey. They approached us and followed, but I shook them off and went to the taksi rank, where loads of companies were waiting. They are independent and can be haggled with. Got the journey for 150,000 Rupiah with Silver Star. The biggest and most prolific of taksi companies is ‘Blue bird’, who wanted 180,000Rp.

The journey to the 'Jakarta B&B' was an eventful one as we had to stop four times for directions, but it also confirmed the enormous scale of this city. Got there at 2am and the place was locked up with no obvious way to raise the owners attention. Eventually found a bell and got the owner's nephew out of bed, who then had to raise the owner Clara. Got into bed at 2:30am absolutely shattered. Asleep in seconds...zzzzz....

 Mon 1st June - Awoken at around 5am by the eerie sound of the Muezzin calling from the local mosque. Didn't mind this as it was a warm welcome to Jakarta by daylight, and a reminder that the dominant religion here is Muslim. And what a welcome, this place is awesome. One of the most beautiful B&Bs I have stayed in. Nice pool, beautiful furniture, plenty of helpers around to satisfy your every need. It is a home after all, and not run like a hotel. Clara and Anton are the perfect hosts with her sister Elizabeth, and are really helpful with information. Clara took me to a local shop to buy a Simpati SIM card - only 20,000Rp with 5,000Rp of credit and really cheap rates, and then dropped us off at the local Ragunan zoo, after explaining the transport system for getting around.

Cost 4,000 Rp entry to the zoo, and well worth it. Had been contemplating a visit to Komodo Island from Bali, but at $350 each ($170 for the cheaper and more arduous option), there is no way I can afford it. The next best thing is to see the Komodo dragon here at the Ragunan zoo. Plenty of them, and maybe 4 metres in length. Also saw Sun bears, Arctic bears, camels, Elephants, White Tigers and Sumatran tigers. Lots of bird species, with a lovely display from a courting Peacock. Spent a half day, but the heat and tiredness got the better of us, and decided to head back. Right outside of the zoo we jumped on an 'Angkot'; Should pay 3,000 Rupiah the first time you use it in one direction, and no extra to pay for any further sections. They are locally called M.20's or 'Blue lights' or just Bemo. There is a smaller form of transport in the main city, which is a 3-wheeler auto-rickshaw. The drivers wouldn't accept any money from me, so we got back for free!

Stopped at the local mosque we had heard this morning for a quick look. A fairly plain design, so not much time spent and carried on back.

Superb lunch back at the house and a photo session around the house before a swim. They have been avid travelers and collectors of antiques and fine furniture over the years, so the house is worth exploring. Could stay in this B&B for a while as it is great to relax. So hospitable - coffee and cake whenever you want, as well as cold drinks.

The plan was to have dinner at the B&B in the evening, so decided to take a 'short' rest after the swim. You wouldn't believe it that we woke up just before 6am! Looked out of the window and saw some light. Thought it a bit strange as it was light when we went for the rest. Looked at my watch and couldn't believe it. Clara had thought of waking us for dinner but decided to leave us alone. So, we were a bit hungry and had lost an entire evening!

 

Tue 2nd Jun - After the shock of waking up and missing last night completely, we aimed for breakfast. Since we were now very hungry, Clara made us the infamous Nasi Goreng for breakfast plus plenty of toast and jam, orange juice and Cappuccino. The service is wonderful and all done with a smile.

The plan today was to visit the old Jakarta plus the area around the Monas or 'Freedom Square'. Getting there could have been by expensive taxi (100,000 Rp minimum), but I decided to use public transport. Jakarta is covered by lots of Angkot routes that interlink. The one we began on was the M.20 route to SMK-57...a bit of Bahasa required here...S M Ka Lima Tujuh. 3000 Rp but I only had change to give them 2000 Rp, but that was ok. Next onto the 'Busway' system to 'Dukuh Atas', which only cost 3,500Rp each. There we changed to the Kota bound Khusus Bus and alighted at the Bank of Indonesia station. A little about this system....

The Busway system covers a lot of Jakarta and was inaugurated around 4 years ago. When you board you pay only once and don't have to show any ticket when you change. They use special bus lanes which are only supposed to be for the buses, but everyone uses them and ignore the rules. The stations are also raised to match the high entrance doors of the buses, which stop to line up at the right point. It is like being on a mixture of a bus and a metro train. Very comfortable, with electronic display and audible announcement. One amusing phrase they use is ...'please checks your belongings and step forward', as you get off. The reason I say amusing is that three of us interpreted what the lady was saying and we all differed! Met a guy on the bus who was a teacher at the tourism college, with a name that sounded like 'Goodeye'. He was full of information and pleased to use what English he knew to help us along the way.

After getting off, the amazing water sculpture of galloping horses lies in front of the Bank of Indonesia buildings with the Famous 'Monas' column in the distance and its flame top, which is illuminated at night. Shame we won’t have an opportunity to see it alight.

 Distances are deceiving and it took a while to get to the Monas and even trickier to find the way in. There is a basic ticket for 4,500 Rp and a ‘Continuous’ ticket for 7,500 Rp, which allows access up the column from the museum level, which we weren't too bothered about, so skipped it as we had lots to do today. A large group of school children to add a boisterous soundtrack to the event. There was also a rehearsal in progress by the military cadets who were about to celebrate their graduation parade. Joined in a march with them for fun, and had a few photos taken. Great spirit, and a nice addition to the location, with their coloured flags waving in the gentle breeze, choir singing in the background and the constant beat of drums.

A short wait to get the lift to the top (only 11 people per time). The view from the top of the 132m column is really nice. Display boards around the perimeter give names to the numerous high-rise buildings and some smaller ones lost in between. It also gives a perspective on the scale of the immediate area, and what walking lay ahead of us, in the now sweltering heat of mid day.

 Next stop was the Masjid Istiqlal mosque - a massive site, but not too difficult to find the way in, albeit a long walk. Met by a military looking officer at the entrance, and showed to the 'Information room', where I had to change into a long grey smock looking like the Matrix and picked up an English leaflet about the history. Shiera was ok and allowed into the viewing area, unlike some mosques, where women are very segregated. It had been opened on 22nd February 1978 by president Soehartto. The largest mosque in Asia apparently, holding 200,000 worshippers at peak time. Five levels, plus an outside overflow area. Left a donation after the lady had shown us around.

 Walked past the Presidential palace with the immaculately presented nervous armed guards, who wouldn't let us pass. Sat on the pavement to look at the book some way from the entrance and he moved us on from there too. Seemed a bit pedantic, but that was his job. Watched us all the time we were within his view.

 Was getting close to lunch time and wanted to visit a bit of an institution in KotaJakarta - the decadent Café Batavia. Could have walked there, but thought it nice to try out a Bemo to Kota Tua area. The driver wanted 40,000Rp, but only gave him 20,000. He didn't take the direct route and messed us around deliberately I think. I knew which way he should have gone. Lucky he got anything as I was annoyed with him.

The café was opened in 1993 and hosts many grand functions. Lined with historic photos of famous faces and music being played from the 1930's era onwards, it has an ambiance of quality and Noel Coward about it. The price is expectedly high, but this is a treat. I had breakfast muesli - very prettily presented, but a bit low on content, plus a lovely non-alcoholic Batavia cocktail and a coffee. All prices plus 10% service charge and another 10% government tax.

Popped into the KotaJakarta railway station to check on details for tomorrow as will move on to Yogyakarta (or Jogjakarta as it is pronounced, or just Jogja for short). Plenty of options and don't have to book in advance.

Faced a death defying trip to get to the Kota busway station, but made it in one piece. Got the bus system sorted now, and so it was an easy trip back. The junction where we had to change from the bus to the M.20 Angkot was hectic as it was now peak time. Jam packed with every form of transport Jakarta has to offer. Back at 5:30p and it was getting dark already. Thought of having a swim but the sky had other ideas. It threw it down with a fair force, accompanied by dynamic lightening. Waited a while, but it didn't let up. The lady of the house hadn't arrived home and so we decided to go out for dinner, and see what was on offer locally. That turned out to be a good idea, as almost across the main road was a small eatery selling kebabs, soups and drinks, plus Shisha pipe (aka Hookah pipe in some countries). Treated us to an Apple Shisha (20,000 Rp) and some nice food and drinks. Very cheap and good quality. (Later note that Bali costs 100,000Rp for a Shisha!)

 

Wed 3rd Jun - Had to rise at 4:30am to move on. As it turned out, I had the diahorroea again. Had it too much recently and not sure what is up with my system. I was up three times during the night, so really tired this morning. Not much time for breakfast, only one piece of toast and a coffee. Had a bit of an issue when it came to paying the bill as all the little extras which they so willingly provide are charged for, and then they add 10% service charge on top of everything. The room had been charged at $40 a night and wouldn't accept a reduced rate for the night of arrival, which I had talked to them about. So it worked out far more expensive to stay here than I had envisaged. I do have to say though, that the service is wonderful, so you get what you pay for.

We were to board the 06:32 FajarutJogja train at Jatinegara station. Clara and Anton took us there as it was too early for their normal driver, who doesn't start work until 8am. Took about 30 minutes and 3 toll charges on the way (they still pay an annual road tax, but all major roads are tolled too).  At the station it only took a couple of minutes to buy the ticket. The window had the name of the destination, and the fare rate is a standard. When the train arrived at 6:32, there is no way you can be confident that you are on the right train, as they are not marked, other than by asking and very few people speak any English. The announcements are all in Bahasa, in the normal garbled tones that make it impossible to hear what they are saying. Also, we were in coach 5. There was no such thing as they were all marked with the number 2. It was supposed to be Bisnis class. The whole train was 'Bisnis', but we didn't know that at first, and got bounced from one carriage to another before learning that they were all poor quality. Bisnis here seemed to equate to economy class in many countries. I would hate to see what their actual 'Economy' class is like. Some trains do have an 'Eksekutif' class, which I assume must be better? 110,000 Rp for Bisnis, 39,000 for Economy on this train. For a 10hr journey it would be hell I reckon. You don't have much time to get sorted as the train pulled out within a couple of minutes of arrival.

 From the minute the train left the station, sellers come around with hot and cold drinks, meals from the restaurant car, snacks, torches, newspapers and cushions. All at a price of course, but reasonable. I wasn’t long before we were out into the countryside and surrounded by verdant green rice paddies and the familiar palms and plantations. Fun when they come along with a menu and you have no idea what any of it is; always go for Nasi Goreng as it is the only thing we know at the moment.

A continuous stream of sellers at one stage, with sweet bananas, deep fried bananas, noodles wrapped in paper, dried fish, pork balls, small prawn crackers (i think?).. incessant and persistent at one point. At least you don't have to buy snacks for the trip before you board.

Have I mentioned yet about the religion here? Well, predominantly Muslim, and of many sects. So, you get to see them all on a train - every form of dress code. Nowadays many women have dropped the head scarf and are just westernized. The older women still seem to adhere to the very elegant form of clothing. They always look very respectable as is the intention. For the men, it is mainly normal clothing, with few wearing the cap, other than when they are on their way for prayer. There is a Musholla (prayer area) on the train if they need to pray during the journey.

With no aircon other than a small slit at the top of the window, it was a hot journey. The seats on the shaded side of the train got filled soon after leaving the station, so I guess the locals know which side to ask for a ticket on!

Arrived in Jogja at about 3pm. Tourist maps available at the station along with a gaggle of touts promoting specific hotels and offering free transport there or 20,000 if you go anywhere else. Ended up at the Metro Guest House with a pool but not too great room for 75,000 Rp. Chose the area close to the 'Kraton' as will be more convenient for sightseeing over the next couple of days.

'Bamboo House' close to the Metro for evening meal. This area is tourist central, with so many attractive places to eat and drink. The only issue is that we are constantly hounded by pedicab (Becak)drivers. These are pedal carriages with the carriage on the front facing forward and a hood that can be lowered. The price is negotiable as always. Another form of transport here is the 'Andong', or horse drawn carriage plus a 'Bendi', which is a two-Seater version. A 'Public' Andong is the same but shared with other people to cut the cost. They charge by distance.

 Thu 4th Jun - Didn't like the room at the Metro, so moved to the Mercury Hotel a 100 metres or so along the road. 100,000 Rp per night (fan only), but well worth it, with much nicer surroundings and a good restaurant and also with swimming pool. Moved our luggage over straight after breakfast and then set off for a day's sightseeing.

Within a short walk of the hotel is a lovely market; a first glimpse of some local produce and new ways of selling common items. They like their deep fried crisps here, in many varieties. 'Snake Fruit' is in season now. I first tried this in Sabah. Can vary in flavour quite a bit, but interesting flavour when you get a nice one. When I last bought some, I got five and threw three away, so was wary of trying them again.

First stop was to be the Tanam Sari or 'Water Palace'. Got chatting to a Balinese guy on the way there and we stopped for some freshly squeezed sugar cane juice (3000 Rp). They had a couple of Elephants to one side of the entrance square that looked rather bored. You know that head swinging motion that elephants do when they are chained up and fed up! Hate to see it and seems unfair. Occasionally they bring them out for public rides.

 The water palace (Entrance 7,000 Rp plus 1000 camera fee!), was built within the Kraton in the mid 1700's and still seems to exude its ancient character with the tiled roofs and meandering alleyways. Some of it has been restored, although the water has turned a murky and slightly phosphorescent green. A tunnel complex had been built by its Portuguese architect along with some secret 'pleasure' rooms, for which he was supposedly later executed by the Sultan to maintain their secrecy.

Going north out of the Tanam Sari towards Jalan Ngasem is the fascinating Pasa Ngasem, or 'Bird Market. This place is an incredible warren of olde worlde stalls selling many designs of cages complete with colourful native birds. Also on sale are snakes, owls, Geckos, dogs, Civet cats, Multi-Coloured frogs, lizards, turtles and much more, such as an albino hedgehog! A wonderful pot-purri of sounds, sights and aromas that is a 'Must-See'. Got to hold a snake that some guys had brought in a sack to sell to one of the vendors. It had a bag on its head, so safe enough. Many that they had for sale were highly poisonous species.

Also stopped at a few antique shops around the town which had a superb collection of wooden puppets (50,000 to 100,000Rp). Also, the traditional game of 'Dakon' - a long boat-shaped game with ornate heads either end, and containing receptacles for small shells. Could pick one of these up for 100 to 200,000Rp depending on age. Another popular item here are shadow puppets made from Buffalo hide; engraved with amazingly intricate designs and subsequently painted, they take up to 2 months to make and fetch upto 600,000Rp. Superb to watch the skill of the guys carving them, and well worth the price I think.

The major attraction of the 'Kraton' next. This was the Sultan's palace and is effectively a small walled city. It only opens 8am to 2pm most days (1pm on Friday's). Arrived late and didn't have much time. Shoulders need to be covered for guys. Oddly they didn't mind ladies bare shoulders? I went and bought a nice top to wear as what I was wearing wasn't adequate for them. You can 'rent' a t-shirt for 5,000Rp but it was tatty and I fancied something new. Entry is 7,500Rp plus 1,000Rp camera fee.

Was empty when we arrived so peaceful to stroll its grounds. We were the last out of the gate. Managed a quick lunch in the beautiful 'Balé Raos' Royal Cuisine restaurant inside the grounds, backed by nice soothing Gamelan music and attended by the staff in smart traditional dress.

Got a Becak back to the hotel after quite a bit of haggling. They started with 40,000Rp and I ended up with 5,000Rp. It pays to be hard with haggling as they really try to rip off the tourists here.

Back at the hotel and a refreshing dip in the pool followed by some nice food to sample what the hotel had on offer. It is low season at the moment, and so everywhere is quieter than it will be next month onwards.

Out for a spot of culture in the evening at the 'Ramayana Outdoor theatre' at Purawisata, with free pick-up and drop off from the hotel (www.purawisatajogja.com). Classed as a traditional ballet based on Hindu culture, but in this case performed to a Japanese Gamelan orchestra with Japanese singers. It seems an odd combination, but this has been performed for nearly 30 years like this. The singing is a bit dreary for most of the time, in dissonant tones and more like a wailing sound than singing. The main feature though is the Gamelan orchestra. A girl introduced each instrument before the show and most are a gentle haunting sound.

The venue was large and there was an option to combine the show with a dinner (110,000Rp for the meal, 140,000Rp for the show). To be honest, there is no real control over seating and you could sit where you like. A group from Kuoni travel had almost taken over the first few rows but that didn't matter as we still got front seats. The show lasted for 90 minutes and was an elaborate love story, with the characters make-up being extreme, as is normal in Hindu performance. A fair amount of acrobatics from a few of the characters and some cute scenes from a group of children acting as little monkeys, made for  a nice show and worth the money. Depending on when you go, the same story is performed as either the 'short version' or the 'full version'. Most people will have died of old age by the end of the full version. The short version was enough I think! After the show an opportunity for a photo shoot with some of the characters was nice before being delivered back to the hotel.

 

Fri 5th Jun - Decided to have a day's break today and do very little. Catch up with laundry, photos, mail and a little local stuff. Not much chance of sleeping in as the Muezzin call from the local mosque was somewhere before 5am, and that was enough to mean not going back to sleep afterwards.

Breakfast here is a simple affair; fried spicy garlic rice, toast and jam, papaya and tea/coffee plus fried crackers. I noticed yesterday how much they love their fried crackers. The markets are full of them, in a wide range of flavours and shapes. Eaten as a snack any time of day and always accompanying a meal.

After getting laundry sorted out (an average of 2,500Rp per kilo), a little walk around the area followed by a meal at the 'Civet Cat' coffee shop. The main point of interest here, apart from really good food, is its claim to sell the world's most expensive and rarest coffee - Coffee Luwak. They are correct, but it needs some explanation....some rather strange minded person, many moons ago, found that a small breed of cat had been eating all the best and ripest coffee beans. Upon passing through its gut, it had gathered a binding goo that added a certain Je ne sais quio. He then roasted the coffee beans to find that the cat poo had done something to the beans. Being an entrepreneur, he realizes a good thing when he saw it, and it is now the rarest coffee on the planet. It doesn't look that great when you see the beans in lumpy form, but at 95,000Rp a cup compared with say 3,000Rp for normal coffee, it is a bit expensive to try, even for curiosity's sake. A small pack of it for sale was 300,000Rp ! Another thing already mentioned is the abundance of antique shops. Excellent quality stuff if you can arrange to get it home.

Had some time to spare so hired a Becak for an hour for 5,000Rp to take a leisurely ride around the streets. Of course, he took the opportunity to take us to Batik shop, a leather shop, a puppet shop or three. Even though it is a bit tiresome, the work is awesome to see. The hide they use for the engraving comes from Sulawesi, one of the major islands in the Indonesian group. Javan hide is different as they do not rear them for the hide. One of the pieces we were shown was incredible. The artistry involved in nearly 2 months of work was beautiful. Fetching 3 million Rupiah, it is good value although it seems a high price.

Later in the evening, a nice treat at the 'Ministry of Coffee' a place with free Wi-Fi for customers and superb apple and pear crumble...yummm!

Up early tomorrow as we are to visit the world renowned Borobudur and Prambanan historical sites. More of that tomorrow.

 

Sat 6th Jun - Took an organised tour to Borobudur and Prambanan (60,000Rp plus entry tickets). Could have done it by public transport or hired a motorbike, but it wouldn't have saved much in cost; would have had to get up even earlier and had more hassles in fathoming out how to get there too. Got up early as the best time to see Borobudur is at sunrise. Was picked up at 5am. On the way, there was a good view of Mount Merapi, the active volcano that was responsible for 69 deaths when it erupted in 2004. It is apparently the most active volcano in Asia? It is possible to get to a near viewpoint, but maybe another time when they deem it safe enough.

Arrived at Borobudur and guided into an 'International Visitor Centre', where we were given tea or coffee. The ticket price is $12 or 120,000Rp. I subsequently learnt that locals pay 15,000Rp! Borobudur is an iconic site, and ranks as one of the world's greatest heritage sites, along with Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and Bagan in Myanmar. It is a superb place, and was fairly busy even at this time in the morning, mainly with student groups. As the sun rises, the lighting effect on both the site and the surrounding terrain is lovely and minutes make the difference as the light changes fast. Many of the students were keen to practice their English as they were about to take their exams. We had to fill in score and comment cards for them.

Next destination was Prambanan, also known for its Ramayana theatre show. We recently saw the same show in Jogja, but the same is performed here, in a more dynamic setting. Ticket price is $11 or 110,000Rp (student $6) and once again tea and coffee are provided for international visitors.

The three main temples (candi) were constructed around 856AD to commemorate the return to power of the Sanjaya dynasty, and are dedicated to Shiva (main 47m central temple), Vishnu and Brahma. A century later they were abandoned and a major earthquake in the 16th century cause a severe collapse. Prambanan suffered badly during the earthquake and much of it is undergoing reconstruction, so is covered in scaffolding. A shame, but plenty of it still uninterrupted for photographs. A free open bus trundles around the site with stops for photos, other parts being mainly piles of rubble.

Got back to the Mercury at 12:15 but was so tired we decided to have a quick meal and then go to bed, as we hadn't had any breakfast. The afternoon vanished as we slept until late. Got up and had another meal at the Bamboo house then back to bed. Something I have noticed in the local stores is the strong smell of cloves. They make cigarettes from a mix of it and another spice. It is quite overpowering at times.

 

Sun 7th Jun - Up at 7:30 for a trip to Mount Bromo. It is possible to do it alone by public transport but the organised minibuses are more convenient and the prices ok. Cost 330,000Rp including accommodation for one night and subsequent dropping off in Denpasar in Bali.

Enough time before being picked up to visit the local market again. Many snacks on offer based on rice and coconut and free tastings in many cases. It was also interesting to watch the guys preparing catfish and eels at speed for sale. The poor things are wriggling around and have their neck sliced, innards ripped out and thrown into a bucket whilst they are still wriggling around; not a great sight before breakfast! What is also interesting, having lived in the Philippines for 6 months now, is the many ways things are done different. For example, when you buy coconut milk in the Philippines, they use a grinding wheel to get the coconut ut of its shell. Here they lever it out, then scrape the outer remaining coconut fibre away, then break it up and finally put it into a grinder; one process replaced by three, but a purer result.

I am always amazed at how many combinations the different countries manage to come up with using rice and coconut and basic additions. Hundreds of different tasty snacks and meal accompaniments.

 

Got picked up from the Mercury hotel at 8:30am.

Most of today was spent travelling; supposedly around 10 hours to get to the town of Cemoro Lawang, the nearest to Mount Bromo massif. The journey was a hair-raising white knuckle ride. The driving here is crazy, with what seems to be no road discipline...a free for all! Have I mentioned yet that they drive on the left here? Same as the UK. Much of the route passes through rice or sugar cane plantation intermingled with busy but fairly non-descript towns. About three quarters of the way we passed the dominant Mount Arjuna; at over 3,500m, it is higher than Bromo, but isn't active.

We first went to a travel agent in Probolinggo to get a low down on what the rest of the plan was. Another little scam here. The ticket we had all booked only gets you to the Bromo peak. The highest peak is another 470m and needs a 4-wheel drive jeep to get there at an additional cost of 100,000Rp each. Of course, when confronted with the option, you are going to hand over the extra money for the full experience, so they have you!

It also takes an hour extra to get there with a change in timing so as not to miss the sunrise at 5:30am.

Following the briefing we changed to another minibus for an hour or so climb to the village of Cemoro Lawang. A constant climb all the way, with almost nothing to see as it was now dark. One noticeable thing was the drop in temperature. Refreshing after a long period in the heat of the lowlands.

 Had booked to stay at the Café Lava hotel, but were taken to the Cemara Indah Hotel instead. No real choice as we arrived at 7:45pm with little chance to do anything about it. It turned out to be a nice place with a good range of food, although we were so tired that we just ate then went to bed...fully clothed against the cold!

 Mon 8th Jun - Woken up at 3:30am for the 1 hour jeep ride to the Penanjakan Peak. Many guys hassling to rent thick jackets or buy woolly hats. To be honest you don't need them as is didn't get that cold. Couldn't see much on the way there, as the mountain was shrouded in mist. Arrived about an hour before sunrise, so had a coffee whilst waiting. I think it is all part of the business plan to do this. Java coffee is a bit sludgy and generally served black. Leaves a thick layer of sediment in the bottom of the cup and around the edge.

The view as the sun arose was stunning. The craters in the distance emerging out of the misty bed in an eerie way. Fortunately, it wasn't too busy and everyone managed to get their photos amicably, with everyone obliging to take photos for others. Once the light was up and we had done enough it was back in the jeep to go to Bromo itself. As soon as we arrived, the throng of touts running towards the jeeps with their horses was amusing. They wanted 75,000Rp to deliver as far as you could go and bring you back. We walked most of the way and got on a horse for 9,000Rp for the last bit. Still have to climb a flight of steps to get to the rim of the crater, which was smoking dramatically in the bowels of the volcano. No lava visible here, only smoke. Took a walk to the very top of the ridge, with the choking Sulphur fumes making it hard work on top of the heat, but worth it for the extra views.

Return to hotel for a hot shower and breakfast then left at 9:30am for 1 hour drive back to Probolinggo. Now that it was full daylight, the journey down was beautiful. Pretty farming terraced into the hillsides, colourful flowers and plenty of interesting people going about their daily activities. It would be worth spending an extra day here just for walks around the village itself.

The itinerary stated that we were to leave from Probolinggo at 11am for Denpasar, but when we got there it had changed to sometime after noon, meaning a long wait and an arrival even later than hoped for. The bus didn't arrive until 12:20, but at least it was a good quality one, with comfortable seats and aircon. One unfortunate guy had his credit card swallowed by an ATM and was having an argument with the travel agent over something, so we felt sorry for him.

The journey to Denpasar was supposed to be around 9 hours including the ferry transfer at Ketapang.

Fairly uneventful journey; the scenery in eastern Java is nice, but nothing spectacular. One little comment is that the food here isn't that great. After having Nasi Goreng a few times it wears off and you cannot find much alternative that grabs your gastronomic interests. Eating healthily is really only limited to various versions of Bakso, a form of soup. Can have it with meatballs or chicken or just vegetables. A bowl costs around 5,000Rp. On both occasions that the buses stopped for a meal, the food was abysmal. In fact we felt insulted in one place as we had to get them to change it three times to even get some meat on the bowl of bones. Totally uninspiring gunk! The only way to stand a chance is to go to a good restaurant. Hoping for much better in Bali.

A half hour or so wait at the Ketapang ferry port waiting for boarding and away. The ferry wasn't that great; a strong smell of diesel mixed with overpowering urine from the toilets (Wanitas (women) worse than the Pria (men)). Shiera almost vomited after being desperate enough to be forced to go. No matter how desperate I wouldn't go to the toilet on one of these ferries. Badly mimed videoke to accompany the journey plus a large group of boisterous Moslem student girls. The 40 minutes trip passed quickly, but my advice would be that if you can afford it, fly!

Touched down in Bali at 7:15pm in the dark and heavy rain. A little scam seemed to be going on  with some locals getting a free trip across on our bus, but couldn't fully work out the details. They had to get off and on either side of some checking posts, with a nervous driver keeping a close eye on them.

Hadn't booked any accommodation due to lack of opportunity, so chose to go to the main hub of culture Ubud. The bus terminated at the main terminal in Ubung, north of Denpasar, but being late there were plenty of taxis waiting. We shared a taxi to Ubud with couple of other travelers for a fixed price of 150,000Rp, taking around 30 minutes.

Ended up at the beautiful 'Hibiscus cottages', set amongst rice paddies for 150,000Rp including breakfast. Straight to bed and asleep in seconds to the lovely sound of croaking frogs and gently rasping insects.

Tue 9th Jun - woke up this morning to a wonderful view of the paddies, and a really pretty place we had chosen in the dark. They decorate everywhere with Hibiscus flowers, the windows, the bathtub, the tables. The breakfast was excellent. The best pancake I have had in a long time; green pancake with banana, coconut and palm sugar, with mixed fresh fruit and a lovely mixed fruit shake. Friendly owner and staff with a peaceful atmosphere.

Wanted to check around a few other places to compare facilities and prices. The architecture here is gorgeous, as expected of Bali. As usual, no place has it all at the right price, so decided to stay where we are.

That sorted…off on walkabout around town. There are so many superlatives that you can use to describe Ubud, but they don't do it justice. This town is lovely; crammed with history, awesome restaurants, great shopping, friendly people and traditional music and dance every night somewhere around the town. It is a place you fall in love with in an instant.

Along the main road to the junction with the Monkey Forest road and the amazing market. For any shopaholic and culture vulture, this is fascinating. Having been to every country in Asia almost, this wowed even me. The use of decorative grained local woods in craftwork, ornate materials in Sarongs, wonderful fruits, the list goes on. Bought a nice sarong to use at temple visits for only 30,000Rp, and a Salowar. We had to escape before we got into serious spending mode! Bought some local fruit that were like passion fruit but larger and yellow, with a woolly inner layer; they were nice and only 10,000Rp for six.

On the opposite corner to the market is the Ubud palace, another beautiful example of Balinese architecture. A shrine in front of the market was busy. Ladies with incense sticks in prayer; stacks of woven baskets full of scented flowers on offer for people entering, plenty of gold leaf and painted ornamentation on the shrine...just magic.

Down the Monkey forest road to the Monkey forest Sanctuary (15,000Rp entry). At the entrance you can buy 'The Official Monkey Forest bananas'. Seems a funny concept. I wonder if the monkeys know they are eating the official ones? The forest is lovely. Winding its way around hills and a pretty valley, with many temples and ancient stone monuments that have gathered a covering of moss for sublime effect. The monkeys are everywhere - seemed like thousands of them. The phrase 'cheeky monkey' couldn't be more appropriate than here. They are funny and playful. After anything that seems like food, and will climb all over you if you stand still and have food. Wardens are on hand if there are any problems, so it is safe enough.

At 7:30pm we went to see the Chandra Wati 'Ladies Orchestra & Dance Troupe' at the Café Lotus on the main Ubud road. 80,000Rp ticket price with the most awesome setting of an ornate temple as a backdrop. The meal we had at the Lotus was excellent too. Called a Mini-Rijstafel, it is a combination meal of many Bali favourites on a large platter with a cone of rice in the centre, served on banana leaves. Couldn't help it but had to have dessert and a Bali Jamu, which is a hot spicy drink. Fantastic meal in a great setting at a reasonable price. I don't find the food prices too bad here. Cheaper than I expected given its location.

Wed 10th Jun - A relaxing day in store for today. Some laundry to do, plus a little wandering around. Another great breakfast then on with my Sarong for that local feel, and out for a walk. Checked out another few hotels as they are part of the culture. Their gardens are all so pretty, and worth photographing. Back at the Hibiscus, the staff going around with trays of flowers to decorate. The Balinese Hindu cuture in operation.

Most of the day spent exploring other areas of the town. One of the most interesting is north of the centre along Jalan Kajeng, which leads out to the lovely rice paddies. The road is inset with personalised stones. You can have your own for 150,000Rp. The same idea is used on other roads around town. Had thought of going to see another show tonight but fell asleep again after a long day's walking and missed the start. Doesn't matter as there are shows every night. Had a lovely Indian meal at the Bumbi restaurant across the road from the UBud palace. Could hear the music from the Kecak dance performance that was in full flow.

 

Thu 11th Jun - Hired a motor bike today for 40,000Rp. The main aim was to visit the Besakih temple or 'Mother temple'. The largest and most famous in Indonesia, it lies around 45km from Ubud.  The roads of Bali must rate as the easiest to drive on for a foreigner. Very easy to work out directions, and very good surfaces.

On the way we came to realise that the beauty of Bali doesn't just lay in Ubud, but everywhere. This is a stunning country. Temples everywhere, flowering trees and pretty gardens are a fact of Balinese life. Today is also a special day in that there are many family worship ceremonies goes on. The roads were punctuated regularly with pretty women in their colourful sarongs carrying baskets on their heads, full of fruit and various decorations. It was a wonderful photographic experience. And then you reach Besakih itself....wow...!

Set in an awesome location in the shadow of Mount Anung, it is a vast complex of temples (admission 15,000Rp) having a motorbike was excellent as we could ride right upto the entrance steps, around 1km after the ticket office. A scam then happens when the numerous guides tell you that you must be accompanied by them, and that you can 'negotiate' your donation with them for their services. The reality is that you do not need them unless you want them to offer information as you go around. We went around on our own. Today is Kajeng Kliwon, an important day for family worship. Part of the temple was off limits to non-worshippers today, but that didn't matter as there is so much to see anyway. Plenty of really nice craft stalls at the site and not pushy at all.

On the way back, although it was a bit late, we thought it nice to go to the Botanical gardens in Ubud, but they wanted 50,000Rp entrance for possibly under an hour before they closed, so we didn't bother going in. Instead, we headed back to town, which was a lucky decision as we spotted some Cockfighting taking place in an outdoor arena, so stopped to watch. The second fight was a bit gruesome as the losing gamecock was still alive as the guy was cutting its legs off. At was horrible to see its feathers being plucked, blood running from its body and legs and it still alive...but not for long...saw its eyes close for the last time...then we left!

It was a complex situation with the fighting going on at one side of the road, and passing by, a long stream of beautifully dressed ladies carrying produce on their heads on their way to worship. Bali is amazing to the senses!

Had dinner at the lovely Casa Luna restaurant and cooking school on the main road, one of the first restaurant owners to exist in Ubud. The food is awesome and had one of the best lassies in a long time. A bit of a rush though as I had bought tickets to a Kecak Fire &Trance Dance show, performed by Desa Adat Sambahan. It was held at the 'Pura Batu Karu' temple on Jalan Suweta (50,000Rp). I rate it as one of the best shows I have seen here. The haunting rhythms throughout the show are provided by the men of the Sambahan village. Almost the whole of the village are involved in the show, and the money goes to the maintenance of the temple. Towards the end of the story a crazy mythical horse was kicking burning coconut shells around the arena. Many ended up around the feet of the audience to a few shrieks! Well worth it.

Back at the cottage, our pet gecko in the roof was awake again, along with numerous frogs to lull us to sleep. I should record it and play it back at home as a lullaby, so pretty a sound.

 

Fri 12th Jun - Moving on today to Sanur beach, south east of Denpasar. There used to be many Bemo around town, but not any more, only a few. The main way of getting out of here is either taxi or shuttle buses that collect from the hotels or pick-up points. 45,000Rp to get to Sanur from here. Left us plenty of time this morning for another great breakfast and also time to just wander and take photos. I am starting to feel as if I have had an overdose of great food already. Crazy thought really, but want something simple for a change! Is that possible here?

The shuttle bus wasn't anything special, other than a few other travelers, one chatty girl from New York and the others were quiet. The shuttle wanted to drop us off at a point far north of Sanur, claiming that it was the official drop-off point. I refused and wanted to go nearer to our hotel. That turned out to be another few kilometers at least. He wanted more money but I refused and he drove off in a huff.

Staying at the Ari Putri hotel. A lovely traditional Bali hotel with a nice pool, opposite the original enormous Sanur Beach hotel.  Went out for a walk down to the beach later and a tour of the big hotels. They are another league hear; really swanky and top price. As normal, beach prices for food is dramatically higher than way from the beach and so we returned to the main road through one of the posh hotels and had a nice meal for a fraction of the price. First impressions of Sanur...over-priced for what it is, and not impressed by the quality of the surrounding shops. The restaurants are good though. Plenty of tour vendors, but the prices are way too high. This is what I expected of the beach areas.

 

Sat 13th Jun - The main reason for the timing of our trip was the 'Bali Arts Festival', which began today in Denpasar at 3pm with the opening ceremony supposedly in Renon Square. The taxi drivers disagreed and said we had to go to the Arts Centre, which we did. The festival will go on for almost a full month and have a full itinerary of events. I had thought of spending a few days here but in retrospect decided to just visit for the main opening day, so that we could make full use of our time to do other stuff.

We had some time to kill before the start of the street procession, and so went around the Arts park and its many lovely buildings and gardens. The theater for tonight's show was being prepared and we got to sit in the ornate chairs that would later be occupied by the President of Bali and his wife. The full red carpet treatment minus the film crews… Special!

Turned out that the procession did start from Renon square, but it didn't matter, as there was a grandstand where we were, although the road was a bit narrow, making it a bit squashed to get in place. The ceremony and carnival was beautiful. Typical traditional costumes from all over Indonesia, as well as the only outside participant Japan. The procession lasted over an hour of mass colour, cheery people and traditional music. Overhead, the sky was filled with colourful kites. The VIP area was full of beautifully dressed notaries, and someone that looked to me like a famous journalist, but cannot think of his name right now.

The main opening event was in the evening at the 'Arda Candra'. A wonderful open arena and amphitheatre with a beautiful temple behind. The President of Bali opened the event after over an hour of the dignitaries entering and some very long speeches. It went on so long that we were so tired and couldn't last out the full show. Left early and stopped for a Bakso in the market before catching a taxi back to Sanur.

 

Sun 14th Jun - Even though I had a good night's sleep, felt tired today. Been doing to much and need to take it easy. A beach day in order. Sanur beach is a mixture of experiences. Our hotel is less than 5 minutes walk to the beach, past the vast Sanur beach hotel. The beach going past it is manicured as expected, and complete with attendants. Going the other way is more down to earth. The Hyatt is a very posh stretch, but a really lovely view awaits with a stretch of beach full of Jekungs, a local outrigger boat - a trip on one can cost $20 upwards. Painted in the most dazzling of colours inside and out, they are stunning against the pristine blue sky and clean golden beach, especially with the view of mountains and volcano in the distant.

A nice swim in the warm sea and a lovely stroll back. On the way back a wedding was being prepared at the Hyatt as well as a 'Romantic dinner for two' on the beach. A pair of ornate high-backed chairs around a prettily decorated table on a manicured area of beach, which must have cost someone a small fortune to organise.

Further along the beach and some other sights; a kite seller with some techni-coloured galleons floating in the sky as well as flapping birds, many massage ladies offering their services, and then a stretch which showed that the locals had taken to the beach for the afternoon...in their hundreds. Tickets were being charged for them to enter the beach. Luckily, we escaped before it got too rowdy.

The evening was nice, if not a bit bizarre. After checking out a few options for dining, we ended up at the 'Cat & Fiddle' Irish pub, with a performance by the 'Leprachauns'. A Balinese band playing traditional Irish songs, to a foreign audience seemed a weird thing but they were really good. I got up on stage to do a song and play guitar for the crowd, which I enjoyed.

A slight frustration later. I had been desperate to find somewhere to dance for such a long time with no success. Found one doing Salsa close to our hotel, but too late to make any use of it before closing time...damn!

 

Mon 15th June - Made the choice to move on today towards Lombok. Had booked a taxi driver to take us to Padang Bai ferry port and stop off at the 'Bali Bird and reptile' parks on the way. What a great decision...awesome! A little expensive to get in at $21.5 each plus 10% Government tax (+3% credit card charge as normal). The bird park is amazing. Laid out in the different zones of Sumatra, Papua, Borneo, Bali etc. The range of birds are stunning and the environment perfect. Park rangers are on hand to let you have an interactive experience with some of them. Having maybe eight of these wonderfully coloured birds perched on you is a lovely experience. Macaws, Parrots, Hornbills, Cockatoos to name a few. Some bird of Paradise also. An area of Komodo dragons is really nice. They also do feeding demonstrations and we were able to get involved too. The reptile park is superb. Massive Iguanas, Lizards and Skinks to play with and have them climb over you...I was so excited by this, we loved every second…Magic stuff.

After a couple of hours at the parks we decided to aim for Padang Bai; a pleasant journey through many traditional towns. Stopped at an umbrella maker as well as an amazing woodcarving workshop on the way there. The prices are really good although a bit tricky to get some of this stuff home.

Arriving at Padang Bai is a pleasant surprise; a pretty bay centered mainly on the ferry harbour for the boats to Lombok. The accommodation is the full range and it didn't take us long to find a budget room at the 'Kembar Inn' for 100,000Rp including breakfast. Out to explore the village; three beaches - the Blue Lagoon, small with strong waves not really good for swimming, another black sand beach and a white sand beach. Ok for a night's stop. Loads of dive shops and restaurants. A good meal at the Puri Rai resort and restaurant on the beach, one of the more popular places.

 

Tue 16th Jun - The plan this morning was to hire a motorbike for a few hours and see if we could find a ceremony at a temple. The guide yesterday had said that this was one of the most important days here, and there would be ceremonies at all of the big temples plus many smaller family temples. Asked around last night for more information and got nothing conclusive. Blank looks from some of the locals. Also, the cost of hiring a motorbike was going to be upto 60,000Rp for a couple of hours compared with 40,000Rp for the whole day in Ubud. The Inn owners didn't know anything about the ceremonies and the conclusion was that, if anything was going to happen, it would be this afternoon or tonight and tomorrow. As we wanted to move on to Lombok and the Gili Islands today, we decided to not spend any more time here. No ATMs here that take visa and had to get a motorbike to/from the local city of Kungklung to get stocked up with cash whilst Shiera waited back in Padang Bai. Bemos run the route but are much slower. On the way there I noticed some small family preparations going on. On the way back the big Goa Lawah temple on the coastal road seemed busy, so asked the driver to stop briefly. Was frustrated to find a big ceremony going on, but couldn't go in as I didn't have a Sarong with me, so could only watch from the entrance. Why is it that it is such struggle to get accurate information, and especially from the locals? Messed up a whole morning and didn't achieve what we stopped here for. Rather than waste any more time, we packed up and decided to aim for the Gili's. Here is where more mis-information is in abundance. We were in the process of buying a ticket 'direct' to one of the Gili Islands, when just as I was about to hand over the cash, the guy said we would have to overnight in Senggigi in Lombok as we had missed the ferry. I reckoned this was al a scam. Was rather fed up by this stage and just picked up our luggage and walked away towards the ferry terminal. Many touts approach on the way there offering discounted tickets all the way through. 25,000Rp cheaper than what we were about to pay earlier and leaving immediately so grabbed a couple and were whisked off to the ferry. The normal passenger ferry that goes to the Lombok port of Lebuan costs 31,000Rp, double what it cost a few years ago. The ticket we had been sold, didn't go direct to the Gili's, but entailed a bus section from Lebuan and another boat.

There are three options to get to the Gili's. The direct speed ferries currently cost an average of 660,000Rp - that's a lot! The next are slower ferries for 300,000Rp, the final is via Lebuan for 125,000Rp average. All seem to be negotiable and almost everyone here can sort out a ticket, even the kids.

The ferry departed at around 10:20am and a gentle breeze was pleasant to calm down the stress of the morning. A fair proportion of backpackers on board, and got a little worried that we might not find the peace and quiet that I was hoping for in Lombok? The Gili's sound to have become a party-goers destination. They say there is no motorised traffic at all, so that's something....will see.

In a way we were sad to be leaving Bali, as it is a magic place; will definitely be going back some day. Favourite place would definitely have to be Ubud.

The ferry arrived at Lebuan port at 3:15pm and it didn't take long to meet up with the tour company who we got the ticket with. Plenty of companies are waiting to get business with sign cards. A small van took us to their office in Mataram (the capital of Lombok), via an ATM for anyone who needed it, where we were given the ferry tickets for the final leg of the journey to the Gili islands. Of course, this is also an opportunity for them to try and sell tours, and anything else they can con you out of. They try to tell you that it is essential you book your return ticket with them or you may not get off the island...absolute rubbish as there are plenty of operators to get you off. Many people succumb of course and hastily buy tours and tickets. A couple of things to note...firstly. Bali was predominantly Hindu (around 90%), and that that reflected in its ornate temples everywhere and the way they dress. Lombok is 85% Muslim, so most of the nice temples are gone, and most of its occupants seem back to westernized dress. They say that Lombok is Bali without the tourism and traffic. Not really so as a first impression, as there are more fundamental differences that make the two neighbouring islands different. Within Mataram a common sight, apart from masses of motorbikes, is the horse drawn passenger cart or Cidomo. Used for upto 3km journeys and charged 1,000Rp to 2,000Rp depending on distance, they are an attractive means of transport.

Back onto another minivan and off to the port of Bangsal. Well, here came another scam. They stopped short of the port by 250 metres at the 'Bunga Bunga cafe' at around 5:15pm, where there was another attempt to sell tours and tickets and delay matters. With a few dozen people gathered in successive drop-offs, they must get used to the atmosphere of hassled responses. We had to walk then to the port where the small boats await for the three islands. We were kept waiting around for a while and despite being told which boat we were to board, we then got on a different one. No jetty, so you have to wade to the boat which was bobbing up and down in the strong waves. One guy slipped getting on and cut both of his knees. By this time the sun was setting, and what a beautiful view is was. The mountains in the distance and the golden colours over our awaiting islands where lovely. Around 45 minute crossing on a choppy sea and we arrived in the dark at the island of Tragawan, the largest of the three Gili's. Once again, no jetty so have to get off into the sea with your luggage. The throng of accommodation then approach...head down, ignore them all and aim left from the boat. There are so many places to stay here, of all caliber, that it isn't difficult to just wander around and find something. Being a really long day we were so tired and also hungry, we didn't want to spend long finding somewhere. Fairly basic for 150,000Rp a night, but many go up to 1 million!

Straight out to eat at the rather chilled Ricchi's restaurant and then a walk to finish off the evening. As mentioned, there isn't supposed to be any motorised transport here. There is, with motorbikes, but the main way of getting around is bicycle or Cidomo along a flat track that runs along the eastern coast.

Plenty of Lovely restaurants and the very flash Obarak resort at the southern end with an ATM!..yes, there is now an ATM here, contradictory to what everyone including the guide books tells you. It is new, so maybe the news hasn't filtered through yet? It has been here 6 months apparently. Don’t rely on it as it often runs out of money.

 

Wed 17th Jun - Didn't like the place we chose in the dark last night, with a really basic breakfast, so decided to move to somewhere nicer we had seen. Slightly dearer at 225,000Rp but a traditional 'Sasak' design, and a lovely outdoor toilet and shower room with Tamarind, coconut and Papaya trees overhead. To the beach.....

White sugary sand and turquoise water as widely publicized. The waves were a bit strong but the water was like stepping into a warm bath. Just what we needed. Spent a few hours walking through the inner forest area and checking out other areas of beach. So hot today but plenty of shady areas with platforms to relax on. There is so much construction going on here. Won't be long before the whole waterfront has been absorbed into a continuous stretch of businesses without a gap. This seems to happen everywhere when tourism takes hold.

There is a viewing area at the southern end of the island and what better way to get there other than by Cidomo, the horse drawn carriage. They are expensive here at 40,000Rp return including the driver waiting while the sun sets. I bet the locals would pay less than 4,000Rp! Was pretty, although not the most dramatic sunset we've seen.

The busy end of the town is full of buffet stands selling fish and meat to barbeque, so had a fish meal, which turned out to be the most tasteless meal we have had in a long while, and the most expensive - Just unfortunate luck I guess.

 

Thu 18th Jun - A single dive with 'Blue Marlin Dive' to Sunset reef ( all shops charge $35 + 40,000Rp Marine fee + 3% credit card fee). Nice and easy dive with plenty of Turtles, Moray Eels, enormous Cuttlefish, Box fish plus others. Whenever I go diving and see the common sea creatures such as Lobster or Cuttlefish swimming - they look stunning. I hate to see them laid out on a fish stall ready to eat, it seems a criminal waste of such beauty.

Had a fiery Indian meal at the Pesona resort & restaurant overlooking the beach at sunset. An expensive place with a knockout jug of rum & coke that was a good alternative (i.e. Potent mix) to the Magic mushrooms that are on offer everywhere...in food, as a shake or however else you want them. Takeaway or free delivery! As you stroll the pathway around the island, you get approached regularly for drugs, marijuana being a common one. As I say, every restaurant, even the posh ones offer magic mushrooms!

 

Fri 19th Jun - Heading back to Lombok today. Had booked a combined ticket yesterday for the rip to Senggigi, the main beach area on the west coast. The tickets cost 75,000Rp wherever you buy them. The crazy thing is that you could probably do the same journey for 25,000Rp by public transport. Got to the harbour at 8am as instructed. The 'Public' boat was almost full at that stage and ready to leave. That only costs 10,000Rp to Bangsal and needs 25 people before it leaves. Ours had 22 and left at 8:15 albeit a slightly larger boat. I don't think it is worth paying the extra price as I bet that at Bangsal it would only cost maybe 15,000Rp to get to Senggigi.

On arriving at Bangsal, the expected scams began again. Firstly, the Cidomos are there, asking 10,000Rp each to take you to the bus pick-up point, which happens to be at the Bunga Bunga café where we stopped on the way out; 250 metres down the road, so we walked. Also, they ask you to go to the café to have your ticket checked and of course you are approached again for tours etc. The actual bus pick-up point is across the road in a compound. The trip to Senggigi is pretty, along the coastal road, with many sweeping bays. Asked to be dropped in Senggigi Square by the Mosque as a place to start looking from. For 10,000Rp we had a guy in a nice car drive us around all of the accommodation in the area before settling on the Puri Bunga Resort for 300,000Rp fully inclusive and a swimming pool. Pretty rooms, nice views, lovely location and friendly staff.

Off to look around the area and something to eat. Plenty of choice here. I notice something about Bali and Lombok...most restaurants charge 10% Government tax on top of the prices on their menu, some then add 10% service charge. Some however add 21% Government tax and service charge, some just tell you the all inclusive price. It is a pain really as we have had a bill arrive with 30% in extras added! Now that can hurt!

The Sentosa villas in Senggigi is hosting an International dance competition this weekend. The candidates arrive tomorrow, but the competition isn't until Sunday, the day we have to leave to go back to Jakarta. Bad timing considering my passion for dancing. I had looked into dance opportunities before I set off here, but this one didn't come up on the search, so very frustrated by that as could have chose a different return date for the flights...Que sera sera!

Was going to hire a motorbike for the day tomorrow, but instead opted for a new local company with a 1month old plush vehicle and driver for the whole day at 300,000Rp to go where we wanted. A bit of a luxury, but a nice way to finish our trip. More on that tomorrow.

Across the road from the Pura Bunga is the Pasar Seni Arts Market. A really attractive market, with super quality Lombok goods. Tempted to buy loads with their prices being so cheap....but resisted....phew!

Not much of a sunset this evening but had a nice relax at our room whilst the sun went down, then had a refreshing swim before dinner. A really odd situation here. The waiter at our hotel delivered two menus. The one he gave to me was for a 'Cafe Loco' and I noticed it had a note stating 10% tax to be added to all prices. The menu he handed to Shiera was for our hotel and stated 21% tax to be added. The menus were identical! I asked what the difference was. Café-loco is across the road, and both were supposedly had the same owner. So why eat at the hotel and pay 11% more instead of walking across the road and paying less for the same meal? So we went across the road. I mentioned to the waiter at café-loco that I didn't want to pay any tax and without arguing, agreed to not charge us any and to throw in dessert free. Bizarre isn't it!

Dust as we were finishing our meal a guy ran in and shouted...'We have a Turtle'. Intrigued, we ran after him onto the beach. Sure enough, we were about to witness one of those rare privileges of a Leatherback Turtle laying its eggs on the beach. I had seen this on Turtle Island off the coast of Malaysian Sabah last year. Now we were getting this for free. For about an hour the 2 year old excavated its pit in the sand and then lay over a hundred eggs, followed by filling it in again. The rangers who were monitoring this were really careful, and would relocate the eggs to a hatchery at the Sheraton hotel up the beach.

So we were thankful in many ways for observing the cost saving to be made on walking across the road in ending up with a beautiful and priceless experience!

 

Sat 20th Jun - Had booked a car and driver/guide flr today. A nice continental style breakfast at the Puri Bunga before heading off with our driver Jimmy for the day.

The idea was to visit the cultural sites of Lombok and avoid the touristy places as much as possible. About half way to Mataram is a sprawling Chinese cemetery, which highlights the varied nature of Lombok's history. In typical Chinese style, the graves are ornate and different in design to ech other. It might seem an odd way to start the day, but cemeteries can be really interesting places. An ideal start to a history tour!

There are many essential places to visit though. Driving south out of Senggigi towards the capital Mataram and we reached Ampanan, the old port of Lombok before Lebuan took over. In its heyday it was built by the Arabs and the Chinese, and their shops and store houses are still visible today, although in a dilapidated state. Most of the old port is no more. The waterfront is a stretch of black sand littered with refuse and an oil tanker moored a short way off shore. Signs of the past are only a vestige of what is was. Who knows, it might one day be resurrected?

Heading west to Lingsar and we exited the busy city and entered the green and peace of the countryside. Today is graduation day and the schools (Sekolah) were busy with students and parents buzzing around, and teachers trying to maintain some sanity amongst the chaos. For most, they have to pay for education as it is not free here.

One obvious thing about this country...they are aiming at the highest number of Mosques per square kilometer of any country I have visited; around one every 200 metres, and every half kilometer outside of the villages.

Lingsar is the only temple in Lombok where Hindu and Moslem can prey at the same temple. Entry is by donation to the guide who greets you on arrival. There is also a donation box in both the Hindu and Moslem sections of the temple complex. The temple has been built facing mount Rinjani, which was and still is believed to be a holy mountain. The water from it is treated as holy.

At the entrance have to sign the visitor book and get a yellow sash (Temben Dodot) for respect. A donation is expected - you have to write in the book how much you have given. Adjacent to the donation box is a tray of hard boiled eggs for feeding the eels in the lake, and Dragon nuts for itchy skin. The only reason they are selling the nuts is because there are plenty of these trees here. Mixed with oil you rub the nut on your skin to stop it itching apparently.

Next was 'Narmada Park' - 10,000Rp for foreigner (used to be 1,000Rp a few years ago), 4,000Rp for locals. Shiera has been continually taken as Indonesian here, as long as she doesn't respond when they talk to her in Bahasa, so she got in at the local price. Basically it is a Water park, but there is a temple at the top of the site that supposed to emulate the temple at the foot of mount Rinjani. The place was full of locals swimming and a group of Hindu worshippers at the font of holy water; this is supposed to make you younger...if you believe in it that is!

Taking a back route south we passed through the traditional weaving village of Sukarara. The material they produce is called Ikat, and comes is designs standard across the village. They buy the thread white and dye it using locally grown vegetable dyes. One of the elders showed us around the weaving ladies and then around the village. The whole village operates as a cooperative. Everything they make goes into the shop for local sale. The men work in the rice paddies a few hundred metres away.

Next to a traditional Sasak village. There are two touristy villages at Sade And Rembutin, but we wanted a less touristy place so went somewhere else. I have no idea what it was called, but it was quiet and we got a personal Sasak guide to show us around. The Sasak house was originally shaped to replicate the contour of Lombok island. Floors and access steps are fashioned from local clay and manure. The main house from bamboo and dried grasses.

On the way further south we were lucky to see a Sasak wedding taking place. The host representing the bride and groom, who were dressed in traditional costume invited us to stay for lunch, which was lovely and I guess made their day, as most people had their cameras and camcorders pointing at us for the whole time we were there. The food was all traditional fare with Buffalo meat and some really tasty mixed vegetable that I cannot describe. In the outdoor kitchen, the cooks were preparing the food in big pots for the evening party. Surprised to see my favourite food of spicy Jackfruit and Laing being cooked. Shame we didn't have time to stay as I would have liked to taste their version.

Our driver convinced us that we must visit the southern coastal area of Kuta. On the way we past the construction site of Lombok's new International airport, due for completion in 2011 I gather. It is bringing a vast amount of work to the area and will mean radical change to the island I think. The roads leading to it from all directions are being upgraded, and will mean fast transit to the major tourism areas. Kuta is stunning. Very pretty with colourful sea and golden fine gravelly sand...almost like walking on tiny polystyrene balls of sand; like having your feet gently massaged whilst walking. There are a few real estate companies selling of lots at the moment for what seems like give away prices. I think this area has some great investment potential, with one problem I can foresee. The water on Kuta beach is too shallow for swimming I think. Snorkeling and diving in another area close by. It is really quiet now, and I think it will be a shame if that gets ruined. Plenty of local children buzz around selling bracelets they have made. Women in sarongs plod from one place to another carrying stacks of colourful Sarongs on their heads, in search of business. When we were there a fair gust was blowing and there looked to be a strong surf out across the bay. Didn't spend to long in the area before heading back to Senggigi.

Dinner at a nice restaurant. Only mention this as almost all restaurants here are desperate for business, so much so that they agree to not charge tax, and give a 10% discount and a free dessert. You get stopped by guys on motorbikes offering similar deals and free transport to their place. This place isn't quite developed yet and everyone is hungry for business. You cannot sit down for a meal without sellers approaching you with various merchandise at cheap prices. We don't sit at the front of a restaurant because of this. 

Marimbu beach viewpoint for the sunset, about 5km north of Senggigi by taxi as the Bemos stop around 5pm, so might have got there but not got back. Cost 60,000Rp return including waiting time.

Not much quality nightlife here. The tacky sounding 69 discotheque. The International Dance competition isn't until tomorrow after we have gone, so fairly sad about that.

Sun 21st Jun - Time to go back to the Philippines today. After a lazy morning, checked out of the lovely Puri Bunga and headed to the airport (Selaparang: aka Ampenan), only 25 minutes away by taxi. Only cost 35,000Rp compared with 75,000Rp that the hotels and agencies along the street want to charge. Crazy eh.

Mataram airport is small but with plenty to occupy the mind whilst waiting. Free Wi-Fi too, and a pretty view of mount Rinjani. There is a departure tax of 20,000Rp to pay after check-in. Lion Air flight JT653 departed  at 14:40 on a pristine clear sunny day. The journey to Jakarta of 669 miles is one of those wow flights. Every mountain and volcano was visible today, with most poking their heads above a nice layer of wispy cloud for effect. Bali is so close that the first sight after takeoff is Mount Agung, the dominant feature of the island, followed by Gunung Catur and Gunung Batukaru. Going west it is clear that the string of around ten mountains and volcanos are almost in a perfect line - Including Gunung Ijen, Gunung Bromo, Batok and Kursi, Gunung Semeru, Gunung Merapi, to name a few of them. What it reminds me of is the overwhelming scale of the world. What we think of as massive buildings are dwarfed by these natural creations. We are a mere speck of dust when viewed from an airplane. As for insects...we are like a mountain. To a grain of sand an insect is a mountain!

Arrived in Jakarta at 3:15pm with a shift back in time of 1 hour. A free yellow shuttle bus does the interconnecting trip between domestic and International terminals, so takes the legwork out of it. Now comes the painful bit. Our flight back to Manila doesn't leave until 00:55, so we have over 7 hours to lose before we can check in. Fortunately, this airport is full to the brim with places to eat and shop to kill some time. With the constant annoyance of departure announcements and sellers, there is no way you can sleep....gonna be a long long wait. Had thought of trying to store the luggage and zip off into Jakarta for a few hours, but had seen enough on the first time here and don't need to see anymore. The only option is to pass the time. Good time to do some writing then!

So, what is my impression of Lombok? I wonder if it feels like it is running in the shadow of Bali. As such it is desperate to promote what it has, and do whatever it can to get tourists to come. It is a completely different country in reality, differing in religious past and present as well as cultural influences. Given a finite amount of holiday time, where will people choose to go? Bali with its obvious attractions of beautiful culture, great food, super beaches etc compared with Lombok's current lesser attractions. Most people enter via Bali and go straight to the jewel in Lombok's crown at the Gili's, like we did and probably don't even see any more of Lombok. This I think is a shame. But they need to get their tourism hat on and adopt a policy of sensible pricing. Reduce the cost of seeing the country, which is currently far too high, and put a stop to the greedy touts who only know how to manipulate and annoy the tourists. At 660,000Rp to get from Bali to Lombok by fast boat as opposed to the slower public ferry, when you immediately run the gauntlet of the tourism sharks as your first sight of the country, it is cheaper to fly in and more tourist friendly on arrival. Tax - I hate the word! Staring at a menu or receipt to find they have stuffed you for a further 21% addition is annoying. Some places think they are smart and say they don't charge tax and service charge and will give you a discount, to find that they have lumped it into the pricing anyway, so you are still paying too much.

What I have experienced in a number of countries who become thirsty for the tourist dollar, is that they forget about the value of providing a fairly priced good service and just go for the jugular until they have squeezed you dry.

The time until we could check in dragged a bit, with not much to do other than people watch, write and catch whatever rest was possible. A bit of a fiasco at check-in that I hadn't anticipated. I left the Philippines no problem, and had an outgoing flight from Jakarta back to the Philippines in case the Indonesian immigration asked for proof of onward journey. What I hadn't expected was the check-in asking me for an onward flight from the Philippines... Uhhh! Even though I had been there for six months before entering Indonesia, and being with Shiera, they weren't going to let me take the flight without proof of onward travel from the Philippines. That got a bit tricky, and I had to go and see the manager. With some coercion he faked an onward flight back to Jakarta to show immigration if they asked for some proof. It was all very embarrassing and as we were both very tired, not taken with any humour! It does raise many problems for the future if I want to exit the Philippines again. A big subject that I will not go into right now.

Another thing is the 150,000Rp departure tax that you have to pay at check-in. They certainly aim to rip you off. 100,000Rp to get into the country and 150,000Rp to leave. That's fair isn't it!

Into the departure gate area and a shop specializing in Shark's fin and stag horn beetles and such obscure things as what looked like fossilized dog's turd. Not the sort of item you would expect to find or buy at an airport!

It's been a very long day...

A repeat of the human juggling act on board the plane with the immigration card, the health card, the drink, the meal and the coffee and then the exit to the toilet. Ahhh...the joys of in-flight entertainment again!

Forward 1 hour to the Philippines after a 3hr and 45min flight.

Arriving back in Manila after the break is like diving into chaos. The arrivals hall was chaos; the area outside the arrivals was chaos. The currency exchange wouldn’t take my leftover Rupiahs, but luckily there was a guy who goes to/from Jakarta regularly who exchanged them for me. Straight into a metered taxi to Pasay to catch the bus home. Just as the taxi arrived at the bus station, the bus was pulling out, so we jumped onto it without a second to breathe. At this stage we were shattered and ready to fall asleep… which we did…not good…we missed our stop, ending up almost in Tagaytay and had to catch a Jeepney back to Silang.

Arrived back home to long grass and the sweltering heat - not much fun. Straight to bed to finish off the sleep….zzzzz…..

Oh, and then we had an adult Praying Mantis visit the house…so I now have another pet. Promise to take care of this one. The last one was a baby and didn’t survive very long. 

Hope you managed to stay awake long enough to reach the end.

Bye for now….