Indonesia 2009
From Hong Kong we flew to Indonesia in January 2009. We spent the first few days at the Hard Rock Hotel in Kuta on Bali. Kuta is the main tourist area in which it is not quiet at all. From the many shops you can buy great souvenir very cheap, which of course we have made. Even football jerseys on order over night were not a problem. We made a day trip to various manufacturers, to the temple Goa Gaja, to Klungkung and Besakih Mother Temple. And everywhere you have looked, there were rice fields and rice fields.
Then we did an organized tour with destinations on West Bali and East Java. At first we were in the temple in Mengwi and on a fruit market. Then we went to the temple Ulun Dana Beratan, to hot springs in the jungle and to the monkey temple Pulaki. On the second day we took the ferry to Java and went to Malang. In Malang we made a becak-tour (a type of bicycle rickshaw), where I actually have drove the driver through the city all the time, what was verry funny for the people. I found it much more interesting to drive myself on the roads than to let me just drive around. At noon we visited a tea plantation and were at Taman Safari Park, where we were allowed to take a baby tiger on the arm. The next morning we were at Mount Bromo, an active volcano. Unfortunately, we were total unlucky with the weather, the fog was so dense that there was nothing to see at the viewpoint. At the volcano itself, it has so strongly smelled of sulfur, that you could hardly breathe. That with the weather has annoyed me quite a bit, but it was still an experience. The next day we drove back with the ferry to Bali and directly to the temple Pura Tanah Lot. One of the finest facilities in Bali. Inhabitants of Java make extra day trips to interview tourists from all over the world and to be photographed with them. Really interesting if one has even begun to be photographed with them, others are already waiting. Even all family pictures were made with tourists, and they were very happy about it.
After the tour we have relaxed a few days in Sanur, where it is much more quiet than in Kuta. One day we hired a driver and his car, to discover the island. We were at Pura Gunung Kawi temple, in the city of Ubud and visited the temple Pura Luhur Ulu Watu with wild monkeys. Cheeky little ones, because you had really take care of your things. When feeding, they cling to the leg and stretch out the hand for eating. Other monkeys have bathed in a small fountain and jumped into the water wild again. In between, we were again in Kuta for shopping and have made a several hours rafting tour, which was quite exhausting. You had to partially complete toss to come here under logs into the boat, are crashed into rocks and had a 4-meter free fall. The next day we felt what we have done the day before.
Bali is truly a beautiful island, everywhere where you look are great rice fields. The food was incredibly delicious and the location of some restaurants just fantastic. The people are very nice, they were very relaxed, helpful and attentive to honest work. Tips were even refused or were left. Sure, there were exceptions, such as some money changers who wanted to fuck us. In the past there was a bombing in a disco in Kuta, and the safety measures before the hotels are very strong.
Bali and Java are very different. Religion is on Java for the most part Muslim and in Bali it's Hindu. Also, it does not attract many tourists to Java, which is why people are surprised that to see them waving too, look forward to and want to have their picture taken with them. The streets are really the most amazing things where 5 people on a moped is not an exception. The cars, mopeds, bicycles and shoulders are packed full, as it is all about.
The craft in Bali is really incredible, the way to Bali I had almost 10kg luggage and back I had to over 20kg. It was a great holiday from which we have taken many beautiful memories.
