Mmmm, clean air, glistening rivers, peace and quiet...
All things that Jakarta hasn't had for probably 70 years. We're fresh off the 26 hour bus ride from Bali, and got into Jakarta (the 'financial capital' of Indonesia) last night. After some shrewd haggling, and a great ride in a Hajah buggy (a three wheeled coffin, with a driver) we made it to JL. Jaksa, the street-with-all-the-cheap-places-to-stay.
As if Jakarta on its own wasn't strange enough, we were just about to inquire at the first guesthouse we went past, and who should bowl up to us (after falling on her backside with excitement) but everyone's favourite English Rose; Jo! What are the odds eh? (Seriously Kate, what are the odds?)
So, we loafed about in the restaurant last night, and today our main mission is to get OUT of Jakarta and continue the trail up to Sumatra - it's off to book some buses next.
Since my last post however, we had a lovely couple of days up in Ubud, north of Denpasar. Ubud is apparently the cultural capital of Bali, but the more cynical amongst us note that the wholesale capture of the town by tourists seems to have negated that concept a little. Anyway, we had a really nice little room (mmmmm, hot water...) and great surroundings, but promptly fell ill on arrival. Sadly our two days (not to mention our 26 hours on the bus) were plagued with sniffles, coughs, and sore throats.
I know what you're thinking Mum, it's NOT S.A.R.S...
On the up side however, confirmation arrived today that we will definitely be meeting Aaron(not 'Spangly', 'Spudly', 'Spokey', 'Sparky' or any of the other wild mis-rememberings of his nickname that have surfaced over the last two weeks) and Jodi in Thailand at the beginning of September - hooraaaaaahh!!!
So, the travel agent is calling, and although our next stop might not be as Gibbon-y, Rhinoceros-y, or Jungle-y as we're hoping, it'll be a darn sight better than smelly old Jakarta. We're off soon to climb the national monument (which apparently penetrates the top of the smog layer), so my opinion of the city may change after that, otherwise I am,
Your man knee deep in black rivers of filth,
Arch :)
Tooootally Gnarly Dude!
Soooo, I know I said that Kuta is kind of nasty, but we hired mini Malibu boards today, and after three hours surfing (I stood up on my first wave - you'd have been so proud of me Higg!) I consider myself eligible to use words like Dude, Sick, Bogus, Gnarly, and Raaaadical!
Yep, pretty fun times indeed. We managed to meet up with Ben, Anna, Tim, Sean and Beth yesterday, which was a real treat - and had some yummy Mexican food followed by one of the worst nightclubs I've ever seen in all my days - Paddys. Why we went there I'm not really sure, but everyone kept saying, "It's your birthday, you have to come!", but after getting in there (picture hundreds of the type of people I described in my last post, all hammered, lurking around leerishly, with a bad covers band in the background) I exercised my right to not go, and we bolted home. The Human Zoo, eeeeeewww...
So, I have now turned 29, I'm in my thirtieth year, and as if that wasn't bad enough, I apparently share my birthday with Macauly Culkin... I was really hoping for Doogie Howser, but my luck never changes eh?
Well, fresh fruit juice is calling me, so I won't dally about. I did forget to mention in my last post tho, that when we were staying in Gili Meno, we had a morning snorkelling around the island - with massive turtles! These bad boys were easily a metre long, and it was pure National Geographic. The snorkelling in Indonesia really is quite amazing - clouds of thousands of tropical fish, beautiful coral (where they haven't partaken in the national pastime of Dynamite Fishing...) and loverly warm water...
But, I digress... Dinner awaits,
Your man deep in the Green Room,
Arch :)
Take Oranges! Take Mandarins!
Jimeny, we have been out in the wops haven't we? I really don't know where to start...
Last time I posted I was well esconced, in true mincer style, on Gili Meno, an island off Lombok, east of Bali. I really can't complain about my time there - glorious quantities of fresh juice, as well as bottles of Sambal spicy sauce were consumed (not in combination of course) almost daily - but thanks to a strict routine of stretches and snorkelling, I remain in tip top physical condition.
So, after 7 nights there we took off by little outrigger canoe back to Bang Sal - the port town that feeds to the three little Gili Islands. Our lonely planet must be a little out of date, as it said that Bang Sal is a 'lovely place to spend some time'.
It is Hell, on sale.
Between being asked for my T-Shirt, having pens taken out of my bag, and fending off 20,000 Rupiah bottles of water (normal price, 3,000 Rp) I was glad to leave wearing anything at all. One of the favourite tricks seems to be a tout asks if you want anything, if you reply with (oh, woe betide you) 'How much?', they will return with an armful of whatever it is, foist it apon you, and then get angry when you say you don't actually WANT to buy it... What a lark...
Anyway, the day of the 14th was spent mostly on a bus - our driver bribing police as we headed east across Lombok to meet the boat we were taking over to Flores (an eastern island of Indonesia). After some malarky over the numbers being admitted onto the boat, we sailed around 5pm. Our group consisted of Me (Gilligan), Ben (the Skipper), Sean (the guitarist from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, apparently), Anna (I want to say Xena, but that's only cos she's not here), Jules (ok, she can be Xena), Tim, and Beth.
Tom, although you are 5 days smarter than me, I believe I can lay claim to being the first band member to spend 4 full days on the high seas. We were aboard a diesel motor boat - no cabin, except a little enclosure for the salty old captain - and just some covered decks outside. We basically plodded slowly along the coast, stopping the first night at Moyo (Princess Di and Nicolas Cage stayed over there, don't you know), the second night - well, the second night we didn't actually stop at all, and I slept in the deep deep slumber known only to those who actually live in a diesel engine.
Our third day, we made it to Komodo, home of the mighty dragon, wOOp wOOp!!! Now, we don't really have too many lizardy-crawly things down in little ol' New Zillund, but I know these things are pretty freakin' large. We stopped to see them on both Komodo (dry, little, everyone asleep) and Rinca (dry, big, lizards sneaking up behind you sniffing the air with their forky, forky tounges - I've never felt so much like a big piece of sashimi in all my life) Islands. We arrived a day after the dragons had finished dining. They're not really the fastest moving of animals, and just lie around most of the time, warming their cold blood, keeping their cold, dead eyes closed, eeeeeewwww . But, when they decide to hunt, they hang around on trails, waiting for something to go by. Their diet - our guide informed us - can be Monkeys, Deer, Wild Boars, Water Buffalo, and only once mind you; a German tourist, who was never found... When the do see something (in their cold, dead eyes) there's no spectacular chase across the savanna, no dramatic leap and clamping jaws around the neck - they just stick out their head, and give the chosen animal a little nibble on the back leg. After that, they just follow the scent, while the 200 or so different types of bacteria in their mouth slowly poison the poor thing...
Aside tho, it should be mentioned that all along the way (aside from singing sea shanties, swilling rum, hoisting the mainsail, swabbbing the decks, keel-hauling the boson, and all manner of other 'High Seas' related activites), we stopped regularly for some pretty spectacular snorkelling, and some sort of (surely) illegal fishing, where one guy from our boat took the end of our fishing line, and snorkelled over to a fish - where he just sort of dangled it infront of them until they took the line.
So, after four lovely days at sea, with the end of our constant meals of rice and vegetables, we sailed around a little more before arriving in Flores.
Completely different from the mad touting that goes on in Lombok and Bali, Flores was pretty relaxed, and, well - Mosquey. Many was the time, very early in the morning, when we would awake to the call to worship, which was pretty nice once we got used to it. We took this time as rest days after our boat trip (ahhhh, a toilet that doesn't sway from side to side!) and just lounged about, with one little day trip to Seraya Island. If you're over in Labuhan Bajo, Flores, go over and stay a night or two on Seraya, it's reallllly perrrrty.
And, after all that, we turned around and came right back the way we came. We're in Kuta now, after 38 hours straight travelling by bus, rested, washed, fed - and today is mine and Jule's birthday. Email seems to be working, there are far too many of the worst kind of Australian tourist, and I can't wait to get out of here - Kuta is nasty - in that Ricky Lake shake-your-finger-and-rotate-your-head-like-you're-spinning-a-hula-hoop-round-your-neck kind of way; mullets and handlebar mustaches carrying Bintangs staggering around, pairs of girls from Waggawagga with matching cornrows you know they got at the same time, and thousands of guys all branded with the following compulsory uniform;
bleached hair,
at least one 'tribal' tatoo,
at least one item of clothing with a picture of a surfboard on it.
I never really did fit in...
So, from here, we're regrouping, working out what we're going to do, but the basic plan is to race across Java by bus and train, intending to spend as much time as possible in Sumatra, from where we'll ferry across to Malaysia and go overland up to Thailand. That's all we know, stay tuned...
Sorry I can't post photos, but I can confirm that my hair is longer than it has been in the last ten years (although I still strangely have less than I used to...) and my beard is back in full swing. I can neither confirm nor deny that I am wearing a shell bracelet, but if it's Dad asking - I'm not.
So, I hope you're all well and life is good,
Your man in the tourist trap,
Arch :)
What day is it?
Well, what a journey it's been eh...
We had a long trip out of Japan, and I tell you what - the things I've seen.
First, to the family back home on the farm. You just wouldn't believe the airport. Our 'plane' had these engines on it that they say have the power of THOUSANDS OF HORSES, and what's more - it had four of them! You can imagine my shock as we hurtled down this 'runway' thing, and the damn machine lifted right up into the air! Even though we were moving quite fast, we could all move around inside quite easily - amazing... What'll they think of next?
After a long night in Taipei, we headed out to Bali and made the trip out to the island we're on. From a port north of Bali we sailed for four hours to Lombok. Miserable fishing, with me in the hold most of the time manning the bilge. We lost poor Timmy overboard in the strait, and tho the captain threw a barrel of rum overboard for him, we didn't see him again. After more buses and boats we made it to Gili Meno, um, one of those long long days last week. After a good couple of days of doing, well - nothing - I'm started to get back on an even keel. The island is pretty much like the set of a Fruju ad, with lots of palm trees, coral reefs, and the entire population of the island devoted to selling you either necklaces, sarongs, or mangoes. There's only 400 permanent residents here, so there's still a couple I haven't met.
Otherwise, life is dandy and I'm just starting to get my 'relax' on at long last.
B&M, keep an eye out for that computer of mine, it should be arriving pretty shortly. Kate, stoked that the Beasties walloped you with their rap futon beater. B - I'm supaaaaa genki, enjoy Fuji and the requisite Shochu at the top.
Your man on the tropical island,
Arch Crusoe
It's so hard, to say goodbye, to yesterday...
Come on, you know I've always been a MASSIVE Boys to Men fan! Yep, today is my last full day here in Japan. You know you've got a little too attached to a place when saying goodbye to the people at the post office makes you teary eyed...
Had to say some pretty tough goodbyes today tho, that wasn't much fun... In particular my great big shining star Bri, and the loverly Kerry. There were some heartfelt words, a good hug (but, only like between friends man, you know?) and guarantees that there will be meetings again. I think my former supervisor said it best when he replied to my email with;
"The bondage we have been making in Japan is our eternal treasure. We are looking forward to seeing you again. Please enjoy a wonderful journey until we see each other again"
Someone had to say it...
It's been a hectic day, final mailings of parcels (hope my laptop shows up in a week Bec and Mike!), a couple of bills, loads too many goodbyes, and then being seen off by my teachers at the station - but I got it all done in the end. My little apartment is empty now - ahhhh, the Koupo Marusho, think the Titanic; at the bottom of the sea - and I've sailed outta town for the last time. I think it was particularly appropriate that my final meal - my Last Supper, if you will - was a cutlet sandwich. Those of you who have shared cutlets with me over the last years will understand my delight at this as a choice of final meal. We rolled out of town and are now in the fine company of Muffin and Emma down in Osaka, before heading to Kate's and flying out tomorrow.
tabun...
Jules and I have a date tomorrow in Taipei, before arriving in Indonesia on Friday. I'm anticipating a whole lot of doing nothing for a while at least, before deciding some sort of itinerary for the country. Wouldn't mind seeing some of those new fangled Kimodo Dragons while we're there, but it's yet to be decided ne...
Thanks heaps Japan, it's been really really fun. I got to find out what life is like when you're not being an Architect, managed to hanasu a little bit of the nihongo, met some truly superlative people, and saw my first Frank Lloyd Wright and Tadao Ando buildings - ON THE SAME DAY, wOOp wOOp!!!!
Anyhoo, off into the yonder tomorrow, till then - dewa mata ne,
a :)
