Truck-the-world’s expedition truck was not allowed to enter Thailand due to Thai DLT regulations effective 1.1.2017. Since Thailand is transit country for Malaysia and Myanmar we skipped this leg for now.
Instead, we took a break from trucking but backpacked 11 of Indonesias islands during late 2017/early 2018 including Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi and Java by air and visited Flores, Rinca, Komodo, Siaba Besar, Sumbava, Padar and Medang by boat.
Colorful Female Backpacking Equipment for 6 weeks….Colorless Male Equipment for 6 weeks
INDONESIA
Indonesia is one of the most beautiful and friendly of about 100 countries we have visited so far, an insular state with 17.508 islands, 6.044 of them inhabited. Beautiful nature, wonderful seas, magnificient beaches, wildlife and fruit all over. People are poor in terms of money but rich in terms of life, full of energy and exremely friendly, laughing and easy going almost most of the time. Maybe integration of Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jewish cultures may provide benefits like tolerance, freedom, understanding, happiness?
Major drawbacks, however, exist with terrible pollution across land and sea with plastics all over and even the beaches if not cleaned by individuals. Terrorism is reported anywhere almost every week, not to mention corruption.
Eathquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanos
Volcanic and seismic activities are reported daily for many places in this centre of the Pacific Ring of Fire with movement and collisions of lithospheric plates.
Bali’s Mount Agung was always active during our travel time but never caused major problems up to date. A safety zone around the crater was established and residents had to leave it. They lived in camps around Mount Agung being supported by National and International Humanitarian agencies. Bali and Lombok airports were closed because of smoke several times but reopenened again soon with the consequence that only a few tourists were arriving.
A few months after we had left Indonesia, Lombok was hit by a severe earthquake and Mount Rinjani eruption killling 500 people and destryoing major infrastructure. Almost all hotels and restaurants were and still are closed, a major impact for people earning their living with tourism.
Same happened to Sulawesi after we had left, earthquake and Tsunami killed more than 1.500 people and destroyed most of the infrastructure in Central Sulawesi. In Northern Sulawesi Mount Soputan close to Tomohon erupted.
Indonesians are used to live with it but if you are a Westerner and get scared easily…
LOMBOK
We took Garuda Frankfort-Amsterdam-Jakarta-Lombok with a boring stopover in Jakarta and spent a week in wonderful Puri Mas resort close to Senggigi at Lombok West coast. We watched active Bali’s Mount Agung being 2 of 7 guests, 50 would be standard during high season.
Garuda Air Departing for an Exhausting Flight with Delays | AmsterdamPuri Mas Resort**** and Beach… | Senggigi…Mount Agung Smoking for the next Weeks across the Sea | SenggigiSun but no Tourists because of Mount Agung……Erupting now and then with Big Smoke – not Clouds – Scaring……Trusting Hindu Gods, Saints, Demons and Ceremonies……and Hindu Ganesha……Some of them not Quite Optimistic……but we Enoyed Puri Mas Resort Owned by Dutch and Managed by Australians | SenggigiComfortable Inside and Outside……Christmas Time in Puri Mas Open Air Restaurant already……its Tropical Garden……Seaside Rests with a Wonderful View……Puri Mas Pool……And its Rough Beach | SenggigiLombok is a Muslim Island and these are Kids at School | Senggigi…Surveyed by a Hindu Demon | SenggigiWIFI all over Lombok and Indonesia – not like in Germany……Transportation not German Standard either……Mosques all over Lombok | MataramTour around Lombok with Rice Terraces and Palm Trees……Meeting Curious Colleagues in Rinjani National Park……with Pa Watching……Picking Cashew at the Roadside……and Cacao……and Coconuts……Finding a Path through the Jungle……with Stinky Durian Fruit……Avocado Trees……Lychees……Coffee……Rattan Trees……and Snakes……on the Way to Tiu Kelep Waterfall | Rinjani National ParkPura Bulong Hindutemple at the Sea close to Senggigi……with His or Her Holyness at the Beach after Ceremony……and a „Hindu“……Meeting Happy Temple Mom and Children Selling……and Happy Tourist Enoying Coconut Milk……Streetfood at Pura Bulong Temple | SenggigiBoat Trip to Island Gili Travangan Island West of Lombok……without Cars but with Horse Taxi……and Lots of Backpacking Tourists……Nice Beaches but almost no Sealife anymore at Gili TravanganBack to Puri Mas with a Dance Show of National Indonesian Ballroom Masters | Senggigi
BALI
We took an express ferry to Bali’s East Coast and spent another week in several locations at Bali North, East and South coast. We met extremely friendly people, easy going, helpful and always ready for ceremony.
Across the Sea to Bali by Boat with 2.400 HP……Arriving at Pelabuhan Padang | BaliView of Lombok under Rain During Wet Season | Pelabuhan PadangOnlyou Villas at the Beach… | Ahmet…with Luxury Bedding……Protecting and Menacing Devices……Wonderful View over the Sea……Dangerous Snorkeling Trips by Boat to Paradise Beach almost without any Sealife – not Recommended | Ahmet…View of Smoky Mount Agung about 17 km Away from Paradise Beach | AhmetView over Rice Fields Heading to Ubud | BaliTirta Gangga Water Palace Built by Raja Anak… in 1946, Renewed after Earthquake in 1963 | Karangasem Bali…with Sleepy Pig……and Menacious Demon | KaramgasemAnother Bali Tourist Attraction: Temega Tree House | KarangasemGuided Visit to Teganan Aga Village with Pre-Hinu Culture Famous for Traditional WeavingDong-Son Handloom | Teganan AgaNative Aga Don’t Work and Enjoy Luxury Life Estate if Married to Teganan Aga Natives……with their Personal Saint in Front | Teganan AgaTraditional Market, Convention and Celebration Centre | Teganan AgaOur Tropical Garden Hotel**** | UbudMorning Ceremony at the Hotel……like this……for Few Guests……and Ganesha……and our Friend Asich……Guest Joining for Cocktail Potato Chips……Escaping from Monkey Forest Next to Hotel……Covered by Strangler Fig Trees Eating Jungle, Bridges and Temples not only in Angkor…First Night Ceremony… | Ubud…Mainly for Tourists……but there is Native Ceremony each Night……Jungle……Rice Harvesting……Hidden Hotels……Elephant Cave……and Tropical Garden | UbudRice Terrace……Hidden Village in this Jungle……and behind Natural Curtains……Pura Gunung Kawi Hindutemple Female Shrine……and Male Shrine | Pura GunungSoekarno’s Presidential Residence on Top… | Tampaksiring…just above Pura Tirta Empul Temple……with Ceremony……Visitors of Puri Tirta Holy Spring for Purgation Ceremony……and Girls always Keen on Photos | Pura TirtaFamous Tegalalang Rice Terrace on our Way back to Ubud | TegalalangWith Nice People……and Nail Polish | UbudWe continued to Villa Karisa Hotel **** with Nice Veranda | Seminyak…no Beach Party during Rain Season……but Ceremony……and Surfing School Left Overs after the Last Storm | SeminyakGas Station often are Part of Super MarketsTanah Lot Hindutemple at the Sea……Sunset is Time for Ceremony……Rice Terraces……Kopi Luwak Preparing World’s most Expensive Coffee – Half-Digested, not RecommendedBuilding a House and Buying Prefab Wooden Fronts is more | Bali
SULAWESI
…was recommended to us by friends. We flew to Manado in Christian Northern Sulawesi and spent Christmas at Gran Luley**** hotel by the sea. Pool was due because swimming in the open sea was never recommended.
Gran Luley Restaurant with 300 Year Old Cherry Tree | ManadoGran Luley Pool and Beach Promenade……Gran Luley Beach……Birthday Party at Gran Luley Hotel…Christmas with International Friends……Another Active Volcano on Sulawesi for Christmas | ManadoTuna House Restaurant at the Beach | ManadoChildren are almost always Interested in Photos……Living in Houses like this one | Manado…Traveling in Microbuses like this one……Loving to Eat Pig like this one……Protected by and Educated in many Christian Churches like this one | ManadoBy Taxi to Mountain Paradise Resort in the Jungle | TomohonWith People Living High up in such Houses……Surrounded by 10m High Bamboo……Pink Mallow……Tears……Orange……and Butterflies | TomohonHiking to Air Terjun Desa Kali Waterfall | Tomohon…Meeting Japanese Tourists at the Waterfall……Making Happy People at Air Terjun Desa Kali Waterfall | TomohonAgain many Children | TomohonSelling Boots is Clever Business during Rain Season | TomohomMoto Trip to Tumou Tou Restaurant with Great View over Tondano LakeTaxi Ride | TondanoTondano Fruit and Veggie Market……Lemon Explains why Indonesian Food may be Tasty | TondanoFlight and Riskha Trip to Muslim Southern Sulawesi… | Makasar…Fort Rotterdam – one of the few Remainders of Dutch Colonialism in Indonesia……with Impressing Entrance | MakasarOur Riksha Driver Brought us to Old and New Ports……on the Main Road……Passing Ship Wrecks……Ships Loaded with Banana and Coconut Shells for Fire……RoRo Island to Island Ferries……50 Year old Toyota Trucks Fully Loaded……Pinsi Ships still in Use are Quite High……but some like it Calm | MakasarFirst Thing on our Way back was Bike Repair at the Market……with Lots of Pepperoni – Indonesian like it Hot……Banana – Indonesians Like it Sweet, too……Indonesians Like Chicken, Beef is Expensive……and Some Buy Fish, quite Expensive, too……and this is for the Market Boys……not able to Pay for Fire works | MakasarExpecting New Year Fire Works on the Main Road Short before Midnight ……Happy New Year 2018… | Makasar…and US-Type New Yearss Party at Sheraton Hotel – Not Recommended | Makasar…with Happy People anyway | Makasar
JAVA
Next stop was Java’s Yogyakarta by air for its Pubs and Buddha- and Hindutemples.
Tourist Mile with Limited Number of Beer and Wine Bars – otherwise Strictly Muslim… | Yogyakarta…and Superb Meals in French Medierranea Restaurant | YogyakartaRoyal Palace, Boring… | Yogyakarta…and Bathing Pool at Taman Sari Water Castle, Former Garden of the Sultan Built in 18th Century……Ride with our Driver John in his Toyota……some Gas at the Super Market……and to Borobudur Buddhist Temples Built in 9th Century with 2.500 Reliefs and 500 Buddha Statues……together with many many other Tourists Surveyed by Police……next to Prambanan Hindutemple also Built in 9th Century closeby ……with Expressive Shiva Relief | Yogyakarta
BALI
On our way to Flores island we had another stopover in Bali.
Airplanes Landing at Denpasar Airport Viewed from Jimbaran Beach……Crowded before Sunset……we Enjoyed one of our Rare Fish Dinners……Cooked by Juli in Teba Cafe at the Beach | Denpasar
SHIPPING FLORES, RINCA, KOMODO, SIABA BESAR,SUMBAVA, PADAR and MEDANG
We took a flight to wonderful Flores Island just North of Australia, quite lonely, natural and Christian. In Flores we booked a 5-day-trip back to Lombok by ship together with other European Tourists with full pension and accomodation onboard the ship together with a nice captain and crew.
Arrival at Flores Airport by Aircraft……with Marvellous Sunset in Front of Laprima Hotel**** | Labuanbajo…this is the Daylight View……this is Laprima Hotel from the Sea | Labuanbajo…still Christmas in the Hotel……Bike Trip through Northern Flores……with Dried Fish at the Market……Laundry at the Port……View over Labuanbajo……Gas for the Bike……Meeting Friends before Getting on the Ship | LabuanbajoOur Captain for the next 5 Days……Komodo Dragons | Rinca Island…Hard to Detect… | Rinca Island…Beach Deers | Komodo IslandWaterfall… | Sumbawa Island…Captains Dinner……Before Sunset……Islands around the Ship |Siaba Besar…Sailing with another Captain……our Ship Anchoring | Medang IslandFarewell Party at the Beach and onborad the Ship……with everybody……Berlin Friends…..Ourselves……and Final Sunset | Medang
LOMBOK
We arrived at Lombok Port by microbus and chose Puri Mas Hotel again for our Good Bye to Indonesia.
Everybody Getting on the Microbus……to Comfortable Puri Mas Resort again……with Comfortable Shower and Bath……Buddha……Dancing……Percussion……Wine……Rough Sea……and a Good Bye to Friends and Indonesia | Lombok
Shortly after leaving Indonesia several earthquakes and Tsunamis occurred in Bali, Sulawesi and Lombok. As a consequence Lombok tourism went down and Puri Mas Resort was closed like almost all Tourist hotels and restaurants.
Except security all personnell was sent off into unpaid holidays waiting for reopenings and jobs since…
