Bali, Indonesia – May 1999
Bali adventures begin and end in the country…far away from Kuta, Denpasar and the cities.
A glorious month of living and traveling on the little island of Bali proved our instincts were correct in staying away from the crowds.
Denpasar sports a major airport; great to get in and out of
The Train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta (1/2)
Early Thursday night was spent waiting in Gamber station, Jakarta for the express to Yogyakarta. After the usual collection of crowds, beggars, and other hoards was the sight of a local train arriving with streetkids on the roof and only inches from being fried by overhead electric wiring. Anyw
The Train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta (2/2)
Thirty minutes passed before the horn sounded and the usual fight to be first on ensued. A short while later we pulled into the large station at Cirebon, which was a classic old Dutch colonial building with wrought iron gates, stained glass windows and a large overall roof. After the usual hoar
Digital Backpacker 2000 #9
September 1st: Fly to the Moon
Medan is the third largest city in Indonesia. Most people use this town as an entry or exit point as it has few sites of interest. I stayed a little bit longer, discovered an interesting Chino-town and a kind of “little India” too, with temples to mak
Here There Be Dragons (3 of 3)
The next day, dragons forgotten, we anchored in a beautiful, isolated and protected bay on the south end of Rinca Island. The site we had come to dive here was named, ominously, Cannibal Rock. We made our morning dives, and during a long surface interval after lunch, four of us requested a l
Digital Backpacker 2000 #8
September 9th: Senior High School
After 14 horrendous hours in the bus I arrived in Bukkitinggi, a mountain town, the main street filled with bars, hotels and restaurants. This town is sometimes referred to as Kota Jam Gadung (big clock town), after its landmark, the Minangkabau-style clock to
Bali Travel Guide – Arrival
Arrival
When you arrive at Denpasar and move through Immigration you then grab your luggage and will immediately experience the friendly people of Bali. Two or three Balinese porters will grab your luggage and your first thought will be that they are going to steal it! In fact, they are there
Bali Travel Guide – Health and Money Exchange
Health
We have spent over 50 days in Bali now over the past three years and have not been sick once. Several years ago the expression “Bali Belly” had more meaning, as the eating-places had not caught up with basic hygiene good practices.
The basic rules are these: –
Do no
Bali Travel Guide – Shopping
Shopping
There are three main shopping situations/locations:
Street Hawkers
I mentioned these watch sellers, perfume sellers before and the main thing to remember is that they are the only people that will hassle you. If you remain cool, however, you may actually enjoy the experience.
They w
Bali Travel Guide – The People
The People
Basically they are lovely people and you will enjoy the experience. It is worth noting however that it is a very poor country and the people chase every dollar. In January ’99 we saw, for the first time, beggars on the streets (mainly at night). We are advised NOT to give to
Bali Travel Guide – Things to Do
Things to Do
Blackie’s seafood restaurant
Whilst at Jimbiran Bay if you like fresh seafood you must go to a restaurant on the beach (actually on the sand). There are about 40+ on the beach but then best one is the Intan Café. The owner is a Balinese nicknam
Mahakam: Into the Heart of Borneo (3 of 4)
We travelled upstream on the Mahakam that night on the repaired public ferry, and disembarked groggy and disoriented in Muara Pahu at 2 a.m. I woke up when the plank leading to dry land from the floating dock moved away from the dock, and dumped me thigh-deep in the muddy river.
We slept the
Mahakam: Into the Heart of Borneo (4 of 4)
The Indonesian government makes all its citizens profess nominal faith in Islam, Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, all in the name of national unity. The Dayak are all officially Christian, but below the surface the old animist beliefs live on among many of the peoples of Borneo, particula
Orangutans at Tanjung Puting (1 of 2)
Making contact with another species, interacting with one of our nearest relatives on an almost human basis, is an unforgettable experience. As an 8-year-old orangutan took hold of my hand and led me towards a tree to go climbing, I felt a lump come to my throat. I was standing in the rainfo
Orangutans at Tanjung Puting (2 of 2)
The feeding time I had witnessed had featured three juvenile, orphaned orangutans: my playmate and a pair of tiny three-year-olds, who made their appearance clinging to the arm of one of the two Indonesian volunteers conducting the feeding. They clung to each other tightly all the time they
Running with the Bulls in Sumatra
As soon as I read about them in Lonely Planet, I knew I had to go see the bullfights. Despite numerous trips to Europe I had managed not to see the feria in Pamplona, so I decided that now was my chance to live the life of Hemingway.
The bullfights near Bukittingi, however, in the hill count
Bali and Beyond
My favorite day is Sunday: that is when the Los Angeles Times Travel section is delivered. Apart from this one source, I currently subscribe to every travel magazine and receive direct e-mails from every airline touting their current specials. I even belong to an air courier outfit. Travel i
Krakatau by Night
The eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatau, or Krakatoa as most history books refer to it, in 1883 is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most powerful recorded explosion in history. It also holds the record for the greatest death toll from a tsunami, or tidal wave: more than
Mahakam: Into the Heart of Borneo (1 of 4)
The rain, which poured down ceaselessly in sheets all night and then most of the morning, shouldn’t have surprised us. After all, we were in the inland heart of Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo, in what had once been a vast tract of tropical rainforest
Mahakam: Into the Heart of Borneo (2 of 4)
The four of us travellers had met while searching for a guide to take us upriver from Samarinda. While it’s perfectly feasible to go on your own, having someone to point the way to the best things to see is a good idea, especially as Tolong and Eheng longhouses, and the patch of rainfo
