NEUIGKEITEN

MEINUNG / ERFAHRUNGEN / ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Indonesien ein Land an das ich mich erst gewöhnen musste, das danach aber viele schöne bleibende Erinnerung hinterlassen hat. Es bietet fast alles was das Herz begehrt Traumstände, abwechslungsreiche Flora und Fauna, eine eigenständige Kultur, viele Sehenswürdigkeiten. Faszinierende und freundliche, hilfsbereite Menschen aber leider auch eine politisch und wirtschaftlich nicht allzu stabile Lage. Obwohl ich über 4 Monate dort verbracht habe konnte ich nur Bruchteile des Landes sehen. Gerade das langsam reisen gab mir einen wundervollen Einblick in dieses Land in das ich sicherlich früher oder später einmal zurückkehren werde.
HIGHLIGHTS / TIPS	NICHT GANZ SO TOLL / SEIN LASSEN
Yogyakarta eine Stadt die mich sowohl fasziniert als auch manchmal verblüfft hat	Das resignieren vor dem Schicksal und das Selbstmitleid.
Sumatra mit seiner ländlichen Bevölkerung und vor allem die Natur	Die Armut im Gegensatz zum überschwengliche Reichtum.
Abenteuerreise mit dem Boot von Lombok nach Flores	Kuta die Ferienhochburg steht in Wiederspruch zum Rest des Landes, ja sogar zum Rest von Bali
Die Tauchreviere Indonesiens - Highlight sicherlich alles rund um Flores / Komodo
Die Menschen, ihre Spontanität und das zugehen auf die Besucher ihres Landes

After a six hour flight I arrived in Bali or better was dropped off in Kuta, on the search of a backpackers place – not the easiest job. Finally settled down I enjoyed together with lots of other tourists the sunset on the beach and admire the injuries of the surfers. The places deso really remind me of Mallorca a holiday paradise for teenies. After two days I got enough and move to Nusa Penida. After the colder weather in New Zealand a good time to relax on the beach and go for a couple of dives (big tunas around). A short stop in Sengigi and on to the next Island – the beach paradise of the Gili Islands; big advance of those Islands no motorcycle or other kind of traffic. Together with peoples from U.K., Wales, Italy and a Swiss girl in holidays (news from back home) – beach life, snorkelling, food and beach party’s. Together with Iain I leave the paradies on this lovely island after almost two weeks, for a adventure the crossing to Flores. After a ride to the other side of Lombok where the old wooden boat and the crew is waiting for us.The next 5 days where amazing: On the first day I felt sic on that bloody boat had stomach problems as we crossed along Sumbawa. It's getting pretty windy at night and I wake up early to see the beautiful sunrise. The 2. Day I feel better, the boat is riding on and we are a good group on the boat all tourists form all over and a Indonesian crew.

The food is simple rice, vegetables and some noodles or a little fish – it would be the menu for the next 5 days. We drop off 3 peoples who want go on, to nasty for them. A horrible night on that boat, big waves which make everybody soaking wet (everybody is sleeping on the deck no cabins), with the fear that our old wooden, rusty boat with no radio or other emergency equipment on board will may sink to the bottom of the great ocean. Finally the sunrise, it’s getting warmer and we pass hundreds of small islands. On the afternoon we stop to snorkel on a wonderful bay. At the night we anchor next to another boat and raise the hoards (specially alcohol) on a not so fair action (pretty similar to pirates). Luckily early we lave the anchor and move on to the Island of Komodo. Together with a ranger and his stick (for defence?) we explore the island in the search of the last dragons on earth. This mostly idle, up to 4 metre long lizard is laying in the shade of the forest where we hold a distance for at least 7metres. I doesn’t look that scary till we saw a buffalo carcass eaten by this animal. So on to Rinca the next bigger Island with Dragons as well this time with a nice view from the hill and an at least 3metre long Komodo Dragon. More snorkelling and party on board of the boat before we arrived in Labujan Bajo in Flores. The next days I did spend together with Daniel from Bern in Switzerland with exploring the environment, the market, and the beaches. After 3 days of search I found some peoples and a divemaster which was willing to go diving with us. The dives there where unforgettable: Diving with a dolphin, Turtles, Rays, Tunas and at Sebayur millions of corals and small fishes in every colour and variety. We drop in a cave because of the strong current in Tatawa and there I saw passed by fish in a unbelievable speed. The reefs there a intact no overfishing or other damage an experience not to miss out.

With an old Fokker we flow back to Bali, the boat we came with was still at the dock to repair….. With an overloaded Bemo I reach after 3 times changing Ubud which is famous for it handicrafts. I did went to see the galleries and to the monkey forest and visit the temples nearby. With a bike I ride up and down the hills ,along the rice fields and meet the chief of police of Tegallalong which did invite me for lunch with his family – just in case of troubles there remind him of me !!!!! With the Bus up to Bedugul (Volcano and Lake) and on to Lovina a small place with black sandy beaches and a jovial atmosphere. I visit the hot springs (how ironic with 35degres Celsius outside) and the Temple in Banjar. Other Stations where Padang Bay (lovely) and Tulamben where I dived to the wreck; not a lot of fish but hundreds of other divers. Time to leave Bali which is charmed but mostly a tourist trap. Bus, ferry, bus, cheep and almost one day later I’m in Cemoro Lawang a mountain village. Up at 5morning to explore the landscape of Mt. Bromo – this volcanic landscape definitely reminds of being on the moon: dusty, grey round hills and a endless monotony.

Next Station is Yogyakarta a interesting city and with a lot things to do. I had all in all a good time there and meet a lot of peoples which did make me stay even longer. There is tradition and progress visible , calmness and hectic, old and new lifestyle and ideas and ideals of so many different peoples like students, business peoples, travellers, artists, workers, beggars…If you stay a little longer than just the planed 3 days what most peoples did you find yourself being part of it – The fascinating daily life so different to anywhere else so far. There are great cafes, bars and nightclubs with live bands or discos. Your night may end at 5 a.m. in on of the food places on the sidewalk where peoples having a last drink or simple something to eat. You can spend the day with exploring the city sights, parks, markets, shopping malls or in one of the art galleries. In the range of 20 kilometres are two great temples: The Prambanan an old Hindu temple with his amazing towers and details of the great tale of Ramayana. The Borobodur the Buddhist Temple where you can go up the steps to the Nirvana (nice panorama from there)– one of the seven new wonders of this world. On a 8 hours walk (start 11p.m.) I went up to the Merapi an active Vulcan nearby, in the meantime closed again because of an eruption. Great sunrise, lava can bee seen and holes with stinky gas is coming up.

Two months are almost over and I move on to the huge but ugly capitol city Jakarta (around 14million inhabits) – sightseeing and nightlife together with Cris and Craig I met before. After a short side Trip to Penang (quite modern City with great food) in Malaysia to renew visa for exploring now Sumatra. I start in Bukit Lawang a place where the roads end and the jungle begins. On a tree day trip into the jungle we can see the main attraction a almost extincted animal the orang-utan in his natural environment the wood. The one to one translation in Indonesia to English means forest man – a real close relative to us humans. I had an insight to the rural life of a farmer and his family there; I was invited to live with them for a while: sleep on the floor, rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner with spicy chilli, help them on their own rice fields (order the fields in the mud ), in the forest to look after the well hidden chillies (a good investment) and a lesson in win of gum from gum trees. Especially on the evenings the hole relationship is coming over for a talk and dinner (between 12 – 25 peoples); my couple of words in Indonesian didn’t help me that much but they never stopped to asking question about myself and the life so far away. From there I stop by in Berastagi for some days – a rural town in the mountains (cold believe me) where they grow all kind of fruits and vegetables and sold them at the big market (I love it) . A visit of the National Park and to the start of the slope up to the Vulcan.

Lake Toba is next: Weeks are passing by with hanging out – swimming, pool billiard, peoples singing songs or playing guitar, beer, tasty food, card games, probably 10 books, walks, ride around with the motorbike, a visit to the market with the ferry and a lot of talks about every nonsense you can imagine. The surrounding landscape is nice with the lake itself , the hills, the fields, the typical batak houses and forests. If the place wouldn’t be that far I would build myself a vacation house there. On a 20 hours bus ride to Bukittinggi including bump the bus out of a hole, stop at the mosque to pray at 05.00 a.m. for me a wake up after the first hour I could sleep on that steel seat and several times a broken down hydraulic. I settled down in a quite nice hotel even with hot water. Big program for the next days first the agriculture part – how to grow bananas, rice, potatoes and coffee. After to the Kings Palace a big wooden house. It’s the story of the Minangkabau (Peoples from this part) where the woman own all the land and money and got all the power a surprising fact for a Muslim country. I went to see the bull fighting – it’s not a bloody spectacle it goes as long as one of the bulls is running away – way more dangerous for the spectators as for the bulls…. On the next day at my visit to the market I feel like a famous star, I have to give interviews, make pictures together with them and to sign the schoolbooks of the kids and grow ups. I visited the Clocktower, made a short trip to the top of the Sianok Canyon and went to see the zoo of the village.

With the local Bus to Bayur. I live in one of the small bungalows straight on the lake. It’s rainy so time to finish another book and walk around this small village. Together with the peoples there we take the bus up to the Lawang Peak with a nice view down to Lake Maninjau. A long walk down the jungle with a stop at Anna’s Guesthouse (the place for holidays if you not like to meet a lot of other peoples) back to the our Guesthouse. With the Bus to Padang where it was a real long way to find a place for the night. With the Pelni (big passenger ferry – comfortable and cheap) it goes back to Jakarta. A couple of days in Yogyakarta and then out of Indonesia I did stay there for over four months and had a real good time.