31st July 09 - Home sweet Home

 

I can’t believe the 16 days I spend in Indonesia is over. I experience the Jakarta bombings, the beautiful sunrise in Mount Bromo and the infamous Kuta beach. I wasn’t planning to travel to this country made up of thousand of islands, Indonesia.

I was supposed to meet Andrea and Lisa, friends I’ve met last July when I was backpacking in Thailand but it turns out I’ve booked the wrong date. Thus, silly me…there I am backpacking in Indonesia alone without much study which churn out to be a wonderful thing.

Travelling calls for an open mind, a free spirit and a voracious curiosity; anticipating new adventures and experiences. It is bliss inducing! At certain times, it pushes us, trick us and inspire us to push the envelope we don’t realize we are sending.

Widi once mentioned, thieves, snatch thieves and pick pockets are everywhere in Indonesia. Travelling in Indonesia has to be extremely careful. I guess my wallet might not have been stolen, but the view in Indonesia surely stole my heart away…

Here is the rundown:
Jakarta > Bandung > Yogjakarta > Borodudur > Mount Bromo > Lovina, Bali > Ubud, Bali > Kuta, Bali

Indonesia point of view

I’ve never spoken Terima Kasir (Thank you in Melayu) so many times in my whole life. Even in Singapore, when you’ve Malay friends, you’ll never realize how important Malay language is till you’ve been to a country where Beharsa Melayu is the national language.

The Indonesians love to squeeze. They squeeze in every tiny mini-van, bus and even train. Not an inch of space is spared, not to say the buttocks touching the buttock. How carbon footprint friendly they are!

It seems like every children start by learning how to play a guitar before learning how to read. During a long journey by bus or train, you’ll be entertained by pop star wannabes playing their guitar. Sometimes, it’s good. Other times, it’s hideous like what Simon Cowell will say.

At certain time of the day, the sound of Islamic prayers amplified through the loud speaker all over Indonesia will start chanting. To certain extent, it felt holy and the faith of the nation is truly inspiring. What is important is that we never truly understand their faith. We never question our own religious not to mention about others. I remember Buddha once challenges us to judge the truth of teachings for ourselves by saying

Do not believe in anything simply because you’ve heard so
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down by many generations
Do not believe in anything because it’s spoken and rumored by many
Do not believe in anything simply because it’s found in the religious book
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders

But only believe after observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept and live up to it.

30th July 09 - Kuta, Bali

It’s almost the end of my backpacking. Since it’s my last day in Indonesia, what better way to spend than pampering yourself in the local spa with facial and massage. I started the morning with more souvenirs and toiletries shopping then a fantastic vegetarian lunch follow by a walk on the beach, watching sunset. To round up my day, I check myself in a local spa with crème bath head massage, body massage and facial in the night. All these indulgences cost only less than S$50.

Trust me, not to sound like a Terminator but I’ll be back...at least in Bali ;)

29th July 09 - Kuta, Bali

On my way to Plaza Bali, I stumbled upon the tourist souvenir wholesale street and a fabulous vegetarian stall. The stall is small but cozy. It’s rare to see full fledge vegetarian eatery. They even advocate vegetarianism and the risk of being a non-vegetarian. It’s been a year since I became a vegetarian. Seriously, no regrets.
Sometimes a small stall like this goes a long way. If we don’t start to exemplify our actions for what we believe in, where is the beginning of evolution?

28th July - Kuta

I took the mini bus from Ubud to Kuta. Although most of my friends keep saying don’t travel to Kuta or encourages me to stay longer in Ubud as Kuta can be chaotic and prone to crime. I decided to find out myself and you know what, I actually like Kuta more than Ubud. Mainly because of the shopping as Kuta Square, Discovery & Matahari Shopping department seem to be selling merchandise in whole sale price. Let me put it this way, I shop so much that in return I received a voucher to redeem a banana pancake and a temporary tattoo in my neck :)

Kuta is very much well-known for its surfer beach. Sadly to say, I’m not a surfer boy. The only thing that I surf is the net.

10 minutes walk from my guesthouse is the Bali Bombing Memorial. It’s not designed as an attraction but set-up to commemorate the 202 murdered people on 12th October 2002. Every year on this date there is a ceremony for the mourning of wounded and dead people. The empty space right to the Billabong Shop is where the tragedy happens.

Every backpacking trip, I’ll carry a book to accompany me during the long journey or “waiting hours”. The book I brought this trip, the other hand is a tragic story of this illegal black immigrant as I’m quite impatient when it comes to the last few chapters of the book.

I found a cozy open air balcony restaurant to have my dinner before spending my time away in my book...

27th July - Ubud

My bungalow serves great breakfast. Banana Pineapple pancake. Absolutely delicious!
After my breakfast, I went to the ARMA museum. One of the goddess that they have in the museum is Sarswati, goodness of knowledge. That inspires me!

I then meet Wenling for lunch. She later moves in to my bungalow and we went to Ubud Pasar to shop for souvenirs. I got 3 tote bags that say I love Bali, hopefully it will encourage my friend to use it as recycle bags.

Surprisingly, in Ubud, there is a strong Bonsai culture. While walking alone the streets, I saw the town is having a Bonsai exhibition in an open air car-park.

26th July - Ubud

I left N&N and arrived in Ubud. It’s kind of sad travelling without N&N but I suppose life needs to be alone for a while. Ubud is an arty and cultural town. It exudes life in quality not quantity.

I was wandering the streets and came across Jalan Gotama, a street that name after the Buddha, Birth name, Siddhartha Gautama. At the end of the streets stood two pillars that house the Buddha. It’s a quiet and interesting street and it happens to lead into an affordable and economy restaurant that serves amazing vegetarian food.

While eating, I met a 30 something Taiwan lady; Wenling whom already visited Bali 3 times. She said she loves Ubud as it’s less chaotic than Kuta. Ubud also provides various spiritual and cooking classes and that enrich one desire to perfection.

She is a therapist/counselor for depressive patient. She recommends some spiritual courses which she is taking. In our conversation, I realize that she’s contemplating whether to extend her stay. She will if she could find a cheaper accommodation so I recommend her to stay at my bungalows since the location of my bungalows is very accessible to anywhere in the town, tourist information office and Ubud market.

As I was browsing along the street, I decided to buy some dvds to waste my time away at night…

24th July 09 - Mount Bromo

I’m not a “big wake me up 3am in the morning to see sunrise fan”. Not to mention, I woke up 2am in the morning for this highly anticipated sunrise. This time is a real exception!! The beautiful scenery is truly breathtaking and the sunrise that brings out the new day enthuses me with hope. I feel like I’m in paradise!!!

After the few hours get away in heaven, I was brought down to reality by the jeep and continue the 12 hours tedious journey to Bali. The travel agency and driver seems to have miscommunication, N, N & I were held up in the jetty bus terminal. It’s annoying when the driver says he can’t start moving until the bus is fully seated. It is late and we all are hungry so we pay additional 22,000RP for the driver to start moving. I check in late at night at this lovely Dupa Hotel. Ambience is homely. Love that it’s beside the rice paddy field.

Surprisingly, the time zone is the same as Singapore. That kind of makes me feel close to home…