20th of Jul 09 - Bandung > Jogjakarta

My dream of staying in the tea estate comes to an end as the local transport from the city to the south is inexplicable. The only way is to get into a tour package. I’ve manage to meet a few backpackers to see if I can lessen the load of my wallet. The best way is to rent a car with chauffeur and split the cost among us. There are total of 5 people including me. 2 guys decided to dropout and left Niel and Natasha. So instead of heading south to the tea estate, I decided to follow them to the Mount Trehanu Prahu before I leave Bandung to Jogjakarta.

The air is cooling and the view from the top is divine! Standing on top of volcano is simply emancipating! We even stay for hot cup of instant noodles before trekking down the mountain.

Overall, the first experience with volcano is incredible!

We rested a while before hopping on the train leaving to Jogjakarta. The night train is torturing, Thank goodness; I met a lady whom stays in the same guesthouse as me in Bandung. We chatted for a while before we dozed off to sleep…

18th July 09 - Bandung

The next morning, I borrowed the telephone book from the hotel and do more hunting. Finally, I got a place, Moritz Home Stay. In the end, to pay back what I think I deserve, I left my poo in the toilet without flushing or should I say, the toilet bowl is unflushable?

It’s more than half the price cheaper and it comes with a garden. It’s very Dutch inspired cottage room. I stay in the rooftop that comes with a beautiful garden. I love it! It also comes with complimentary breakfast but it’s not buffet. Who needs buffet anyway when you’ve a rooftop garden!

I’ve never been branded conscious but shopping in Bandung is truly heaven you could get authentic branded goods at a fraction of price. You see the factories in Bandung manufactured Levi’s, Nike, Addidas, Agnes and many other international brands. Initially, I came with a budget of S$500 but what are the odds of travelling to Indonesia again? Thus I decided to get my good friends, Calvin, Agnes, Tommy and many other pals back home, I mean “backpack” home, knowing it might be heavy but then Fashion is never comfortable, right?

In the middle of my shopping spree, I came across a Buddhist Temple, Vihara Vimala Dharma. Not frequently, will you see a Buddhist temple. Even when you do, it’s less elaborated or fancy than the mosque. I’ve to say the cathedral in Indonesia is outstanding than the temple. Nonetheless, it’s still a basic and cozy little temple that provides Buddha’s teaching. I met this boy whom shows me around the temple. The temple itself even have youth group to get together. The famous abbot whom brings Buddhism back to Indonesia is highly venerated in the temple too. I even came across of book written by my favorite monk, Phra Buddadasa is translated into Berhasa Melayu!

What a day! I could easily celebrate my achievement for the branded goods I’ve bought!

17th July 09 Fri – Jakarta > Bandung

Early in the morning, a repulsive smell of someone not wearing sock with their shoes for centuries awaken me. The so call Hong Kong feet makes me want to escape far far away as soon as possible. I freshen up and ask him for my camera. That’s where my head is about to drop. He had taken some evidences the previous night but he has no thumb drive or anything to transfer into. I really can’t stand the stench anymore so I copied the photos into my thumb drive so he can pass it to his superior. This really makes me question his job.

I bid him farewell and took a minivan from Jakarta to Bandung. The minivan company is Bajaya and you won’t believe when the ticketing counter is located. It’s tucked inside the MacDonald!

On my way to Bandung, Widi sms me if I am okay? Apparently, two of the 5stars hotels, Marriot and Hyatt hotels have been bombed. I’m not surprised but neither am I worried. I just have to make sure I call back home to report that I’m safe. Funny that my mum will say I know you’re alright cause I know you can’t afford staying in the 5 stars hotel, so much so for your high regards, mum!

Bandung is in chaotic madness till to the long weekends. It’s some Muslim holy day. I’ve walked at least 2 hours with my heavy backpack before I hop on a cab to go for hotel hunting. The taxi driver is very nice. He shows me a few hotels but it’s all fully booked so desperately I pay more for a room knowingly it’s beyond my budget S$40 a night and the condition of the hotel is not even 3 stars. Can you believe it? It’s unclean and the toilet doesn’t flush. The only thing that actually worth the value is the complimentary buffet breakfast and the cable TV somehow doesn’t captivate me.

16th July 2009 Thur – Jakarta

I woke up early in the morning without much sleep. I guess I’m figuring who the person is sleeping beside my bed. That someone whom I can’t believe my ears is actually an Australian Federal police undercover. Yes, you heard me right! Thus, without detailed elaboration that puts him into jeopardy. I’m going to make this a non-disclosure entry.

I arrange to meet Widi together with my FBI agent at Grand Indonesia, she introduce me to a local Indonesian dish, Gado Gado. It’s basically like Singapore Rojak except the ingredients is fresh steamed potato, vegetables and crackers with rich spicy peanut gravy on top. You can eat it as a main dish or side dish. Thinking of it right now makes me hungry!

Grand Indonesia is huge; I’ve finally meet eye to eye with Marc Jacob…clothing. Singapore don carry MJ menswear so it’s surprise to see one of the departmental store carrying MJ, Dsquared and many others on SALE. Thank goodness this is only my first stop in Indonesia, I wouldn’t know what will happen to my wallet if I haven’t persuade myself. I did some window shopping, knowing that my journey to Bali is still far ahead. Best is to shop and travel light till I reach Bali.

The toilet in GI is amazing! It comes with the Japanese butt washer. It’s like a pipe spurting water directly to your anus. I wonder how they can aim some accurately ;) For a while, it feels tickerish. I’m sure some people might enjoy it in a different way!

After the lunch, I catch a movie with my FBI agent, Harry Potter and the half blood prince. Seriously speaking, it’s a bit dreadful, too long and too many yawns in between. No hideous and devious creature to confront makes this movie lackluster!

In the middle of the night, my secret agent woke me up and says he needs a camera to take some evidence as he has forgotten to bring his own camera. What kind of 007 is he? I would assume you have a secret pin hole camera camouflage as a watch. I said okay and went back to sleep not knowing if my camera will come back the next day...

15th July 2009 Wed - Jakarta

I arrive in Jakarta around 6pm; catch a local airport bus to Gambir station, 6pm is pretty dark in Indonesia thus fortunately I met 2 girls and share a taxi to Jalan Jaksa, the Backpacker area. What awaits me is fully booked hostel that is almost impossible to get a mattress for a night. Thank goodness, my friend, Widi which I met few months ago when I was backpacking in Thailand made a phone reservation on behalf for me. Since it’s the peak season, not surprising lots of Dutch people spending their summer holidays in Indonesia which was once colonizes by the Netherland. I checked into Borneo Hostel, (Note that the name, Borneo embedded my surname Neo) put down my bag and decided to unravel around my location.

The first thing that caught my ear is the prayers chanting through the loud-speakers from the mosque or should I say mosques. It’s everywhere and almost amplifying the Quran verses at the same time in the whole nation.

I had my dinner, Indo mee, it’s like the instant noodles except you don’t have to cook it yourself. When I return to my hostel, I saw a Middle Eastern looking young man, asking for a room but was declined. As a traveler, I can empathies going through one hostel after another to look for a night to stay. Besides, I got a twin sharing room and I’m compassionate ;) so I took the risk and ask if he would like to share the room with me. We’ll split the cost of the accommodation. (That’s actually my hidden agenda, to save money, 40,000RP is not much but a little goes a long way ;)

He said why not, I’m astonished by my open-mindedness, never once I’ll invite someone to share a room with me; usually it’s voluntary like dorm. I get into the bed early while he’s out till late night. Seriously, I didn’t get much sleep because I’m concerned of what kind of trouble I’m bringing. Nonetheless, the shocking revelation comes on the next day…

Passport - The official way to travel ;)

Not surprising, this is the fourth time I'm renewing my passport. I can't believe how I've evolved just by looking at the pictures on my passports. With this entry, it means I'm travelling again. This time to Indonesia, comprises of 17,508 islands, and with an estimated population of 237 million people, it's the world fourth most populous country and has the largest muslim population in the world.

I'm starting my journey from Jakarta > Badung > Joyogkarta > Borobudur > Surabaya and lastly Bali. How excited am I? I just have to wait and see...