Update from Indonesia!

It's been almost a month since our last blog post so this post will be a long one! Unfortunately, our laptop died a few weeks ago so it's been difficult to keep the blog updated as we have been. We decided to buy a new laptop in Bali so our blog posts will be more frequent again. We have been having an incredible time in Indonesia and it is turning into one of our favorite countries thus far. We started our travels on the island of Java, beautiful volcanic landscapes and some of the nicest people we've met, but we'll start from the beginning...

We took a taxi to the airport in Kuala Lumpur for our flight to Yogyakarta and realized quickly that were at the wrong airport. We found another taxi and within 30 minutes arrived with little time to spare before our flight. As we were scanning the gates, there were short lines at all but one with a large muslim family traveling together, over 40 people waiting in line, and sure enough that was our gate! We seemed to be the only foreigners on the plane. Arrival into Indonesia was quick and easy, even the immigration officials were all smiles. We easily found a hotel south of the Sultan's Palace and settled in, soon after hearing the beautiful calls from the mosque nearby for prayer.

Yogyakarta (called "Jogja" by the locals) is a beautiful city in south-central Java. It is primarily muslim and the people are very welcoming, always wanting to stop and chat. Shortly after our arrival we signed up for a intensive 2 day Bahasa (language) Indonesian course through a local school. We decided to take the course since we planned on spending 2 months in Indonesia and wanted to be able to communicate with the locals. Bahasa Indonesian also happens to be one of the easiest languages to learn since words are written using the same Roman characters as English and there are no tenses or special tones. After just two 6 hour days with a private tutor we felt comfortable with conversational bahasa Indonesian.

The next few days were spent going to the Sultan's Palace (this is the only province in Indonesia that is still formally governed by a precolonial Sultanate: the Sultanate Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat) and visiting various sites in the city. Our main transportation was by "becak" or cycle taxis (where you sit in a cart on the front of a bicycle, the driver pedaling in the back and plunging you into the chaotic traffic). It costs less than $2 to get anywhere in the city, depending on whether there are hills, etc. We visited the water palace and the "Bird Market", a definite highlight of Jogja. Narrow chaotic walkways filled with all types of birds, bats, lizards, cats, dogs, monkeys, rabbits, roosters, turtles, etc. All animals were for sale and we both contemplated buying the baby monkey, sitting in it's cage with those sad eyes and sucking his thumb.

We also had the opportunity to see the Ramayana ballet, based on one of the most famous tales in Hinduism, performed in a natural setting outside the Prambanan Temple, one of the largest Hindu temples in Indonesia. It also happened to be under a full moon, absolutely beautiful.

Before leaving Jodja we decided to arrange a climb to the summit of the Merapi Volcano, one of Indonesia's most active and dangerous volcanoes. It contains an active lava dome and eruptions occur with some regularity, about every 4 years. We started by taking a bus at 10pm for 2 hours to the small town of Selo at the base of Merapi. After having some tea at a local house, we started our trek at 1am so we could arrive at the summit for sunrise. There were 5 climbers and 2 guides and it was steep from the start, all of us walking carefully through small sandy and stony pathways with deep ravines on either side. At 2911m, it was a 4 hour climb to the top with 4 plateaus to cross.

While the volcano looked close at the start of the climb, after each plateau it seemed further and further away. After the 2nd plateau one of the guys in our group decided to back out. He decided to wait at the second plateau while we continued to the summit. The climb became increasingly difficult and on the last plateau there was a gravesite of groups who had fallen in the past. Our guide asked each of us if we wanted to continue to the top and all 4 remaining said yes.

The climb to the top was the most demanding and strenuous. It was a near vertical climb through volcanic rock, and while you would think you were grabbing on to a solid boulder only to find out that the boulder was light as a feather and would come tumbling down. Sometimes you would grab rocks which were warm, or pass over holes where hot steam was pouring out. We all made it safely though and were rewarded with some of the most breathtaking views from the top!! It made the climb entirely worth it, to be able to see an active volcano spewing out steam from all angles and a clear sunrise over other peaks like Mt. Sindoro, Mt. Sumbing, and Mt. Lawu. We spent an hour at the top before starting our descent.

Surprisingly, the walk down was much more difficult than the walk up, having to be very careful not to lose your balance and grip. I couldn't count the number of times our feet slipped out from under us, sliding us down the volcano. Our legs were like jello by the time we made it to the bottom and we were all completely exhausted and covered in dirt. During the course of our climb we were passed by various locals making the same climb (but multiple times) in flip-flops and sometimes bare feet, carrying baskets or big bundles of shrubs, some close to 70 years of age and not breaking a sweat. It made us all feel relatively weak!

After a week it was time to leave Jodja and we started working our way through Java towards Bali, taking a three day trip to see Mount Bromo and the Ijen Crater. The people that we met along the way have been some of the friendliest yet. We were stopped twice by groups of Muslim girls, wanting to take their picture with us and practice their english. Our first night we stayed in a small town called Cemoro Lawang, on the lip of the Tenggar crater. Sunrise on the first day was at a viewing point for Gunung Bromo, one of the most sacred volcanos in Java with an absolutely beautiful setting. The viewpoint was crowded with over 100 people from various tour groups but unfortunately the fog was thick and soupy and nothing could be seen.

All the groups left with the exception of about 10 people, freezing and praying that the fog would lift. The wait was worth it as the clouds lifted and the few of us who stayed were rewarded with the beautiful view. Just as the clouds passed, Mt Semuru in the background of Gunung Bromo blew a cloud of ash, so beautiful. We then took a jeep to the base of Bromo and Tenggar crater. There is a beautiful temple at the base and many people make pilgrimages here, walking the 300+ steps to the edge and throwing offerings into the crater.

The next morning was spent at Ijen Plateau, a quiet but active volcano in east Java. We walked 3 km up to the crater edge where there is a beautiful turquoise sulpher lake inside. At the edge of the lake, smoke billows out from the volcano's vent and the lake bubbles when activity increases. The vent is a source for sulphur and men work here, making the difficult trek into the crater to collect rocks of sulphur carried in baskets on their shoulders to the base of the crater. They work long, hard days carrying up to 100 kilos (220 lbs) on their shoulders, receiving just 400 Rupiah (about 4 cents) per kilo, which is actually considered to be a very good wage for the area but also comes with many health problems. Some of the men's shoulders were raw with blisters and caved from years of carrying.

We were dropped off in the far east of Java and took a 45 minute ferry to the west coast of Bali. We were heading to Ubud, a small town in the middle of Bali but had no ongoing transport. The cost of a taxi was too high for the trip so we decided to take a "bemo", a public (and at times cramped) minibus which drives a regular route around the island, picking up and dropping off at various locations. It was to be a 4 hour ride and it turned out to be an interesting one. We rode behind a live chicken for half of the way, a woman holding it by it's feet while the smell of clove cigarettes smoked by the locals filling the air. We finally arrived in Denpasar, about 30 minutes from our hotel and took a taxi the remainder of the way. It was a long day of travel and we were both looking forward to relaxing.

We received a recommendation for our hotel from friends made in Thailand, they told us we would thank them later. They were right, it was the most beautiful place, our own beautifully decorated private bungalow (complete with a bath tub, deck and swimming pool) set in the middle of rice fields (all for just $15/night). The staff brought us welcome drinks, along with coffee and tea service 3 times a day and we spent the next 5 days in tranquility, walking the rice fields at sunrise, talking with the locals and sampling the amazing food there. Ubud is a quaint little town known for their artistic community and most shops are local art galleries. Bali is primarily Hindu but very different from Hinduism in India. Every day at sunrise and sunset, offerings are laid out at every entrance of every door, baskets of flowers, rice, incense and you have to be careful wherever you step not to walk on them.

We walked to the nearby "Monkey Forest" where you can buy bananas and feed the many monkeys living there. While it was fun to see, the monkeys are quite cheeky and sneaky, grabbing bags from tourists, lunging for bananas and in one case, covering themselves with poo. We snapped some photos and took off.

We met some great people from Santa Fe at our hotel in Ubud and decided to share a ride to our next destination, Padang Bai. Our driver, who also worked at our hotel, mentioned that he had a 3 month old baby and along the way to Padang Bai, he pointed out his village. We asked if we could stop in and meet his family, he seemed surprised and was happy to take us there. Upon our arrival the whole village came out to greet us, children coming from all directions and we met his wife, brothers, sisters, grandmother and many other families. We spent some time talking with his family and met his beautiful baby boy. As a tradition, babies are not to touch the ground for the first 6 months of their life. After some time we said our goodbyes and continued on to Padang Bai.

Padang Bai is a nice, quiet town on the beach with great dive locations all around. We stayed a couple of days and decided to move on, we were planning on meeting friends there in 5 days so we decided to take a quick trip to the Gili Islands off of Lombok. We went to the largest of the three Gili Islands, nice beaches and a much more relaxed pace than Bali. We spent 4 days lounging on the beach and then took a boat back to Bali to meet our friends, Josh and Bennett, whom we've travelled with in Thailand. Matt, Bennett and Josh all went diving at various spots, the best being the wreck dive of the US Liberty ship which is just 35 meters off the beach and in just 30 meters of water. The ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 and was beached for over 20 years until the eruption of the Gunung Agung volcano broke it in two and rocked it into the ocean. They all saw great fish there, coral and even did a swim-through of the wreck.

After a few days we decided to go to Lombok for some surfing. We took a long, queasy boat ride for 4 hours and arrived in the evening to find no ongoing transport. We met some guys who agreed to take us to Kuta Beach in the south of the island for $30 in a minivan. While we were all a little skeptical, we really didn't have many other options unless we wanted to sleep on the ferry dock so we took their offer. It was an hour and a half to get to Kuta Beach along winding roads, as we were speeding around one turn the headlights went out and we all panicked. The driver slammed on the breaks and was able to get the lights to come back on, he was as surprised and scared as we were. The rest of the ride was uneventful and the drivers ended up being great guys, taking us to various hotels to find a room. There weren't many options arriving at 1am but we found a spot on the beach with a room that could accommodate all 4 of us. We were all hungry, since none of us had eaten dinner but there were no restaurants open. The next thing we knew, a friend of the hotel manager opened his restaurant so we could all eat. After having a GREAT meal, various locals started filtering in to drink, and by 2 am we were all singing songs and drinking together. What a great welcome into Lombok.

The next day we rented scooters to get around to the local beaches and explore the countryside. Our friend Josh snapped a great picture of us riding to the beach with water buffalo on the side of the road, the beach in front and a small bird to the side :). The south of Lombok is fairly undeveloped with beautiful landscapes and secluded beaches. Children from area villages run out into the road waving or to get a high five as you are driving past. The locals were all very friendly, sometimes in Bali it seems that people are nice because they see you as an opportunity to make money but in Lombok, people were genuine and kind. The beaches here were amazing and with barely no people, the swimming can be dangerous because of the strong currents but the waves are incredible.

After 4 days it was time to make our way back to Bali and we took a boat to Kuta Beach (very different from the quiet Kuta Beach of Lombok, loud and crazy and overrun with tourists). We visited the memorial on the site of the 2002 bombing and then hit the night clubs. It's a fun place but crowded with tons of Australian tourists here on college break, a bit annoying after a while. We've booked our flight to Flores leaving on July 21st and we're both looking forward to a change of scenery and seeing more of Indonesia.

Kuala Lumpur

Our time in Malaysia was short and we spent all of it in Kuala Lumpur. This was mostly because we will be back to Malaysia sometime in the near future. The modernization of KL with the Petronas Towers and other skyscrapers, the extreme cultural diversity, and of course the shopping (more so for Donna, not so much for Matt) makes it a city of interest, but not really somewhere where we wanted to spend a lot of time. I guess if you worked there it would be a great place to live, but for traveling a few days in KL, your bank account is hurting and it’s time to move on.

There is a huge Arab, Indian and Chinese population throughout the city. Historically this has been a problem politically for Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia in general; however, it’s interesting to see so many people from different cultures live and work together. This also means great food everywhere from Lebanese to Malay, from Sushi boats to Pizza Hut literally every genre is available. In terms of sights the biggest attraction are the Petronas Towers in the evening. Other than that we completed a lot of errands before we left to Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Chang Mai and Pai

We started traveling Northern Thailand in Chang Mai which is a beautiful city, perfectly square and surrounded by a moat. Along the edge of the moat there are remnants of brick walls which were built over 700 years ago to defend the city from Burmese invaders. There are over 300 wats/temples scattered throughout the city, I’d like to say that we explored a lot of them but to be honest, we’re both a bit templed out. Chang Mai has a very relaxed atmosphere and we enjoyed walking around and speaking with the friendly locals. We spent a few nights exploring the Chang Mai night bazaar, one of the largest and oldest markets in Thailand, continued over time from the original Yunnanese trading caravans which stopped here along the ancient trade route between China and Myanmar. The bazaar is seemingly endless, spanning several streets and selling just about anything.

After a few nights we left for Pai, a small town about 3 hours south-west of Change Mai. The drive was beautiful, small villages along twisting mountain roads with a lush green landscape. Upon arrival in Pai, a man offered everyone on our bus free mopeds to drive around to look for a hotel. We took him up on the offer and found a nice place close to the river. We had made plans to meet a friend of a friend for dinner that was traveling a similar route and will be meeting back up with us in Bali. There were 8 of us at dinner, all travelers from different parts of the world and a few Thais. That evening after dinner and drinks we collectively decided to go to the elephant camp the next day and on a 2 day white water rafting/camping trip on the Pai River the day after.

The elephant camp was amazing. Just being able to feed, touch and be so close to these amazing animals is worth every Bhat, even though it’s free to just hang out and feed them. The pictures speak for themselves.

We started the rafting trip early the next morning with a debriefing and a1 ½ hour truck ride to the base of the river. Along the way we realized that we were truly out in the middle of nowhere and we were definitely the only Westerners in sight; which is unusual for Thailand. We stopped at a random house/hut along the way which had a few plastic water bottles in the front and a small sign in Thai. Our friend told us they sell homemade rice whiskey, but we didn’t expect it to be this “homemade”. We brought three 1.5 liter empty water bottles into the house and came out with three 1.5 liters of whiskey for 90 Bhat ($3). The whiskey house, if you will, also had a mango tree out front with a long bamboo stick to knock the unripe mangos to the ground. Unripe mangos and Thai rice whiskey is like peanut butter and jelly and the mangos were free of charge.

At the river our guides took care of everything and made sure we had fun at all times. One of the guides, Danny, lives in a small village outside of Pai where he and his family farm and have self-sustaining lifestyle (no 7-11’s or Safeway’s nearby). Chai, our guide, was a little older, a bit more experienced and from Pai. The 8 of us couldn’t have asked for better people to be with, they truly made the experience more worthwhile. The Pai River is like a bunny slope compared to the Colorado, American, or Snake River but still had a few class 3+ rapids that made the heart flutter a little. Most of this was due to our guides, the classic saying from our guides was “ahead is a class 3 but I can make class 6 if you want”. Everyone was thrown (or pushed) from the raft at one time or another! We also witnessed some locals illegally fishing in the river, we stopped and observed. Apparently a few men stand up stream and send electric shocks into the water stunning the fish and another man slaps the water with a bamboo stick directing the dazed fish into a barricade of nets being held by about 15 fishermen and women. The reason why this is illegal, and also a bit stupid, is that they electrocute/daze the large fish, which they want to eat, but at the same time kill the small fish that will eventually become larger and all the food the fish eat to survive. It was interesting to see and we were able to snap a few pictures before we were told not to.

After 5 or 6 hours of paddling we made it to camp where a man was already there assembling the makeshift kitchen ready for dinner. Apparently it took him all day to walk to our campsite through the jungle. He didn’t speak English at all but you could tell he was a very nice man. Everyone set up their sleeping areas and bathed in a shower using river water. Dinner that evening was amazing and could be one of the better Thai meals we’ve had. After dinner we indulged in the rice whiskey and played some funny games that involved some face painting, the “paint” coming from the bottom of the charred wok used for cooking. The winner painted the loser…good times.

The second day of rafting was a little slower then we anticipated, it could’ve been from the whisky the night before or because the river stayed pretty calm. We arrived back in Pai around 7pm and had a good night sleep.

The next few days were spent exploring Pai and the surrounding areas by scooter and hanging out with our new friends. The surrounding area is beautiful with caves and waterfalls to explore and friendly villages. We also discovered the local market. One of our Thai friends, Mam, invited all of us to her home for a cooking lesson and dinner. That day we went to the market to shop for produce and spices and that evening feasted on red curry with chicken, sweet and sour vegetables and fried fish, all of which was phenomenal. Everyone had a good time playing with Mam’s 7 year-old son Mark. It felt really good to cook and sit down to eat in a friend’s home after eating at restaurants and in our hotel room for so many months. The last few days we spent relaxing and hanging out with friends before we all parted ways.

After 7 great nights in Pai we headed back to Chang Mai. We met up with our friends Maya and Bennett for drinks and a movie and went to see a Muay Thai fight. Muay Thai is THE sport of Thailand, most fighters starting when they are children and it is amazing to watch. We’ll post a short video clip from the fight soon.

Tomorrow we are off to Kuala Lumpur!

Luang Prabang

We had a great week in Luang Prabang, the city is so charming and the people are so friendly that it’s hard not to like. The city is tucked within a corner of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and it’s easy to walk from end to end. Every morning we would get breakfast from our favorite café and sometimes enjoy it on the hotel viranda. In the evenings, we would usually stroll through the colorful nightly market. We didn’t buy much (our packs are already too heavy) but its fun to watch the action. We ate dinner at a buffet in the market, only 5,000 kip (or 50 cents) for a big plate of different food, by far the best deal in town.

We spent a day visiting some of the many wats scattered throughout the city, our favorite being Wat Xieng Thong. There are 190 steps to the top, with beautiful Buddha statues along the way and stunning views of the city and the Mekong River. In a city of just 26,000 people, there are over 30 wats in Luang Prabang. Every day at sunrise, the beating of a wooden gong instructs monks to line up in preparation for filing through the street, barefoot and in single file. Carrying alms bowls, they collect offerings of sticky rice and other gifts from the kneeling villagers, who wish to receive merit by their actions. Many local women wake early each day just to prepare food for this ceremony.

After a few days, we arranged a trek to some Hmong and Khamu hill tribe villages. The trek itself was rougher than expected, through thick forest and streams and slippery hills. At one point, we had to cross the Mekong River and a man pulled up in an “I Love NY” t-shirt to take us to the other side. It was a memorable experience as the boat was filled with about 6 inches of water and it felt like we could tip over at any moment. Along the paths we met different groups of people, a couple of Hmong villagers growling like bears (jokingly) before we could see them in the scrub, a group of girls playing hide and seek behind a basket and a group of boys taking our pictures with handmade clay “cameras”. The villages were nice but we moved rather quickly through them along the 8 hour trek.

We arranged to have a traditional Luang Prabang meal at a place called Tamarind. There were so many different dishes served; mekong seaweed with sesame, leaves filled with buffalo/rice/peanut sauces, stuffed bamboo, laab (a dish with buffalo/eggplant/cilantro/lime), buffalo/pork soups and of course, lots of sticky rice. It was great to sample the unique dishes of Laos and to have someone explain how each dish was made (and how to eat it).

We spent one rainy day on the hotel viranda with our next door neighbor, Tommy. We met Tommy at a café on our first day in Luang Prabang and it was coincidence that he was staying in the same hotel in the room next door. Tommy is an interesting character, about 80 years old and full of stories, quotes and advice. He grew up in India, went to school in New Zealand and now runs a guesthouse in Thailand. He’s out there, I think a bit too much partying in the 60’s, but he was interesting and funny to visit with.

After 7 great nights in Luang Prabang, it was time to leave. We took a short 45 minute flight to Chang Mai and we’ll be in Northern Thailand for the next two weeks. Then we’ll be off to either Myanmar or Malaysia.

Laos, Vientiane to Vang Vieng

We spent a quiet three nights in Vientiane. The city rests on a bend in the Mekong River and it is the capitol of Laos, although with a population of only 200,000 people, the city is small and near silent. There isn’t an abundance of cars/scooters/buses cluttering the roads and no horns constantly beeping. It’s very peaceful to walk the streets, lined with traditional wood houses, French colonial buildings, temples and concrete structures. There isn’t much to do in Vientiane other than relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. We took a bus to a village about 5 hours north, Vang Vieng.

We had read that travelers either love or loathe Vang Vieng and unfortunately we were on the side of the latter. The village is nice and it’s placement along the Nam Song river with small wooden crossing bridges is beautiful, it was the atmosphere which was the problem. The village is overrun by young backpackers who either want to sit in one of the many restaurants blaring “Friends” or “Family Guy” 24/7 or who are there to get drunk daily and tube down the river. Then they proceed to walk around town dressed inappropriately for any city in the world. It just wasn’t for us. We did rent bicycles one day and explored the nearby villages and visited some caves nearby. That was our main highlight in Vang Vieng and we quickly moved on.

We took a long and bumpy bus ride along winding roads 6 hours north to Luang Prabang. The scenery was beautiful but the ride was nauseating. Although we’ve only been here for one night, we absolutely love it. Luang Prabang is a beautiful city set along the Mekong River with tree-lined streets and French colonial architecture with beautiful limestone mountains as the backdrop. It is dotted with Buddhist wats and monks wandering the city, smiling locals and quaint shops. We are staying in the Old Quarter which will be a good base to see the various sites and close to the nightly Hmong market which sells traditional Lao handicrafts, jewelry and traditional medicines. There are an abundance of cafes along the Mekong River, so we’ll more than likely park at one for a while this morning and watch the city float by. Then in the coming days we’ll be taking a 1 or 2 day trek to the villages north of Luang Prabang.

More to come.

Sapa and the Nearby Villages

We took an overnight train from Hanoi to Sapa which was an 11 hour ride. The cabin was extremely comfortable, with four plush beds and nice furnishings. We were sharing the cabin with a couple from Australia and spent the evening having drinks and snacks and talking about various places to travel. We arrived in Sapa in the early morning and it was a short bus ride to our hotel, which overlooked foggy rice terraces and nearby Cat Cat village.

Sapa is a small picturesque village just 5 minutes from the China border. The main town is a bit touristy but a short trek will take you into the nearby villages where you can see many hill tribe people, their villages, rice terraces and lush vegetation. The minority groups which are most prominent are the Hmong, Red Dao, White Thai, Giay, Tay, Muong groups.

Groups of ethnic Hmong youngsters and women can be seen hauling impossibly heavy, awkward baskets of wood, stakes, bamboo, bricks, mud and produce. The Hmong people are the most outgoing, always smiling and wanting to talk (or sell you some homemade jewelry or clothing). We went on a trek to nearby Cat Cat village which winds through the village and rice terraces, the views changing by the hour due to the low hanging fog that comes and goes.

We were sick for a few days which unfortunately cut into our time to do longer treks outside of Sapa. We were able to do a full day trek to Lao Chai and Ta Van which is predominantly Red Dao and Giay minorities. We didn’t go with an organized trek or have a guide but a couple of Hmong women followed us on our trek and pointed us in the right direction for the different paths to take, at times holding our hands while we crossed small rivers on small stepping rocks. The views were breathtaking and it was nice to see life in the small rural villages. We met one woman along the way who must have been around 80 years old, her ears stretched from the heavy weight of the large earrings that they wear. She sat with us for a while and took the rings from her ears to try to sell.

At the end of our 10km trek, the Hmong women didn’t ask for any money but only asked that we purchase something. I spent $4 on a few bracelets and then we took a motorbike back to Sapa. The motorbike ride was intense, winding around mountains while our driver made calls on his cell phone but we made it back quickly and in one piece! We made plans to leave although it is an area we will definitely come back to. There are so many villages in the north of Vietnam that we would need weeks to explore fully. We took an overnight train back to Hanoi and it was nice to be back. We both feel very comfortable there and enjoy daily life in the city. We spent another 6 nights in Hanoi before taking a flight to Vientiane, Laos (only an hour and a half flight on a prop plane). We are both happy to be starting a new country and we’ve been looking forward to Laos for a while now.