Walking in Jakarta

                                                                   Walking in Jakarta

As we continue to wait for Raymond's line training to begin, (or, as our children say - retirement training has begun), our walks in Jakarta give us a peep into daily life here. For example, there are many ingenious ways, not previously obvious, to overcome the mid day heat. If you are a bus driver you could

and if you drove a truck, why waste an empty cargo hold:

Every entrepreneur can have a chance. Whether your business offers a bite to eat,

produce,

or aquarium fish,

the pavement gives a chance to every budding businessman. And if your passion is fashion

find your corner of the pavement and clothe the faithful. There is room for everyone on the pavement, the parking entrepreneur,

and the handicapped.

So, for a final treat, peep into the tuk tuks as they put put past. See the lifestyles of the rich and famous

and watch them disembark before the price negotiation begins

Lombok

                                                                       Lombok

       So while we wait for Raymond's line training to begin, we have tried to fit in a sight-seeing trip here and there. Our latest one took us to LOMBOK, an hour and fifteen minute flight away from Jakarta by LION AIR.
      Lombok is the new Bali, except with fewer Aussies and less hotels. Larry and Susan (from Texas) were our companions - Larry is as fanatical about snorkelling as Raymond is.

We landed and began a spectacular drive through rice paddies for an hour

before arriving at our boutique hotel Alang Alang, on the West coast of Lombok, with Bali and its Volcano almost a stone's throw away.

After a long snorkel and a heavenly swim in the pool we went for dinner in the town of Sengigi with Aussie neighbours

and got to bed early - long day ahead - a fisherman was taking us to the Gilli Islands on Monday morning.

The Gillis are three small coral islands between Bali and Lombok.The boat ride took 45 minutes and could easily have been St Lucia except that our boat had out riggers. It is also good to note that everything is decorated to the max and is therefore a pleasure to view. So, here's the coast line:

and a decorated boat:

We disembark on the first of the islands and find a piece of heaven. Not only is the beach super but the island is really carefully developed - no cars but you can rent bicycles or take a pony cart ride:

The hotels and restaurants are stunning

just park and eat

and snorkel 

The next day a taxi took us on a tour of Lombok (and attempted to show the Trinis a serious waterfall). What was fabulous was the rice paddies that lined the side of the hills in terraces.

Day four was a final snorkel and a nostalgic wander through the gardens of Alang Alang before checking out and heading back to Jakarta

But we will return.......

Bogor - Java

                                                                   Bogor - Java

One of the things Bogor is famous for is its Botanical Gardens. They are supposed to be one of the oldest in the world. I should also mention that most of the expats I have met are called Susan. No, seriously. The three LION AIR wives that are here are all called Susan. So, on Sunday morning bright and early, the three Susans and 2 husbands (one was in training) set off for Jakarta Kota train station.

 

We bought our tickets for the first class train - 90 cents U.S.

and boarded the economy train by mistake (tickets here cost 20 cents). I thought it would have been rude to take pictures so we sat for an hour and a half while vendors tried to persuade us to buy various appliances. One implement was a stick that lit up with a scraper on one end (for ear cleaning). Another chap had multi-coloured q-tips (also for ears). I began to wonder if we hadn't received the memo - "All ears to be clean on this train." By far the most industrious was the young man selling potato peelers, making his way from carriage to carriage demonstrating his machine and leaving a trail of peelings the length of the train.

So, here's the view

and finally a volcano - my first here (and there are a few)

We disembark and find a taxi to get us to the gardens.

And disembark:

Some very creative vending greets us

and Ben, Susan, Susan and Susan enter the gardens

Raymond and the wrong Susan in the orchid house:

Here I am:

The President's weekend home:

Some water for the trip back

and goodbye Bogor

Sumatran Elephants

So 24 hrs after arriving in Sumatra we leave Bukit Lawang and the Bhorok River. Once again we drive through hours of gravel road through palm oil estates.

Every once in a while a dusty village sluggishly slips past the widows. In this one a new bakery was being welcomed with traditional good luck signs - flowers stuck onto board:

Of course the motorbikes continued to come and go, some with only people (up to 6 or 7 passengers) and others offering things for sale - here you can buy bread. 

Three hours later we stop in a village for lunch. We suspect that the curried chicken had been cooked after the last cock fight. Raymond struggled through the spicy dishes that were a treat for me. Some very enthusiastic flies kept us busy.

 And we arrive at Tangkahan. I am about to test my nervous system.

We cross the Batang River and are greeted by a troupe of children who seem surprised at our survival

After putting our stuff down in our accommodation (generous name given for where we slept) we go off to meet our elephant

Theo and the mahut take us on a tour of the river Buluh where it joins the Batang river and we pass a river raft from which some village youth sing "Jungle Bells."

River, forest and back again

and again

and again

Then washing the elephants ....

and a not too tearful goodbye to our room.....

A last meal in Medan (to Raymond's relief - his last overdose of chillis)

 and home again