Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia - Journal no.19
1st to the 30th September 2011
Kuala Lumpur, the city that never sleeps
Many cities can make that claim, ‘the city that never sleeps’. Whilst walking round Bukit Bintang one evening just outside the Pavilion Mega Mall, I stopped to take a photo of the illuminated Petronas towers when a guy made that particular boast. We talked for sometime about this and that, and I guess it was at about that point that I realised that Kuala Lumpur wasn’t as bad as I’d originally portrayed it to be.
Earlier in the Mall a lady from Hong Kong on holiday alone, it materialised, seemed happy to talk at length to me, a virtual stranger, about nothing in particular. Sometimes you just have to stop, listen and see what happens.
Travel plan
Well off we go again. The agenda, fly to Kuala Lumpur and stay two nights in Bukit Bintang, the Central City Triangle. Travel by bus to Taman Negara; take the ‘Jungle Train’ to Kota Bharu and then a boat to Perhentian Island. Take the cross-country bus from Kota Bharu to Pinang, Butterworth, Georgetown, Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands and then back, on the 13th September, to KL airport to fly to, Indonesia, Bali. Or at least that’s the plan!!!
Shopping trip to Kuala Lumpur
Two days shopping in the Central City Triangle to replace worn and damaged cloths try and buy a diving watch/computer and have a proper look round the city.
It’s the happening part of town, encompassing about a dozen or so Mega Malls, including the largest ‘Time Square’ as well as ‘Berjaya’ and the newest addition ‘The Pavilion’. Most of the primary Hotels can be found here along with, restaurants of all ethnicity, street stalls, clubs, the Petronas Twin Towers (3/4 kilometre) and the Sky Tower (similar distance). The KL overhead Monorail stations of Imbi and Bukit Bintang drop you off pretty much in the heart of the district.
Staying in the Federal Hotel, supposed to be the Presidents choice in days gone by, it’s a little tired now although very well placed for most things. There are many cheap places to eat and drink, as it’s primarily a city for the working people, tourists are not a major source of income here. That said tourist touts abound selling cheap mobile phones, cigarettes, toys, massage, or massage with extras, etc., an accepted face of Asian culture now.
After a couple of days I think I had had enough, a little frustrated that I was unable to get all that I wanted.
Little India in Kuala Lumpur
I stumbled on Little India whilst travelling by the KL Express bus from the airport to KL Sentral. It’s colourful, vibrant and typically Indian.
Full of the rich aroma of Indian cuisine, clothing shops selling bright gaudy looking outfits, people milling around aimlessly and lots of loud Indian music, each seemingly trying to compete with the other.
Bus from Titiwangsa, northern suburb of KL
Sunday the 4th September, a quick trip to the end of the KL Monorail to the suburb of Titiwangsa, also the bus station for Northern Malaysia, and we’re off to Jerantut by express bus.
You very quickly reach the outskirts of KL, just about where the Batu Caves are. The excellent toll road system, very similar to the French motorways, climbs steadily into the limestone hills and mountains of the Cameron Highlands.
There is an impression that the natural wooded elevations are very close to you in this beautiful part of Malaysia.
At the time I was listening to some music composed by Vangelis from the film ‘Blade Runner’ and it seemed apt for some reason.
At one point the mountains opened out into a wide valley strewn with Palm, Banana, Coconut and Pineapple groves, nonetheless, there is a sense of order and beauty here.
Arriving in Jerantut, gateway to Taman Negara
A fairly uneventful journey the rest of the way to Jerantut, located in the central area of northern Malaysia and the transport area for Taman Negara and the National Park.
The usual fumbling around on arrival to determine the next phase of the trip, once sorted it’s a hasty car trip to Kuala Tembeling to catch the last ferry that day to Tanah, at 1.30pm. The taxi driver, all credit to him, phoned ahead and delayed the ferry, or Long -boat. So all’s well.
It’s about a three-hour ride along the sandy coloured River through dense humid jungle, once there it was just a question of finding some accommodation.
The small indistinct riverside town of Tanah, perched 20 meters or more up the high bank, I guess for me was a bit of a disappointment I was anticipating some remote place accessible by boat alone. In reality it’s a small ugly scar on the pristine jungle linked by road back to Jerantut.
There are some interesting parts with the ½ dozen floating river restaurants, able to move with the massive variation in the height of the river and some traditional houses on the opposite bank.
The choice of accommodation is varied but nonetheless expensive and disappointing.
Jungle and canopy walk to Bukit Terisek Hill
One of the many tourist groups based in the village were offering a ‘Canopy Walk & Jungle Trek to Bukit Terisek Hill’, both located in Taman Negara National Park.
Slightly strange situation you need to go to the opposite bank to get a National Park Pass, paying a high price to cross the river and back for the privilege, before you’re able to enter the park the following day.
A 9.30am start, trip by Longboat with six Belgium, two Dutch, one Frenchman, a Chinese lady, one Malaysian guide, a boatman and me.
We were to head 1.5 kilometres up river to the start point, a little jetty and many steps leading to the elevated entrance.
The canopy walk, constructed in 1992, comprises 11 suspended (or hanging foot bridges) and linked platforms. The full walk is about 500 meters in length, from beginning to end, and reaches a height of about 45 meters above the forest floor.
After walking the canopy trail we continued on the Jungle Trek to the hilltop vantage point. A team of five of us sped on to the top of Terisek Hill and then, prompted by two Dutch guys in our group, embarked on a different journey down, getting lost along the way.
We eventually found our way all the way back to the village meeting up with two Belgium women en-route. Anyway, it made for a much more interesting hike winding our way through the thick, steeply sloping jungle.
Friends, as I travel
Sitting waiting to catch the Longboat this morning a very pleasant, French, young lady, Giselle, drew me into a conversation. A fellow diver, so immediately on common ground, she had taken time out from her University studies in KL and is currently travelling with her mother round Malaysia. The interesting thing is that she is doing a degree in Tourism based in Kuala Lumpur University. Given my very mixed response here it would seem an apt choice, however, whether it will be of benefit or a hindrance only time will tell.
‘Jungle train’ to Kota Bharu
The 6th September, and its an early local bus to Jerantut and then the ‘Jungle Train’ that I heard so much about to Kota Bharu.
The trouble with the transport system here is, it doesn’t interlock very well. You would think that bus, or boats would cater for the trains, etc., or visa versa, but they don’t. I have to catch the 7.00am bus to Jerantut, an hour ride, even though the train doesn’t leave until 12.30pm. The next bus from Kota Tanah leaves at 12.00pm and the next train is at 1.00am. Planning anything here is an absolute nightmare.
The ‘jungle train’ is supposed to leave as I say at 12.30pm; it arrived just before 1.00pm although it left fairly sharply there after.
It was more civilised than I had expected or been lead to believe, another disappointment as I was hoping to see more of Malaysian life along the way.
The ‘Express Train’, as its known, stops at every city, town, village, huddle of shacks and hut along the route, or so I would find out. It’s only about 350 kilometres from Jerantut to Wakaf Bharu, the capital city of the Kelantan district, and some how it would take us 8+ hours to travel the route!!
Train ride through the verdant heart of Malaysia
Leaving the suburbs of Jerantut, the jungle seems to envelope the train as it slips through, brushing the sides of the carriage and dangling overhead. Sometimes elevated above the forest, often surrounded on most sides the train trundles relentlessly on, crossing many bridges along the way, spanning wide muddy rivers that seems so common place.
It meanders through the humid jungle of central Malaysia, the topography alters but the jungle remains constant, dense and green.
The small traditional villages and hamlets are remote with the train the only means of connecting the community with the outside world.
Occasionally you catch a glimpse of an abandoned wooden house, fallen into disrepair, reclaimed by the jungle as its re-absorbed back into the fold. The residents here must spend most of their lives keeping the jungle back!
We arrived at about 9.30pm, tired, hungry, as there had been no touts selling their wares at every stop or any onboard catering, sweaty and in the middle of nowhere.
It took about a half hour, a short trip round the village on the back of a moped, to realise that we were some distance from the city and accommodation!
After a disturbed nights sleep in the centre of Bharu, probably the neon sign outside the window, in a hotel that I can’t remember the name of, with an ‘Olympic’ sized bath in my room worthy of note conjuring ideas of an interesting past, it was time to move on.
Local bus 639 from the city to the ferry station at Kota Basut; an hour and a half of sitting next to an old gent, constantly trying to engage me in conversation, although unable to speak a word of English.
Forty-five people die on Malaysian roads every day and the way the bus driver was driving I thought we might be one of them!!
Boat to Perhentian Island
Debbie and Graham were sitting behind me on the bus and were ushered into the same tour operator’s office to buy a ticket to the island, that’s how we met. Fellow travels based in Portsmouth, UK, Debbie works for IBM, formerly a Christchurch resident, Graham, who quit his job as an Engineering Sales Director, are both travelling round Asia for a year and for about the 2nd time in 10 years. They’ve been to a lot of the places that I have been and many more besides.
We ended up, co-incidentally, staying on the same beach on the Island, about 600 yards apart.
Perhentian Islands, Malaysian paradise
Well what can I say about the idyllic Palau Perhentian Kecil and Palau Perhentian Besar, two Islands off the coast of Malaya in the South China Sea. They are everything that you would expect of Malaysia and thus far struggled to find. Crystal clear turquoise waters lap the fine white sandy beaches; the hills and mountains drip with lush green vegetation. The hotels and beachside bungalows are well presented and professionally run, as are the restaurants and most dive shops.
At long last, a place that understands the concept of tourism!! The hotel where I am currently staying, ‘Arwarna’ is superb, well located, quiet, with excellent service and facilities, a beautiful beach and good food.
Diving in the waters around Perhentian
Today I enjoyed my first experience diving off of the island, and probably saw more in the two dives than in the previous eight.
Giant Moray eel, Blue Spotted Stingray, Blue Triggerfish, Titan Triggerfish, Yellow Box fish, Blue Ringed Angel fish, Long Beaked Coral fish, Orange Spine Unicorn fish and Bump-head Parrot fish, to name but a few.
My buddies, on the 1st dive Marius from Warsaw, Poland and on the 2nd Janneke from Holland.
Originally I had intended to take the boat, local bus and then the Express bus to Penang the following day until I was reminded by my new found friends Graham and Debbie, that’s it’s all about the experience and the process of travel should always remain fluid. Given that I was having such a great time, with some interesting people in what is a perfect location, with excellent diving I’ve decided to hang around for a couple of extra days and move to the mainland on the 11th of the month.
Buddies from the Flora Dive School, Malaysia
The second day on the island I was feeling a little under the weather, so I didn’t dive. It turned out to be a day of reflection and a rethink as to future travel plans so all good I hasten to add.
Day three, two Italians (can’t remember their names although one would act as my buddy on the 1st dive), Miranda, Carl, Nick, Mauris, Tanja, Birgit, Heidi and I would dive to about 19/20 meters on ‘Sugar Wreck’, as its known.
It would be my first wreck dive, very different from anything that I had experienced thus far.
The dive from 5 to 10 meters was absolutely fantastic, the sea thick with all species of fish. Below that you descend into a dark foreboding world, with limited visibility, ever conscious of what is around you lest you bump into a mast, the side of the ship or unwittingly enter the ships hull.
Very quickly I’d exhausted by air supply, a little disconcerting, and ‘buddied’ my way to the surface using their supply.
It proved to be the theme for me that day. The second dive, to a greater depth of 21 meters, further than I had descended before proved equally taxing. We were swimming against a strong current at a depth where you exhaust the air supply far quicker and with limited practice even quicker!
My dive buddy Birgit, on this occasion, and Miranda bought me safely to the surface, however, switching from one air source, to another and back to mine. All good experience though.
Underwater photo’s
The excellent underwater photography is entirely down to Birgit. At the last count she had completed about 30 dives off the island waters and by her own admission, beginning to perfect the technique of taking pictures underwater.
Moving on to the mainland
Well after four days and four nights its time to move on. I had a great time, with like-minded people in a perfect location. We have all agreed to meet up along our separate journeys, which will be great!
It’s the 11th September and a change of plan, I couldn’t get to Penang, so it’s an overnight coach to KL instead, one night stay in capital city and then a flight to Bali on the 13th.
Bali, Indonesia here we come!!
Arrived safely in Bali, Indonesia after and easy flight and efficient airport pick-up service courtesy of the Flora Hotel, Kuta a suburb of Denpasar.
Asia continues to surprise me, its completely different again to Malaysia or Thailand somewhere between the two.
A disconcerting element is the extraordinary security measures in place here, a lasting legacy of the 2002 Bali bombings. Bags are systematically checked and there’s the occasional body search when entering a shopping mall, restaurant, club or bar. Soldiers patrol the busy areas with M16 automatic weapons with under car searches commonplace wherever or whenever a car is parked.
Like all new countries visited it takes a while to fathom how things operate, a period of orientation.
Kuta is considered the hub of the package industry in Bali, particular for the Australians. It’s quaint with lots of narrow streets lined with Balinese monuments or architecture as well as a plenitude of shops, clubs, restaurants and excellent sandy beaches. The locals are friendly, in a Thai sort of way, although the touts are persistent to a greater degree.
Australians are here in numbers with a few Brits, Europeans and Japanese making up the rest.
Someone said to me before I arrived, ‘Kuta is to the Australians what the Costa del Sol is to the Brits’, and I’d have to agree. Beer swilling, sun worshipping, partying and over indulgence is clearly the name of the game here.
Well its time to move on today, the intention to move inland by local bus to Umbong and then on to the historic and cultural heart of Bali, Ubuh.
Facts about Indonesia
An incredibly large country spread across the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Made up of 17,000+ islands, small, large and parts of other larger islands, it stretches from the coast of Malaysia to the tip of Australia.
Home to 250 million people, more than the countries of France, Germany and the UK added together, encompassing the islands of Sumatra, Java, Timor, Bali, Sulawesi and Kelantan.
Trouble getting round Bali by local bus
Getting round Bali using local transport is going to be a problematical. I left Kuta at 10.00am and based on research, caught the first mini-bus to Tenegal bus station (cost 3,000 IDR), no problem, the second to Umbong, only after aggressive negotiations for 5,000 IDR.
The Lonely Planet, the traveller’s bible, says, and I quote, ‘a local service links the five bus stations of Denpasar at a cost of 2,000 IDR’. Well that may be the case as far as the locals are concerned and the LP representative, however, it’s a myth. As a tourist you are thrown into the mire of opportunism.
Arriving at Umbong bus station I determined, only after a confusion of misinformation, and a misunderstanding, that the supposed bus from Umbong to Ubuh, doesn’t exist! It required a further trip by taxi, etc., to Batubulan about another 6 kilometres north of the city. The cost anything from 10,000 to 200,000 IDR, so I walked the 6+ kilometres to Batubulan!!
Eventually I arrived in Ubuh, checking into the hotel at 4.00pm, and only after reminding the driver the price originally agreed with some gentle persuasion, by the scruff of the neck!
The saving grace, the cavernous hotel room at the old style Panorama Hotel overlooking the paddy fields, set in superb grounds and only £18 a night.
Ubuh is an interesting place, full of Balinese artwork in stone, wood, gold and bamboo. Westernised restaurants, many hotels, some lavish ranging in price from £100 to £440 per night, although god only knows why, and somehow it still retains a local village feel, so full of contradictions.
Indonesian artwork
The streets from Batubulan to Ubuh are lined with extraordinary Balinese Mansions selling custom made jewellery, stone statues and woodcarvings.
There is clear difference driving round Bali from elsewhere in Asia, the streets are lined with examples of exceptional and original artwork and craftsmanship. There are row upon row of beautiful stone carved images of Buddha and the related icons, some distressed to give an aged effect, modern stone artwork, elaborate hardwood furnishings, huge wood carvings, life sized scooters fashioned out of bamboo, lavish reed mats, beautiful paintings, intricately carved doors and table tops it really is a feast for the eye.
Mt. Kintamani & Luwak coffee
The 16th September and its time for some strenuous exercise, I heard good reports about ‘Bali Bike Eco Tours’, run by an ‘I Wayan Sujana’. They organise a mini-bus ride to an active volcano, breakfast at a restaurant overlooking Mt. Batur, the lake of the same name and Mt. Kintamani then a 25-kilometre bike ride to a local Balinese compound for a traditional lunch.
The pick-up 8.30am; there were already 4 Americans, 6 Australians and two guides on board. Two additional Australians and myself made 15.
The first stop en-route the Santi Estate, to look at, and taste various types of coffee, cocoa and tea produced locally.
After a guided tour of the small hilltop area, an example of how coffee beans are roasted, it’s down for the tasting.
A little known fact, there’s a specific coffee produced in Bali called ‘Luwak’, its extracted from the excrement of the Civet cat.
Apparently the cats are trained to seek out and eat the best coffee beans. The cat excretes the partially digested bean, which is then dried out and ground into coffee.
A couple of Americans sitting behind me on the bus; muttered, although that’s a contradiction in terms American’s never mutter, that Jack Nicholson swears by the stuff.
I know exactly what’s going through your mind, how do you arrive at the end product. Drinking a partially digested coffee bean ejected from the rear end of cat, wild or otherwise, could be in the least bit palatable!!!!
Intricate wood carving
I can’t get over the trouble taken by the Bali people. The walls surrounding houses, doors, an entrance to a compound, decorations in the hotel or restaurant and shop fronts are adorned with beautiful woodcarvings, stone statues or intricate mouldings in stone and brick. I’m not sure if it’s a testament to the prowess of an individual’s craftsmanship, there creativity or a status symbol, however, if you have an interest in art or architecture it’s an absolute pleasure just wandering around aimlessly, often in awe. Bali really is something else.
Bali on a bicycle
After an excellent buffet breakfast in Kintamani at the elevated restaurant terrace overlooking Mt. Kintamani, Mt. Batur and the Batur Lake it’s then a half hour trip to the bike collection point. Kitted out with helmet and bike and we’re ready for the off.
I read somewhere that the best way of appreciating central Bali and touching the real people is to ride a bike through the country lanes and villages.
All the frustration and irritation accumulated up until that point simply evaporated into thin air. Perhaps it was the beautiful countryside, the constant friendly greetings, the children by the roadside hand up for a ‘high five’ as you whizz by on the bike or just the many happy smiling faces, it doesn’t matter it was a wonderful experience.
The immaculate compounds, traditional in their concept are both beautiful and impressive; most have been in the family for generations, an accumulation of family heritage handed down and a constant reminder of what was.
There is a respect for one another here, for tradition and for doing things well, there’s also a prevailing sense of joy and happiness that I haven’t experienced thus far in Asia. Just being in a place like this even for a short while makes you feel good.
Occasionally I’d get off my bike along the way and engage with the locals or take a photo, much to their amusement. The 25 kilometres just passed by.
The culmination of the tour a traditional lunch in the tour owner’s immaculate Balinese walled compound. Housing 5 or 6 separate families, grandparents, beautiful gardens, various Hindu icons and an open air eating area.
Drying the rice
The islanders consume all of the rice produced in Bali none of it is exported. Two types are grown; one that produces three crops a year and the other four. It takes just three to four months from planting to harvesting. Its, however, time consuming with planting, constantly weeding and keeping the irrigation channels clear.
The rice needs to be separated from the stalk. By grasping a handful of the stems and beating the head (the rice end) of the plant repeatedly against an angled section of wood, the rice falls away on to a collection mat, laid out for that purpose. The village roads are lined either side with sheets of linen or plastic covered in rice, the drying process.
Some of the sites along the cycle route
Two children frantically wave at us as we pass by, that is, until I pointed a camera in their direction. Standing at the gate of their family compound, seemingly, without a care in the world. All along the route people came out to say hello.
Bagging the rice
I waved to the three people in the as I rode by, the two ladies shouted, ‘photo, photo’, and as soon as I stopped to take a photo they quickly beat a retreat.
All of the villages that we passed through are frantically engaged in laying the rice out on the road to dry, replanting the next crop, weeding, clearing the irrigation channels or bagging the rice to store or ship to the bigger towns and cities to sell.
Separating the rice
Visible in the photo is an angled section of wood, a bit like a tabletop with two legs. The two people, rear of the photo, are holding the stalks of the rice, which they then beat repeatedly against the wooden platform, the rice falls onto the cloth laid out in the field and is collected and graded by the third person.
‘I Wayan Sujana’s’ compound
I Wayan Sujana’s beautiful family home, passed down to him by his father, and his father’s father before him, through four successive generations. There are five to six separate walled houses all opening onto the main area and surrounded by a larger wall, a bit like a castle battlements.
The photo shows the covered open air dining area, kitchen, formal garden and one of the houses
Hindu cremation ceremony
I’m not even going to pretend that I completely understand the purpose of the ceremony, suffice to say that I happened to be in town at the time.
From what I have been able to piece together, it’s to commemorate the death of an important wealthy Ubud citizen, landowner and farmer to the community. Around 500/600 we’re people actively involved on the day itself.
The gentleman apparently died two months ago, however, it takes time to plan a ceremony of this sort. The corpse is stored in a special cold room, the clothing changed regularly and he, in this case, will be guarded until the day of cremation.
Two huge floats one of a 12-foot high black bull, excluding the dimensions of the plinth, the other of a tower with wings sprouting from the base called a Bade, a 10-meter high pagoda representing the summer temple.
According to an American onlooker it wasn’t the only ceremony taking place that day.
I came across the floats being assembled at around 9.30am. Engineers, at the same time, were removing the crisscross of overhead power cables and telephone wires along the route that the parade would take.
Each float sits on a sturdy four-tier framework of bamboo, and as the photos suggest are then carried through the streets by 40/50 pole bearers, in shifts.
Those carrying the bull would run forward and then stop to rest; perhaps the significance is to emulate a charging bull, but that’s just a guess.
The entourage winds its way the 1½ mile’s to an area in front of the Monkey gardens, the centre of town, where both floats are set alight.
An area is set-aside in all towns for public cremations. The ceremony, called ‘Ngaben’ by all accounts, continues on into the night with local Balinese dancing and dining.
Taking the coast road to the North
Getting round Bali is proving comparatively expensive. The only public transport, or shared bus, appears to run from town to town, if you pass through five towns, that’s five changes of vehicle. The only other option, private mini-bus or taxi and at 400,000 IDR one-way it soon mounts up.
I’ve moved from Ubud to the north coast of Bali to a small village called Tulamben, mainly because of the Liberty wreck dive set at about 20 meters below the water a short distance from the shore.
The route from Ubud took us past the revered and active volcano of Mt. Agung, at 3,100 meters the highest mountain in Bali. Apparently, all Hindu temples point to the pinnacle and it is seen as the stairway to heaven.
The steeply undulating countryside is much more rugged to the east and north of the island, volcanic with dark grey sand and rock and much drier.
1st to the 30th September 2011
Kuala Lumpur, the city that never sleeps
Many cities can make that claim, ‘the city that never sleeps’. Whilst walking round Bukit Bintang one evening just outside the Pavilion Mega Mall, I stopped to take a photo of the illuminated Petronas towers when a guy made that particular boast. We talked for sometime about this and that, and I guess it was at about that point that I realised that Kuala Lumpur wasn’t as bad as I’d originally portrayed it to be.
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| Illuminated screen in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur |
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| The Twin Petronas Towers |
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| The elevated Sky Tower dominates the KL skyline |
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| Busy central area around Bukit Bintang |
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| One of the newer shopping centers in Bukit Bintang |
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| Photos above of the area around Pavilion Mall |
Well off we go again. The agenda, fly to Kuala Lumpur and stay two nights in Bukit Bintang, the Central City Triangle. Travel by bus to Taman Negara; take the ‘Jungle Train’ to Kota Bharu and then a boat to Perhentian Island. Take the cross-country bus from Kota Bharu to Pinang, Butterworth, Georgetown, Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands and then back, on the 13th September, to KL airport to fly to, Indonesia, Bali. Or at least that’s the plan!!!
Shopping trip to Kuala Lumpur
Two days shopping in the Central City Triangle to replace worn and damaged cloths try and buy a diving watch/computer and have a proper look round the city.
It’s the happening part of town, encompassing about a dozen or so Mega Malls, including the largest ‘Time Square’ as well as ‘Berjaya’ and the newest addition ‘The Pavilion’. Most of the primary Hotels can be found here along with, restaurants of all ethnicity, street stalls, clubs, the Petronas Twin Towers (3/4 kilometre) and the Sky Tower (similar distance). The KL overhead Monorail stations of Imbi and Bukit Bintang drop you off pretty much in the heart of the district.
Staying in the Federal Hotel, supposed to be the Presidents choice in days gone by, it’s a little tired now although very well placed for most things. There are many cheap places to eat and drink, as it’s primarily a city for the working people, tourists are not a major source of income here. That said tourist touts abound selling cheap mobile phones, cigarettes, toys, massage, or massage with extras, etc., an accepted face of Asian culture now.
After a couple of days I think I had had enough, a little frustrated that I was unable to get all that I wanted.
Little India in Kuala Lumpur
I stumbled on Little India whilst travelling by the KL Express bus from the airport to KL Sentral. It’s colourful, vibrant and typically Indian.
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| Little India in central Kuala Lumpur |
Bus from Titiwangsa, northern suburb of KL
Sunday the 4th September, a quick trip to the end of the KL Monorail to the suburb of Titiwangsa, also the bus station for Northern Malaysia, and we’re off to Jerantut by express bus.
You very quickly reach the outskirts of KL, just about where the Batu Caves are. The excellent toll road system, very similar to the French motorways, climbs steadily into the limestone hills and mountains of the Cameron Highlands.
There is an impression that the natural wooded elevations are very close to you in this beautiful part of Malaysia.
At the time I was listening to some music composed by Vangelis from the film ‘Blade Runner’ and it seemed apt for some reason.
At one point the mountains opened out into a wide valley strewn with Palm, Banana, Coconut and Pineapple groves, nonetheless, there is a sense of order and beauty here.
Arriving in Jerantut, gateway to Taman Negara
A fairly uneventful journey the rest of the way to Jerantut, located in the central area of northern Malaysia and the transport area for Taman Negara and the National Park.
The usual fumbling around on arrival to determine the next phase of the trip, once sorted it’s a hasty car trip to Kuala Tembeling to catch the last ferry that day to Tanah, at 1.30pm. The taxi driver, all credit to him, phoned ahead and delayed the ferry, or Long -boat. So all’s well.
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| Three hour boat ride down the Tembeling River |
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| River town of Tanah and Taman Negara NT |
There are some interesting parts with the ½ dozen floating river restaurants, able to move with the massive variation in the height of the river and some traditional houses on the opposite bank.
The choice of accommodation is varied but nonetheless expensive and disappointing.
Jungle and canopy walk to Bukit Terisek Hill
One of the many tourist groups based in the village were offering a ‘Canopy Walk & Jungle Trek to Bukit Terisek Hill’, both located in Taman Negara National Park.
Slightly strange situation you need to go to the opposite bank to get a National Park Pass, paying a high price to cross the river and back for the privilege, before you’re able to enter the park the following day.
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| Canopy walk at 45m above the ground |
We were to head 1.5 kilometres up river to the start point, a little jetty and many steps leading to the elevated entrance.
The canopy walk, constructed in 1992, comprises 11 suspended (or hanging foot bridges) and linked platforms. The full walk is about 500 meters in length, from beginning to end, and reaches a height of about 45 meters above the forest floor.
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| Hot & sweaty at the top of Terisek Hill |
We eventually found our way all the way back to the village meeting up with two Belgium women en-route. Anyway, it made for a much more interesting hike winding our way through the thick, steeply sloping jungle.
Friends, as I travel
Sitting waiting to catch the Longboat this morning a very pleasant, French, young lady, Giselle, drew me into a conversation. A fellow diver, so immediately on common ground, she had taken time out from her University studies in KL and is currently travelling with her mother round Malaysia. The interesting thing is that she is doing a degree in Tourism based in Kuala Lumpur University. Given my very mixed response here it would seem an apt choice, however, whether it will be of benefit or a hindrance only time will tell.
‘Jungle train’ to Kota Bharu
The 6th September, and its an early local bus to Jerantut and then the ‘Jungle Train’ that I heard so much about to Kota Bharu.
The trouble with the transport system here is, it doesn’t interlock very well. You would think that bus, or boats would cater for the trains, etc., or visa versa, but they don’t. I have to catch the 7.00am bus to Jerantut, an hour ride, even though the train doesn’t leave until 12.30pm. The next bus from Kota Tanah leaves at 12.00pm and the next train is at 1.00am. Planning anything here is an absolute nightmare.
The ‘jungle train’ is supposed to leave as I say at 12.30pm; it arrived just before 1.00pm although it left fairly sharply there after.
It was more civilised than I had expected or been lead to believe, another disappointment as I was hoping to see more of Malaysian life along the way.
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| The 'Jungle Train' to Wakuf Bharu |
Train ride through the verdant heart of Malaysia
Leaving the suburbs of Jerantut, the jungle seems to envelope the train as it slips through, brushing the sides of the carriage and dangling overhead. Sometimes elevated above the forest, often surrounded on most sides the train trundles relentlessly on, crossing many bridges along the way, spanning wide muddy rivers that seems so common place.
It meanders through the humid jungle of central Malaysia, the topography alters but the jungle remains constant, dense and green.
The small traditional villages and hamlets are remote with the train the only means of connecting the community with the outside world.
Occasionally you catch a glimpse of an abandoned wooden house, fallen into disrepair, reclaimed by the jungle as its re-absorbed back into the fold. The residents here must spend most of their lives keeping the jungle back!
We arrived at about 9.30pm, tired, hungry, as there had been no touts selling their wares at every stop or any onboard catering, sweaty and in the middle of nowhere.
It took about a half hour, a short trip round the village on the back of a moped, to realise that we were some distance from the city and accommodation!
After a disturbed nights sleep in the centre of Bharu, probably the neon sign outside the window, in a hotel that I can’t remember the name of, with an ‘Olympic’ sized bath in my room worthy of note conjuring ideas of an interesting past, it was time to move on.
Local bus 639 from the city to the ferry station at Kota Basut; an hour and a half of sitting next to an old gent, constantly trying to engage me in conversation, although unable to speak a word of English.
Forty-five people die on Malaysian roads every day and the way the bus driver was driving I thought we might be one of them!!
Boat to Perhentian Island
Debbie and Graham were sitting behind me on the bus and were ushered into the same tour operator’s office to buy a ticket to the island, that’s how we met. Fellow travels based in Portsmouth, UK, Debbie works for IBM, formerly a Christchurch resident, Graham, who quit his job as an Engineering Sales Director, are both travelling round Asia for a year and for about the 2nd time in 10 years. They’ve been to a lot of the places that I have been and many more besides.
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| Beach on one of the Perhentian Islands |
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| New found friends Debbie & Graham |
Perhentian Islands, Malaysian paradise
Well what can I say about the idyllic Palau Perhentian Kecil and Palau Perhentian Besar, two Islands off the coast of Malaya in the South China Sea. They are everything that you would expect of Malaysia and thus far struggled to find. Crystal clear turquoise waters lap the fine white sandy beaches; the hills and mountains drip with lush green vegetation. The hotels and beachside bungalows are well presented and professionally run, as are the restaurants and most dive shops.
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| Just a few beers with Debbie & Graham, poolside |
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| Sandy beach in front of the 'Arwarna' hotel |
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| Pool and room at the Arwarna hotel |
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| Diving buddies, two japs, a Candian, Tanja, and a German, Birgit |
Diving in the waters around Perhentian
Today I enjoyed my first experience diving off of the island, and probably saw more in the two dives than in the previous eight.
Giant Moray eel, Blue Spotted Stingray, Blue Triggerfish, Titan Triggerfish, Yellow Box fish, Blue Ringed Angel fish, Long Beaked Coral fish, Orange Spine Unicorn fish and Bump-head Parrot fish, to name but a few.
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| After the 2nd dive - Miranda, Birgit, Maurisa, Nick & Carl |
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| Me, in full gear looking relaxed |
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| Our narrow dive boat |
Originally I had intended to take the boat, local bus and then the Express bus to Penang the following day until I was reminded by my new found friends Graham and Debbie, that’s it’s all about the experience and the process of travel should always remain fluid. Given that I was having such a great time, with some interesting people in what is a perfect location, with excellent diving I’ve decided to hang around for a couple of extra days and move to the mainland on the 11th of the month.
Buddies from the Flora Dive School, Malaysia
The second day on the island I was feeling a little under the weather, so I didn’t dive. It turned out to be a day of reflection and a rethink as to future travel plans so all good I hasten to add.
Day three, two Italians (can’t remember their names although one would act as my buddy on the 1st dive), Miranda, Carl, Nick, Mauris, Tanja, Birgit, Heidi and I would dive to about 19/20 meters on ‘Sugar Wreck’, as its known.
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| All the above photos supplied courtesy of Birgit Stepper |
The dive from 5 to 10 meters was absolutely fantastic, the sea thick with all species of fish. Below that you descend into a dark foreboding world, with limited visibility, ever conscious of what is around you lest you bump into a mast, the side of the ship or unwittingly enter the ships hull.
Very quickly I’d exhausted by air supply, a little disconcerting, and ‘buddied’ my way to the surface using their supply.
It proved to be the theme for me that day. The second dive, to a greater depth of 21 meters, further than I had descended before proved equally taxing. We were swimming against a strong current at a depth where you exhaust the air supply far quicker and with limited practice even quicker!
My dive buddy Birgit, on this occasion, and Miranda bought me safely to the surface, however, switching from one air source, to another and back to mine. All good experience though.
Underwater photo’s
The excellent underwater photography is entirely down to Birgit. At the last count she had completed about 30 dives off the island waters and by her own admission, beginning to perfect the technique of taking pictures underwater.
Moving on to the mainland
Well after four days and four nights its time to move on. I had a great time, with like-minded people in a perfect location. We have all agreed to meet up along our separate journeys, which will be great!
It’s the 11th September and a change of plan, I couldn’t get to Penang, so it’s an overnight coach to KL instead, one night stay in capital city and then a flight to Bali on the 13th.
Bali, Indonesia here we come!!
Arrived safely in Bali, Indonesia after and easy flight and efficient airport pick-up service courtesy of the Flora Hotel, Kuta a suburb of Denpasar.
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| Photo's taken around Kuta beach |
A disconcerting element is the extraordinary security measures in place here, a lasting legacy of the 2002 Bali bombings. Bags are systematically checked and there’s the occasional body search when entering a shopping mall, restaurant, club or bar. Soldiers patrol the busy areas with M16 automatic weapons with under car searches commonplace wherever or whenever a car is parked.
Like all new countries visited it takes a while to fathom how things operate, a period of orientation.
Kuta is considered the hub of the package industry in Bali, particular for the Australians. It’s quaint with lots of narrow streets lined with Balinese monuments or architecture as well as a plenitude of shops, clubs, restaurants and excellent sandy beaches. The locals are friendly, in a Thai sort of way, although the touts are persistent to a greater degree.
Australians are here in numbers with a few Brits, Europeans and Japanese making up the rest.
Someone said to me before I arrived, ‘Kuta is to the Australians what the Costa del Sol is to the Brits’, and I’d have to agree. Beer swilling, sun worshipping, partying and over indulgence is clearly the name of the game here.
Well its time to move on today, the intention to move inland by local bus to Umbong and then on to the historic and cultural heart of Bali, Ubuh.
Facts about Indonesia
An incredibly large country spread across the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Made up of 17,000+ islands, small, large and parts of other larger islands, it stretches from the coast of Malaysia to the tip of Australia.
Home to 250 million people, more than the countries of France, Germany and the UK added together, encompassing the islands of Sumatra, Java, Timor, Bali, Sulawesi and Kelantan.
Trouble getting round Bali by local bus
Getting round Bali using local transport is going to be a problematical. I left Kuta at 10.00am and based on research, caught the first mini-bus to Tenegal bus station (cost 3,000 IDR), no problem, the second to Umbong, only after aggressive negotiations for 5,000 IDR.
The Lonely Planet, the traveller’s bible, says, and I quote, ‘a local service links the five bus stations of Denpasar at a cost of 2,000 IDR’. Well that may be the case as far as the locals are concerned and the LP representative, however, it’s a myth. As a tourist you are thrown into the mire of opportunism.
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| Balinese stonework lines the streets |
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| Rice fields - Three to four crops are grown each year |
The saving grace, the cavernous hotel room at the old style Panorama Hotel overlooking the paddy fields, set in superb grounds and only £18 a night.
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| Pool & Balinese artwork at the Panorama Hotel |
Indonesian artwork
The streets from Batubulan to Ubuh are lined with extraordinary Balinese Mansions selling custom made jewellery, stone statues and woodcarvings.
There is clear difference driving round Bali from elsewhere in Asia, the streets are lined with examples of exceptional and original artwork and craftsmanship. There are row upon row of beautiful stone carved images of Buddha and the related icons, some distressed to give an aged effect, modern stone artwork, elaborate hardwood furnishings, huge wood carvings, life sized scooters fashioned out of bamboo, lavish reed mats, beautiful paintings, intricately carved doors and table tops it really is a feast for the eye.
Mt. Kintamani & Luwak coffee
The 16th September and its time for some strenuous exercise, I heard good reports about ‘Bali Bike Eco Tours’, run by an ‘I Wayan Sujana’. They organise a mini-bus ride to an active volcano, breakfast at a restaurant overlooking Mt. Batur, the lake of the same name and Mt. Kintamani then a 25-kilometre bike ride to a local Balinese compound for a traditional lunch.
The pick-up 8.30am; there were already 4 Americans, 6 Australians and two guides on board. Two additional Australians and myself made 15.
The first stop en-route the Santi Estate, to look at, and taste various types of coffee, cocoa and tea produced locally.
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| Tasting and roasting the coffee beans at the 'Santi Estate' |
A little known fact, there’s a specific coffee produced in Bali called ‘Luwak’, its extracted from the excrement of the Civet cat.
Apparently the cats are trained to seek out and eat the best coffee beans. The cat excretes the partially digested bean, which is then dried out and ground into coffee.
A couple of Americans sitting behind me on the bus; muttered, although that’s a contradiction in terms American’s never mutter, that Jack Nicholson swears by the stuff.
I know exactly what’s going through your mind, how do you arrive at the end product. Drinking a partially digested coffee bean ejected from the rear end of cat, wild or otherwise, could be in the least bit palatable!!!!
Intricate wood carving
I can’t get over the trouble taken by the Bali people. The walls surrounding houses, doors, an entrance to a compound, decorations in the hotel or restaurant and shop fronts are adorned with beautiful woodcarvings, stone statues or intricate mouldings in stone and brick. I’m not sure if it’s a testament to the prowess of an individual’s craftsmanship, there creativity or a status symbol, however, if you have an interest in art or architecture it’s an absolute pleasure just wandering around aimlessly, often in awe. Bali really is something else.
Bali on a bicycle
After an excellent buffet breakfast in Kintamani at the elevated restaurant terrace overlooking Mt. Kintamani, Mt. Batur and the Batur Lake it’s then a half hour trip to the bike collection point. Kitted out with helmet and bike and we’re ready for the off.
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| Gary and Norbit two Australian guys that I met on the bike tour |
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| Mt. Batur & lake from the restaurant in Kintamani |
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| Kitted up and ready for the off |
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| Stop for a breather by one of the many temples that line the road |
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| Grandmother spreading the rice out on a mat to dry in the sun |
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| Our group of riders a mixed bag of Australian, USA and UK |
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| Balinese stonework and entrance to a shrine |
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| Stone scuplture representing one of the Hindu beings |
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| Another stop along the route |
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| Three lovely children by the road |
Drying the rice
The islanders consume all of the rice produced in Bali none of it is exported. Two types are grown; one that produces three crops a year and the other four. It takes just three to four months from planting to harvesting. Its, however, time consuming with planting, constantly weeding and keeping the irrigation channels clear.
The rice needs to be separated from the stalk. By grasping a handful of the stems and beating the head (the rice end) of the plant repeatedly against an angled section of wood, the rice falls away on to a collection mat, laid out for that purpose. The village roads are lined either side with sheets of linen or plastic covered in rice, the drying process.
Some of the sites along the cycle route
Two children frantically wave at us as we pass by, that is, until I pointed a camera in their direction. Standing at the gate of their family compound, seemingly, without a care in the world. All along the route people came out to say hello.
Bagging the rice
I waved to the three people in the as I rode by, the two ladies shouted, ‘photo, photo’, and as soon as I stopped to take a photo they quickly beat a retreat.
All of the villages that we passed through are frantically engaged in laying the rice out on the road to dry, replanting the next crop, weeding, clearing the irrigation channels or bagging the rice to store or ship to the bigger towns and cities to sell.
Separating the rice
Visible in the photo is an angled section of wood, a bit like a tabletop with two legs. The two people, rear of the photo, are holding the stalks of the rice, which they then beat repeatedly against the wooden platform, the rice falls onto the cloth laid out in the field and is collected and graded by the third person.
‘I Wayan Sujana’s’ compound
I Wayan Sujana’s beautiful family home, passed down to him by his father, and his father’s father before him, through four successive generations. There are five to six separate walled houses all opening onto the main area and surrounded by a larger wall, a bit like a castle battlements.
The photo shows the covered open air dining area, kitchen, formal garden and one of the houses
Hindu cremation ceremony
I’m not even going to pretend that I completely understand the purpose of the ceremony, suffice to say that I happened to be in town at the time.
From what I have been able to piece together, it’s to commemorate the death of an important wealthy Ubud citizen, landowner and farmer to the community. Around 500/600 we’re people actively involved on the day itself.
The gentleman apparently died two months ago, however, it takes time to plan a ceremony of this sort. The corpse is stored in a special cold room, the clothing changed regularly and he, in this case, will be guarded until the day of cremation.
Two huge floats one of a 12-foot high black bull, excluding the dimensions of the plinth, the other of a tower with wings sprouting from the base called a Bade, a 10-meter high pagoda representing the summer temple.
According to an American onlooker it wasn’t the only ceremony taking place that day.
I came across the floats being assembled at around 9.30am. Engineers, at the same time, were removing the crisscross of overhead power cables and telephone wires along the route that the parade would take.
Each float sits on a sturdy four-tier framework of bamboo, and as the photos suggest are then carried through the streets by 40/50 pole bearers, in shifts.
Those carrying the bull would run forward and then stop to rest; perhaps the significance is to emulate a charging bull, but that’s just a guess.
The entourage winds its way the 1½ mile’s to an area in front of the Monkey gardens, the centre of town, where both floats are set alight.
An area is set-aside in all towns for public cremations. The ceremony, called ‘Ngaben’ by all accounts, continues on into the night with local Balinese dancing and dining.
Taking the coast road to the North
Getting round Bali is proving comparatively expensive. The only public transport, or shared bus, appears to run from town to town, if you pass through five towns, that’s five changes of vehicle. The only other option, private mini-bus or taxi and at 400,000 IDR one-way it soon mounts up.
I’ve moved from Ubud to the north coast of Bali to a small village called Tulamben, mainly because of the Liberty wreck dive set at about 20 meters below the water a short distance from the shore.
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| Bali Spark Resort Dive & Spa, near the town of Tulamben |
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| Some of the many resorts dotted along the Tulamben beach |
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| View of Mt Agung |
After three hours we arrived at the hotel, opened in March 2011, and perched on the hill overlooking the Flores Sea.
The hotel Bali Spark Dive Resort & Spa comprises 13 rooms facing onto a courtyard pool, with 1st floor lounge, dining area and spa. Owned by a Czech guy and his pretty Muslim Balinese wife, Yaya. It’s set on the hill about 1¾ kilometre from the village.
I met a lovely couple and their baby daughter (sorry I can’t remember their names) from Finland, they’re travelling round Bali for 4 weeks, at the Pori Madha beach resort where they’re staying. She had just finished her second dive of the day (although she has completed 200 dives in total) so I asked them for a diving school recommendation, over a coffee.
Dive on the Liberty Wreck
The world famous Liberty shipwreck dive site is about 25 meters off the beach in about 24 meters of crystal clear waters with possibly the best visibility, at 20 meters, yet. The beach slopes quickly down to the maximum depth with terrain varying from rock on entry to sand. After 60 years the wreck is a twisted mass of isolated sections of metal, covered in coral and teaming with fish. The housing for the compass is visible the spoke wheel used to shut or open a watertight door, the girders strengthening the hull or bulkhead can be seen in places.
Entering the water from the beach is difficult, add unstable footing and a ½ meter swell and it becomes more interesting. The 1st dive, a familiarisation dive to 21 meters, lasted 45 minutes and involved swimming around the wreck as an orientation exercise.
The second to 22 meters lasted 48 minutes and involved entering the hull of the USAT WWII Liberty Ship. A lot of the main hull has rusted away so good natural light, visibility with lots to see.
Fish sited Yellow Anemone, Clown Anemone, Big-eyed Jack Fish, Thread-fin butterfly, Azure Damsel, Bump-head, Red Tunic Blenning, Angel Fish, Frog Fish, Flathead, Red Anemone, Sea Horse, Trigger & Star Fish and many more.
Much-improved dives this time as I managed to maintain better buoyancy and extend the time on the bottom. Exiting was bit of a problem close to the shore as the current pushes you to the service when you need to stay down to reduce the nitrogen level, its all good experience though.
Tomorrow is a rest day as the intention is to climb Mt. Agung on the 21st September and it’s important to leave sufficient time for the nitrogen to filter out of the blood stream before ascending to altitude.
Aborted attempt on Mt. Agung
I’d arranged with my hotel to climb Mt. Agung the morning of the 21st September, with a pick-up time of 1.00am.
Up at midnight as scheduled, 1.00am, then 2.00am passed by and no one showed. Finally the hotel manager turned up at 2.40am, somewhat sheepish; clearly it was to late to make the climb in time for the sunrise at 6.20am (1½ hour drive an a 4 hour climb) despite his prostrations to the contrary.
After a somewhat heated debate with the hotel manager and a discussion with the rather annoyed hotel owners another trip was arranged the following day.
Another 1am start, a 1½-hour drive to Pura Besakih, the revered temple of Hindu temples and we’re off fumbling; stumbling and climbing by torch light up the 450 face of Mt. Agung in the dark.
It’s at this point I feel I should say a few things in my defence, two nights without much sleep, a touch of food poisoning so feeling a little under the weather and a very difficult a climb up a 600 degree slope at 2,600 meters and beyond.
One other thing factor it was bloody cold!! A high wind blowing off the slope brought temperatures down to about 5 degrees.
What I’m trying to say is I failed to get to the top.
We also found out on the way down the last phase involved a 900 climb!!
The walk back down, I have to say, was probably as taxing in daylight as up! It’s just so incredible slippery, or perhaps I should say loose, under foot. All of us in our group fell over many times on the way down. If it wasn’t the polished granite, it was the loose grainy sand, fine lava granules or just tired legs.
Move on to Padang Bai
After the attempt on the mountain, I’d arranged to be dropped off in Padang Bai at the Kembar Inn, close to the sea and jetty. A small town 50 kilometres west of Denpasar with its two village banks, school, local shops, dozens of restaurants, dive shops and back-packer lodgings and not much else.
It’s the gateway to Lombok, Gili, Lembonngan and Penida Islands, either by ferry or speed boat, chartered or otherwise.
Worthy of note the ride through the countryside from Mt. Agung, passing through the villages of Redang, Selat and Duda is stunning. It’s everything that you’d expect Asia to be, steep sloping hills, stepped and terraced regimented paddy fields, traditional buildings, tropical forest and awful roads!!
This morning I made a decision; time is running out as far as my stay in Indonesia (30 days) and there’s still a lot that I want to do. I’ve decided to fly to Java and double back to Lombok when Birgit arrives. I did say fly, well I’ve had to scotch that idea and travel by night bus instead.
Travel advice
You know its just as well that my travel plans remain fluid, I thought that getting round Malaysia was difficult, however, it pales into insignificancy when you look at the set-up in Bali. I had intended booking a flight to Java, however, you are unable to use a credit card with ‘Lion Air’ for purchases 48 hours prior to departure, fair enough. You have to transfer money using a local bank, which involves opening an account.
Originally, I’d intended taking the local shuttle bus from Padang Bai to the airport and then the plane on to Java. Unable to book the flight, I thought I’d go to Umbong bus station instead and catch the overnight bus to Surabaya. Believe it or believe it not the shuttle bus passes the bus station at their admission, will they stop, no, not a chance!!!
I’ve now arranged a night bus from Lombok Island, despite the fact that I’m in Padang Bai not Lombok, to take me to Surabaya. So that’s a hotel transfer on Lombok Island and ferry crossing that I’m paying for despite not being there, absolutely crazy!!
When you ask for advice and it’s outside their sphere of understanding, i.e. language or local knowledge you hit a blank wall.
Java, ruled by the two elements fire and water!
The plan, catch an overnight bus from Padang Bai to Probolinggo in Java. Travel the length of Bali; cross the Banyuwangi strait with the final leg a drive up the north coast of Java, about 12 hours all told.
Why Java, I here you ask. Mainly to see the active volcano of Gunung Bromo; the last eruption occurred in January 2011, spewing dust and ash over the surrounding countryside, causing the villages to be evacuated and hotels closed.
Arriving in Wonotoro
Sitting outside in the crisp chill afternoon air on one of the many elevated terraces, overlooking the mountains that almost seem to envelope and over power you with their majesty it’s difficult to see how such beauty could hold such a sinister secret. Very much an isolated village Wonotoro, the 40km steep, narrow, windy road ensures that. There is a wonderful sense of peace and tranquility here. Perhaps the odd cock crowing, all the burble of a motorbike engine interrupts the quiet, however, the deafening roar of silence is quickly restored.
I stumbled on Java Banana, mainly because there wasn’t much else available, after a 12-hour bus and 2-hour mini bus ride you really don’t want to go back. The sunrise from the mountains and the volcano are apparently well worth seeing, although clearly we shall see as I’d arranged a trip the following day.
View from Seruni Point
Another early morning start, this time at 4.00am. Jeep drive in the dark to within a kilometre of Seruni Point, a steep walk, or rather stumble in the dark, up the last section and we’re at 2,600 meters, supposedly the best place to see the sunrise.
We weren’t the only ones mad enough to get up so early, there were probably 50 to 60 tourists, vendors selling stuff and others offering horse rides up the last section to the top, so fairly busy.
Mt. Bromo, active volcano!
Mt. Bromo is one of the most famous volcanoes in Bromo-Tengger Semeru National Park, in Eastern Java, Indonesia. It’s located in the Tengger Caldera and rises to 2,239 meters.
Its not the highest Mt Batok at 2,440 meters and Mt. Semeru at 3,369 meters, the highest in Java, are. Bromo is, however, an active volcano and forms part of the ancient Tengger Super volcano, so god help the residents that live only 4 kilometres away.
Sulphurous haze blowing our way
The funny thing is I’m sitting in the attractive grounds of Java Banana, it’s about 11.00am on the 26th September, composing this particular entry in the journal and I’ve noticed a yellow haze drifting in our direction. A fine dust settling on the face of the computer alerted me initially to look up along with the aroma of sulphur, a distinctive smell of rotten eggs!
When we were driving down from Seruni Point and heading into the sand bowl of Tengger Caldera this morning I noticed that smoke was rising out of the Semeru volcano in the distance. I’m guessing that this is a regular occurrence here, as it seems to have passed unnoticed.
Sunrise over Tengger Caldera
They said that it would be an incredible sight to behold, the sunrise that is, and they were right, who ever they were. It might have been the Lonely Planet, or some sales or tourism literary that I read along the way, it doesn’t matter it was worth the trip. I caught up with a Spanish travel, Carlos that I met on the bus the day before; we had intended to do the tour together but for a break down in communication, hey, ho!
Tengger Semeru National Park
The Tengger Caldera is as the name suggests, Caldera meaning a collapsed volcano. The crater rim surrounds the virtually flat basin and is about 5 miles in diameter. The area is made up of sand and volcanic ash, light, fine and easily blown around.
I’m not clear if the volcanic debris dumped in January has smothered the ground killing off any vegetation, it’s down to a lack of moisture; rainfall or the ground is infertile but the area is barren.
The two volcanoes Batok and Bromo, small in comparison to the collapsed super volcano, are like pimples on the landscape. A similar effect as well, a raging infection trying to break out, in this case molten lava and gas trapped beneath the earth’s surface capitalising on a weak spot, fault line or the point where tectonic plates meet.
Java and Sumatra sit on the edge of the Philippines Plate and the Java Trench. A line of volcanoes extends across Java, beneath the waters separating the two islands, through the infamous island of Krakatoa and across Sumatra. Land of fire!
On the crater edge
Standing on the narrow rim and viewpoint looking down into the mouth of the Mt. Bromo volcano with no guardrail, there’s certainly an element of concern. Should you slip and fall, on one side its a tumble down a 60-degree slope 500 meters below to a plateau to the other a similar a drop into the seething abyss of the volcano, with almost no chance of arresting the fall!
Picture of me on the edge of the Mt. Bromo volcano, not entirely visible is the smoke plume rising out of the mouth, slightly off to my left. I took this and several other photos before beating a hasty retreat. The rim was both narrow and crowded with people vying for the best spot to take a picture; many more were on the way up. It would only take a slight nudge, slip or tumble and its goodbye!!
Trip to Yogyakarta, Java
Originally I intended travelling north to Surabaya, thinking that the direct route to Yogyakarta wouldn’t be possible. After a long local bus ride down the mountainside to Probolinggo, we stopped outside a place called Mitra travel that just happened to organise trips to you nowhere.
After an arduous, slow and some times suicidal journey cramped in the back of a mini-bus, with 11 other people (supposed to be only 7) and our luggage we’re in Yogyakarta. Phew!!!
9th century ruins of Borobudur
The city of Yogyakarta happened to be somewhere central to aim for, other than that I hadn’t heard or read anything special about the place. It’s a busy vibrant city, with excellent street food, very friendly people, impromptu street music, lots of local stalls, shops and some interesting Batik artwork. The city architecturally seems featureless, but that’s probably being unkind, as I haven’t really had much time to explore.
The primary and only reason for travelling across Java was to see the magnificent 9th century Borobudur Buddhist temple, supposed to be the largest in the world.
Supposedly the temple ranks with Bagan in Burma, site of 4,000 Buddhist temples lined up on the hillside, and Angkor Wat as one of the great Southeast Asia monuments.
It marks a stunning and fitting epitaph to Java’s Buddhist heyday. The temple is 42km northwest of Yogyakarta, about three local buses rides away.
It comprises six square bases topped by three circular ones, and it was constructed about the same time as the nearby Hindu temple of Prambanan in the early part of the 9th century AD.
With the decline of Buddhism, Borobudur was abandoned and subsequently covered in volcanic ash by an eruption in 1006, and only rediscovered in 1814 when Raffles governed Java. The main restoration would have to wait until some years later.
Borobudur’s name originated from the words Boro, meaning temple or shrine from the Sanskrit ‘Byara’ and Budur from the Balinese word ‘Beduhur’; meaning above the hill or on the hill. The temple on the hill is constructed as a stepped pyramid from 2,000,000 blocks of andesitic rock, carved to precision and slotted into place with millimetre precision and with no mortar.
From a distance the temple appears to be in the shape of a Stupa, however, close up its clear there is two distinctive styles at play here. The three upper round kernels are representative of Indian architecture, the lower stepped pyramid with shaped and angled quadrilaterals resemble a Balinese approach to design and architecture. Clearly the end effect is both effective and stunning as well a testament to man’s ingenuity, passion, belief and sheer determination.
The restoration process started in 1973 under the guidance and supervision of UNESCO and was completed in February 1983. It involved the demolition of the Rupadhatu, the five quadrilateral levels, with removal of some 1,000,000 stones. Leather stone cleaning and preserving 170,000 stones. Installation and reinforcement of the foundations on each level along with installing water ducts. Then just a process of reassembling the structure, simple!
Prambanan Heritage Park
The magnificent Hindu temple of central Java is located about 17 km to the north east of Yogyakarta city. It’s another day and another trip, one that I’m glad I didn’t miss.
The central temple is shaped like a mountain and 47m high, with six principle additional towers. Prambanan temple or the Cheviot temple is often called Roro Jonggrang temple with reference to the legend of the ‘Slender Virgin’ - Jonggrang means slender. She was the daughter of King Prabu Boko, who held the kingdom south of Prambanan.
Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple in ancient Java, and the construction of this royal temple was probably started by Rakai Pikatan as the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty's answer to the Buddhist Sailendera Dynasty's Borobudur and Sewu temples nearby. Historians suggest that the construction of Prambanan probably was meant to mark the return of the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty to power.
In the 930’s the court moved to East Java by Mpu Sinduk who established the Isyana Dynasty. A major eruption of the nearby Mt. Merapi, or a power struggle probably caused the shift. It marked the beginning of the decline of the temple. It was soon abandoned and began to deteriorate.
The temples themselves collapsed during a major earthquake in the 16th century.
Although the temple ceased to be an important centre of worship, the ruins scattered around the area were still recognisable and known to the local Javanese people in later times.
In 1811 during Britain’s short-lived rule of the Dutch East Indies, Collin Mackenzie, a surveyor in the service of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, came upon the temples by chance. Although Sir Thomas subsequently commissioned a full survey of the ruins, they remained neglected for decades, with Dutch residents carting off sculptures as garden ornaments and native villagers using the foundation stones for construction material.
Half-hearted excavations by archaeologists in the 1880s merely facilitated looting. Reconstruction of the compound began in 1918, and proper restoration only in 1930. Efforts at restoration continue to this day. The main building was completed around 1953. Much of the original stonework has been stolen and reused at remote construction sites, hampering restoration.
Foundations for most of the smaller shrines are now visible with no plans for their reconstruction, however.
Temple of Sewu
The Temple of Sewu is an 8th-century Buddhist Temple located 800 meters north of Prambanan.
Candi (temple) Sewu is actually the second largest Buddhist Temple in Central Java after Borobudur. The temple complex is the largest Buddhist compound in the Prambanan area, with rectangular grounds that measure 185-meters from north to south and 165 meters from east to west.
The entrance is found on all four cardinal points, however judging from the layout of the temple complex, the main entrance is located on the east side. Each of the entrances are guarded by twin Dvarapala statues. The large guardian statues have been better preserved and replicas can be found at Jogja Kraton. There are a total of 249 buildings in the complex arranged in a Mandala pattern around the central main hall as an expression of the view of the universe of Mahayana Buddhism.
The smaller temples are called Perwara (guardian) temples and consist of 240 temples of a similar design arranged in four rectangular concentric rows. There are two outer rows of 168 smaller temples and two inner rows of 72 temples. The 249 temples are all made with a square frame base but vary either by their orientation or the statue displayed.
Many of these statues have been removed over the years and it is likely that the site isn’t laid out as it was originally intended. The statues are comparable to those of Borobudur and were more than likely made of bronze.
Looking back at the month
Well what a month, Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur, cross-country from KL, via Taman Negara, to the Perhentian Islands and back again. Flight to Bali and the chance to see what all the fuss is about, then cross country to the ‘Land of Fire’, Java to see a volcano up close and personal and marvel at the mystery and mystic of Java’s heritage.
Its been a month of frustration, irritation, long tiring journeys, new experiences, great people, fantastic sights, sometimes awe inspiring, but most of all a time of meeting and making new friends along the way, people that relate to the journey that I have embarked on. Overall it’s been a great month, with lots more to come.
Congratulations
One final point it gives me great pleasure, as a proud father, to announce the formal engagement of our, Liz included, daughter Katherine to Craig (Hobbit) Anderson. Congratulations to you both, I wish you every future happiness together, love dad xxxx. Whoopee!!!!
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| Tulamben beach framed by Balinese artwork |
I met a lovely couple and their baby daughter (sorry I can’t remember their names) from Finland, they’re travelling round Bali for 4 weeks, at the Pori Madha beach resort where they’re staying. She had just finished her second dive of the day (although she has completed 200 dives in total) so I asked them for a diving school recommendation, over a coffee.
Dive on the Liberty Wreck
The world famous Liberty shipwreck dive site is about 25 meters off the beach in about 24 meters of crystal clear waters with possibly the best visibility, at 20 meters, yet. The beach slopes quickly down to the maximum depth with terrain varying from rock on entry to sand. After 60 years the wreck is a twisted mass of isolated sections of metal, covered in coral and teaming with fish. The housing for the compass is visible the spoke wheel used to shut or open a watertight door, the girders strengthening the hull or bulkhead can be seen in places.
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| Diving off the volcanic beach of Tulamben |
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| One of the larger dive boats off Tulamben |
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| Swirl of Jack Fish, Tulamben |
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| The World War II Liberty wreck off the Tulamben coast |
Fish sited Yellow Anemone, Clown Anemone, Big-eyed Jack Fish, Thread-fin butterfly, Azure Damsel, Bump-head, Red Tunic Blenning, Angel Fish, Frog Fish, Flathead, Red Anemone, Sea Horse, Trigger & Star Fish and many more.
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| Frog fish perched on a piece of coral, Tulamben |
Tomorrow is a rest day as the intention is to climb Mt. Agung on the 21st September and it’s important to leave sufficient time for the nitrogen to filter out of the blood stream before ascending to altitude.
Aborted attempt on Mt. Agung
I’d arranged with my hotel to climb Mt. Agung the morning of the 21st September, with a pick-up time of 1.00am.
Up at midnight as scheduled, 1.00am, then 2.00am passed by and no one showed. Finally the hotel manager turned up at 2.40am, somewhat sheepish; clearly it was to late to make the climb in time for the sunrise at 6.20am (1½ hour drive an a 4 hour climb) despite his prostrations to the contrary.
After a somewhat heated debate with the hotel manager and a discussion with the rather annoyed hotel owners another trip was arranged the following day.
Another 1am start, a 1½-hour drive to Pura Besakih, the revered temple of Hindu temples and we’re off fumbling; stumbling and climbing by torch light up the 450 face of Mt. Agung in the dark.
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| Near the top of Mt.Agung, left to right, Meg, ?, Wayan and I |
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| The two guides near the top of Mt. Agung |
One other thing factor it was bloody cold!! A high wind blowing off the slope brought temperatures down to about 5 degrees.
What I’m trying to say is I failed to get to the top.
We also found out on the way down the last phase involved a 900 climb!!
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| Hindu temple, Pura Besakih perched on the side of the volcano |
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| The entrance to Pura Besakih and Mt. Agung in the distance |
Move on to Padang Bai
After the attempt on the mountain, I’d arranged to be dropped off in Padang Bai at the Kembar Inn, close to the sea and jetty. A small town 50 kilometres west of Denpasar with its two village banks, school, local shops, dozens of restaurants, dive shops and back-packer lodgings and not much else.
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| The bay & port around Padang Bai |
Worthy of note the ride through the countryside from Mt. Agung, passing through the villages of Redang, Selat and Duda is stunning. It’s everything that you’d expect Asia to be, steep sloping hills, stepped and terraced regimented paddy fields, traditional buildings, tropical forest and awful roads!!
This morning I made a decision; time is running out as far as my stay in Indonesia (30 days) and there’s still a lot that I want to do. I’ve decided to fly to Java and double back to Lombok when Birgit arrives. I did say fly, well I’ve had to scotch that idea and travel by night bus instead.
Travel advice
You know its just as well that my travel plans remain fluid, I thought that getting round Malaysia was difficult, however, it pales into insignificancy when you look at the set-up in Bali. I had intended booking a flight to Java, however, you are unable to use a credit card with ‘Lion Air’ for purchases 48 hours prior to departure, fair enough. You have to transfer money using a local bank, which involves opening an account.
Originally, I’d intended taking the local shuttle bus from Padang Bai to the airport and then the plane on to Java. Unable to book the flight, I thought I’d go to Umbong bus station instead and catch the overnight bus to Surabaya. Believe it or believe it not the shuttle bus passes the bus station at their admission, will they stop, no, not a chance!!!
I’ve now arranged a night bus from Lombok Island, despite the fact that I’m in Padang Bai not Lombok, to take me to Surabaya. So that’s a hotel transfer on Lombok Island and ferry crossing that I’m paying for despite not being there, absolutely crazy!!
When you ask for advice and it’s outside their sphere of understanding, i.e. language or local knowledge you hit a blank wall.
Java, ruled by the two elements fire and water!
The plan, catch an overnight bus from Padang Bai to Probolinggo in Java. Travel the length of Bali; cross the Banyuwangi strait with the final leg a drive up the north coast of Java, about 12 hours all told.
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| Tricycle part way to Probolinggo, 50km's further to go |
Arriving in Wonotoro
Sitting outside in the crisp chill afternoon air on one of the many elevated terraces, overlooking the mountains that almost seem to envelope and over power you with their majesty it’s difficult to see how such beauty could hold such a sinister secret. Very much an isolated village Wonotoro, the 40km steep, narrow, windy road ensures that. There is a wonderful sense of peace and tranquility here. Perhaps the odd cock crowing, all the burble of a motorbike engine interrupts the quiet, however, the deafening roar of silence is quickly restored.
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| Glass dining room of the Java Banana Resort |
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| Village of Wonotoro, 6km from the volcano |
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| Village of Wonotoro, 6km from the volcano |
View from Seruni Point
Another early morning start, this time at 4.00am. Jeep drive in the dark to within a kilometre of Seruni Point, a steep walk, or rather stumble in the dark, up the last section and we’re at 2,600 meters, supposedly the best place to see the sunrise.
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| Sunrise from Seruni Point |
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| Hillside framed by the brightening sky |
Mt. Bromo, active volcano!
Mt. Bromo is one of the most famous volcanoes in Bromo-Tengger Semeru National Park, in Eastern Java, Indonesia. It’s located in the Tengger Caldera and rises to 2,239 meters.
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| Tengger valley and Mt. Batok beyond. The flat area is a collapsed Super volcano |
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| Great picture of Mt. Batok and Mt. Semru beyond |
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| Mt Batok centre, Mt Bromo left and Mt. Semeru beyond |
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| Horse ride to the top - 10,000 to 100,000 Rp up to Seruni Point |
Sulphurous haze blowing our way
The funny thing is I’m sitting in the attractive grounds of Java Banana, it’s about 11.00am on the 26th September, composing this particular entry in the journal and I’ve noticed a yellow haze drifting in our direction. A fine dust settling on the face of the computer alerted me initially to look up along with the aroma of sulphur, a distinctive smell of rotten eggs!
When we were driving down from Seruni Point and heading into the sand bowl of Tengger Caldera this morning I noticed that smoke was rising out of the Semeru volcano in the distance. I’m guessing that this is a regular occurrence here, as it seems to have passed unnoticed.
Sunrise over Tengger Caldera
They said that it would be an incredible sight to behold, the sunrise that is, and they were right, who ever they were. It might have been the Lonely Planet, or some sales or tourism literary that I read along the way, it doesn’t matter it was worth the trip. I caught up with a Spanish travel, Carlos that I met on the bus the day before; we had intended to do the tour together but for a break down in communication, hey, ho!
Tengger Semeru National Park
The Tengger Caldera is as the name suggests, Caldera meaning a collapsed volcano. The crater rim surrounds the virtually flat basin and is about 5 miles in diameter. The area is made up of sand and volcanic ash, light, fine and easily blown around.
I’m not clear if the volcanic debris dumped in January has smothered the ground killing off any vegetation, it’s down to a lack of moisture; rainfall or the ground is infertile but the area is barren.
The two volcanoes Batok and Bromo, small in comparison to the collapsed super volcano, are like pimples on the landscape. A similar effect as well, a raging infection trying to break out, in this case molten lava and gas trapped beneath the earth’s surface capitalising on a weak spot, fault line or the point where tectonic plates meet.
Java and Sumatra sit on the edge of the Philippines Plate and the Java Trench. A line of volcanoes extends across Java, beneath the waters separating the two islands, through the infamous island of Krakatoa and across Sumatra. Land of fire!
On the crater edge
Standing on the narrow rim and viewpoint looking down into the mouth of the Mt. Bromo volcano with no guardrail, there’s certainly an element of concern. Should you slip and fall, on one side its a tumble down a 60-degree slope 500 meters below to a plateau to the other a similar a drop into the seething abyss of the volcano, with almost no chance of arresting the fall!
Picture of me on the edge of the Mt. Bromo volcano, not entirely visible is the smoke plume rising out of the mouth, slightly off to my left. I took this and several other photos before beating a hasty retreat. The rim was both narrow and crowded with people vying for the best spot to take a picture; many more were on the way up. It would only take a slight nudge, slip or tumble and its goodbye!!
Trip to Yogyakarta, Java
Originally I intended travelling north to Surabaya, thinking that the direct route to Yogyakarta wouldn’t be possible. After a long local bus ride down the mountainside to Probolinggo, we stopped outside a place called Mitra travel that just happened to organise trips to you nowhere.
After an arduous, slow and some times suicidal journey cramped in the back of a mini-bus, with 11 other people (supposed to be only 7) and our luggage we’re in Yogyakarta. Phew!!!
9th century ruins of Borobudur
The city of Yogyakarta happened to be somewhere central to aim for, other than that I hadn’t heard or read anything special about the place. It’s a busy vibrant city, with excellent street food, very friendly people, impromptu street music, lots of local stalls, shops and some interesting Batik artwork. The city architecturally seems featureless, but that’s probably being unkind, as I haven’t really had much time to explore.
The primary and only reason for travelling across Java was to see the magnificent 9th century Borobudur Buddhist temple, supposed to be the largest in the world.
Supposedly the temple ranks with Bagan in Burma, site of 4,000 Buddhist temples lined up on the hillside, and Angkor Wat as one of the great Southeast Asia monuments.
It marks a stunning and fitting epitaph to Java’s Buddhist heyday. The temple is 42km northwest of Yogyakarta, about three local buses rides away.
It comprises six square bases topped by three circular ones, and it was constructed about the same time as the nearby Hindu temple of Prambanan in the early part of the 9th century AD.
With the decline of Buddhism, Borobudur was abandoned and subsequently covered in volcanic ash by an eruption in 1006, and only rediscovered in 1814 when Raffles governed Java. The main restoration would have to wait until some years later.
Narrative reliefs carved out of lava rock
There are nearly 1500 narrative relief panels on the terraces depicting Buddhist teachings and tales, there are 432 Buddha images scattered around the terraces and on the upper circular terraces there are latticed Stupas containing 72 more Buddha images.
Borobudur’s name originated from the words Boro, meaning temple or shrine from the Sanskrit ‘Byara’ and Budur from the Balinese word ‘Beduhur’; meaning above the hill or on the hill. The temple on the hill is constructed as a stepped pyramid from 2,000,000 blocks of andesitic rock, carved to precision and slotted into place with millimetre precision and with no mortar.
From a distance the temple appears to be in the shape of a Stupa, however, close up its clear there is two distinctive styles at play here. The three upper round kernels are representative of Indian architecture, the lower stepped pyramid with shaped and angled quadrilaterals resemble a Balinese approach to design and architecture. Clearly the end effect is both effective and stunning as well a testament to man’s ingenuity, passion, belief and sheer determination.
The restoration process started in 1973 under the guidance and supervision of UNESCO and was completed in February 1983. It involved the demolition of the Rupadhatu, the five quadrilateral levels, with removal of some 1,000,000 stones. Leather stone cleaning and preserving 170,000 stones. Installation and reinforcement of the foundations on each level along with installing water ducts. Then just a process of reassembling the structure, simple!
Prambanan Heritage Park
The magnificent Hindu temple of central Java is located about 17 km to the north east of Yogyakarta city. It’s another day and another trip, one that I’m glad I didn’t miss.
The central temple is shaped like a mountain and 47m high, with six principle additional towers. Prambanan temple or the Cheviot temple is often called Roro Jonggrang temple with reference to the legend of the ‘Slender Virgin’ - Jonggrang means slender. She was the daughter of King Prabu Boko, who held the kingdom south of Prambanan.
Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple in ancient Java, and the construction of this royal temple was probably started by Rakai Pikatan as the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty's answer to the Buddhist Sailendera Dynasty's Borobudur and Sewu temples nearby. Historians suggest that the construction of Prambanan probably was meant to mark the return of the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty to power.
In the 930’s the court moved to East Java by Mpu Sinduk who established the Isyana Dynasty. A major eruption of the nearby Mt. Merapi, or a power struggle probably caused the shift. It marked the beginning of the decline of the temple. It was soon abandoned and began to deteriorate.
The temples themselves collapsed during a major earthquake in the 16th century.
Although the temple ceased to be an important centre of worship, the ruins scattered around the area were still recognisable and known to the local Javanese people in later times.
In 1811 during Britain’s short-lived rule of the Dutch East Indies, Collin Mackenzie, a surveyor in the service of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, came upon the temples by chance. Although Sir Thomas subsequently commissioned a full survey of the ruins, they remained neglected for decades, with Dutch residents carting off sculptures as garden ornaments and native villagers using the foundation stones for construction material.
Half-hearted excavations by archaeologists in the 1880s merely facilitated looting. Reconstruction of the compound began in 1918, and proper restoration only in 1930. Efforts at restoration continue to this day. The main building was completed around 1953. Much of the original stonework has been stolen and reused at remote construction sites, hampering restoration.
Foundations for most of the smaller shrines are now visible with no plans for their reconstruction, however.
Temple of Sewu
The Temple of Sewu is an 8th-century Buddhist Temple located 800 meters north of Prambanan.
Candi (temple) Sewu is actually the second largest Buddhist Temple in Central Java after Borobudur. The temple complex is the largest Buddhist compound in the Prambanan area, with rectangular grounds that measure 185-meters from north to south and 165 meters from east to west.
The entrance is found on all four cardinal points, however judging from the layout of the temple complex, the main entrance is located on the east side. Each of the entrances are guarded by twin Dvarapala statues. The large guardian statues have been better preserved and replicas can be found at Jogja Kraton. There are a total of 249 buildings in the complex arranged in a Mandala pattern around the central main hall as an expression of the view of the universe of Mahayana Buddhism.
The smaller temples are called Perwara (guardian) temples and consist of 240 temples of a similar design arranged in four rectangular concentric rows. There are two outer rows of 168 smaller temples and two inner rows of 72 temples. The 249 temples are all made with a square frame base but vary either by their orientation or the statue displayed.
Many of these statues have been removed over the years and it is likely that the site isn’t laid out as it was originally intended. The statues are comparable to those of Borobudur and were more than likely made of bronze.
Looking back at the month
Well what a month, Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur, cross-country from KL, via Taman Negara, to the Perhentian Islands and back again. Flight to Bali and the chance to see what all the fuss is about, then cross country to the ‘Land of Fire’, Java to see a volcano up close and personal and marvel at the mystery and mystic of Java’s heritage.
Its been a month of frustration, irritation, long tiring journeys, new experiences, great people, fantastic sights, sometimes awe inspiring, but most of all a time of meeting and making new friends along the way, people that relate to the journey that I have embarked on. Overall it’s been a great month, with lots more to come.
Congratulations
One final point it gives me great pleasure, as a proud father, to announce the formal engagement of our, Liz included, daughter Katherine to Craig (Hobbit) Anderson. Congratulations to you both, I wish you every future happiness together, love dad xxxx. Whoopee!!!!
