TRAVEL: INDONESIA

Indonesia 🇮🇩 

 21st -22nd jan 2019

Get the hard seat slow train to gz after work did tactical naps but knackered ofc. Arrived in around 10.10 and malik remembered to meet me lol (will never let him live that down) we got the metro to his, he moved to a live in hotel. Simple but nice. Super close to the metro and his work, decent size with desk some kitchen utensils and a nice bathroom. We chatted before I had a nap and got showered. He downloaded some fashion stuff for me and we talked about what was happening/not happening with this brexit lark.... we went to yuexiu 越秀公园 Park - I went years ago when I visited with reb but it’s a nice huge park and was full of decorations for the upcoming CNY pigs everywhere 亥 we strolled around stretching my legs after the long ass journey, decent day, not too hot, maybe 17’ and sunny. We played some badminton before heading to go meet vincy  and to see his work. We then headed back to his, I had another power nap before watching some YouTube vids. And then heading for the metro for the airport (open later than Shanghai’s wtf) 

My 1.35 flight changed in Kuala Lumpur before arriving in Jakarta with visa on arrival for 30days for Brit passport. From here I got a bus it started heavily raining, and even started to flood a little - turns out this is the start of rainy season (should have checked) got the bus to Taman ANgrek where don, the guy from CS who was hosting me picked me up (thankfully in a car!) before helping me get a SIM card with internet and being kind enough to take me to the visa office. I had downloaded a metro map - turns out the metro is still being built, for public transports there’s only really buses, and you can easily find out which you need from google maps or Trafi. Of course with my visa applications nothing ever goes right. There was no1 really there to advise and when I asked about an application form I was told I need to fill it in online and print it out. I quickly did it online on my phone, the first time It didn’t save, I then headed for a printers.... it was a shack...had to keep asking people, in the rain, but finally sort of got it before dashing back to the centre (it would close in an hour) the guy who filled out the form only took the copies of my stuff saying that they need the real documents for when I re-entered, any mistakes/edits he just tip-x’d out and had me fill in? I don’t know if the chilledness is a good sign (like Korea) or what? Maybe I’m just overly anxious after last time.

looks like    I picked the wrong season to go, January 2019, rainy season. upon arrival at the airport I was meet with heavy heavy rain. so much so that it was flooding certain roads. 

I had arranged to stay with a guy and his family on couch surfing. so, after I sorted out my visa application 

JAKARTA 

Having applied I strolled around, jakarta is poor, not a big fancy city, lots of small alleys of houses twists and turns of lanes and ofc a lot of mosques 🕌 (95% Muslim) I checked out the welcome tower in the middle of a main roundabout before trying to bus back to Dons, turns out u need a pass, luckily a guy helped me, paying me on and even ordering me a bike to dons - how kind!

finally found the place near a buddhist temple with a huge buddha statue, my host  Don  He lives in a HUGE place with his family, so many rooms, a spiral staircase and even chandelier! . It was like a small mansion! it even had a chandelier. they loved animals, with lots of dogs, one of which had just given birth to a litter of puppies!He wasn’t in when I arrived but Then rest of the family was (2 sisters) I’m staying in a room downstairs with a bathroom just off the living room. More than I could ask for! They have 7 dogs and the mother just had 3 more that morning. Disaster struck, my china card app got blocked, couldn’t ring up and the girl on the live chat said I couldn’t fix on my app, after much pushing and trying think I was able to sort it on the app (change the password) however when I used the card the next day it was still the old One? Chatted a bit to don before sleep. 

 

the second day I checked out the city, I was able to borrow his mum's transport card for the bus 

on the second day I travelled around the old area of Jakarta, with the Dutch colonial buildings. Indonesia has a mixed influence of cultures, java, Malay, Indian, dutch, Chinese, arab and European. the roads are crazy. here, people use motorbikes to get around, instead of a taxi, you order a lift on a bike, as the traffic jams are crazy but bikes can skirt around the traffic. you are given a helmet though they never fit! the roads are always crazy busy, and its all a bit dirty and dusty.

 

Jakarta history museum in the historical quarter. full of people with bands and performers throughout the day, with small stores and an indoor market too.

 its lively and usually quite busy. there's plenty to see and do and it's also great just to sit down and relax, enjoying the bustling surroundings.

 

MERDEKA SQUARE AND THE NATIONAL MONUMENT

a huge park in the centre stands the huge national monument with a museum underneath. .

JAKARTA MUSEUM
Jakarta museum is worth a visit, especially if its getting too hot (the rain doesn't last too long and before you know it, its hot and humid again) its full of Indonesian and java statues taken from different areas of the country and its islands.

the masks are a bit creepy, in my opinion, but interesting

BOGOR BOTANICAL GARDENS

I took the bus to Bogor and walked to the botanical gardens, unfortunately it was raining for most of the time (umbrellas are a must this time of year, though it's still warm) as it was winter and raining season there wasn't too much too see. the main reason I had went was to see the rare "corpse flower" the Titan flower TITAN ARUM. A huge and very very smelly plant/flower, which only flowers once every few years, lying dormant the rest of the time. of course, I didn't check before this, and of course discovered on arrival it was not in bloom this year having bloomed a couple of years before

https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/01/05/corpse-flower-alive-and-kicking-at-bogor-botanical-gardens.html

I came across the herb and medicine garden and a local showed me round in broken English. he was very friendly and took me all around, finding me different fruits and herbs and trying to tell me of their uses. I had never seen a durian growing before until he pointed one up high in a tree!

Yogyakarta

Indonesia is full of volcanoes, and therefore many of the beaches are black sand beaches. I had never experienced this before and found it uniquely beautiful!

BOROBUDUR

Borobudur  is a 9th century  Malayasian Unesco world heritage site temple complex. the largest buddhist temple in the world with 9 stacked platforms ; 6 square and 3 circular topped by a central dome with lots of statues and carvings throughout the layers.

most people go for the sunrise or sunset. I went in the afternoon. the afternoon however is when the school kids go on school trips, and often are asked b their teachers to interview foreigners for a questionnaire to practice their English skills.
they will often ask for help, want to chat or a picture. so not the best time to go if you want to relax and take some pictures, as its very crowded.

YOGYAKARTA

Borobudur is near Yogyakarta, there are also other temple complexes, outside the city too. inside there are markets, shops and many historical sites including the old palace, the Kraton or Sultan's palace.

I had been meant to stay with a local but the house was too basic, with a water tank and squat toilet, and no internet. not good when you need a good wash or want to contact family. he was lovely however, I met his parents and eat some local snacks and drank some Malaysian coffee and juice, we meet later the next day to check out the shopping street.

Jalan Maliboro is the famous shopping street full of markets and huge silver lion statue.

the countryside outside the city is simple and beautiful, full of rice fields ending down to the coast with some beaches and even a lighthouse. worth a visit, especially to some picturesque views especially at sunrise or sunset. I met up with a local who took me there, as it was his favourite place in Yogya, relaxing and not known to most. very peaceful. the whole time we were there we only met 2 other people. 

https://www.journeyera.com/ijen-crater-trekking/

I had got the train (slow train with a change sitting with the locals) to climb mount ijen in the south, famous for its blue flames due to the sulphur. however I had arrived late. and on the bumpy road that had no trees lights I had moved to the side with my heavy backpack a bag, to move out of the way of a oncoming motorbike. I hadn't realised or seen, as there was no lights, a huge pot hole, I fell in, on my left side with all my luggage falling on my arm. the pain was agonising, I retched from the pain. a local women came out and tried to help me, taking my things and brining me into her home. she didn't really speak English but she gave me water and was going to let me stay. however, the hostel and hike group owner found me and took me to the hostel. it was quite horrid. unable to climb I was left in a room, with no air conditioning and huge coach roaches. I rarely slept with the pain. I didn't want to admit it at the time but I was pretty sure it was broken, on an old break from several years before. I contacted my sister the next day (waking her up in the middle of the night) and informed her of the situation, I had no insurance....I tried to convince myself that it was only badly hurt maybe sprained....that I could go on....but I slowly changed my mind.....

anyway, I continued onwards to Bali island, the next morning I eventually got a lift to the bus station and got a bus which went on the boat to Bali island. I had to ask people for help, tying my arm up in a makeshift sling with the use of a scarf - a pitiful sight I'm sure. eventually I got to the bus station. I spent a long time trying to get a bike to give ma a lift to the coach surfer I was meant to meet. none could enter the station, eventually I got a worker to carry my things to the bike and I travelled awkwardly holding on with one arm for about 45minutes  to Depasar 

BALI ISLAND 

the guy I was staying with was an expat, he lived with several others, who were friendly enough, he however wasn't really. I was uncomfortable and decided to go the next day to Ubud after I met another local and visited the famous Uluwatu temple that overlooks a cliff edge. Bali island is one of the few Buddhist areas of Indonesia, to enter the temple we needed to be covered and so we were given cloth skirts to tie around our waists (he helped me of course as I was still in a lot of pain) 

ULUWATU TEMPLE

again, getting a bike there was difficult, no-one seems to drive cars here, the roads are terrible, lots of bumps which doesn't help my arm. eventually I got to Ubud near the centre of Bali island, I had booked to stay in a hostel dorm, it was in a back street alley in the centre of Ubud un the stairs, a simple place, I soon made friends with a guy staying there, an India who had also been in the uk, he has been staying living and doing some work here for over a year or too. 

the next day I explored the area, I got some strong pain killers for my arm and looked for something for my arm, there were no slings! hospitals here are expensive and not the most reliable, often in skill or higher prices as a foreigner, however the though of going back to china and having to get the train from Guangzhou, alone with no way to carry luggage (I couldn't find luggage store) was scary and seemingly impossible. I eventually got some pain oil which smelt strange and used it often. my arm was going very yellow blue in places. I got a bandage to tie around it but it seemed to worsen, instead I just kept using my scarf as a makeshift sling  (which stunk of the oil and I have never used since due to the painful memories) at night I sweatily painfully half slept with a pillow underneath it to prop it up, lying uncomfortably on my back. dressing washing and even going to the toilet was a difficult task, and sometimes riding on the back of a bike with the bumps was so painful it made me feel like I wanted to throw up. great fun :(

I found a luwak outside a coffee shop, these animals are famous for eating and pooping out the expensive coffee bean, I got some for my dad to try (its still unopened il have to fool him into drinking it, its not cheap!) the are quite cute, the coffee bean method is a bit similar I think to pigs and truffles. the coffee is known as lopi. luwak. https://sciencemeetsfood.org/kopi-luwak/

     

UBUD MONKEY TEMPLE

Ubud is probably most renowned for its yoga and its monkey temple sanctuary. unlike other places the moneys are a lot more tamer, not attacking people for food, there are however lots of works with sticks who scared them off if them seem like they are going to (they don't hit them just tap something beside them) its nice but short visit, not too much to see or do but worth a visit. 

the town itself is full of a variety of temples, there's even a place to see shows

the temples are colourful, some of the statues draped in colourful cloths or bedecked in floral wreaths 

  I kept trying to find the rope bridge walk - I tried twice and both times failed! 

Ubud is more like a tropical jungle, dispenser on the coast is more for the beach life.

I meet up with some other expats and we checked out one of the waterfalls. all of us sharing scooters.  we went to Tegenungan waterfall. a lot of steps down to it, easy to get to, and quite busy.  I unfortunately couldn't frolic in the water due to my arm but I sat by the side enjoying the coolness and realised I could see a rainbow form due to the water and the sunlight prism! https://www.swedishnomad.com/tegenungan-waterfall-bali/Ubud and the surrounding area is full of nature and waterfalls. the town itself is a backpackers haven, especially for those who like yoga. there plenty of healthy food choices, including vegetarian and vegan. a bit of a spiritual retreat. 

 we considered going to GOJAH Gajah after, but it was very expensive and you needed to be covered up. so after we arrived and took a quick sneaky picture we left and went back into the town. 

I meet up with a fellow traveller on Couchsurfing and we decided to go to Taman Ujung. It was a long drive from Ubud. and very uncomfortable at times. hot and lots of pot holes. I was in a lot of pain at times. 

the road to the palace is nice though, lots of rice fields and once you get to the coast lots of black sand beaches. 

however upon arrival there it started to rain and we had to purchase rain Macs asap. 

it was a nice place, there weren't so many visitors probably because it is so far from everything. in the centre on the lake is a small plaza/temple its all very picturesque. we climbed up the steps looking down below over it all and in the distance you can see one or two volcanoes.

and, randomly, there were a load of turkeys - id never seen one in real life, it was definitely a surprise 

the journey back was pretty horrific. still raining, we had hills to go up and down, filled with potholes and lots of traffic. the guy I was with, an Indian, drove fast, I literally believed at one point I was going to die with his speeding down hills near the coast with potholes, lots of traffic and wet roads. I was thoroughly relieved when I go back to my hostel. though by then it was dry!

this was my last day, I could not longer handle the pain, my armed had got worse. it was becoming more bruised and it was still agonising to do most things and difficult to sleep. I got a minivan to take me early in the morning to the airport in Despensar. the asshole left me outside the airport, on a busy road, with my bags. he would not enter or help me. I couldn't carry my bag. lost, alone and in pain I ended up in tears (I was exhausted from lack of sleep too) no-one would help, in the end, I ordered a motorbike lift, even though the airport was 600m away ,it was impossible for me to carry my packback. and of course, the guy couldn't drive me to the door. in the end I begged him to carry my things or I wouldn't pay, he told airport staff I needed help and they put my bag on a trolley. I was very early, I had 2 hours to spare till check in. I ended up just sitting out in the sun for a while.

when I finally could check in they weren't happy with how I looked with my arm, as they didn't understand why I asked for assistance for my flights and luggage (I had one arm!) so I had to go for a quick health check up to get a certificate from the airport doctor and pay for it just to get on my flight! my flight which was a single flight, was over £800 and I had to change airplanes twice. they let me on. it was a scary situation. with no one to help and all they money spent. I felt like an idiot too. I had to wait till I was the last one on the plane till someone would come with a wheelchair as they weren't allowed to just carry my bags, I had to have a chair too. it was super embarassing. 

eventually I got to london, due to having to wait for assistance I was late for my next flight. because of this  they transferred me to another flight. and gave me £20 worth of vouchers to use in the airport shops on food and drinks. I was able to leave my stuff in the assisted help area and told to be back on time to board.

when I EVENTUally got back to Northern Ireland I then had to try and dress in warm clothes with one arm, as it was a cold January day. my parents picked me up, we left my luggage home, I cried some more, went to a&E and got told immediately after my X-ray that yes indeed I had broken my arm and was put in the sling.

I have not used cantor oil ever since, nor worn my scarf. 

long story short, insurance can be useful and be careful on the roads especially at night in Bali, WATCH OUT FOR POTHOLES!

ironically my mum had been worried about me climbing the volcano, however the danger was before that on the flat non volcanic land haha - I will climb mount Ijen someday!

and experience and a half to say the least. 

of course I couldn't get my return flight to china. even with my doctor letter as evidence that I could not fly and should be refunded I was offered less that £1 to use on a future flight....pointless,  especially when the doctor letter itself cost £20!