May 10, 2005
Can't say I like Jakarta very much
(Day 82) Mosquitos feasted on me all night. I have a habit of sleeping without a shirt on in warm weather. When I woke up, my arms and shoulders were covered in mosquito bites. So many I lost count just on one arm. One reason my memory of Jakarta won't be the fondest.
If Yogyakarta is Indonesia's cultural center, Jakarta is the financial hub. It's not exactly the best tourist destination. There are a few monuments scattered throughout the city, but it wasn't worth walking through the smog filled air to reach them. No lie, if you strolled outside for fifteen minutes and then wiped your face with your shirt, you'd have a black smear on your clothes.
Continue reading "Can't say I like Jakarta very much"
Posted by markyiin at 11:32 PM | Comments (2)
May 09, 2005
Ayam Goreng
(Day 81) My becak operator was waiting in front of the hotel at 8:00am, with a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon.
"How much to go to Tugu (train station)?"
"You decide."
"Ten (thousand)?"
"Maybe... a little more?"
"Fifteen (thousand)?"
He nodded, and I climbed into the seat. By now, having motorbikes and cars speeding past is no longer unsettling. I've gotten used to it. About half an hour later, we were at the train station. I paid my fare and went inside to figure out which platform I would be leaving from.
Continue reading "Ayam Goreng"
Posted by markyiin at 10:51 PM | Comments (4)
May 08, 2005
Prambanan
(Day 80) It's low season for tourists at Yogya, which actually posed some problems for me. Tours ran only when a certain number of people signed up. Going to Borobudur was no problem, since that's what everyone comes for. But getting to Prambanan wasn't so easy. The interest wasn't strong enough to make it worthwhile for any of the tour operators to go. My only options were to hire a private car (expensive) or try and use public transportation (time consuming).
Posted by markyiin at 04:06 AM | Comments (7)
May 07, 2005
Borobudur, Batik, and the Ramayana
(Day 79) In the middle of the night, muslim prayers woke me up. I looked at my watch. 4:30am. Perfect. I had to be up by 5:00am anyways.
Borobudur is the main draw in the area. Located about 40km north of Yogyakarta, the massive temple is a relic of the country's Buddhist past. Constructed in the 9th century, it became neglected as Islam replaced Buddhism as the dominant religion. The eruption of Gunung Merapi buried the structure, and it was only rediscovered in 1814, when the Dutch ruled the archipelago. The Dutch began a restoration project, but erosion of the hill it rests upon had nearly ruined the whole foundation. Not until recently, when an internationally funded, US$25 million dollar restoration project was completed, was Borobudur returned to its former glory.
Continue reading "Borobudur, Batik, and the Ramayana"
Posted by markyiin at 11:31 AM | Comments (3)
May 06, 2005
Looking around Yogya
(Day 78) The bus pulled into the Umbulharjo station sometime around 7:00am.
"Do you know what you're doing?" asked Ed after we had collected our luggage.
"Uhh..." No, I didn't.
He pointed me in the general direction I needed to go in, and then added that it would be approximately a four km walk if I chose to do it on foot. He suggested that I hire some transportation. Which wasn't hard to find. A horde of taxi drivers were already vying for my business.
Continue reading "Looking around Yogya"
Posted by markyiin at 06:29 AM | Comments (5)
May 05, 2005
Heading west to Yogya
(Day 77) Your fearless host admittedly had some worries about today.
It was time to leave Bali and head west to Java. Except I didn't know how to do it. The obvious way was by bus, but I wasn't sure where the bus station was located, much less how to get there.
Continue reading "Heading west to Yogya"
Posted by markyiin at 01:51 AM | Comments (6)
May 04, 2005
The heart of Bali
(Day 76) Iwayan (the guy I met at Goa Lawah yesterday) arrived at Nakula Familiar Inn on time at 9:00am. However, I was running a bit late. While I finished my breakfast, I outlined the route I wanted him to take me on, and the fee I would pay him for his services. I borrowed a helmet from the inn manager (who was a little amused at the method I had chosen to see Bali), hopped on the back of Iwayan's 110cc Shogun, and was soon breathing in exhaust fumes of the trucks and motorbikes in front of us.
Continue reading "The heart of Bali"
Posted by markyiin at 04:47 AM | Comments (5)
Besakih Temple
(Day 75) I would've had no problem hiring the Made's for another day trip, but I was curious whether a tour from a travel agent would be better. It cost nearly twice as much, 230,000 rupiah (roughly US$23),which wasn't a bad deal, considering the distance we would cover. They picked me up from my hotel, and after ironing out some final details, we were on our way.
Continue reading "Besakih Temple"
Posted by markyiin at 04:31 AM | Comments (1)
May 01, 2005
Kuta to Ubud
(Day 74) Everywhere in Kuta Beach, there were travel agents trying to sell me tours. I allowed myself to be flagged down by the 'tourist information centers' to try and get a gauge on what they would cost. Prices ranged anywhere from US$20 to US$50 (a lot of the travel agents liked to quote prices in US dollars). Compared to tours in Australia, they were pretty cheap, but now I had to measure them from a different point of view. I wanted to get the best deal I could.
Continue reading "Kuta to Ubud"
Posted by markyiin at 11:00 AM | Comments (7)
April 30, 2005
Learning curves in Bali
(Day 73) I had no idea what I was doing. Somehow, it had slipped my mind to buy a guidebook for southeast asia, and I didn't realize this until I was at the airport. And though I probably could've found one at one of the airport shops, I was too caught up chatting with my friends with the free wireless service provided at the boarding gate. Well, I'll manage, somehow.
Continue reading "Learning curves in Bali"
Posted by markyiin at 09:05 AM | Comments (8)