Medan, Sumatra
Medan, pretty ugly city, pretty much like all Indonesia cities. It's fair to say there's not much to see in most towns/cities of Indonesia. I've sat in Starbucks most of today planning my next month rather than filling my lungs with petrol fumes, which you do the moment you step outside.
Got followed round the streets by a crazy muslim woman yesterday, who shouted at me relentlessly, though I've no idea what she was saying. I think it was probably something to do with our country's penchant for killing fellow muslim's in Iraq/Afghanistan. Maybe she just hated me on a personal level and I'm being naive, who knows.
Oh, and I've just found out that it looks like Natwest have stopped my card, thanks guys. You can't even get them to put a note on file saying you're travelling either, it's against their policy, so this will happen tonnes. Thanks, Life.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Indonesia
Bukittinggi, Sumatra
So, yep, haven't really been bothered to update this for a while. Maybe I'll do so more again now.
I'm in Sumatra, heading North for 4 more days before I fly to Malaysia. Indonesia is a land of nice people, but LONG bus rides - so far the most I've done is 15 hours, but tomorrow it'll be more like 20 overnight. Saves a hotel bill though I guess.
There would be lots to write if I read back my diary and put it up, but I won't bother I expect.
Indonesians appear to like the following things:
1. Mosque's. Especially mosque's that start chanting at 4:30am, and kind of just carry on.
2. Knockin' on Heavens door. This song is everywhere. Only in Indonesian with the chorus in English.
3. Eggs and Banana's. Every meal of the day.
Indonesians appear not to like the following things:
1. Pavements. Maybe that's harsh since they keep getting earthquake-d, but really, it's more treacherous than the roads. I nearly fell in a sewer yesterday as the pavement gave way.
2. Driving Sanely. Everyone makes Mark Boardman look like safe driving personified.
So, yep, haven't really been bothered to update this for a while. Maybe I'll do so more again now.
I'm in Sumatra, heading North for 4 more days before I fly to Malaysia. Indonesia is a land of nice people, but LONG bus rides - so far the most I've done is 15 hours, but tomorrow it'll be more like 20 overnight. Saves a hotel bill though I guess.
There would be lots to write if I read back my diary and put it up, but I won't bother I expect.
Indonesians appear to like the following things:
1. Mosque's. Especially mosque's that start chanting at 4:30am, and kind of just carry on.
2. Knockin' on Heavens door. This song is everywhere. Only in Indonesian with the chorus in English.
3. Eggs and Banana's. Every meal of the day.
Indonesians appear not to like the following things:
1. Pavements. Maybe that's harsh since they keep getting earthquake-d, but really, it's more treacherous than the roads. I nearly fell in a sewer yesterday as the pavement gave way.
2. Driving Sanely. Everyone makes Mark Boardman look like safe driving personified.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Lov-in-a Elevator
Lovina, Bali
Got a ride here with two French girls, who appear to have mastered the art of battering with the locals. Managed to get a lift in a car for pretty much the same price as the awful bemo's, and didn't have to change in another city. Wish I could speak French though, it'd make working out deals much easier without the locals knowing how much we were actually willing to pay.
We're going to travel onwards together tomorrow as they are wanting to hike Gunung Bromo as well, and also go to Yogyakarta. It's made this part of the trip much more fun, having people to talk too.
Got a good hotel here, hot water again, beach front, place to watch the football later, for 100000rp, cheaper than the rubbish place in Ubud and Toya Bungkah. Arranged to do dolphin watching and snorkelling too, but it was a bit of a let down - too many tourist boats kept the dolphins away. Snorkelling was ok, not much colour to the reef, and just some small fishes, and I remembered how rubbish I am in the sea, ha.
Got a lift part of the way to the ATM last night on the back of this tourist info guy's scooter. Fun, but a little scary having 3 people piled on the back of this tiny thing.
Watched the football with a German guy called Mikel, who was cool. He's into punk, loves Cock Sparrer (I told him to check out the Down and Outs), plays in a band called the Frei Booters, and loves football. Good guy.
Got a ride here with two French girls, who appear to have mastered the art of battering with the locals. Managed to get a lift in a car for pretty much the same price as the awful bemo's, and didn't have to change in another city. Wish I could speak French though, it'd make working out deals much easier without the locals knowing how much we were actually willing to pay.
We're going to travel onwards together tomorrow as they are wanting to hike Gunung Bromo as well, and also go to Yogyakarta. It's made this part of the trip much more fun, having people to talk too.
Got a good hotel here, hot water again, beach front, place to watch the football later, for 100000rp, cheaper than the rubbish place in Ubud and Toya Bungkah. Arranged to do dolphin watching and snorkelling too, but it was a bit of a let down - too many tourist boats kept the dolphins away. Snorkelling was ok, not much colour to the reef, and just some small fishes, and I remembered how rubbish I am in the sea, ha.
Got a lift part of the way to the ATM last night on the back of this tourist info guy's scooter. Fun, but a little scary having 3 people piled on the back of this tiny thing.
Watched the football with a German guy called Mikel, who was cool. He's into punk, loves Cock Sparrer (I told him to check out the Down and Outs), plays in a band called the Frei Booters, and loves football. Good guy.
Volcano O'clock
Lovina, Bali
England game was rubbish, of course. Oh well.
Made my way to Toya Bungkah in the morning, had to stop at this town nearby and then work out getting there. This lad pulled up in a rickety milk float looking device and took me. He couldn't speak any English, but I think we bonded over the fact he had a Rancid sticker in his car.
Got to a hotel, and was immediately offered a massage, as well as "her other work". That could have been awkward, but she just meant the beads and usual hippy shit she was selling. To flush the bog here you have to open a valve and poor a load of water down it and hope for the best. It's kinda funny, and definitely at that point which is a little more off the beaten track than before.
To please Perkins, some food talk. I ordered a grilled fish, only I wasn't quite expecting it to come completely intact. I'll be honest, putting my fork into it's head and seeing it's brains and that was pretty gross.
Climbed Mount Butur in the morning. A gentle hike it isn't, was exhausted by the end. 3am is NO time to get up. The view of the sunrise was pretty cool, but not as good as having eggs and banana butties for breakfast - cooked by putting it inside a little vent in the volcano. Cheesy but cool. There are two people that trek to the top every single day to sell coke and to prepare tea and coffee, and they are OLD as hell. Had to pay loads for a coke, but 1) the guy had hauled ass to get there, and 2) it was the most rewarding coke ever.
My guide was also telling me about cock fighting - it's huge in Bali. He has a 7 time champion. Some people bet so much they lose their land and shit. Crazy. Everywhere you go there are roosters in cages waiting to be bought for fighting.
England game was rubbish, of course. Oh well.
Made my way to Toya Bungkah in the morning, had to stop at this town nearby and then work out getting there. This lad pulled up in a rickety milk float looking device and took me. He couldn't speak any English, but I think we bonded over the fact he had a Rancid sticker in his car.
Got to a hotel, and was immediately offered a massage, as well as "her other work". That could have been awkward, but she just meant the beads and usual hippy shit she was selling. To flush the bog here you have to open a valve and poor a load of water down it and hope for the best. It's kinda funny, and definitely at that point which is a little more off the beaten track than before.
To please Perkins, some food talk. I ordered a grilled fish, only I wasn't quite expecting it to come completely intact. I'll be honest, putting my fork into it's head and seeing it's brains and that was pretty gross.
Climbed Mount Butur in the morning. A gentle hike it isn't, was exhausted by the end. 3am is NO time to get up. The view of the sunrise was pretty cool, but not as good as having eggs and banana butties for breakfast - cooked by putting it inside a little vent in the volcano. Cheesy but cool. There are two people that trek to the top every single day to sell coke and to prepare tea and coffee, and they are OLD as hell. Had to pay loads for a coke, but 1) the guy had hauled ass to get there, and 2) it was the most rewarding coke ever.
My guide was also telling me about cock fighting - it's huge in Bali. He has a 7 time champion. Some people bet so much they lose their land and shit. Crazy. Everywhere you go there are roosters in cages waiting to be bought for fighting.
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Michael Jackson and Boobs
Ubud, Bali.
Been to see some weird things. Today I went to the Blanco Renaissance Museum. The museum itself is pretty crazy, with a courtyard full of exotic birds, and free rums for all, but inside, it gets bonkers. Every picture in the collection is of women, or more specifically, breasts. He is a good painter, in loads of different styles, but always of boobs, even abstract boobs. There was one picture of a fish with a green pepper, to be fair. The best thing is though when you go to leave, and you go through the last gallery. This is reserved for his most explicit work, some of which are hidden behind doors you have to open to see. Then right at the end is the king himself - Michael Jackson commissioned him to paint him, for some weird reason. Funny place.
Went to a traditional Legong dance last night. 1.5 hours of hindu music and expressional dance. That could go two ways, right? It was kind of ok, but never again! I almost nodded off a few times near the end, I don't think there's some of it you couldn't cut down. Maybe I'm missing the point. Some cool evil looking dudes in masks though.
Trying to get to my next place is tough, it's not so easy to get around - you need two people to get to Kintamani by shuttle, so I'm going to have to grab a taxi since buses are pretty much non existent - and take hours.
England game in 3 hours, super. Hope there's a few brits/germans around to watch it. There's only a couple of places showing it, so fingers crossed.
Been to see some weird things. Today I went to the Blanco Renaissance Museum. The museum itself is pretty crazy, with a courtyard full of exotic birds, and free rums for all, but inside, it gets bonkers. Every picture in the collection is of women, or more specifically, breasts. He is a good painter, in loads of different styles, but always of boobs, even abstract boobs. There was one picture of a fish with a green pepper, to be fair. The best thing is though when you go to leave, and you go through the last gallery. This is reserved for his most explicit work, some of which are hidden behind doors you have to open to see. Then right at the end is the king himself - Michael Jackson commissioned him to paint him, for some weird reason. Funny place.
Went to a traditional Legong dance last night. 1.5 hours of hindu music and expressional dance. That could go two ways, right? It was kind of ok, but never again! I almost nodded off a few times near the end, I don't think there's some of it you couldn't cut down. Maybe I'm missing the point. Some cool evil looking dudes in masks though.
Trying to get to my next place is tough, it's not so easy to get around - you need two people to get to Kintamani by shuttle, so I'm going to have to grab a taxi since buses are pretty much non existent - and take hours.
England game in 3 hours, super. Hope there's a few brits/germans around to watch it. There's only a couple of places showing it, so fingers crossed.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Bali thoughts
Ubud, Bali
Having spent a couple of days in the Kuta/Legian area of Bali, it's obvious where the town planners came up with the idea - South Manchester. Tourists there weirdly echo the students of Manchester. Kuta, the first place you come too, is Fallowfield. It's the party central, it's where all the young aussies (and others) go to drink and have fun. It's the most touristy and busy part. As you move northwards you come to Legian - aka Withington. This is the mixing part, it's people who want to be able to go to Fallowfield/Kuta but don't want to live there. Those that want to be in Didsbury/Seminyak but can't afford it. The best place I would say, in fact the hostel I stayed at I would recomment to anyone coming here. it's awesome, cheap, new, clean, great pool and everyones really nice. Seminyak is where the richer tourists go - there's less hawkers, and more pricier places to eat and stay.
I took a few photo's of the hostel that I'll upload once. I jumped in the pool last night before realising I'd forgotten to take my t-shirt off, oops.
The people of Bali who aren't trying to sell you anything are really nice. Unfortunately that's about 1% of the population thus far. Ubud, where I am now, isn't so bad, and in fact, I'd even say it's a pretty place. Full of art gallerys and cool little shops. Quite a lot of decorated animal skulls knocking around. My hostel is scary as hell though down this sketchy flooded alley - if I don't make it out alive my killers are just of Monkey Forest road near the football pitch right?
Having spent a couple of days in the Kuta/Legian area of Bali, it's obvious where the town planners came up with the idea - South Manchester. Tourists there weirdly echo the students of Manchester. Kuta, the first place you come too, is Fallowfield. It's the party central, it's where all the young aussies (and others) go to drink and have fun. It's the most touristy and busy part. As you move northwards you come to Legian - aka Withington. This is the mixing part, it's people who want to be able to go to Fallowfield/Kuta but don't want to live there. Those that want to be in Didsbury/Seminyak but can't afford it. The best place I would say, in fact the hostel I stayed at I would recomment to anyone coming here. it's awesome, cheap, new, clean, great pool and everyones really nice. Seminyak is where the richer tourists go - there's less hawkers, and more pricier places to eat and stay.
I took a few photo's of the hostel that I'll upload once. I jumped in the pool last night before realising I'd forgotten to take my t-shirt off, oops.
The people of Bali who aren't trying to sell you anything are really nice. Unfortunately that's about 1% of the population thus far. Ubud, where I am now, isn't so bad, and in fact, I'd even say it's a pretty place. Full of art gallerys and cool little shops. Quite a lot of decorated animal skulls knocking around. My hostel is scary as hell though down this sketchy flooded alley - if I don't make it out alive my killers are just of Monkey Forest road near the football pitch right?
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Animals on Scooters
Legian, Bali.
I feel I should probably put where I am at the start of each blog entry, right? Maybe I shouldn't, who really cares?
On the way to my hotel yesterday I saw a guy riding a scooter, with his two dogs perched on top, front paws on the handle bars. But this weird dutch guy at the hostel saw a monkey actually riding a motorbike yesterday. He even had a helmet and everything. He (she?) may also have had a dog on rope too, but I think that was an embellishment by someone else.
Sat on the beach yesterday, and watched a man with one arm AND one leg hop about 100 yards to get in the sea. You can call yourself as liberal as you want, BUT THATS STILL FUNNY TO WATCH. Some Aussie woman went into the sea whilst still smoking too. Not sure if that's cool or depressing.
Everybody tries to sell you stuff here. Literally almost everybody. If they aren't trying to sell you scooter hire, they're trying to sell you prossies or mushrooms. Or all of the above. Pretty annoying but I think this will be the hallmark of most of Asia. On the plus side all the guys say 'Hi Brother', it's like being in a real life Arrested Development episode, only with scooters not segways.
I tried to have some fun last night. Went to watch the Italy game with everyone from the hostel, who are surprisingly ok people. 3 Italians, 1 German, 2 Austrians, 1 American, 1 Argentinian and 3 English people. Argentina (no one bothers to remember names) loves Tevez, and Boca Juniors. Good lad. After the game there was dance music and things - I tried to enjoy it, but failed, and went back. Pretty tired anyway, 15 hours of flying is well boring.
Must remember to take some pictures today.
I feel I should probably put where I am at the start of each blog entry, right? Maybe I shouldn't, who really cares?
On the way to my hotel yesterday I saw a guy riding a scooter, with his two dogs perched on top, front paws on the handle bars. But this weird dutch guy at the hostel saw a monkey actually riding a motorbike yesterday. He even had a helmet and everything. He (she?) may also have had a dog on rope too, but I think that was an embellishment by someone else.
Sat on the beach yesterday, and watched a man with one arm AND one leg hop about 100 yards to get in the sea. You can call yourself as liberal as you want, BUT THATS STILL FUNNY TO WATCH. Some Aussie woman went into the sea whilst still smoking too. Not sure if that's cool or depressing.
Everybody tries to sell you stuff here. Literally almost everybody. If they aren't trying to sell you scooter hire, they're trying to sell you prossies or mushrooms. Or all of the above. Pretty annoying but I think this will be the hallmark of most of Asia. On the plus side all the guys say 'Hi Brother', it's like being in a real life Arrested Development episode, only with scooters not segways.
I tried to have some fun last night. Went to watch the Italy game with everyone from the hostel, who are surprisingly ok people. 3 Italians, 1 German, 2 Austrians, 1 American, 1 Argentinian and 3 English people. Argentina (no one bothers to remember names) loves Tevez, and Boca Juniors. Good lad. After the game there was dance music and things - I tried to enjoy it, but failed, and went back. Pretty tired anyway, 15 hours of flying is well boring.
Must remember to take some pictures today.
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