So Close But So Far....

At least that's how it feels anyway. We're currently in Lovina in the north of Bali, relaxing after a very hectic few weeks in Java. We fly home from Denpasar on the 26th of October giving us a good few days of R'n'R before returning to Oz.

Let's see what I can remember of our last few whirlwind weeks....... We had a great time in KL and Singapore eating up a storm and and shopping til we dropped (well I did anyway, Pete waited patiently for me at home..). In hindsight it was a bit of a mistake to spend so much time in Malaysia/Singapore before heading to Java because we became so accustomed to the wonderful hawkers' food that Indonesia has been a real culinary disappointment.

Bandung was a real highlight for me, since so many memories came flooding back. We hired a driver for the day and went to visit the houses I lived in when I was a kid, and also my old school. By coincidence our driver also worked in the aviation industry in Bandung (just like my dad..) and his English was excellent. The first house we went to, Budi Sari, was still exactly how I remembered it, and the owners were nice enough to let us inside for a look. Amazingly, even some of the same furniture is still there! The second house also appeared the same, but the owners weren't too happy about some random aussies coming in for a look - it's in a gated secure compound. The staff at my old school were incredibly hospitable, and I almost felt like a celebrity for a few hours there. I had trouble recognising some of the buildings there but I think that's because so much has changed. The old playground is now a swimming pool! They were so disappointed when I couldn't hang around for 'fabulous friday' when all the early childhood classes perform songs for their parents and classmates. To be honest I would have felt quite embarrassed to be there!

We also spent a day climbing Tangkuban Perahu, the volcano which overlooks the city of Bandung. It's exactly as I remember it, except that this time the amount of rubbish is staggering. As friendly and helpful as the Indonesian people are, on the flip side they aren't so good at being clean or dealing with rubbish. Jalan Cihampelas (Jeans Street) in downtown Bandung was a scream. In a bid to outdo each other, each of the cheap clothing retailers have constructed enormous super hero statues outside their shops, so that in about 50m you can see Rambo, Superman, Batman and the Incredible Hulk. Pete just had to get a pic with Arnie.....

From there we spent a day at Pangandaran, a beach town I remember going to as a kid that was unfortunately been battered by a tsunami a few years ago. They're still rebuilding, and the upside for travellers is that all the accommodation is new and mostly in good working order. I was disappointed however to see 2m-high piles of rubbish on the beach, which I remember to be in better shape back then. It's the perfect example of paradise lost, I suppose.

We then went to Jogjakarta and had a lovely time. It's a bit smaller and thus less hectic that Bandung or Jakarta and it has Borobodur just down the road. We woke early to see Borobodur at sunrise and were glad afterwards that we did (although at 4.30am it was difficult to see through the haziness of sleep). I can't wait to see the photos from that day for real on my computer, the light was so beautiful on the carvings, and the haze over the surrounding jungle was so moody and perfect.

Now onto the epic tale of yesterday - We continued on the theme of early mornings by booking a trip a day after Borobodur to see Gunung Bromo at sunrise. Due to a bit of tout 'misinformation' we missed out on the best part of sunrise but were still in awe of the landscape - it was almost lunar. After the early morning yesterday we then continued on to Probolinggo, then on to the ferry to Bali, and then at 6pm had to find some transport to Lovina! We ended up having to buy out the rest of the seats on the local bus (so typical of the developing world...) because the driver refused to leave until the bus was full, never mind if nobody else showed up that night. The driver then had the cheek ignore our requests to be dropped in town at the post office, and instead dropped us at his 'friend's' hotel, half an hour's walk from Lovina, after 10pm! Peter the Patient lost his patience and wanted to chase the driver down the street for a chat but thankfully reason kicked in and we got our exercise for the day walking back to where we wanted to go in the first place, albeit way past our bedtime.

I'm getting a bit nervous about coming home, but I'm so excited for so many reasons. I think a bit of reverse-culture shock will kick in, I suppose most people haven't been arguing with locals over a $2 bus trip or had to bargain for such things as drinking water and the price of using filthy toilet! Travelling certainly isn't glamorous! There are so many things I realise now that I take for granted in Australia: road rules, good wine, reserved seating on public transport, fixed prices, and health and safety regulations. So first on my list of to-dos back home will be to enjoy a nice glass of wine, and breathe in the clean air which I so often take for granted. I'd even like to catch the train home from the airport but my mum won't hear of it!

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again so if you're in Brisbane and free anytime after the 27th October, let me know! I'll be up for as many cups of tea as I have friends (I wonder which is the greater number?), and since I don't have a job (yet) I'm free almost whenever. Hope everyone's well xox