Saturday, August 1, 2009

So Concludes My Trip To Indonesia...

Well, I'm at the end of my Indonesian Adventure. One more day until I fly back to Jakarta, and one night there until I'm back in Singapore. I guess, more than just ending my trip to Indonesia, I'm more or less done with my travels all together. It's been a good trip. I'll be sad to leave it all behind, but at the same time I'm about ready for a sleep in a clean bed and a home cooled meal.
Right now I an in a Internet Cafe in Maumere, Flores. This has to be the most boring city on the face of the planet. That's saying a lot, because I've been through so,e pretty mind-numbing places. I made the mistake of coming here a couple of days early thinking, being the biggest city in Flores, there would be some thing to do here. Boy, was I wrong. The most exciting thing here is the Internet Cafe, and now that I've found that I don't know what I'm going to do. I wish I could pass the time reading, but I'm out of reading material and there doesn't appear to be a book exchange in sight. My crappy little guitar has come in handy. It's been the only thing keeping me sane.
Flores has certainly been the most beautiful part on Indonesia that I saw on this trip. On the coast of the island are white sandy beaches, in the middle are towering mountains and lush jungles. It actually reminded me a little of Laos, only with the addition of the ocean. It was a lot colder than I had anticipated. The evenings get down to about 3 degrees. Again, it was another parallel to Laos, which is the last place I experienced anything that could be described as cold weather. Needless to say, I was a little regretful about throwing away my 3 in 1 pants in Singapore (Laugh it up. They may not be pretty but they are practical). The Thai fisherman pants weren't quite cutting it. It made me wonder how on earth I'm going to deal with being back in the Canadian climate.
One of my favorite things in Indonesia was Mt. Kelimatu. It is a big volcano just outside of Moni. At the top of the mountain are three large craters, and in each is a lake. The lakes change color depending on the light. If you catch it in the right sun all three lakes can be completely different colors at the sane time. The surrounding area is nice as well. It's in the mountains, which I always like. The nearby forests are great for wondering around and exploring waterfalls, hot springs, and all the other marvels of nature. The town of Moni is quaint and quiet. It's a great place to just relax. Upon thinking about it, I probably should have just hung out there for a while longer instead of coming here.
The people of Indonesia are a little difficult to explain. They are really nice people, and eager to help you in any way they can. However, there constant sales pitches and the never ending advancements from men grow really old, really fast. Sometimes it leaves you not even wanting to leave your hotel. There is no escape from it. Even at your hotel, the only way around it is to stay in your room.
So, four more days and I'm off. Until then...

2 comments:

  1. I just want to tell you how much I have enjoyed following your journey. I really admire you. You have done what a lot of us would like to do but would never have the internal fortitude to a trip like this alone. What was the highlight of your journey? I was very impressed with the family in Laos that gave you a place to stay and had breakfast ready for you when you awakened in the morning. A family who has nothing but willing to share what they do have with a complete stranger. What a wonderful gift. It tells me there is still hope for the human race. Your photo's are wonderful. I'm sure your family are bubbling over with excitment waiting your return to them.
    SG

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  2. Thanks for following along. It was a great trip and I'm glad I was able to share it with other people. As far as what the highlight of my journey was, it's too hard to say. Every place I went had something to offer. The people of Laos were the kindest I have ever run across. It's true that they restore your faith in humanity. Vietnam, despite all my complaints about it, is a beautiful place with stunning landscape. Thailand is the ultimate place to kick back and relax. It's totally geared towards travellers, making it easy to get around. Malaysia has dense jungles and sandy beaches. The muslim majority adds a little something different to SE Asia. Singapore is a bustling and ethnically diverse city. Indonesia is like a lost world, with active volcanoes and creatures in both the sea and on land that seem like they belong in a sci-fi book. There really is something for everyone.

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