So, from Land of Oz I decided to go to Indonesia. Why Indonesia? Well, first of all since I worked my arse off (in other words, heaps!) back in Sydney I could afford to travel to Asia again. I really wanted to go back anyways, since I had fallen in love with Asia after my travels to the East last year. Spoiled for choice I decided to tackle the East Indies, which are situated just above the Big Oz.
Going back to the question 'Why Indonesia?' well, it was a random choice to an extent. Actually, the only possible reason dates back 16 years ago! Well, yes, when I was still at school I had lots of pen-pals and one was from Indonesia; the most 'exotic' pal from my bunch, the rest were all European. Well, after some correspondence I discovered that I was actually writing to a boy not a girl! I couldn't have guessed in a million years given the (again) exotic name he had which obviously, gave no gender indication. And for some hack of a reason I had probably just decided that he was a she!! The worse thing is he had also sent me a photo of him with his friends - a bunch of brown skinned, dark-haired teenagers sitting on a wall. The photo was taken from quite a distance so that they all looked the same. My innocent 15-year old mistake probably cost me the correspondence since (probably) taking offense, upon my honest mistake declaration, he stopped writing :(
Anyways, intrigued by pictures about Indonesia's turquoise sea, bamboo houses and lots and lots of trees, I came across my excited research on receiving my first letter from Indonesia, and well, further and in honour of my pen-pal mishap I decided to visit the beautiful country. (Pity, I couldn't meet my long lost friend!)
My Garuda (Air) plane landed in the jungle. Yes, the most urbanised jungle I had ever come across. Jakarta is a mayhem city suffocating in smog, humid heat, traffic (lots and lots of motorbikes), sweaty over-dressed people, mosques, high buildings, etc...
It was a leap into the wild wild east the minute I left the hotel for a wonder that late afternoon. I just wanted to find Seojurno's (the ex-President's) monument called the 'Monas' or as referred to by the locals 'his golden d*ck'! The receptionist assured me it was 'very close to the hotel, 2 minutes away' when it was not, if you had to ask me. I walked very cautiously and dangerously at the edge of main roads, risking my life everytime I attempted to cross one. I took the road all along a train station then further along the endless gates of the park with only one narrow opening at the very end!All sweaty, shaken and dazed from smog and glaring sun behind the low grey clouds, I got to the top of the Monas for a very grey view of Jakarta! Anyways, as Sally (our leader) later said Jakarta is what it is but also has some hidden gems, as the restaurant we went to for our first group dinner -it was the best museum of art & interior deco I had visited from the whole lot I toured that day!
The following morning the tour group left smoggy Jakarta behind and travelled for an entire day by train, local bus and becaks (3-wheeler passenger paddling-bikes) finally arriving and the now low-profiled beach of Pangandaran. The latter was hit badly by a tsunami in 2005 and most of the houses right infront of the eastern beach are in neglect. The central street though towards town, has been redone and hotels etc. all look pretty new. The one we stayed in was a beach resort haven overlooking the west beach.
We met Ab, our local guide the next day(which also happened to be the first day of Ramadan) and walked us around the National Reserve Pack at the south of the peninsula. We were met by scores of monkeys which seemed to recognise the man with the haversack full of food.
The minute Ab started bringing out bits of melon and papaya we were surrounded by more monkeys as well a deers. Further into the Park, we also met and fed porcupines in deep dark caves, saw lots of bats in those too! To our luck we saw huge flying foxes in action; literally flying from one tree to the other. We were so taken aback and in awe that none of us even attempted to take a pic! Ab also managed to bait a scorpion from beneath a tree with some raw chicken and brave Marg actually held it in her hand.That evening Sally took us for dinner to a local warung (or house-restaurant). It looked quite meagre and the muslim-women let us pick our food from the shelved counter, just like a buffet. Indonesian food is always served at room temperature except for the rice which is generally kept warm in a sort of food thermos.
We just randomly picked bit & bobs from trusting our luck it was not too spicy but edible and good to eat. It was a good thing the tiny place was dimly lit so I could barely make head nor tails of what was in my plate. It turned out to be a yummy dinner actually, except for the chicken which made Pete sick for 2 days. Good thing I didn't go for that!Marg, Helen (Sally's mum), Sally and I remained chatting after dinner as the others left for an early night. Then as we were making our way back to the Hotel, I caught sight of 5 porcupine thorns neatly displayed in a picture frame above the door of a house. I quickly pointed it out to the others and Sally replied, "Oh yes, this is Ab's house." No wonder! She then said that he and his wife invited her and Helen for 'something sweet' so Marg and I decided to leave them but Sally insisted that we'd go in with her. We were a bit reluctant not having been invited but the minute Ab caught sight of us from within he gestured for us to come in. And so Marg and I entered Ab's house or should I say zoo?
How and where to start describing it?!?! A mosaic pathway leading to the entrance of the house was lined with fish ponds and huge bamboo cages on either side. The ponds were full of fish differently sized goldfish. Amongst other farm animals (pigs, hens etc..) a porcupine occupied a cage while another housed a multi-coloured rooster, a less fancy one and a flying fox. He offered us to enter the cage to take a closer look at them and Marg and I wearily did so.
At the end of the pathway was his vintage scooter and a table with some chairs. He invited us to have a seat and taste his wife's sweet soto (or soup). It was a green liquid with jelly pieces, bit of orange sweet potato and mung beans. Even though it sounds (and didn't look very appealing!) it tasted yummy.
After that I couldn't resist a photo-ride on his scooter, helmet and all! The originally pale blue vintage vespa was decorated with deer's horns and a huge pair were actually designed as a security lock. Two small monkey skulls adorned the front and back of this warrior-looking chariot. The chariot came complete with scale-covered and animal hair styled helmet. At one point he managed to surprise me with an elongated skull. Could never have guessed it was a dolphin's!
The next day Ab first took us to the local market in town. I just love markets! Full of everything under the sun; colourful food to wooden handcrafts to the weirdest things ever; a huge blue stingray under a table, packets of fried grasshoppers and shocking pink & florescent green jelly!
Later we went to the puppeteer's house.
While he carves Ramayana puppets out of wood his wife paints and decorates them. Puppets are big in Indonesia particularly as they are used to recount endless versions of Javenese Ramayana - a kind of eastern version of Romeo & Juliet only with a very complex plot and a happy ending! Finally, we got the boat and cruised along the Green Canyon. We stopped for a lovely swim in the green water and even scrambled over rocks to get further into the Canyon but it was worthwhile in the end.
That eve we went for dinner at the fish market. Well, only a few stalls were actually open selling fresh fish, one of them was Sally's ever favourite. Although still full from a late lunch we still couldn't resist the big still-kicking mud crabs and huge tiger prawns.
Yummy and whoosh so expensive but worth it! :)
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PS: don't miss a good read; "A heron named Nicky!"
