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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Oct 24, 2013 04:00 PM Along Lake Toba
I took a walk along the lake enjoying the views, meeting people, taking pictures. Along the roads there are many fruit stalls. It is the season for mango. Many mangoes are on display but I think they are expensive (5000 for the big one, 2000 for the small) - or maybe it is the "special price for the foreigner" :) but it is always nice to chat with the people and to have a fun - just see the picture!
I plan to go onward on Transsumatran Highway and I have a transport problem. Due to the little tourist traffic (I see very few white tourists here and the locals travel in groups) there is no public bus on this route. I was searching around and came to the conclusion that the only way to make this 500 km of mountain road to Bukittinggi will be shared taxi (250000 rs for the place) - but they depart in the evenings only. So it will be like 14 hours journey till the morning. Wish me a good night on the wheels! :)
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Oct 23, 2013 04:00 PM Lake Toba, Sumatra. Indonesia
They say that Toba is the largest volcanic Lake in the world. 100 kms long and up to 30 kms wide it lies 905 m above sea level. That's why it is little cooler here! But there is something strange regarding the shape of Toba: some 1/3 of its shape is a big island: Samosir - the home of Batak people. Toba is up to 500 m deep.
I was surprised seeing this lake for the first time because the shores of Toba are high and very picturesque. Today I took the ferry from Parapat where I live to Tuk-Tuk on Samosir island. Roads on the island are narrow and in the villages you can still see many traditional Batak houses.
I used opelet (a junk microbus) to reach the northern tip of Samosir, where they have Batak Culture Museum. For 50000 rs entry fee you can not only visit the houses and the dugout canoe of the Batak king but also enjoy the show of the Batak dances on the open air.
It was late afternoon when I took a ferry back to Parapat. Kilo of tomatoes on the bazaar cost 5000 rs (half dollar) similar is the price for the bananas. But it is extremely difficult to find the bread. They have bakery, but you must order the loaf a day before!
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Oct 22, 2013 04:00 PM A Millionaire in Medan :)
I am the millionaire again! I changed at money changer (they give slightly better rate) 100 USD to Indonesian money for the costs of my stay in Indonesia. I got 1120000 rupiah. And once again I am the millionaire. :)
Medan - the capital of Sumatra with some 2 million people living within city limits has everything that is wrong with big Asian cities: smog, traffic jams and poverty.
I am happy that the most elegant quarter of Medan with nice villas, palms and rather clean streets is called Polonia. But Polonia airport - the old airport of Medan does not operate any more.
It is worth to see at least two places in Medan: the Raya Mosque and Sultan's Palace. The palace is surrounded by garden. Can you imagine - I was interviewed there by the group of local college students. An then I enjoyed meeting with the pre-school class of local Muslim kids. They were lovely shouting "Trimakasih!"(thank you!) for goodbye - see the picture.
In the afternoon I took the rickshaw to the Amplas bus terminal. It took me almost 5 hours on the junk, dirty bus with open wide windows to cover the first part of Transsumatran Highway. Interesting but very tiring experience!
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Oct 21, 2013 04:00 PM Back to Indonesia!
Air Asia - the low-cost airline do not sell two flights on one ticket. Very smart! This means that YOU are responsible for your connection if you fly with them changing planes in Kuala Lumpur. Allow a lot of time for your conncction!
In my case they changed the schedule and first flight was little late... This was enough to miss the second flight. I was waiting more then 2 hours for the next one - to Medan - Sumatra.
Brand new airport Kuala Namu in Medan is already open. Most of nationalities pay on arrival 25 USD for the "visa on arrival" They build new rail line from airport to the center of Medan. But it goes every 2 hours, so I took the bus (15000 rs) instead of paying 80000 for the new train. Moto rickshaw took me in the dark from the bus to the hotel. Welcome to Indonesia!
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Oct 20, 2013 04:00 PM The orangs and orang - utangs...
Orang means man in local language. So I, the orang went today to see orang - utangs - men of the forest.
Sepilok rehabilitation station is one of very few places you can see orangutans - the only big apes of Asia in their natural habitat.
Sepilok lies 2,5 kms off the main Sandakan - Kota Kinabalu road - some 14 miles from Sandakan. Now you know that if you are in rush it could be just bus stopover on your route...
I stay in Sandakan so I took city bus 14 or 16 (very slow ride - allow an hour plus 20 min for waiting, ticket -3 r) and then I walked 2,5 kms in the heat...
How it is organized: orangutans are coming voluntarily twice a day (10 am and 3 pm) to the special platform in the jungle to get their desert (after the main meal taken in the wilderness) Tourist pay 30 r entry fee (plus 10 for the camera) and are allowed to enjoy the view from the distance of 15 m or so...
Great spectacle! Well, not as good as visiting gorillas in Rwanda (I did write about this for you) but also very exciting. 4 orangutans arrived (including one baby) and at the end also the family of macaques came to clear-up the rest. Great and very hot day!
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Oct 19, 2013 04:00 PM A junk bus to Sandakan...
I understood how lucky am I listening to the heavy rainstorm in the last night. So far on Borneo I had no rain! Fortunately around 7 am it cleared up and I was happy to go to the Kota Kinabalu Sunday market. It takes place just two blocks from the Backpackers Street - on Jalan Gaya. Wow! So many stalls! Exotic fruits and handicrafts. Records and T-shirts (3 for 20 r) live animals in cages (cats,dogs, rabbits, turtles...) and a crowd crawling along. Place definitely worth to see!
After two hours I took my pack and I went to the Inanam bus station. Bus to Sandakan was waiting for me - just pay 43 ringgits for the ticket and jump on! They declared that it will take us 6,5 hours to reach the destination.
It is worth to make this bus trip because it will give you the great look into the interior of Borneo. I passed again Mt Kinabalu (in clouds today) then there were lush green mountains covered by jungle. Then little farms with timber houses on the poles and huge palmoil plantations.
We made one stop for lunch and two maintenance stops in the middle of nowhere - something was wrong with the engine and transmission. It was junk bus - by the way the name of company was SIDA (do you know what does it mean in French?).
I reached Sandakan at dusk. Taxi driver left me at the Seaview Hotel instead Seafront Hotel. It is better to check twice before he will disappear. Sandakan in the colonial period was a capital of British North Borneo. It is famous for the cruel Japanese POW camp and... orang-utans living in the jungle not far from the town. I do hope to see them tomorrow!
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Oct 18, 2013 04:00 PM I am going to Miri - Miri
They have 3 different Cultural Villages in Sabah. I wanted to learn about the customs and culture and decided to see one of them.
Miri - Miri is located in the jungle 45 minutes drive from KK (that's how the locals call Kota Kinabalu). They provide microbus transport to and from but be prepared to pay hefty 160 ringgits for the shuttle, visit and lunch.
Miri-miri means "Come-come" - if you paid to come they will show you the houses of 5 main Sabah tribes: houses on the poles, tools and weapons and you can try their food (rice wine, cakes, honey...) You are greeted by warriors (their ancestors were the headhunters) and you can have a photo with them. Then there is a show with music and dances (those in Kuching - Sarawak was much better) and you are invited for lunch. It was another interesting day but very expensive experience - similar village visit costs only 60 r in Sarawak (without lunch - but my stomach was not happy after their meal...)
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Oct 17, 2013 04:00 PM Mt Kinabalu for runners only!
It is only 5 minutes walk from the Backpackers street to the minibus stop.
I have been there already at 7.30.
But this is Asia - the timetable does not exist and we were waiting till 8 am to fill up the microbus. Then driver collected money - 20 r pp and took us to the petrol tation.
Finally we started to climb quite good road up the green mountains. An hour later I saw for the first time Mt Kinabalu - 4095 m.
It is worth to catch a seat at the left window for the great views. Go early - at 10.30 today Kinabaly was already covered by clouds! It is hard to say that Kinabalu is a pretty mountain like Fuji or Kilimanjaro. But for sure it is imposing - like a huge granite saw with many summits...
After 2 hours of driving at the National Park gate I recognized that the NP is closed for visitors today, tomorrow and the day after. Why?
They have 28th Climbathon - the candidates for the heroes run from the park gate to the top of the mountain and back. Good luck!
I was dissappointed - I wanted to walk as far as you can go without paying a guide - to Layang-Layang (you know how I like those twin-names!) and they allowed me (after crying :) to walk only to the Carson Fall - easy 5 kms
each way...
I was more lucky proceeding to Ranau and onward to the village of Kokob. Rare rafflesia - the biggest flower on the world was waiting there for me.
It is blossoming only 7 days!
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Oct 16, 2013 04:00 PM Kota KInabalu - Borneo
I am already in KK! Kota Kinabalu has more then 300 000 inhabitants and is proud to be a capital of the Sabah province. It is poor province and this is visible: the city buses are old junks, without a/c. It it not as clean as Kuching and - I am sorry - people are not as nice as in Sarawak. But is has something: the sea. Kuching has a riverfront, Kota has a seafront with the bay view with many small islands.
In the evening on the coastal promenade they organize one huge eatery. And they eat, eat, eat... Bon apetit!
In the city center between two attractions: clock tower and observation platform there is little street full of backpackers institutions. Here I stay in the Garden Hotel. Rooms are crampy and some of them has no windows. Wi-fi internet is only in the corridor. But the room with bath and a/c here costs only 22 USD.
It is VERY hot during the day! Tomorrow I will go to the interior hoping to see the biggest flower in the world - I just got the confirmation: it is in blossom since yesterday
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Oct 15, 2013 04:00 PM The taste of the jungle...
The nearest National Park of Sarawak is Bako. Access is easy and interesting: you take bus no.1 from Kuching to Bako Bazar (3,50 r) and after an hour of drive you are at the little boat jetty. You have too be registered, pay 20 r National Park entry fee and then you rent a boat (capacity 5 pax). It cost 95 r per boat round trip to the park. I was lucky to join friendly Australians so the boat cost me just 19 r.
The boat ride on the river and then along the coast takes about 30 min and it is additional attraction.
Once you landed you have to walk 500 m to the park quarters to make a choice of your trail and to be registered again. Then you are free to walk into the lush, tropical jungle...
There are different trails. The most distant part of the park is temporary closed. I decided to take Lintang trail - some 3,5 hours through the forested hills. Trail is well maintained and marked so you can do it on your own. Nice experience except that it is so hot, hot... Tall trees, voices of birds, monkeys...
It is possible to stay in the park cottages, but I decided to come back to Kuching in the late afternoon. It was sweaty day and I have to make laundry before I will go onward!
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