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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Jan 19, 2008 07:00 PM Kelimutu crater lakes...
This one of the wonders of Indonesia. First you go to Moni. Then at 4.30 am the motobike driver will wake you up and you will go 13 kms up the mountain. This is narrow, little bumpy but paved road - it will cross few streams... At the gate of the national park in the dark you will pay 20000 INR entry fee. Then you will continue to the parking place. Hurry up! Next you have to climb the path to the former crater... In the clear morning you will be awarded by the beautiful sunrise... Then enjoy the walk to the Inspiration Point - the only place you can see all 3 crater lakes. One is turquoise, second - almost black, third - brown. Great view indeed! I was lucky to have a good weather! The lakes are changing colors... I was walkink then along the rim for the better pictures. It is not safe for the walkers without mountain experience - and I think it is even forbidden but nobody was there... Wonderful pictures!
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Jan 18, 2008 07:00 PM By land - Flores Island...
Hot Indonesia... I am going east - by land. There is no same - day bus connection to Ende - the route is too long. What I can do in one day is the 10 - hours drive to the mountain village of Bajawa. The only bus at 6 am is crampy - it costs 150000 INR. Narrow road climb the picturesque green mountains and goes down to the blue sea. They distribute sickness bags on theis bus because local ladies are not well - turns and switchbacks are all the way... And again up... Extremal humidity! You are sticked to the plastic- covered seat - but what a views! In Bajawa in the evening I bought mangoes, bananas and big papaya - they cost pennies far from the tourist places. Bread is expensive...
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Jan 17, 2008 07:00 PM Komodo dragons - yes they are still here...
It is easy to organize from Labuanbajo boat excursion to the World Heritage Place - Komodo Nat Park. The boat Rt cost 800 000 to Rinca Island. I found 3 other travellers and we shared the cost.
I saw about 20 of them - the biggest lizards of the world. Some are longer then 3 m! In one place they were eating thr dead bufallo. Brrrr... Tomorrow I plan to go by land east - to Bajawa like 10 hours drive through the mointains. I am still on my schedule...
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Jan 15, 2008 07:00 PM Emergency flight to Labuanbajo
I took one by one two little boats and then turbo-prop Fokker plane and I am in Labuanbajo in Flores Island. Gardena Hotel has nice location and for crampy bungalow I pay only 60 ooo INR incl breakfast. Nice landscapes... It is hot and humid but the rain only in the night.
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Jan 13, 2008 07:00 PM Wedding in the tropics. The plan will be broken?
This morning I jumped from Gili Air to Gili Meno - the remotest of the 3 Gilis. Local people invited me to attend the wedding. Wow! It was traditional muslim wedding in the large tent under the palm trees, close to the salt lake which occupies the central part of Meno Island. Men and ladies separated. Guests from other islands... Traditional costumes... Only the men and the bride were in the mens tent where ceremony was conducted. Local food for everybody, sorry, no beer or other alcohol, no dancing but a lot of smiles around. Great photos too...
I book and paid the boat from Lombok via Komodo to Flores Island for tomorrow. Perama company. This evening they informed me that the sailing is cancelled. Next one will be after 6 days. I cannot wait so long time here... We had few hours of rain in the evening... Will they broke my travel plan?
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Jan 12, 2008 07:00 PM One more Indonesian island...
Ho many islands has Indonesia? Check in your emcyclopedia!I am still on Gili. There is efficient system of boat connections between the Gili islands. Twice daily the long boat is depattint from the bigest to the other two. They sail on time, sailors are helpful aqnd friendly. You pay like 2 USD per hope. This morning I went to Gili Air and I found the same climate - no cars, no motorbikes, no barking dogs... Coconut palms, little cows, bungalows made of bamboo. I stay in one of them - with hammock, veranda and balcony - this little housewith 2 fans cost 9 USD per night. A big baked fish with rice for dinner cost me 3 USD - is there a cheaper paradise anywhere?
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Jan 11, 2008 07:00 PM To Gili Trawangan - little paradise...
Indonesia. Rainy season but no rain since two days!... In the morning I took a little boat to the Gili Islands. An hour on a dark - blue sea withe pleasant breeze... Can you imagine three tiny islands close to the west coast of Lombok?. No cars, no noisy motorbikes, no crowd... Palm trees and little horse carts only... Shimering waters, outback... That's what I like! I took a long walk around the main island - Gili Trawangan. It took me 2 hours... with climbing the only hill on the archipelago for pictures.
Great views, great time... but ver hot and humid...
Do you think everything always goes well if you carry your backpack every day through the tropics? In this paradise I have a minor health problem... I do not write what's going - I don't want to make my enemies happy and my Friends crying... Let's hope that in the few days it will be better... Tomorrow I'll jump to the second and third Gili island. And then - There are Komodo and Flores on the horizon!...
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Jan 10, 2008 07:00 PM Senggigi - under the palms
On the Island of Lombok Senggigi is no.1 resort - not as crowded as Kuta on Bali more calm and much smaller... To get there you can take a taxi from Mataram but I found another solution for budget travellers: Bemo ride to Ampanan (2000 INR) and them other bemo to Senggigi (3000). In Senggigi I found calm accommodation in Raja Bungalows - the bamboo houses under palms are big and have mosquito nets. There is no sea view (like 200 m to the beach) but the price is real bargain: 90000 (like 10 USD) per comfortable bungalow with fan and open bath attached... The only disadvantage are 2 nearby mosques. Lombok is Muslim island so you will listen two competing marabuts calling from the mosque 5 times a day (first time in the dark morning) Insh Allach!
I took a long walk along the beautiful coast with rocks and little beaches. Then there were great sunset over the sea.. Good night!
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Jan 09, 2008 07:00 PM Temples, rice fields and mototaxis...
Once Lombok was a part of Bali's Kingdom. Around the capital of Lombok there are interesting temples to see. You can visit them traveling either by bemo (cramped microbuses - watch your head!) or by ojeck - the motocycle taxi. A ride on bemo cost 2000 INR. On ojeck - up to 5000 - depending on the distance. There is a problem thet the drivers as a routine try to overcharge foreigners asking 3-4 thousands and more for bemo. Have plenty of 1000-notes ready, hand them out (2000) and go - the local people will support you...
At the gate of the temple they will give you the waist - wear it to respect the local customs. Then they will ask you to give donation and to sign the visitors book. Let you know that 1000 INR is acceptable - remember that there will be more temples on your trail...
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Jan 08, 2008 07:00 PM By ferry to Lombok Island...
Public ferries from Bali island to Lombok depart from Padangbai - little fishing village on the east coast. It took me 3 hours to go by little bus from Kuta to Padangbai.
Sorry, Lonely Planet - one way ticket cost already 28 000 INR. Big and old, car ferries depart every 1,5 hours. And it is 4-5 hours of pleasant sailing... I think I was the only tourist on the deck - it is a good chance to talk with the locals - they are very friendly and usually know some english...
We landed in the port of Lembar. Then it is less then one hour drive to the capital of the island - Mataram. I found accommodation without any problem - this is not a tourist season and the hotels stay almost empty... In Harta Yoga hotel clean room with a fan cost 60000 INR - again 50% more that Lonely Planet says - so plan you bugdet with some flxiblity...
The air here is very humid, but so far there were only few short showers...
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