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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 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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Jan 07, 2008 07:00 PM Bali - you are here to pay!
Take your mosquito net with you. It does not weight much - you can attach it even outside of your bacpack.
There were nets in the windows and I trusted the receptionist. In the middle of the night I was forced to get up and put om the bed my net... that' s the comfort!... And it works better then any anti-malaria tablets!
I made an excursion to the interior of the Bali Island. I wanted to take the opportunity to see unknown places. They charge the tourist everywhere: even for the view from the road at beau Batur lake and the volcano. The main temple in Besakih is worth to see but you will pay for entry, for the rental of the sarong (my jeans offend them...), for the obligatory local guide... You are here to pay!... But Bali countryside with all those little family temples, rice fields, palms and flowers is still beautiful. I do not like the tourist ghetto in Kuta. I plan to escape tomorrow...
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Jan 06, 2008 07:00 PM Stranger in the tropical paradise
It is rainy season on Bali island byt it was sunny when we landed in Denpasar airport... After grey Europe lush green around. 29 degrees, very, very humid air...
Baggage carts are free. I got my 30-days visa on arrival in 2 minutes. Sorry - single entry only... No problem with the customs. Prepaid taxi desk will give you a voucher for 40000 INR for the ride to Kuta. There are money changers in the airport paying 9200 INR per dollar - change just little amount - in the town you will get 9375...
I have been to Bali like 20 years ago - Kuta - the no.1 beach resort on the island has changed a lot... It is no longer quite bacpackers retreat - they built big shopping centers, Mc Donalds, KFC... Only the sunsets on the beach are as beautiful as 20 years ago... I saw one this evening...
This is my bithday today, the birthday in the tropical paradise. Thanks to all of you who sent me your wishes!
I stay in Komala Indah I guesthouse - they charge 60000 INR per roomy bungalow with bath and fan. It is time for rest - you know what is jet lag....
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Jan 05, 2008 07:00 PM Long like a maccaroooooni...
For me the best solution to fly to Indonesia and to return from the Philippines was internet ticket from Qatar Airways...
There is express train from Rome main station to Fumicino airport - owe-way cost already 11 euro. It departs 22 and 52 min after hour. 31 min ride. No bus competitors...
Allow a lot time for check- in in Fumicino. When I arrived the check-in line was as long as maccaroooni. 2 hours advance was not enough to go to the gate... Fortunatele the flight was 2 hours delayed...
Another luck: I had to wait 4 hours in Doha -Qatar for the connection. Due to new arrival time this waiting was reduced to 1 hour... There is free internet stand on the 1st floor of Doha transit hall - but the time of usage is limited to 10 min - just enough to send an e-mail home...
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Jan 04, 2008 07:00 PM Step one: rain in Rome...
There is low-cost airline Centralwings flying directly from Gdansk to Rome Ciampino airport. It was minus 13 deg last night in Gdansk, but in Rome it was heavy rain and plus 15...
From Ciampino airport to the main station Termini in the centre there is a choice of buses. "Terravision" advertized in the net charge 8 euro one way, but the is also another Shuttle-Bus for just 5 euro. Buy your ticket om the bus. There are bus timetables in the bagagge hall. And you have also option to go for 1 euro to the nearest subway station.
It takes almost an hour to get to the town by bus through the crowded, narrow streets. Rain. I decided to stay in the Freedom Traveller Hostel - 300 m from the station. They charge 20 euro but the breakfast is included and in the winter at 6 pm in the restaurant next door they serve to the guests free pasta and a glas of wine. Tomorrow morning a have a time for the little walk around central Rome - after 35 years...
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Jan 03, 2008 07:00 PM New voyage starts tomorrow!...
I set out on a new, grand voyage - see the map... The route goes through the small islands of the Indonesia and the Philippines. I visited already both of those countries years ago. But at that time limited time did gave me a chance to see main, big islands. It is time now to explore the small ones, rarely visited and prettier, I suppose. It wont be easy voyage. From distant Europe it is not possible to fix erratic ferry and air timetables. For many segments I have the info that there is something sailing or flying fortnightly or weekly. But when exactly - I will know on the site. For that reason maybe I will be forced to reduce my complex route. Please keep your fingers crossed!
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Dec 13, 2007 07:00 PM End of the journey to Arabia...
International airport in Amman is located 30 km out of the city in the desert... It is 3 km from Desert Highway Amman-Aqaba. You can walk this 3 km - but not in the middle of the night - my flight was departing at 3 am.
Mr Jaber from my budget Sun Rise Hotel arranged private car to take me to the airport - it cost me 15 USD after bargaining... The flight was on time... Then I had 3 hours waiting for the connection in Frankfurt airport - good time to read for free "Lonely Planet" guidebooks in the bookshop - they have a lot of them - and I already think about my next voyages...
It was minus 1 deg and dark when I landed in Gdansk... Cold and depressing after all those days in the sun and under the blue sky... But it is good to be home for Christmas...
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