Nancy and Hoyt On The Road 2011

We're Coming Home - Namaste

2012-01-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

We were a little concerned -- OK, maybe a lot -- that due to the low fog that is prevalent in Northern India in December, our flight home would be delayed or maybe even cancelled. But this didn't happen. Our 1:00 am wake-up call came around much too soon, but we'd packed (in my case, crammed) the night before and were pretty much ready to roll out of bed and go. Our taxi was very prompt and we were at the airport before we knew it. Indira Gandhi Airport is very modern and a pleasant place to spend some time, not at all chaotic. We had enough rupees to pay our airport exit fee, but no one could verify that we needed to pay it, including the folks at the Emirates check-in counter, so we ended up exchanging our remaining rupees for US dollars. The Singapore dollars, they told us, would have to wait until we reached SFO.Both flights on Emirates were great. We've posted some photos of the sunrise on our way to Dubai. However, we saw little of Dubai except for the airport. It would have been nice to have taken an overnight stop there, but we were ready to come home. After 20+ hours in the air, we

arrived at SFO at 2:00 pm on December 26, the same day as we left. It's taken us a wee bit of time to get back to normal...and we're not quite back yet.To quote Erma Bombeck: when you look like your passport picture, it’s time to come home. In my case, I was well past this point as you probably noticed from the photos. But we made it, and we're so grateful for everyone and everything who made this possible. This was a trip full of contrasts and commonalities -- weather, people, culture, religion, food, transportation, comfort, accommodations, activities and much more. Here's a summary of what we covered: Five countries: Indonesia (if you count both Java and Bali), Singapore, Nepal, India; 39 days, 22 hotels, nine flights -- we circled the globeAn overnight train (been there, done that, make big note for next time), one half-day train, a car ferry, taxis, buses, minivans, tut-tuts (auto rickshaws), bicycle rickshaws, two metro systems, a camel cart ride, one elephant ride, and a ride on the back of a motorbike -- and of course, walking and hiking. Countless stairs and close calls with oncoming vehicles and in crossing streets. I didn't count the miles/kilometers - a pedometer would have been a good idea. Maybe next time!

Christmas in Delhi

2012-01-01T18:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day in Delhi. Christmas is celebrated as a festival here, albeit low-key, though we were driven by a Catholic church today with a big crowd attending mass. Many restaurants have special menus. We start off with our usual breakfast at Hotel Perfect, though we don't have as much time as usual since we need to pack up one last time for our journey to the airport hotel, where we'll catch a few hours sleep prior to our 1:30 am taxi to the airport. So what to do on our last day? Turns out the National Museum is open, and all we have to do is arrange for our transport there. We thought we'd take the Metro, but as we check out we ask the hotel manager and he suggests taking a tuk-tuk there. So we leave our bags at the hotel for pickup later, and walk the two blocks down to the Karol Bagh Metro where a line of auti rickshaws is waiting. There's the usual negotiation; the first driver refuses Hoyt's offer, and another driver agrees to take us there. It ends up being a very picturesque drive on a surprisingly not-too-busy morning. We arrive at the museum and learn that several of the exhibits are closed for renovation. We decide to take the tour anyway and were treated to one of the best collection of miniature Indian paintings we've seen, plus sacred relics of the Buddha (with devotees pictured), Indian textiles and weaponry. But one of the biggest surprises was in the museum cafeteria: we end up catching an early dinner there, featuring an excellent vegetarian buffet, Tandoori paneer and cold coffee with ice cream. One of the best meals of our trip!Our return tuk-tuk ride didn't go so smoothly, at least at first. Since our trip to the museum cost 80 INR, we assumed we could get the same deal on the return trip. Silly us, what were we thinking? First driver quoted us 200 INR. Then the next drive said he'd take us for 80 INR if we stopped at his shop "just to look." Then a taxi driver offered to take us to the nearby Metro station for "our price" which ended costing 50 INR. Turns out there WAS a Metro station within walking distance, but the taxi driver made it sound like it was so far away. But that's just how it is, you have to negotiate everything and not believe everything you hear! After returning to Hotel Perfect for our bags, it's now about 6:00 pm and time to call the taxi to the airport hotel. The driver reaches the airport hotel area fairly quickly, but it's another matter finding the Hotel Aerostar, which is located in the corner of an out-of-the-way street. We're glad to have had dinner early so we can check in, take a shower and get to bed as soon as possible. But first, we need to make sure we have enough rupees left for the airport exit tax, about 1,400 rupees each. Good news, we won't have to visit the ATM. Plus, we still have some Singaporean dollars we need to convert.

New Friends in Delhi

2012-01-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

It's December 24 and we are meeting our neighbor Pampa's sister Papiya and her family who live in Delhi. Papiya has been quite diligent in communicating with us during our entire trip, and we're looking forward to our visit very much. After breakfast at the hotel, Papiya calls us to make plans for the day. We've already researched the location of their flat and realize that although they live about 25K from our hotel, it's very close to two Metro stations on the blue line, across the river. No sweat - we're veterans of the Delhi Metro by now. Papiya and her husband Sumit agree to meet us at the station. In an attempt to help them recognize us, Hoyt tells them to look out for his orange windbreaker, but since we're traveling far away from the tourist areas into a residential section, it wasn't difficult for them to spot us. After we meet up, they escort us to a waiting tuk-tuk and we're on our way to their flat in no time. When we arrive, we're greeted by Papiya's parents (who we know already from their stay in Campbell with Pampa and Arup), and Papiya's three year old son, who was initially shy but ended up becoming fast friends with us. We spent a delightful afternoon discussing India, politics, books and what to do in our remaining time in Delhi. In addition, As it turns out, Papiya and Sumit relocated to Delhi four months ago, so they are learning about the area as well. One of the highlights of our visit was a home-cooked Bengali style lunch, which was absolutely delicious. On the return trip back to the Metro, we got our first taste of a Delhi public bus ride, with Papiya and Sumit as our escorts and a very happy three-year old who's experiencing his first bus ride in Delhi. After bidding farewell to our new friends, we board the blue line train for the return trip to Karol Bagh and get ready for our last day in India. An added note: We would have included a photo of the Delhi Metro here, but you're not allowed to photograph inside the station or inside the cars. Security is very tight; you go through metal detectors and a pat-down, with separate lines for men and women (which meant I waited for Hoyt a lot, as there are many more men on the Metro than women).

Delhi Sights

2011-12-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

We spent the day touring Delhi -- Humayan's Tomb (precursor to the Taj Mahal), the Red Fort and a drive-by of India Gate were the highlights. Thought we could reach most sites by the Metro alone, but quickly discovered we'd need at least a tuk-tuk to get across town. This was especially true after we found ourselves having to cross a particularly busy street where traffic is constant. Yikes!!

To Delhi

2011-12-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

We leave Jaipur on the 6 am train to Delhi for a 3-4 hour ride. The train leaves right on time and is pretty much on schedule until we reach the stop just before Delhi. The train is delayed by fog so we are an hour late. Not bad when you consider it took 20 hours to travel from Varanasi to Agra. We arrive at the station and our ever-resourceful guide Singh has hired a porter to transport our big bags so we don't have to lug them over the bridge. Thank goodness! We walk through the station and to a minibus ready to take us to our hotel in Delhi, the “Hotel Perfect.” It’s in the middle of a jammed packed street where hardly any parking is available. Delhi is unbelievably crowded with a population of at least 17 million, and is India’s second largest city as well as the nation’s capital. After settling in, we join Singh for an orientation tour of the city. We will take the city’s Metro to our destination in old Delhi. The metro is three years old, very efficient, state of the art and even ISO 14001 certified for environmental compliance. It was first conceived in 1969 and construction began in 1998. It's hard to imagine the gridlock that would exist - not to mention the pollution - if the metro had not been built here. We found it pretty easy to use, with stops called out on each train, but most trains are jammed-packed - but no worries if you don't make your train, the next one will come along in 2-4 minutes. Before you can board, you go through security with separate lines for men and women and metal detectors. Each train has a separate coach for women only, and the police sternly warn the men who violate this rule. We transfer from the blue to the yellow line, then exit the station and catch bicycle rickshaws to take our orientation tour, stopping to take photos at Delhi’s Red Fort and a short tour at Delhi’s big mosque. Then we visit the old market area, with extremely narrow passage ways and all kinds of tasty treats and beautiful clothing. We then take the metro on our own to Connaught Square which is a fairly modern shopping area with all kinds of upscale shops. We stop for coffee, then decide we want to find the India Gate which Hoyt remembered from his 1974 trip. Instead we are diverted by a "friend" (who said he recognized us from the hotel; his brother worked there, right....)to a “no hassle” shopping emporium where we end up buying a marble box, miniature painting and three long shirts for me (on my list to buy). Even though we realize the diversion resulted in a commission for our friend the tuk-tuk driver, we're happy with our purchases - and guess what, the proprietors

were more than willing to bargain.After what we hope is the last shopping event of our trip, we return to the metro stop by our hotel, which is only about two minutes away from where we're staying. However, we exited the station on the wrong side of the street and were disoriented in the dark, so it took about 45 minutes instead! We reached our hotel at 7:25, just five minutes before the start of our farewell dinner. Singh took us to a wonderful continental and Indian restaurant a couple of blocks away where we toasted the culmination of our trip and shared contact information.

Tordi Gath and Jaipur in the state of Rajastan

2011-12-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

We have a long bus and jeep drive today as we are going to visit a village in a remote part of the state of Rajastan. We take a bus for about four hours, then transfer to jeeps for the remaining three hour journey to Tordi. We were on the Agra-Jaipur highway for the majority of the time, which is two lanes in each direction and relatively smooth. Then, the roads changes to the usually bumpy and potholed ones we’ve become accustomed to. The terrain changes also, to high desert and palm trees, with some mountains. When we reach the village, we drive into a “heritage site” which is actually a former palace under the maharaja system with the owners being direct descendants. We took a camel cart ride to the dunes to see the sunset which was quite enjoyable and featured chai at the top! Then we were treated to a home-cooked meal by the owners, featuring many local delicious dishes including warm rice pudding. A roaring campfire and conversation rounded out the evening. A nice respite from dodging honking horns. We visit the village tomorrow.Tordi Gath part twoThe others woke at 5:30 am to take a sunrise hike to the fort high above the village. Hoyt and I opted to sleep in and take in essentially the same view from the hotel’s rooftop perch, giving us a panoramic view of the village. Smart move. We have breakfast at 8:30 followed by a village tour. About 3000 live in the village, where we saw various craftspeople at work including potters, cobblers and toolmakers. We enjoyed having our pictures taken with the local schoolchildren, who giggled when they saw their images in our cameras. There’s no printed directory for the shops; what they do instead is write their cell phone numbers on the walls of their business in charcoal. We return to the hotel and bask in the sunshine, returning to our rooftop perch where we could have easily spent the day. Two of our tourmates decide to get henna tattoos on their hands, and we are treated to a cooking demonstration by the landlady who fixed a tasty dish with curds, lentils and spices which we would have for lunch along with various other homemade treats. After lunch, we leave via jeep for Jaipur on the same bumpy road we took coming in. In about three hours we reach Jaipur, one of the first master planned cities in India and the location of one of the most impressive royal castles we’ve seen, with extensive inlaid marble and walls that seem to rival the Great Wall of China. At our hotel, we’re greeted with a flower garland and a mango lassi. The hotel is a former castle and it’s quite a journey just to reach our room, up and down various staircases and through beautiful courtyards. We try venturing out after dark for shopping and dinner, but it’s extremely chaotic so we decide to go back to the hotel, only to

find that their restaurant isn’t open for dinner, so we consult our guidebook for suggestions. We decide to take a tuk-tuk to a vegetarian restaurant and are on the way out the door when our guide Singh appears. We share our plans and he tells us about a restaurant just down the street featuring folk dancing, so off we go. The food is delicious so we’re quite happy.

Overnight Sleeper Train to Agra and the Taj

2011-12-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

We have a leisurely morning on the day of our night train to Agra. Breakfast at 9:30, then back to our room to shower and get ready to check out by 12 noon. I always like to watch the local TV to get a flavor of local life and I find the Indian equivalent of the Food Network, “Food Food.” Although the dialogue is in Hindi, there are English subtitles, so I’m able to follow along with the recipes, which include a stuffed paratha and rice with curry leaves. There’s another personality, Amal’s Food Secrets, and Turban Tamal who reminded me of Emeril. We check out and I opt to hang around the hotel awhile while Hoyt explores the shopping area around our hotel and buys a miniature painting, which he’s told is going to be much cheaper than in Delhi and more authentic. I’m happy reading two daily papers and having lunch in the courtyard of the hotel. I enjoyed my chai but my falafel – well, let’s say I’ve had better. Hoyt also returns with a smoked chicken sandwich from a restaurant called “Brownie” which he says is just around the corner from our hotel. He convinces me that we should buy a second sandwich for the overnight train trip. Food is sold on board, but we’re told it’s of questionable quality so it’s best to bring your own aboard. Immediately after stepping out of the hotel we are bombarded with tut-tut and rickshaw drivers offering us a ride for 5 rupees, which is cheap. We opt to walk to the Brownie restaurant, which is more than “just around the corner” but Hoyt sees the rickshaw driver he used earlier in the day who’s agreed to take us back for 5 rupees. We need the ride because we’re due back at the hotel by 4 for our pre-train meeting. In addition to the sandwich we opt for two chicken parathas, which are delicious. Once back at the hotel, we learn our train is late. No surprise! A large group of New Zealand school boys headed by train to Delhi is back at the hotel because their train has been cancelled, so they will have another night in Varanasi. We learn that our train is going to be about three hours late, so we cool our heels at the hotel. Finally at 6:30 we leave for the station. The station has no waiting room and the pre-board platform is essentially a concrete and dirt floor. Hoyt sits down on a concrete pillar and notices a rat scurrying by. I figure that as long as there are no vermin on board the train, we’re good. At about 8 pm our train finally arrives and we settle in to our compartment. Six to a compartment, three berths, and Hoyt and I get the bottom one (a concession to our age, no doubt, which I gratefully accept). There are police escorts on board and we are advised to not accept any food from strangers (because it may have hallucinogens in them that could make us unable to protect our valuables) and to lock our bags, which we do. People get on and off the train all night. We actually get some sleep but it’s off and on. Right now it’s 9:20 am and I’m taking the opportunity to write this while we have about 2.5 hours to go until Agra. ……Update: it’s now 9:40 and we’ve had a bit of excitement on the train. Our tour mates, a couple from Munich and London (long distance relationship) lose their passports down the toilet of the train. Alan went to the toilet to clear some crumbs from his rucksack and didn’t realize that the couple’s passports were in the bag – so down they went on the tracks. Alan yelled “stop this train” and the emergency cord was pulled. We weren’t going all that fast, so the train stopped right away and both Alan and Renate jumped out the door, closely followed by Singh 1 and Singh 2 and about 25 other Indian men. It took about 20 minutes, but Alan finally found both passports on the tracks. The train was abuzz with “passport” on everyone’s lips! Glad this had a happy ending. Meanwhile, the estimated arrival time in Agra kept getting pushed out again and again. Fog was the problem, plus having to wait for other express trains to pass. Finally we reach the train station just before Agra at about 12:30, meaning that Agra was about 40 minutes away. We reach the train station, quickly get ourselves and our bags onto the platform and to the vans waiting to take us to the hotel. We grab a quick lunch at McDonald’s next to the hotel (veggie burger and McChicken sandwich) and return by 2:45 for the trip to the Taj Mahal. We had

until about 5:30 to spend at the Taj and it was spectacular, though crowded with many people. Unforgettable…

Mother Ganges

2011-12-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

We took two boat trips on the Ganges yesterday -- one at dawn so we could see the sunrise, and the other at night to witness the prayer ceremony that takes place every evening around 6:00 pm. The city was almost quiet at 6 am, and the scene at the Ganges was surreal with all the fog. We were concerned we wouldn't see anything, but as soon as the sun peeked through, visibility improved. Every day at every hour, people bathe in the river. We also saw laundrymen washing clothes, each with their own assigned rock. On the night tour, we had the opportunity to light an offering and float it in the river; both of us wished for a safe and happy conclusion to our trip. We also saw more than a half dozen cremations taking place. Words escape me to describe this experience. The river is a peaceful and spiritual place, a respite away from the hustle and bustle of Veranasi city, yet full of life.

In between boat trips, we visited a series of traditional weaving centers. Varanasi is a center for intricate weaving of silk material used to create saris, shawls and decorative materials. Weaving takes place by hand (most time consuming and complicated) and also with cardboard cards that are used to automate the pattern. But in most cases, the weavers memorize their patters, which may take them years to master.

On the banks of the Ganges at night, students from from the nearby Sanskrit university are assigned prayer duties as part of their studies. Each of them stand on a platform and start out by blowing into a conch shell to create the "om" sound. Then they ring a series of bells, perform a series of movements with flaming items and something that resembles a feather duster (we need more research on the purpose of these items - hope to update you later). After the festivities ended, we traveled back to our hotel on bicycle rickshaw, then tut-tut and enjoyed a very nice meal at the hotel. Today we get a bit of rest while we wait for our overnight train to Agra at 4:30

Crossing into India

2011-12-16T10:12:00.000-08:00

As we leave Lumbini, we are only about an hour from the Indian border. Once we reached the Nepalese border, we walked 20 meters to the Nepal customs office and once we completed the paperwork, walked another 20 meters to the Indian customs office, changed our Nepalese rupee notes to Indian rupees and off we went. Turns out our tour guide in India is the assistant guide; he'll be escorting us all the way to Varanasi, about an 8 - 10 hour ride by van. Unlike the spacious van we had in Nepal, we're crammed into this little van with all 12 seats taken and no more room for bags inside - they go on top. The roads seem very similar to those in Nepal; lots of honking, daredevil moves, stops and starts. I try to grab a little sleep but it's nearly impossible. We travel through a lot of flat land, rural areas, and a few large cities with the most unbelievable traffic jams we've ever seen. Cars, buses, trucks, cows, sheep, goats, bicycle rickshaws, bikes, motorbikes and pedestrians jockey for positions and somehow, we all make it through. When we reach Varanasi, we're pleased to see that we are staying in a very nice hotel, Hotel Suyra, which is in a very distinguished older building. We are even more delighted to see that the hotel has a reliable supply of hot water and a heater in our room! After the last four nights of no hot water and cold rooms, this is just what we need after being chilled to the bone. After an invigorating hot shower, we join our group for dinner and a nice cup of masala tea to discuss the itinerary for the rest of the trip. We are also treated to a wedding ceremony at the hotel. Turns out this is one of the last days of the wedding season. We

are looking forward to our tour of the Ganges River tomorrow morning, so get to bed early for our 5:30 am wakeup call.

Lumbini - Birthplace of Buddha and it's cold here in winter

2011-12-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

We get a 7 am wakeup call at Chitwan, with breakfast at 7:30 to fuel us for our four hour trip to Lumbini, the birthplace of Prince Siddharta Gautama – otherwise known as Buddha. The temple complex features temples that have been constructed by Buddhists around the world including Japan, Germany and Vietnam. We cross the plains, head up into the mountains again and down again. The roads aren’t quite as curvy, but they are almost as treacherous. Yep, that's a tour bus in the ditch.

We pull into the Lumbini Buddha Lodge at 12:30 for lunch and our tour of the temple complex begins at 2:00. We saw many pilgrims from all over the world, chanting. As for the lodge where we are staying -- it is best known for bird watching, but with the cold and foggy weather, not many birds are out. This would be a great place to stay in the summer but in winter, not so much since there's no heat. Just a few weeks ago in Indonesia, we thought a tour of Iceland sounded so nice and we couldn't wait until the cooler weather!

Once we get to the Nepalese border tomorrow morning, we will bid goodbye to our Nepalese guide and meet our Indian guide for the remainder of our journey.

Elephants in the Mist

2011-12-13T07:19:00.000-08:00

Hoyt woke up this morning with a sore throat and was not feeling well. He had signed up for the afternoon jungle walk but decided it would be best to opt out. Yet we both joined the 8 am elephant safari which was great fun. There were four of us riding on the elephant platform at one time for the two hour trip across rivers and through jungle flora and fauna. We crossed rivers and saw a few deer and some birds – no rhinos or tigers, I’m afraid, but enjoyable nonetheless. We bought a few bananas to feed to our elephant afterwards. After the tour, we returned to the hotel via a bumpy jeep ride for some R & R and Hoyt nursed his cold. I went down to the village for a cup of masala tea and shopping, buying a few items from the free trade store in support of the local skill-building program for women. I joined the group for our final night at Chitwan featuring a dinner and an excellent local dance group – actually, right outside our room where they are setting up the bonfire now. Because it was so chilly, Hoyt opted for his dinner in the room, giving him more time to rest and prepare for tomorrow's journey. Tomorrow it’s on to our final destination in Nepal before the crossing into India. We learned tonight that the crossing takes only 20 minutes but we've got another 10 hours to go by bus before our first stop in India. Yikes...

Kathmandu to Chitwan – Wild Ride Along the Road to India

2011-12-13T04:26:00.000-08:00

Our guide strongly suggested that we leave this morning at 7 rather than 9 because although the ride to Chitwan National Park, where we were to spend two nights is only 50 miles or so, it can take all day to get there. We quickly found out why: it’s not exactly a 7-lane freeway. It is the main route into India, and there are many large trucks and buses in addition to the usual cars and, for those particularly brave or foolish, motorbikes. So we left promptly at 7, opting for breakfast along with way. It was good to leave the frenetic pace of Kathmandu, but to say the road is not good is an understatement. If an accident were to happen, or if a truck broke down and blocked the way, or if a landslide were to happen, the road could close completely. The road took us over a mountain pass and down into a beautiful valley. We stopped at a roadside restaurant that was surprisingly good: a full buffet of Nepalese goodies and masala tea. After breakfast, we were back in our bus, which didn’t have the best shock absorbers but our driver was a real pro. Several times, it was unclear how we would get past two oncoming buses coming our way, or whether we’d be squeezed out by a local bus trying to pass on a blind curve. Many of the trucks had signs on the back, “Honk Please” or “Now is the time for love.” (more like now is the time for luck or divine intervention!) And we saw a few vehicles that had landed in a ditch. But somehow we made it, and within four hours.

Chitwan National Park is a huge place with jungles and rivers, and people flock there to ride elephant safaris and try to spot a tiger or two. We learn that it can be very hot and humid in the summer, but it’s a bit on the cold side when we arrive – and being December, it’s low season. We’re staying in one of the many lodges near the park border, the River View Lodge. When we arrive, the manager is waiting for us with welcome drinks and a description of the activities for the next two days. After lunch, there’s a village tour and a visit to the Elephant Breeding Center, where we can see baby elephants with their parents, including two recently born male twins. For tomorrow, there’s an elephant safari ride, and an optional four-hour jungle walk. The manager goes into great detail about how risky this jungle walk is, and about the time a Belgian tourist was gored by a raging rhino. He claimed you could “see his heart and lungs” and that his jaw was broken in five places – but he is OK now. Then our guide chimed in and said that one time, a very large woman broke her leg and it took five men to carry her out, then hours to transport her to the nearest “good” hospital in Kathmandu. But of course, they told us, it is up to you – we are only your guides, it is your decision. So I opted for the village tour and Elephant Breeding Center for today, which turned out to be quite enjoyable. After we returned to the hotel that evening, the manager took us down to the river so we could see a rhino (behind a protective wall) and Hoyt captured some great shots of him. After an early dinner, we were quite tired so it was time for another early turn-in.

Pilgrimage to Boudhanath

2011-12-13T04:11:00.000-08:00

While in Kathmandu, we visited the great stupa of Boudhanath, one of the most important places of Himalayan Buddhist worship. It is huge; large numbers of devotees (and tourists too) walk around it clockwise, spinning prayer wheels as they go. The stupa is commonly known as Boudha or Boudhanath, meaning lord of wisdom. The dome is approximately 120 feet in diamater, 1 hectare in width and 43 meters high. Tibetan refugees are the most dominant and active community of devotees.

Leaving Kathmandu - 5 Days of Sensory Overload

2011-12-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

We haven't downloaded today's photos so I will have to upload them later, but I just had to report on the culmination of five extraordinary days in Kathmandu and hope my words can adequately express how I'm feeling right now. I'm sitting in the lobby of our hotel right next to the Christmas tree. When Hoyt and I returned from dinner, there was a group of Nepali pastors singing Christmas carols, which was totally unexpected and touched me greatly as it reminded me that we won't be home for Christmas this year. We're totally spent, as this is not an easy place to visit. Kathmandu has doubled in size since 1991, with a population of 16 million. Walking down the streets requires all your concentration, otherwise you risk being flattened by a vehicle of some sort. Places in line mean nothing and the little courtesies we take for granted at home don't mean much here, though people are very nice and tourists are well-taken care of. Pollution can tax your lungs. Hawkers are at every corner in the tourists areas. Yet, there's a sense of spirituality and wonder at every turn. Today we visited a large Hindu temple by the river and witnessed several cremations in graphic detail. The families handle the cremation duties, which occurs within hours after death. The body is washed, wrapped in a saffron-colored cloth and placed upon a platform, in a pile of wood. Cremations occur 24/7 and at all ours of the day. The government provides the wood and the space free of charge. For men, the oldest son circles the body clockwise three times; for women, it's the youngest son. How different this practice is from that in Bali, where cremations don't occur for two to three years after death, except in the case of royalty.

In the afternoon we took a taxi up to the "Monkey Temple" which gives an excellent view of the city of Kathmandu and of the mountains, except that it was very smoggy today. Hoyt remembers visiting this place in the 70s and having a full view of snow-capped Himalayas, but with such population growth, more pollution is inevitable. Nevertheless, it was not to miss.

Tomorrow we leave at 7 am for the Chitwan National Forest, and we'll be staying in a bungalow near the jungle. Internet connections may be spotty, so you may not hear from us online for awhile. We look forward to leaving the city behind and beginning our transition to India.

Exploring Kathmandu

2011-12-11T06:23:00.001-08:00

We consider taking a trip to an outlying area for a look at one of the best-preserved temple areas, but decide against it because it will take at least an hour out and back, plus we want to see Kathmandu’s Darbur Square. And with our tour meeting tonight, we need to be back by 5. Turned out to be a good decision. As we were making our way down to the square, we noticed two things: one, there was little traffic.

Could this be Saturday morning light? Then we saw that the local people were dressed up in beautiful, colorful clothing with sashes and badges. We quickly learned that it was a festival day in Kathmandu, marking the beginning of winter and honoring the farming communities. The people came from all parts of the city, representing their schools and community organizations and playing musical instruments as they marched toward the temple. We stood at the major intersection in town and took it all in. A young man approached us and explained to us what was happening. As the parade started to dwindle, we followed the crowd down to the square. The young man stayed with us, showing us several offerings with beautiful flowers and sand drawings on the ground. We kept walking and he kept talking – and of course, we realized that he was becoming our tour guide and would most certainly expect a fee. Hoyt asked him what his business was today – was he here to find a job as a tour guide for the day? He said no, don’t think of him as a tour guide but just a guide and that he was doing it to help people learn. He added, if you want to buy me some food that would be OK. So, we stop at a small market and he picks out a few things, and says that we can give him 1,350 rupees for some milk and bread. That’s $16 or so US – pretty steep! Hoyt offers him 700 rupees – and he was not happy. He said it was “beggar’s price” and gave the money back to us. We pushed it back into his hand and he asked “ are you happy with this?” We said yes, and then he took off without a word. Fortunately, Hoyt’s map and compass were enough to get us on the right track and we had little problem finding our way to the square. We were tiring of the uninvited tour, in any case. The festival culminated at the square and the participants were walking around at a fever pitch – throwing flowers and rice, and banging drums in a very spirited manner. More self-employed guides tried to get us to hire them but we declined. We enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon of people-watching and also found a bakery with some very yummy sweets which served as our lunch. Late afternoon we made our way back to the Kemel, just in time to meet our tour group and our guide for the Nepali portion of our trip. The group seems very nice and we had a great dinner together, back to the Kemel House where we enjoyed our first night’s meal. Our guide, however, seems detached from the group. His opening statement to the group was something to the effect,” I’m not going to be doing much for you,” since we would have local guides every day. He described tomorrow’s itinerary very briefly and tol us to be ready at 9:00 am tomorrow to meet our local guide, said good night and did not join us for dinner. We hope he becomes more involved with us to impart his knowledge, not just collect our money and get us from point a to point b. We miss Gede! Wonder if he would come to Nepal?? Time will tell – too soon to rush to judgment just yet. Great day all around.

Kathmandu Arrival - We're Not in Singapore Anymore

2011-12-08T20:44:00.001-08:00

Catching a cab at 5 am in Singapore was easy. After bidding a fond farewell to the YMCA staff, we walked a couple of blocks and stood on a main street. Within 30 seconds a cab showed up. The 30 minute ride to the airport was a breeze and as usual, the Singapore airport was a model of efficiency and comfort. Hoyt caught up on some journal writing as we waited for our flight, and I walked around a bit. To our delight, our first flight to Bangkok was upgraded to business class so we were treated to adjustable, massaging seats on the 777 and a very tasty breakfast. After two hours we landed in Bangkok and seemed to walk the entire length of the airport to reach our connecting flight to Kathmandu. We walked past beautiful displays, flowers and many, many travelers. Our flight to Kathmandu was three hours – more business class and a lunch of red snapper and spiced rice, with a fruit and cheese platter and nice French wine – though I had to restrain myself, needing to keep my head once we arrived in Nepal.The views of the Himalayas from the plane were stunning. Kathmandu airport is a cacophony of sight and sound and we definitely had the feeling we had stepped back in time – so different from Singapore. Yet, many references to modern culture, especially related to travel. There must be hundreds of travel agencies here. The airport looks disorganized but is not – we breezed through customs and immigration in no time. We were told there were no buses we could take to our hotel (thank goodness) but would need to take a taxi instead. No problem – we were approached by an official looking man and his entourage who said they could take us to our hotel. The streets of Kath are chaotic – back to lots of motorbikes and honking cars, dirt streets, street vendors and the like. After about a half an hour, we arrived at the Hotel Shakti where we will be spending the next three days. We had not changed money yet, so Hoyt had to pay the driver in USD – he tried to shake us down a little, but it was worth it to get us to the hotel safely. Hotel staff were very helpful in getting us settled in. I opted to take a nap while Hoyt found the ATM and more shopping. When he came back, we had a beer in the nice hotel garden – it was Tuborg! Not our favorite, will try the local brew, Everest, tomorrow. After a bit of more shopping, we had a very nice Nepali dinner at the Thamel House Restaurant in town. Chicken dumplings, veg soup, rice, mutton, mixed vegetables, and a delicious soy bean salad that reminded us of Burmese tea leaf salad. We were offered some “wine” poured from a great distance into a small bowl that was very strong and was said to ward off all kinds of nasty stuff and cure various ailments, and make you feel warmer. It did just that! Finally, we were treated to some traditional Nepalese dancing. After a long day, we were very tired so went back to the hotel and back to bed by 8:30 (due to the time change, it would have been 10:45 for us in Singapore). Nepal changes the time increments by 15 minutes and not on the hour. It is very cold here at night, and it is a treat to be able to wear a long sleeved shirt and not sweat! A nice comforter on the bed was just the trick, even with the extremely hard mattress. I woke up with about 10 hours sleep and time to write this before we go to breakfast. We’re planning some independent touring today before our group tour Road to Delhi

begins tomorrow.

Last day in Singapore

2011-12-08T20:33:00.001-08:00

Our last full day in Singapore. We sleep in a bit, get down to breakfast by 9:30 and then plan our day for one last attraction, the Asian Civilisations Museum down on the Singapore River. It’s only one stop away on the MRT. We arrived about 2:30 which would leave plenty of time for touring and to find an early dinner. The building is a an old colonial and housed the Parliament at one point. Divided into three floors, it covers southeast Asian, China and Middle Eastern cultures. We found the middle eastern calligraphy and paper marbling techniques very interesting. We gained some new insights into shadow puppets from the region. We marveled at the special collection of textiles and musical instruments from India. After the museum, there was only one thing left to do – find some hawker food! Singapore is known for its street food. Originally, the street vendors were in dark, dank and rather unclean areas but now are highly regulated, with most of the hawker centres inside. So down to Chinatown we went. The choices go on and one with many food stalls to choose from. Hoyt had a delicious soup where he picked the ingredients – various types of soya and tofu, meatballs and dumplings in a savory sauce. I opted for my favorite Hainese chicken rice and a plate of bok choy. Delicious! Our plates cost just

$5 Singapore dollars each. Time for dessert – more choices. Hoyt had a guava milkshake and I had an ice jelly fruit cocktail for 80 cents. By now it was 8:30, so back to the hotel to pack and turn in early. We need to wake up at 4:30 to catch a cab by 5:00 am for our early flight to Kathmandu.

River Cruise and Night Safari

2011-12-06T19:54:00.001-08:00

Today we spent quite a bit of time planning the day’s activities, especially the plan for the night safari. So many choices….we didn’t leave our room until about 1:30 pm. We went down to the MRT station hoping to buy a day pass only to find that they didn’t sell them at the station. We were told to go to the tourist info center instead, about a half a dozen blocks away. They didn’t have them either, but the very helpful agent said we didn’t need one – it would be more cost-effective to buy single tickets instead. She also fixed us up with a bus arrangement to the night safari and information on our taxi ride to the airport for our very early flight to Kathmandu on Thursday morning. Well worth the trip and time! After thanking her profusely, we hopped back on the MRT down to Clark Quay to catch a Singapore river and harbor cruise, where we saw wonderful views of colonial architecture contrasted with the modern buildings, the most impressive being the new Marina Bay Sands resort with the boat structure on top of the three towers. This is supposed to be one of the most expensive hotels in the world. We cheated a bit and grabbed some photos off the internet

to show the view from the swimming pool on top, 55 stories up. Once the cruise was over, we grabbed an early dinner since our bus to the night safari was scheduled to leave at 5:55 pm.

After much confusion, we finally found the bus pickup spot, in front of a private college that had vacated its building; no wonder we couldn’t find it. We reached the night safari at 7:00 pm and viewed a couple of the pre-tour shows, followed by a tram around the grounds. It was interesting seeing all kinds of wild animals in their habitats, though it was even more rewarding to hop off the tram and take the trails on foot instead. We particularly enjoyed the up-close views of fishing cats, otters, sloths, porcupines and leopards (called Bintang in Malay, the same name as the national beer in Indonesia!). We also saw flying foxes, raccoons, civet cats, rhinos, lions, tigers, storks, flamingos, hyenas, wolves, fish, barking deer (very tiny), elephants, snakes and crocodiles. No monkeys, since primates are not nocturnal! We left at 10:30 for the bus back to the city and another fabulous view of the Christmas lights on Orchard Road.

Singapore Day Two - Hop On Hop Off

2011-12-06T19:43:00.001-08:00

To my amazement, I actually wake up early and complete several blog posts. It’s good to catch up so we can put Indonesia to rest. We loved it, but it is time to move on. Breakfast at the Y features BBQ pork buns, traditional porridge, chicken sausage, eggs, bread pudding, green salad, cereals and wonderful coffee and tea. People from all over the globe stay here, including some youth groups. They have a hostel here, but we’re staying in one of their deluxe rooms. Nicest bathroom ever and very quiet.After a leisurely start, we plan to take the hop on/hop off bus for an orientation to the city. There are several, but we select the Green line “ethnic” which stops at Little India and the Arab district. Little India was a feast for the senses with delicious spicy cooking aromas and the smell of incense, colorful shops and alleyways. We enjoyed the Arab Street area too, especially the big mosque. We missed our connection at Arab Street but it turned out to be fortuitous, since we caught another double-decker bus for a tour through Chinatown, by Raffles Hotel, and other awesome sights. Our driver suggested that we might enjoy the Botanical Gardens and it did not disappoint – it is hard to describe what we saw there. A truly world-class orchid garden, all manner of trees, specially decorated Christmas trees, bromeliads, lakes, and on and on. We missed our hop-on connection because it

was after 6 pm, but we didn’t care – we opted to take the MRT back to our hotel. This was a learning experience as we discovered how to pay and use the ticket – but once in the station, the train to the stop nearest our hotel arrived quickly. The trains are fast and quiet – and clean, of course. Once we alighted the train, we entered the bustling Singapura shopping center and experienced a cacophony of fast food restaurants and shops. We made our way back to Orchard Street and to our hotel where we enjoyed a quiet but good meal at the Y’s very good restaurant plus a hot cup of tea. We did not miss the beer at all. All in all a wonderful day full of discovery.

Singapore arrival

2011-12-06T19:40:00.001-08:00

Once we landed at the very modern and efficient Singapore Airport, we breezed through immigration and customs, then went searching for a post office to ship home Hoyt’s musical instruments purchased in Java and Bali, as well as things we wouldn’t need anymore, like sarongs and a snorkel. As promised, the Singapore Post has a location at the airport that is open until 9:30 pm. We needed the biggest box they had, and had to do some creative packing just to get everything in. Then we had to secure our box with tape all around and reinforce the corners. Finally we finished up, with the help of the very friendly postal staff. Our items are expected to arrive home in about 2 ½ months, since we shipped them slow boat. Then off we went to find our Bus 36 which will drop us off about a block from our hotel. After some missteps, we find the bus garage and within a few minutes, Bus 36 arrives. It’s not very full at first, but that changes rapidly as commuters arrive about 6:00 pm. We’re concerned that we will miss our stop, but Hoyt asks the bus driver to tell us when it’s the next stop and he did. As we are driving into the city, we can’t help but notice the beautiful skyline and the Singapore Flyer. After about an hour, we arrive at the bus stop and manage to hoist our bags without a hitch, but our glasses fog up immediately from the extremely high humidity. It’s cooler than Bali, but much more humid at least tonight. We have a good dinner at the hotel including one of my favorite Singaporean dishes, Hainese chicken rice. No beer, since we’re staying at the YMCA International. It’s a great hotel with the best bathroom we’ve had on the trip, plus the staff is very nice and helpful. We decide to go to Orchard Road to check out the Christmas lights, which are blue and twinkly and go on for miles. This is shopping central and they are all dressed up for the holidays. It’s nice to be able to look at the shops without the constant haranguing we experienced in some parts of Bali, especially Kuta, to buy their kitsch. That, and you can drink the water!We turned in early, and I tried out the internet connection in the room before going to bed, secretly hoping that it wouldn’t work so I’d have an excuse not to blog. No such luck – it was the best connection we’ve had and fast, too. I tell myself I’ll get up early to blog – just too tired.

Farewell dinner at Padangrai

2011-12-04T17:10:00.001-08:00

Bali Belly and Views from Bodur

2011-12-04T16:51:00.001-08:00

Although I enjoyed the chicken and coconut sate last night, I didn’t enjoy it the second, third and fourth time as I became very ill with a bad case of "Bali Belly

about 1:00 in the morning, giving many offerings to the porcelain gods. After a fairly sleepless night – thankfully, Hoyt slept all the way through and was not affected – I woke up at sunrise and looked outside – it was still foggy over Mt. Batur and the lake below. I couldn’t face breakfast and stuck to a liquid diet all day long, which agreed with me. Several of our fellow travellers met the same fate, so about six of us were sick but we all recovered for dinner.Fortunately, Hoyt took some spectacular photos from out hotel overlooking the craters of Mt. Bodur and the lake below. We also saw one of the most impressive Hindu temples yet, and a very interesting temple and museum that depicted karma. When someone was accused of a crime, they were taken to the center of the compound to a special table, where the chief would preside. Then, they learned their fate both now and in the afterlife. Artwork on the walls depicted what would happen to them in the afterlife. For instance, those who killed animals for sport would meet a similar fate. Steal from your neighbor, get boiled in a vat of water. We arrived at the lovely harbor town of Padang Rai for our last night as an intact group. Very hot here, so we headed for the pool where we watched a lively game of volleyball in the pool and cooled off. Most of the tour members would be traveling to Lombok with Gede for another seven days of touring, while five of us would be returning to Kuta for our last evening. We had a farewell dinner at the Buddha Restaurant down the street featuring a renowned German chef. I had grilled mahi mahi and Hoyt had an excellent goulash. Great way to cap off a memorable tour as we start our journey to Singapore.

Leaving Lovina, on to Mt. Batur

2011-12-04T15:41:00.001-08:00

What a relaxing morning! A leisurely breakfast, a stroll to the black sand beach (where Hoyt was immediately propositioned to buy a shirt and I yet another sarong), and back to our room to pack for our 12:30 departure. Then on the bus again with stops to visit a market – primarily food and the foodstuffs and supplies used for temple ceremonies. The vegetables were magnificent, especially the chilies, garlic and shallots. And we tried the black sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves that is used for temple ceremonies – quite a treat. Then, on to the old harbor area where an international mask exposition was underway, with displays not only from Indonesia but from all over the world.

Our sarong-tying skills were put to the test today as we visited a Hindu temple. A sash is also mandatory, but available at the entrance. Fortunately, I bought one at the market in Ubud. The sash has ceremonial significance but is also practical in that it keeps your sarong from falling off. The inner sanctum of the temple (actually, the third area in the compound, reached through a series of steps) is off-limits to everyone but priests. When someone is called to clean the temple, they must go through a purification ceremony; then, they can clean it. Since the temples are outdoor structures, this also involves pulling weeds that accumulate.On to Mt. Batur. It’s about 1500 meters up, and our hotel has a view of the lake below and of the volcano and craters from our room. They offer an optional trek to Mt. Batur, but this requires a 3:00 am wakeup call and two hours of trekking, and then you see the sunrise. We opted to see the sunrise from our room instead – been there, done that with Bromo. It’s nice and cool here, and by the time we arrived it was 6:00 pm. After resting, Hoyt and I joined the others for dinner at the hotel restaurant – really the only option, since everything else closes up here in the late afternoon. It was very good – we had chicken and coconut sate. So it’s time to turn in early to prepare for the sunset.

Lovina Rest Day - Snorkeling and Hot Springs

2011-12-04T15:30:00.001-08:00

Today was the vacation day from our vacation! Hoyt went snorkeling and left at 8:30 am for the hour trip to the island along with a few others on our tour doing diving and snorkeling. I opted for a trip to the hot springs at 10 am. My driver picked me up on motorbike and off we went for the 20 minute trip through the small villages area and up a small hill to the springs. I wanted to take photos along the way but thought it best to hang on to my driver. I felt a bit daring at first but quickly got used to darting in and out of traffic and feeling the twists and turns of the road. The springs featured three pools and waterfalls, and a nice changing area. It was pleasant and therapeutic. Returned to the hotel about 1:30, went to the pool for

a mixed fruit drink and hung out the rest of the afternoon waiting for Hoyt to return about 3:45. He enjoyed his time, was sunburned (so was I in the pool) but it was so nice to have a small respite from our trip, we feel so much more refreshed. Internet connection not good so will have to connect to the blog at the next place, hopefully. If not, then Kuta for sure.

Ubud to Lovina -- North Bali

2011-12-04T15:02:00.001-08:00

Busy, full travel day today! We started out with a traditional Balinese barung dance performance which was easily the highlight of the trip so far. Barung is performed with a Balinese gamelan orchestra, which is quite different from those we saw in Java. The pitch of the instruments is higher, more lively and fast-paced. Barung depicts a story from the Ramayana and has been performed essentially the same way for centuries. It starts out with a priest sprinkling holy water on the stage. Then a lion appears, followed by his friend the monkey. Two servant women appear and are looking for their prime minister. The hero appears and is being chased by demons. Fighting ensues which never really ends. The performance was first rate and in places quite humorous. Then we visited a stone carving center, followed by a visit to a traditional Balinese home complete with temple. This home was beautiful and featured a modern home next to the traditional one. The parents’ bedroom is toward the front of the house so they can monitor the dating activity of the children. Dating couples are expected to be home no later than 11 pm. The kitchen is also in the front. Then we ascended to the hill country again, stopping for lunch at a beautiful resort overlooking terraced rice fields. We visited two more temples including a “floating” temple on a lake. Then we continued to the Gitgit waterfall but on our way, stopped at the coffee plantations where we sampled delicious ginseng coffee and lemon grass tea. Also among the offerings was the famous Lemak coffee which is made from beans processed by the civit cats. The cats are said to eat only the best beans and once they are passed through their systems, the beans are collected. It's a time-consuming process and therefore very expensive. The coffee has tones of chocolate and caramel. Also along the way to the waterfalls, we stopped to see monkeys on the side of the road and feed them jackfruit. We reached Lovina about 5:30 pm. Beautiful resort area which means “Love Indonesia." It's on a black sand beach. Had a very nice traditional Lovina-area dinner at the hotel restaurant and settled in for two nights. Tomorrow is our rest day.

South Bali to Ubud and Three Sarongs

2011-11-28T06:42:00.000-08:00

Today was a cultural, art and shopping day. For the Balinese Hindus, praying is done three times a day and always includes offerings. They pray to their ancestors, to the trinity (the three Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu and Siwya), to the evil spirits (in hopes to keep them happy) and to the guardians. The Balinese strive for balance and harmony in life, and by praying to the evil spirits and giving them offerings, they hope to keep peace with them. Typical evil spirit offerings include flowers, coins, cigarettes, rice and even alcohol, and they are placed on the floor or the sidewalk. We saw plenty of these offerings today. On our bus there was an offering to the guardian – for safe travels, naturally. Gede, our guide, greeted us in traditional Balinese attire, with a temple sarong and a special hat representing the trinity. Men wear a looser sarong when they are performing temple duties, like preparing food and carrying supplies. Women wear a tighter sarong because their role is to carry the offerings – always on their heads. We saw a woman carrying the offerings on her head while riding a bike. Amazing!

We also saw evidence plenty of weddings today. There are special decorations that indicate a wedding is going on, and cars are decorated with sugar cane to indicate the sweetness of life to come. Before a couple marries, they consult the priest who advises them on the best day to marry. Guess today was very good! There’s also two ways to marry: the normal way, where both families agree to the marriage and arrange the date, and the non-normal way, which involves a “kidnapping” of the future wife so she spends the night at her future husband’s home. This occurs when one party (usually the bride's family) does not agree to the marriage, so the groom's family has to do something drastic in the name of true love. The next morning, a representative from the groom’s family visits the bride’s family and explains that since the bride has already spent the night at the groom’s house, it’s a done deal. Then, a wedding ceremony is held and the families reconcile. Kidnap weddings don’t occur that often anymore, but were very common as late as the 1970s.

Hoyt and I both have sarongs now. In fact, we have three between us. We didn’t plan it that way, but we visited the market in Ubud, an artistic center where we’re staying tonight, and the price kept getting lower (it’s low season here so vendors are willing to take just about any offer). We need sarongs to enter the Hindu temples. Pictures to follow!

Ubud is known for its roast pig, which we sampled at lunch today. We also had crispy Balinese duck for dinner tonight, which was quite good. Dinner was accompanied by a Balinese play depicting a Hindu parable. Did I mention it was hot in Bali??

Java to Bali Crossing

2011-11-27T05:54:00.001-08:00

Today we made the crossing from Java to Bali by ferry, which took only 45 minutes. This was a car and pedestrian ferry that doesn't see many tourists, particularly Westerners, so our little group caused quite a stir, particularly among the little ones. After landing, our van continued for another two hours until we hit our lunch spot, featuring the most delicious fish - very fresh! We were also treated to a private tour inside a Hindu temple, where tourists don't normally go. Bali is 90% Hindu, in contrast to Java, which is primarily Muslim. Balinese have a temple structure inside their homes, and every time they add a family member, they add a new "wing" to the temple. Ancestors are similarly remembered. We passed through the village that is dedicated to the temple structures, where the people go to buy the components they need.

We are now in Kuto, a popular beach town, for the evening. For the first time on this trip, we see lots of Westerners, and the locals were out in force to enjoy the beach on a Sunday evening. The traffic was quite heavy, but we were richly rewarded with a spectacular sunset.

Bromo Hike Photos

2011-11-27T05:46:00.000-08:00

Climbing, Riding and Spice Islands

2011-11-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

We had a 3:15 am wakeup call this morning and it's 8:47 pm now, so I will make this short. I will have to post the pictures from our Bromo overlook later. We saw the sunrise over the big crater this morning, along with hundreds of others arriving by jeep, horse and on foot. Unlike what we've experienced so far in Java, Bromo is quite cool and it was very cold at the start - at least, until we started climbing the steep trails and 250+ steps to the top. Fortunately there was hot coffee at the top. After our descent, we climbed into the jeep again and started across the crater floor toward the trail leading up to the crater rim. More steep trails and stairs, and very little room at the top to stand or sit, but what a spectacular view. The weather was cool and crystal clear, not a cloud in the sky. There's a Hindu temple on the crater floor that is quite beautiful (photos to follow). After a well-deserved breakfast, we left at 9:30 am for our next destination five hours away, a beautiful east Java resort next to a coffee and spice plantation. We leave tomorrow for the ferry to Bali and the second leg of our first tour. Will sleep well tonight.

Sunset on Mt. Bromo

2011-11-25T03:13:00.000-08:00

We are on the top of the world looking over Bromo, a huge volcanic crater on East Java. Sunset brings quite a view! Our hotel is the Lava View Lodge and we've also had quite a nice view from our window. At this elevation it's actually quite cold, a nice change from 85 degree plus weather with high humidity. Tomorrow we leave at 3:30 am for a jeep ride to the Panajakan viewpoint and a climb up Mt. Bromo (256 or so steps). Then we'll walk across the crater. Today we started our journey in Malang by visiting the local markets -- tasted some delicious snake fruit (named for its skin) and saw beautiful flowers, along with many birds, fish and even cats and cat supplies. (Did you know cat litter could be apple scented? I didn't!) On the way up to Bromo, our van had a flat tire but fortunately our intrepid driver Tony was able to change the spare. Then it was up, up, up until we reached the top, past terraced rice fields and beautiful scenery. We're about to leave for dinner at the hotel and an early night to get ready for our 3:30 wakeup call.

Road to Melang

2011-11-24T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today was big travel day from Solo to Malang, which is a way point to our interim destination in Bromo, home of one of the big volcanoes on Java. It will take all day to get there. We started out with a very full breakfast at our hotel amongst the conventioneers. I especially enjoyed the pancakes with glutinous rice filled, served rolled on a banana leaf. Also excellent porridge in the Indonesian style.
Our tour guide Gede shared information on Indonesian economics and social conditions. We were surprised to learn that the school system is not free, even the elementary school. We saw many school children, all in uniforms of very bright green, turquoise, red and yellow. Many of the girls wore matching head scarves (part of the uniform – even when playing football (soccer). But as Gede explained, we are traveling through primarily urban areas (though they may seem rural to us). In the villages, parents might send their children to elementary school so they can learn basic skills, but not to secondary school due to the cost, about $50 initially and then $5 per month. When the average salary is the equivalent of $250- 500 US, this is a lot of money. And to send your child to secondary school, you might have to move to another area because the school is far away. School is in session six days a week from 7:30 am- 12:30 pm. Health care is not free in Indonesia, and it can cost the equivalent of $15 US to see a doctor just for the office visit. So in rural areas, the medicine man is still prevalent. The infant mortality rate can be very high in the rural areas.

The retirement age is 60, and in the government may be 55. Unless you work for the government, there is no pension or social security.
Yogyakarta is a big university town, and Malang, where we are headed, is known for its Muslim university.

Agriculture is a big way of life here. We passed so many rice fields, some big and some very small. Also corn, sugar cane, rubber and teak trees (owned by the government) and all manner of fruits. Coming into Melang, we saw so many durian fruits hanging. None have made their way to our breakfast table yet.
Last night we ordered (by mistake) an avocado juice drink. We saw alpokat and thought it was apricot. What arrived was a green drink with chocolate syrup! Very delicious and extremely popular here in Indonesia.

Thanksgiving Chicken in Eastern Java

2011-11-24T03:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! The picture here isn't from today's meal, but from a wonderful local place in Solo, a city in Central Java where we had lunch yesterday. No turkey, but chicken for sure, and some of the best vegetarian food I'd had in a long time. To eat, all you have to do is grab a plate and point to what you want. Tempeh was especially yummy. Today we were on the road, visiting more Buddhist temples that were even more spectacular than yesterday's. We spent the night in Solo, a big modern city with a fun night market where -- I kid you not -- Hoyt and I drank cobra blood and actually ate some of the snake, too. Everyone in our group had to give it a try. I will spare you the gory details, but they drain a few drops into a small glass and serve it with wine. Tastes a lot like pomegranate juice. The cobra was deep-fried and had a beefy taste. Not bad, but I don't care to repeat it. I'd rather have turkey...

November 22

2011-11-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

On our final full day in Yogya, we took the 1.5 hour trip to Borobudur, site of a Buddhist temple that rivals the Angor Wat for prominence. Covered by volcanic ash in the year 1000, it was rediscovered in the 1800s. During the Japanese occupation in WWII, soldiers dismantled many of the ancient stones which had to be replaced – a painstaking process. We had an excellent local guide, Joon, who shared information on the four quadrants on Yogya as we drove out of town by minibus. We drove past the site of the 2010 volcanic eruption which wiped out an entire village and bridge. It’s now being rebuilt. We learned about the BBC: bananas, bamboo and coconuts which grow everywhere in the area and are on nearly every corner, a mainstay of the people even in urban areas. Traffic is heavy but orderly getting out of town and it’s a beautiful day. Finally we reach the Borobudor complex. The temple isn’t visible yet; as Joon explains, it’s like enlightenment: you don’t see it until you experience it. We did see plenty of touts, however, selling spoons, mini parachutes, noisemakers, purses, T-shirts and the like. Once we made our way past the gauntlet, the temple was visible up ahead. Spectacular! We took several photos along the way and finally made our way up several series of steep stairs. The Buddha images were varied and intricate, along with several parables cast in bas relief. Joon is very knowledgeable about Buddhist philosophy, which co-exists with the Muslim faith in Indonesia and several others. Many of the stones are undergoing renovation. In high season, there are queues waiting to clime the steps but we did not have to wait so long. Was it hot! After we climbed back down, we headed for the indoor archeology museum featuring a huge Buddha head. Next on our list was the Mendut temple with a large sitting Buddha. His legs were not crossed because he was enlightened. And for fun, we took turns swinging on a huge banyon tree on the grounds. After a sip of coconut juice, we headed for lunch at a picturesque traditional restaurant out in the country where I had red snapper sate. Once back at the hotel and surviving Yogya traffic jam, Hoyt and I headed for the hotel pool joined by our tourmates, followed by a Bingtang at the hotel restaurant. We had dinner, nice Indonesian fare at a restaurant down the street followed by the shadow puppet show at the museum. To get there, we hailed a pedicab and had an interesting ride weaving our way through the maze of scooters, other pedicabs, cars and buses on the way to the museum. The performance featured full gamelan orchestra, several singers, and a puppetmaster who told the story using MANY puppets of all shapes and sizes.

SEA Games

2011-11-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

The SEA (Southeast Asian) Games are going on in Indonesia right now. So it's all football, all the time here at the hotel TV. Indonesia beat Vietnam, their big rival, on Saturday. There's another match on as I write this vs. Malaysia. The staff are all gathered round. Now 9:36 pm local time, or shall I say 21:36?

Indonesia just scored! They are ahead 2-1.

2011-11-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

2011-11-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

2011-11-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

Batik, Puppets and Scouts

2011-11-21T05:44:00.000-08:00

We left at 8:00 am for our first tour of the batik factory, batik art studio, the Sultan's Palace, puppet studio and water palace. Pedicabs met us at our hotel to pick us up. It's a great way to get around. When it rains, the driver places opaque plastic all around you, so you can't really see the array of vehicles coming your way, except for the headlights of various motor scooters and cars. You are seated in front of the driver!

The batik factory and art studio were interesting. We had an opportunity to try our hand at applying the paraffin oil wax. It looks easy, but it isn't. I purchased a batik head scarf and later on a small painting. Eventually, I'll need to buy a sarong as this will be needed in Bali when visiting the sights there.

There is a long history of Scouting in Indonesia and many of them, both boys and girls, were visiting the Sultan's Palace today. The current Sultan, #10, was a boy scout.

The gamalan orchestra at the Sultan's Palace was a real treat and included a full array of traditional instruments and singers.

Indonesian shadow puppets are made of buffalo hide and we watched them being made. This was especially enjoyable since we have two of them at home and weren't entirely aware of their history. There are several generations of puppet makers in this part of the island.

Our timing vis a vis the rain was pretty good today. It didn't start in earnest until we sat down for lunch. This restaurant was one of many buffet spots in Yogya with a fabulous spread - all kinds of veggie and meat dishes, jackfruit, ginger tea and fresh guava and mango juices. Modern Javanese dancers kept us entertained while we waited for the rain to clear.

Jakarta and flight to Yogya

2011-11-21T05:34:00.000-08:00

The hour long flight to Jakarta brought another meal and then we landed at the airport. After a good night’s sleep at a hotel close to the airport, we woke the next day to get ready for our short flight to Yogyakarta, the Javanese cultural center of Indonesia where our tour was to begin. Breakfast was a combination of local Indonesian cuisine and Western fare and it was delicious. Nasi goring (fried rice) is everywhere in Indonesia and this was an excellent rendition with shrimp and chicken. Also very good were vegetarian fried noodles and a selection of fruit on skewers – with chocolate for dipping! No durian fruit in sight. The flight on Garuda Airlines (Indonesia’s national carrier, means “bird”) was short and pleasant. Yogya’s airport is small, with one runway, and the plane had to make a U turn to return to the terminal after landing. Inside, a young woman was demonstrating the batik technique on fabric. Colored wax is applied with a stylus. We’ll get a chance to see more batik on our tour. We took a local bus to a stop within walking distance to our hotel (or so we thought) and ended up taking a taxi the rest of the way, since it was pouring down rain. This is the start of the rainy season in Indonesia. The day started out sunny, but then black clouds formed and it rained steadily from 2 – 7 pm. We learned that most days will be like this, through February. So our activities will take place mostly in the mornings!

SEA Welcome

2011-11-21T05:17:00.000-08:00

Our first leg on Singapore Airlines to Hong Kong was 15 hours. That’s long by any stretch of the imagination, but made so much more enjoyable by the service. Even in coach, the seats are a little wider, with individual entertainment and no shortage of food – all good. How do the flight attendants manage to look so beautiful and rested while I look like a wreck? Along with the in-flight entertainment, Hoyt quizzed me on my Hindu gods: we’re studying ahead for Nepal and India. But I was still able to watch a couple of movies, including The Help which has been on my list for awhile.

After we landed in Hong Kong, we waited for our three-hour connecting flight to Singapore for a five-hour layover. The airport is beautiful, a great place to spend a few hours, with comfortable places to sit and classic orchid and fern gardens. Internet access is free, but I couldn’t connect for some reason. We made mental notes on areas of the airport we wanted to visit when we return to Singapore in a couple of weeks.

Leaving Tonight

2011-11-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

We fly from SFO tonight (actually tomorrow) at 12:05 am. Then it's a 12 hour flight to Hong Kong, followed by a connection in Singapore. Then we fly to Jakarta on the island of Java for a one-night stay. We'll try to catch a bit of sleep before our short flight to the cultural center of Yogyakarta the next day. Then our Indonesian tour finally begins.

Speaking of Jakarta, did you know that its nickname is the Big Durian? Durian fruit is unique to southeast Asia. It's said to have a succulent flavor but smells like stinky socks. Sounds delightful!

2011-11-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here's where we will be posting our notes, photos and musings from Southeast Asia, Nepal and India. Please check in often. We welcome your comments!