February 12 (Sunday)  Sydney to Bali, Indonesia

Sandra and I were discussing calling our hotel in Bali to tell them about our flight change.  First we checked our hotel reservation confirmation that we had received well before we departed Houston.  It said they would meet our flight #7829.  How did they know we would get booked on that flight?  We did not even know it.  (We had not noticed that it was not our Paradise Airline flight number.)

The food on the plane was very good, and there was plenty of it.  In order to keep a piece of Australia with me for awhile I bought “Down Under” by Bill Bryson.  He expressed my feelings and observations about the country very well and added quite a bit that I did not know.  Best of all, it was very funny.

When we landed in Bali Mei and her girls, Asmara age 9, and Dinda, age 7, were already there.  It was so good to see them.  Mei had already rented a car for $13/day.  (She is an A-one bargainer.)  However, the hotel had sent a driver for Sandra and me, and he had to be paid, so Sandra and I rode with him while Mei and the girls followed in the car.

Our driver was Putu.  He told us that he was a licensed tour guide in English and Spanish as well as the main native language.  He said he would be happy to show us around.  In fact, he almost begged.  Tourism in the area has suffered terribly because of a terrorist bombing about November, 2005.  This was his first job this month.

As we drove along to Ubud he pointed out tiered rice paddies with small flags flying.  The flags keep the birds away, he told us.  Some of the towns we passed through were named after their main trade - Stone Town (sculptors), Wood Town (wood carvers), and Silver and Gold Town (jewelers).  We also saw a two-story McDonalds and a big Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Most people depend on motorcycles for transportation, and I was amazed at the huge loads they could carry.  It was a full moon, and we saw many beautifully dressed women carrying baskets of offerings to the temple on their heads.  Putu explained that Bali is mostly Hindu while the rest of Indonesia is Muslim.  Each family has a temple.  Its size indicates the family’s financial status.  There is a large temple - or two or three - for the community as well.

Putu left us at Kutut’s Place hoping we would hire him to tour us around for a day.  Mei had rented a Toyota jeep-like vehicle with plenty of space for all of us, but driving was very difficult on the crowded, narrow streets.  In fact, I would describe driving in the cities like one big game of chicken.  There were hardly any traffic signals - lights or signs - and few clear rules as to who had what right-of-ways.  So Mei was thinking that having a driver/guide might be nice.

Our hotel was designed in the Balinese style around a long central courtyard of meandering walkways and bridges, birds, flowers, statues and ponds.  Sandra had managed to confirm our reservations despite Internet difficulties, so we had a nice room with twin beds, a huge bathroom, two chairs and a coffee table.  There had been a mess-up with Mei’s so she had to bargain, and she got what she wanted - an exhilarating negotiation and  a standard room for the traditional room price - about R250,000 or $25 USD vs. $27 USD.

 Sandra and I each got R800,000 at the airport ATM which is about $80 USD.  What did travelers ever do without these marvelous machines?

After settling in and introducing Flat Stanley to Mei and the girls, we bought tickets from our landlord to the Balinese dance being performed nearby (cost $5).  On our way to the performance Mei found us a place to eat.  It looked like a very run down, hole-in-the-wall corner store - not at all like a place where we could get a good meal. 

We all sat on a low bamboo table and a bench and watched as the lady prepared what Mei ordered - five bowls of Ramen noodles, a bowl of an apple-like fruit, and a bowl of rice and vegetables in a hot sauce.  It was just a little too spicy for my taste, but delicious nonetheless, and we emptied all of our bowls.  The cost for all was $2.50 or R25,000.  Mei and the woman chatted throughout the meal. 

The daughters and husband came home and joined in - all laughing and having a good time.  The man gave Mei his card and offered his driving services.

Like Fiji, a lot of the people here are alarmingly poor, but here they seemed to FEEL poor more than the Fijians, and they were more aggressive about getting work to earn money.  I did not see anyone begging for a handout.

The Kecak dance was held in the courtyard of a huge palace/temple.  Most of the audience was made up of tourists from Ubud and the surrounding area. - about one hundred in all.  Once it was dark the show began with about 130 men pouring down the stairs chanting, singing, and making ticka-ticka sounds.  They were the male chorus and the only accompaniment the dancers had.  The story was performed by elaborately dressed men and women.  Sometimes the chorus became part of the main action.  It was unlike anything I have ever seen.

There was a short break while men dumped a pile of dried coconuts in the middle of the yard and set them on fire.  A man in a hobby-horse costume did a trance dance in which he ran back and forth through the burning coconuts with no harm done to his feet.  I was a little worried that one of those flaming pieces of coconut would land in my lap, but that never happened.

By the time the show was over we were exhausted and beyond ready for bed.

February 13 (Monday) Bali

Kutut’s place and the surrounding area were the noisiest to date.  I awoke to roosters crowing at each other or their hens and other strange Bali sounds.  It was nice.

The ladies from the kitchen served us breakfast by the pool - crepe-style pancakes, fruit, juices, omelets, tea and coffee.  We met a woman named Connie who was traveling alone.  She told us she was originally from Connecticut but had lived the last thirty years in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.  She was widowed at a young age and left to raise four boys all alone.  They lived in exotic places while she worked at exotic jobs such as being an artist on an archeological dig in South America.  In Mexico she builds houses.  She buys and interesting property, designs the house and then builds it herself with the help of laborers she has trained.  She is an artist, psychologist, and Unitarian minister.  In September 2005 she began a one-year traveling experience and had already been to some of the places we planned to go, so we were very interested to hear what she had to say.  In exchange Mei gave her some information about Bali and the rest of Indonesia.

After breakfast we went to the Monkey Forest.  I handed Dinda my water bottle so I could take a photo, and a monkey took it right away from her.  When I tried to take it back he hissed at me and showed his teeth, so I let him keep it.  As we entered the forest a few of the other monkeys were equally aggressive, so we tried a dog-training trick of looking them in the eye and saying “baahh!!” real loud.  It worked.

Next we went to the Neka Museum where we saw a nice array of Indonesian Art - old and new.  The building and the grounds were especially lovely. Dinda and Asmara loved Flat Stanley and had some good ideas for photo ops.  Asmara had read at least four of the Flat Stanley books and already knew about him and his adventures - more than I did.  The titles included “Stanley’s Christmas”, “Stanley And The Magic Lamp”, “The Adventures of Flat Stanley”, and “Stanley Flat Again” - all by Jeff Brown.

We had a light lunch at our favorite spot near our lodgings.  Then Sandra and I went to a nearby Internet store where we got one hour for one dollar.  As soon as we finished we went straight to the pool where we stayed until dinner.

In the meantime, Mei had been dissatisfied with our lodgings - the price, the location, the feeling - and went in search of another place.  Sandra and I were quite content and could not imagine how she could do better.  She did.  She found a place in town with nicer rooms, a pool and breakfast included.  The owner was from Jakarta - the same as Mei.  She first told Mei she wanted $25 per room per night.  Mei said, “Why should I move for the same price?” Finally she got the rooms for $15 per night with an extra bed put in her room at no extra charge.  Then we had our choice of at least two different locations in the complex.  We opted for pool side.

Mei had bargained for our car too.  Even locals could not believe she had gotten it for $13/day.  She told us that she can generally get better deals when no Caucasians are with her.

She could drive more than a good bargain.  She could drive a car in that country too.  Once again we were in a country where they drive on the left side of the road and steer from the right side of the car.  The jeep was standard shift, and Mei had to shift with her left hand.  Even though she was not used to this she drove every bit as well as Putu.

In the evening we had a traditional Balinese dinner at Ketut’s Place.  All of the nine guests were seated at one big table and a nice camaraderie developed.  One couple (an artist and an SST test pilot) came from an island in western Canada.  There was a secretary from Zurich, Switzerland, Connie and us.  The owner was dressed in his finest native wear and proudly told us the history of his hotel.  His wife had worked for two days preparing the food, and it was delicious.  We were a little sad to be leaving this nice place.

February 14 (Tuesday - Valentine’s Day) Bali

Today the owner’s wife was extra nice.  She brought us rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves - for free.  Up to now we had paid extra for many little things like refilling our water bottles.  I was surprised, because I knew she knew we were leaving.  Little did I know that her husband was not finished bargaining.  As we stood at the desk paying our bill he kept making offers - bigger room, closer to the pool, $20, were we really going to let Mei be our boss?  We assured him she was our leader, and we were going where she went.  His staff put our luggage in our car, smiled warmly, and said good-bye.  Sandra and I were feeling especially bad - and Mei too, but she understands that how it goes in Bali.

At our new place (Pande Permai) we got a warm reception.  Our rooms were almost ready with flower blossoms placed around the room and in the bathrooms.  Our bath towels had been sculpted into swans floating on our beds in the midst of a charming flower and leaf arrangements.  As Mei pointed out this was much more welcoming than Kutut’s Place had been.

Putu was waiting for us dressed in formal Bali attire because we were going to visit the big central temple, Pura Besakih.  His white van was sparkling clean.  Mei sat in front next to the driver, and that turned out to be the perfect place for her.  When we came to security checks and had to pay entrance fees, she and Putu explained that she was our tour guide, and he was her driver, and we paid less.

Our first destination was the Batur volcano and its lake Batur, the largest in Bali.  On our way we stopped at big restaurant overlooking both.  It had a huge buffet lunch for $5 each.  They gave Putu his lunch for free because he brought us. (Mei wasn’t yet playing tour guide.) 

Next Putu took us to the foot of the volcano and drove through the lava fields.  The last eruption was in 1999.  There were warning signs, precautions were taken, and no one was killed.

We drove on to the hot springs where tour guide, Mei, and her girls got in for free.  Sandra and I paid $4.50 each.  The place was lovely.  They were getting ready for a Valentine’s Day celebration.  I was surprised that they even knew about it let alone celebrated it.

After a refreshing soak and swim, we drove on to the temple.  It was the eve of some sort of anniversary, and men, women, and children were dressed in their finest attire and walking to the temple.  It was a beautiful sight. Then the chanting began.  It reminded me of Gregorian Chant.  Putu was an excellent guide and explained it all.

Putu drove us home by a different route.  By this time the men had finished working in the fields and were bathing naked in the rivers and lakes along the road.  They looked like monkeys, and Asmara and Dinda delighted in referring to them as the “naked monkeys”.

We got back to our hotel just in time to hop in our car and take off for the dancing.  It was a portrayal of the same story we had seen before, but in a different style.  This time there was a male orchestra that played drums and instruments similar to xylophones.  It was exquisite.

Once again we were really ready for bed and even skipped dinner.

February 15 (Wednesday)   Bali

We all met by the pool for breakfast.  Today was to be an easy day.  We settled accounts with Mei.  She had gotten our airplane tickets from Bali to Yogyakarta to Bandung for $52 each.  My 1/3 share of the car for six days was $25.  My 1/3 share for the day with Putu was $10.  Mei is amazing even by Indonesian standards.  She told us that had she known about our trouble with Paradise Airlines, she could have gotten us a good deal on Garuda Air.  They were having a special promotion.  We didn’t tell her, because we didn’t want her to worry.

Our primary destination for the day was a big market just outside of town.  When we arrived there were about six big busses - the first we’d seen – that had dropped off shoppers.  Nonetheless, the market did not seem busy.  The highlight was watching Mei bargain.  I bought a couple of cute sarongs for my granddaughters, Hannah and Maddie.  A lot of the merchandise was cheesy but the market was still interesting.

On our way back to town we stopped for a late lunch then went back to our hotel to rest and swim before going to the shadow puppet show. The theater was open-air.  The screen looked like a twin bed sheet pulled tight.  Behind it we could see a burning lamp mounted from the ceiling.  The large man sitting in the center was the key player in the show.  He did all of the dialog, sound effects, and puppet manipulation.  Two men on either side of him handed him the puppets.  The puppets were flat - like Stanley - with small holes punched in them and mounted on sticks.  Behind them were four men playing gamelans.  At first the puppeteering seemed fairly simple, but as the plot became more complex, the master’s skill was apparent.  It was thrilling.  After the show, we were invited back stage where Mei explained things more fully, and we were allowed to take photos.

After the show we happened upon a gallery that sold shadow puppets as works of art - among many other lovely things like carved wooden and stone statues and batik material.  The proprietress explained how the puppets were made.  She told us that her father is a master puppeteer who was taught by the master we had just seen.  Mei said that the puppets were worth the $40 asking price, and that places like this did not bargain.  However, the lady did offer me a 10% discount and gave me a stand for it as well.

February 16 (Thursday)   Bali

At breakfast Sandra spotted a white dove-like bird sitting on top of a tree.  Then I saw a rainbow - even though there was no rain or even the threat of it.  We chose to think these were great good omens. 

Dinda was not feeling well, so I offered to stay at the hotel with her while Sandra and Asmara went to do e-mail and Mei went to bargain for concrete statues for Dan.  I had plenty of writing and reading I wanted to do. By the time Mei got back, Dinda was feeling much better.

Our evening was almost surreal.  Komang, the owner of our hotel, suggested we go to dinner and a dance at the restaurant of a friend of hers.  She called the restaurant, and they sent a car for us.  When we arrived we were met by men who put flowers in our hair and led us down a path lined with small burning lanterns to our big round table right in front of the performance area.  We were the only customers.  It was nice to feel so special but sad to realize that the reason this beautiful place was empty was due to the terrorist bombings the previous fall.  They told us they have pretty good crowds at lunch still.

The dances were traditional celebration dances with no story line.  The costumes were colorful and elaborate as usual.  However, the performers were almost all children - ages 10 - 18 we guessed.  The last dance was a solo done by a slightly older young woman who came to the table and invited each of us to dance with her.  Sandra was first, then the girls and finally Mei and I.  At the end the staff took pictures of us with the dancers.

Then there was the food.  It was delicious - perfectly prepared and artistically presented by our four wait staff.  When we finished, our driver returned us to our hotel.

February 17 (Friday)   Bali

Today was a sightseeing day - a HOT sightseeing day.  Since we had the rental car, Mei decided to arrange with Komang for a driver to drive it so she would be free to enjoy the ride.  Also, she did not know how to get to the puras (temples) we planned to visit.

Our driver was another Putu who had agreed to drive us all day for R100,000 ($10 USD).  As it turned out, he was Komang’s nephew, and his family was very wealthy.  He was considered the odd one in the family because he does not have a yen or a talent for business.  He was a nice-looking young man and dressed in western-style clothes - a knit shirt and slacks.  All day long he drove us around and watched over us and our car.

On our way to the first temple we stopped to see a Barong dance - a favorite of Asmara’s and Dinda’s.  It features some clever dancing by two men dressed in a dragon costume as well as a funny story line.

When we got to the first temple it was noon and very hot.  We noticed that the only idiots who were out and about were the tourists like us.  Every other living thing was hanging out in the shade doing next to nothing.  We climbed up to the temple but could not get in because we were not worshipers.  We settled for the dramatic views of the Indian Ocean beating against the high cliffs.

On our way to the car we stopped at a refreshment stand where we quenched our thirst with fresh coconut water right out of the coconut.

Putu drove us to the seashore for a wonderful lunch of fresh seafood - shrimp, red snapper, mussels, and sides.  From where we ate we could see the area that was hit by the most recent terrorist bombers in the fall of 2005.  Putu and Mei told us that both men were outcast Indonesian citizens recruited by an extremist Muslim cult to bring attention to their organization, to show that they have power.  There was no real holy cause involved.  The head of the cult was found by the Indonesian CIA and is dead - killed in a shoot-out.  Since he was Malaysian, some suspect that his motives might have been to scare tourists away from Bali so they would go to Maylasia.  We could see that tourists had been scared away from Bali, but not whether or not they had gone to Maylasia.

Our superb seafood lunch for six cost $45 USD.  We had stayed at the restaurant for two hours enjoying the meal, the conversation and the seashore.  Since it was late, and we were hot, we opted to skip the second pura and head for the hotel.  There we settled our bill - less than $70 USD for four nights ($35 each).  Mei told us that Bali is the most expensive of the islands.  We were headed for cheaper yet.

February 18 (Saturday) Bali to Yogyakarta

We arose at 3:30 a.m. so we could leave by four to catch a 6 a.m. plane to Yogyakarta (aka Jogya).  Since the route to the airport was circuitous, and it would be dark, Mei hired a man from the hotel to lead us on his motor scooter.  En route she reconfirmed with the car rental company, and two young men were there to take the car as we pulled up to the airport.  By six we were boarding the plane.  It was a smooth operation if I ever saw one.  Yea Mei!

As soon as we arrived in Jogya Mei began bargaining.  She found us a nice driver with a new SUV to drive us around to four hotels until she finally found one that suited her.  The ride cost $5 USD.  The lobby of the hotel and all the public places were very luxurious.  The rooms were average.  All had A/C.  Our room rate was $15 per night

By 9 a.m. we were settled in and ready to tour.  Mei hired two becaks.  (Becaks are a sort of rickshaw with a bike in the back peddled by a man.) 

Our first stop was a batik factory and gallery.  To make batik an artisan puts a design on a piece of fabric with bees’ wax.  Then the fabric is dipped into a vat of dye, and the color adheres to all but the wax.  It was easy to comprehend how they did two colors, but I never did understand how they could make multicolored batik.

Right down the street we visited a shadow puppet studio.  One man was painting a puppet while another was punching the holes.  A salesman explained that both skills take a long time to perfect.  The results are charming works of art that can be exhibited and/or used in a shadow puppet show.  At our next stop, the Sultan’s palace, we got to see a shadow puppet show, then we took a tour.

Our guide told us that the current sultan/king of the Jogya area is #10.  He has one wife and five daughters.  Since he has no male heir, when he dies, his oldest living brother will get the job - and quite a job it is.  He has a seat in the parliament, and he is a director of the university among many other duties.  He is very popular with the people. His father, Sultan #9, was also very popular, and three rooms of the palace are set up as a museum dedicated to him.  Apparently he was also very well-liked internationally.  Gifts to him from every major country were displayed.  There was no gift from the United States until Hillary Clinton visited and gave him one.  It is treasured and kept in the private quarters of the palace.  In addition to the local sultans, there is also a president of all of Indonesia.  The current president is SBY (His name is so long only his initials are used - sort of like JFK.).  He has a degree in economics and strong support from the electorate.

All the time we were touring, Mei was in touch with her brother, Bimo, by cell phone.  Bimo is a major in the Indonesian Army and lives with his wife, Leena, and their two boys, Billy (5) and Dylan (18 mos.) On a military base in Ambarawa - about a two-hour drive away.  He was glad we were so close, and he packed up his family and drove to meet us.  Happily we all fit into his air conditioned car and went to eat at a nice local sate restaurant.  He and his wife invited us to spend the next three nights with them.  What a generous invitation!  We happily accepted.

They returned home, and we went to our rooms for a two-hour nap then hit the streets again - this time in a horse-drawn buggy.  Our driver took us to a market where we ate at a sidewalk restaurant sitting cross-legged on bamboo mats. (They brought over a chair for Sandra.  She has two new knees and a new hip that are not quite that flexible.). In the market we spent quite a bit of time in a batik store buying gifts for family and friends.  The clothes were all so beautiful, it was difficult to make choices.  I was overwhelmed because now I knew about all of the work that went into the making of each piece, and there were so many pieces, and they were so cheap.  Later Mei explained that as skilled as these workers are, they get paid very little.

February 19 (Sunday)   Bali to Ambarawa

I started the day and the week off with a bang.  Sandra and I went to get some money from the ATM.  I left my card in the machine while I counted my money.  It buzzed, but I didn’t notice, so the ATM ate my card.  Once again I thanked heaven for Mei.  We went to a public phone station and called the company that services the machine.  They could do nothing until Monday, and we would be gone by then.  Next we called my bank and talked to Ben who assured me that my card was blocked and told me not to worry.  Thank goodness I had a second card, so I could still get to money.

Our two becak drivers were waiting to take us to the palace for a dance performance.  Shortly after we arrived three students who wanted to practice their English chatted with me for about ten minutes before the show.  It was a homework assignment, and they gave me evaluation forms to fill out.  Since one girl did virtually all the talking, she was the only one I gave a great evaluation.  The other two were a bit disappointed, surprised, and probably a little angry.  The dance was similar to others we had seen, but this setting was unique in that we were much closer to the dancers and could see the backstage activities.

We returned to our hotel, had a quick lunch and got ready for Bimo to pick us up.  He arrived driving his family car, and another man followed in a car that would carry our luggage.  On the way to Ambarawa we stopped to visit their aunt and uncle who own a huge, 400-seat  restaurant attached to their lovely, large home.  Their uncle had just been released from the hospital, so they wanted to check on him.  He seemed fine.  They fed us a nice array of snacks which we ate despite being full from lunch.  Then they announced that dinner was served.  I could hardly believe it.  What lovely generous people!  We all pushed ourselves beyond our limits to eat enough to keep from offending our hosts.

From there we drove on to Ambarawa and arrived at about eight.  Bimo and family live in military housing on the base where he works - a three-bedroom, one-bath home with a large living room and dining area, and a small kitchen. By the time we all showered it was ten and time for bed. 

The boys slept in one bedroom, Bimo and Leena slept in their room, and the five of us slept on wall-to-wall mattresses on the floor of the third bedroom.  We were surprisingly comfortable and slept well.

February 20 (Monday)   Ambarawa

The big “D” (diarrhea) hit in the middle of the night.  Immodium helped some, but in the morning I needed something more.  I took the Chinese medicine that Mei and Dan had recommended.  That seemed to do the trick.  Aside from being a little sluggish, I was fine. My sluggishness may have had something to do with the heat.

Bimo’s driver picked us up in his nice clean car all full of gas and ready to go.  He was at our disposal for the rest of the day.  Our destination was Borobudur, “One of the forgotten wonders of the world”.  It was built in the eighth century.   It is now World Heritage site #592.

By the time we arrived it was already HOT.  As soon as we got out of the car, we were surrounded by vendors.  They were like flies and would not take “no” for an answer to their pleas that we buy their products.  But  when we bought from one, even more would descend on us.

We paid our entrance fee - $11 for outsiders, less for Indonesians.  (It was the most expensive admission yet.)  Then we walked up 62 steps to the first landing.  That was enough for all of us.  We exited past the elephant compound.  We learned that they never give rides on Mondays, but they did let us take photos, and one trainer put an elephant through its paces.

On our way back to Bimo’s we went to Muntilan so Mei could check out stone carvings to take back to Oshkosh.  The workshop we went to was an interesting place with three or four sculptors busily at work.  Most to the statues were traditional Indonesian images, but there was one huge Statue of Liberty - very out of place in a cute sort of way.

Back at the house we spent the rest of a rainy afternoon getting full-body massages.  The lady was very good and spent an hour with each of us.  She charged only $2.50.  Sandra and I each gave her $5.  Mei assured us it would be OK.  We wouldn’t ruin the economy.

February 21 (Tuesday) Ambarawa

After breakfast Lina went to her exercise class and took Billy and the girls with her.  Later Mei, Sandra and I went for a stroll around the base until we were stopped by and M.P. who told Mei it would be best if she put on long pants. (She had on short shorts and a sleeveless top - very modest by American standards but not modest enough in this land of the Muslims.)  She complied, then we walked over to Lina’s class. 

On our way home we stopped in to visit Bimo.  I told him that I would like to get a photo of him in uniform “protecting us” to send home to my family - especially my son, Tim, to assure them we are safe.  Instead he sent four of his men who had no idea why they had been sent to their major’s house until Mei explained.  Then they were happy to do any posing we asked of them.  We introduced them to Flat Stanley.  They were charmed and happy to pose with him too.  In fact, soon they were coming up with ideas for poses. All in all we had a grand time.

Just as we were leaving for the pool Mei got a call from the Fullbright people who are sponsoring her family’s trip, that there was a demonstration at the American Embassy in Jakarta.  It had to do with a cartoon that a Danish artist had drawn and published insulting Mohammed and all Muslims.  (So why weren’t they protesting at the Danish Embassy?)  From that episode reports began circulating that the rioters were out to get all Caucasians.

Bimo checked with a colleague of his in Jakarta and learned that the demonstration was nonviolent, and the threat to Caucasians was only an unfounded rumor.

Reassured, we went on to the pool.  Once again Bimo had sent his driver for us.  Admission to the pool was the equivalent of 11 cents each.  The pool was the best I’ve swum in since I was a kid swimming in a stone quarry.  The spring water that filled it was crystal clear and cool with no chlorine.  I had a wonderful swim and played with the kids.  Lina, Mei and Sandra did not swim.  Later I noticed that I was the only person over 25ish in the water and the only female in swim suit.  All the girls had on shorts and tee shirts.  No one gave me the evil eye or stared too much, so I did not feel too self-conscious.

Just next door was a seafood restaurant.  We were the only customers, so I didn’t feel too self-conscious there either.  My sarong covered me from the waist down.

Four adults and three children had rice, three kinds of fish, vegetables and drinks - all for $8 total.  It was wonderful!

I asked Mei and Lina if there was an Internet café in town.  I wanted to reassure my friends and family that we were OK.  Lina said there was none.  We decided to text-message Dan, and ask him to do it.

As we were leaving the restaurant the afternoon showers started.  Lina, Sandra and Mei could not resist the urge to take a nap.

Bimo came home late.  The general, for whom his men had been preparing for weeks, arrived at 3 o’clock instead of one, and he was gone by 3:30.  It seems that generals are the same everywhere.  We sat around in the evening and had an interesting discussion about the Danish cartoon and resulting melee.  The Danish embassy in Jakarta has been abandoned.  U.S. President Bush’s response about its being an example of freedom of speech is not popular at all.  Apparently the Danish president had an equally unpopular response to the incident.  There is no doubt that the United States is fast losing status in this part of the world.  In our travels we ran into people who would sooner say they were Canadian than American.

Bimo told us that the Indonesian Army is not fighting any wars anyplace, but they are in the Congo under the United Nations helping to build hospitals, schools, etc.

February 22 (Wednesday)   Ambarawa to Bandung

I got up at six and went for a walk around the base.  Already the soldiers were up and out and children were on their way to school.  It was a beautiful place set down in the midst of lovely mountains.  To my surprise there were quite a few rice paddies.  Reaction to me was either friendly or puzzled.  One of the soldiers who had posed with us was in a group I passed.  He came up and greeted me then told his friends about the photo shoot.  I know because the word “photo” is the same in Indonesian.

We had a few hours before our plane left, so Bimo’s driver, Ficaran (sp?) took us to a temple that was Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian all in one.  It was colorful and interesting, but we were most fascinated by a big black and yellow spider hanging in the center of its web munching on a fly that had been lured there.

From there Ficaran drove us around town until we came to a big old train station.  It was a pretty building constructed by the Dutch, and it had been well-maintained by the Indonesians.  It had been turned into a museum and offered rides on a little old blue train - and what a charming ride it was.  The engineer backed down the track for about half an hour passing by rice fields and fish farms.  At some points we passed through small communities and houses where folks were going about their daily lives.  Most seemed surprised to see the train as if its passing was a rare occurrence.  There were two “conductors” on board.  Whenever some one or thing was in our path one blew his whistle furiously.  Sometimes, for added safety, he hopped off the train waving his dirty, torn but very official red flag.

We saw water buffalo/oxen wallowing up to their necks in mud, a crew of equally muddy men digging black fertile soil out of the ground to be used as fertilizer.  They were loading it onto a truck.  (Mei noted that in Java the men do this dirty heavy work.  In Bali, it is the women.)Men and women in their cone-shaped straw hat worked in the rice fields.  Where there was more water, we saw fishermen in shallow-water boats fishing with nets and poles or from the shore with poles.    There were fish farms that, at first glance, looked like marinas.  Almost everyone looked up as we passed then smiled and returned our waves.

At the end of the line the train stopped then went forward and back down the same track.  It was a most charming and picturesque ride.

As we were photographing the station, Bimo joined us.  He had come on his motorcycle.  He assigned Ficaran to take it back to the base (It was starting to rain.), and he became our driver.

After a good lunch Bimo’s men loaded our bags into a military vehicle.  After saying thanks and good byes, we piled into Bimo’s car with Ficaran and caravanned to the airport in Jogya two hours away.  So far it seemed to me that driving anyplace in Indonesia in any type of vehicle is always like playing a giant game of chicken.  And I think “game” and “playing” are appropriate words.  We experienced no signs of road rage in anyone - our drivers or others.  Amazingly we saw only two minor accidents.

While we waited at the airport we got drinks then talked with a young Buddhist monk dressed in gray (instead of orange).  He told us he was from Korea.  We remarked that his English was quite good, and he told us that he had traveled extensively in the USA.

Our plane was a propeller/jet that held about 40 passengers.  During the one-hour flight the charming crew served water, a snack of fancy custard-filled pastry with bits of three colorful fruits on top and a spring roll.  Afterwards they came by with tea then picked up all the trash - all before we landed.  Our ticket cost only about $25 USD.  I’d say this little airline has a lot to teach the big “western” airlines that are raising prices and cutting customer service.

When we landed in Bandung a bus met our plane and took us to the terminal.  There, just inside the door, was our luggage - already, and only ours.  Apparently no one else had checked any.

It took two cabs to carry us and our stuff.  Sandra and the girls got into the first cab, and it took off as Mei and I got into the second.  There was a few frantic moments as our driver made contact with their driver and arranged a rendezvous spot so Mei could explain where we were going.

Dan was waiting for us.  We were all real glad to see him and visa versa.

Their rent house is grand with big, airy, well-lit spaces, tile floors, two bathrooms, and three big bedrooms.  There was also a guest room and two servants’ rooms in another attached building.  Dan thought it would be cozier for us all to sleep in the main house, so he set up my bed with a mosquito net in the foyer.  Sandra slept in the guest room/office.

We met Mbak (pronounced “Ba”) Annie, the helper, (cook, nanny, laundress, house-cleaner), a lovely young Muslim girl.  Her English was pretty good, so we were able to talk with her.

She had a nice meal prepared for us.  The girls excitedly told Dan about our trip, and he excitedly listened.  He was thrilled with the batik shirt and lava rock they brought him. (Remember - he is a Ph.D. geologist.)

By nine we were all ready for bed.

February 23 (Thursday) Bandung

This day we rested.  I worked on my photos.  The girls did a lot of art work.  Asmara’s theme was “Troika” - Russian for “three”, the story of a faithful sled dog who lost a hind leg protecting his master from a bear that got that leg in the fight.  The bear was never heard of again.  The dog went on to become the lead sled dog of a race-winning team.

Dinda sculpted the cutest little animals out of play dough.  She gave a dog with a bloody stump and a bear with a bloody leg in his mouth to Asmara for her project.  The rest she displayed/sold/gave to Sandra and me.

In the afternoon we went to an Internet café.  Sandra and I could not get into our mail, but we could compose and send.  So we did.

After dinner Dan rigged up a slide show on his computer, and we relived our trip up to this point.

February 24 (Friday) Bandung

At 4:30 a.m. I heard the singing from the mosques calling the people to morning prayer.  Mei is Muslim, but she no longer answers the call.  (Actually, I think it is mostly for men.)  However, she does not eat pork or drink alcohol as is the Muslim way.

Our first stop was the post office to see what it would cost to mail some things home.  The lady said it would be $90 USD.  Since the things were barely worth $100 USD, we decided to pack it in and carry it.

Mid morning we met Dan at his work at the University.  He gave us the grand tour and introduced us to some of his colleagues.  The campus is a nice spacious place.  The oldest buildings were built by the Dutch during colonial days.  We saw a huge square balloon overhead advertising something.  I noticed that a name on it was “Freeport McMoRan”, the US-based company that Sandra’s son works for.  They do strip mining in Indonesia.  We could not quite determine the purpose of the ad - possibly recruiting employees.  

After lunch we went to the Garund Sate (SP?) Which is the capitol building for the provincial government - sort of like the capitol building in Austin, TX or any other state capitol building.  It was constructed by the Dutch in 1920 and was later taken over by the Indonesians in 1945 after they ousted the Dutch and made Bandung the capitol of all Indonesia.

A somber guard met us in the parking lot and took us all into the main lobby where he asked us to wait while he took Mei away.  About ten minutes later they all emerged smiling.  The guard and a colleague/ student took us on a tour of the building.  Apparently it was not tour day, so the guard had to get special permission.

The highlight of the tour was going to the room at the top of the building where there was a great view of the city and the mountains.  There was a whole orchestra of gamelon instruments set out on a stage.  The guard gave us permission to play them.

After the tour we went back to the house and took it easy for the rest of the day - with just a little bit of excitement.  The neighbor over the back fence started a fire to burn green leaves - for the umpteenth time - and the smoke came right over the fence and into the yard.  Dan countered by dumping a bucket of water over the fence and onto the person who set it.  She countered by throwing a fairly large rock into his yard and shouting obscenities that only Mei could understand.  Dan threw the rock back, and Mei yelled a few comments.  That was the end for today, but Mei did call the manager of their rent house who said he would talk with the owner of the house behind them.  Mei guessed the fire-starter was a servant by the way she talked.

All this fuss was kind of fun and gave us a good appetite.  Sandra and I treated the family to a nice fish dinner out to thank them for their warm hospitality and so much more.

February 25 (Saturday) Bandung to Jakarta

By 8 a.m. we were on the road to Jakarta to visit Mei’s family.  For the first time on our trip we were on a sort of freeway driving through rural areas.  On our way out of town we passed some stately mansions largely hidden by huge fences.  Some were from the Dutch colonial times.

Out in the countryside we saw volcanos and limestone mountains.  There were lovely tiered rice fields that had been there hundreds of years.  It was refreshing to be out of the busy crowded cities.

By 10 a.m. we were in Jakarta traffic and Jakarta weather.  Happily neither of them were as bad as expected.  As we neared the home of Mei’s parents, the streets became more and more narrow until I thought surely they were one-way - no way!  Not only were they still two-way, SUV-type vehicles were parked on the side.  Mei had to pull her mirrors in to get by.

When we arrived Mei could not maneuver the car into the driveway, so she left it for her sister to do.  Before we could go into the house three men showed up with a charming monkey show.  What a delight it was for all of us after the stressful drive.

Mei’s  mom greeted us warmly.  Asmara and Dinda were excited to see their cousins.  Mei explained that her mom grew up in this area.  Now she can afford a much nicer house in a better part of the city, but she won’t leave her roots.  Instead she has bought up two or three house next to hers and joined them into one.

Mei’s sister, Yuyu, is divorced, and she and her two children, Amanda, age 8, and Kevin age 12 live in the house as does Addie, the youngest child.  Addie owns her own home, but it sits empty because she is not married and must stay with her parents.  Yuyu and Addie run their mom’s restaurants - two very nice and popular eating establishments named MekarI and Mekar II.  Mei’s dad studies the Koran and goes to mosque 3-5 times a day.  He watches over his real estate investments, and he is also very active in charity work.

By lunchtime Mei had arranged for her cousin to drive us to Mekar II for lunch.  It was a beautiful open-air place designed by Bimo and her dad.  Besides the big open eating areas there was a waterfall/fountain, play areas for children and a small Muslim prayer area.  The food was good too and the service first-rate.

Next we went to a huge park/museum - a very unusual one.  A  lake in the center contained “islands” built to scale to represent the Indonesian islands complete with little volcanos.  All around the lake were standard-sized buildings (replicas) representing the architectural styles of each island.  Mei and Dan were married here in the Javanese building.  We took a photo of them there 13 years later with their two lovely daughters.

In another part of the park a Disney-like fantasy castle looked really out of place from the outside.  However, inside it had an interesting display of shadow puppets.  In one room we were able to watch young girls learning the art of Balinese and Javanese folk  dancing.  They were charming.

We spent the evening at home eating food that Mei and Dan brought in and visiting with the family.  Flat Stanley joined us and charmed Mei’s parents then spent some time with the cousins who were having a slumber party.

February 26 (Sunday)   Jakarta

This morning we got up early so we could get our cab to the airport hotel before Mei and Dan left.  This would give them time alone with their family.  Also, Sunday is the busiest day at the restaurants, and we wanted to be out of their way before their day got going.

Mei’s sister, Addie, has connections in the hotel business and had made our reservations for us.  I think that’s why we got such a good deal and good service.

To our surprise and delight we were able to get right into our room right away, and what a nice room it was.  The floors and walls in the bathroom were marble.  All of the furniture wood was an elegant black.  The walls were white with no decoration - classy minimalist.  A nice buffet breakfast was included for the $75 USD price.  We ran that up a little eating dinner there and drinking at the bar.

The airport was a delightful place to spend time.  There were a lot of nice restaurants and shops.  There was even an Indonesian McDonalds with a gamelon orchestra set up in front with all of the instruments on display on a stage up in front.  No one came to play them while we were there.  Sandra and I found more batik and couldn’t resist buying some.

There was a spa on site, so Sandra got a manicure and pedicure.  I went to our room and did some yoga then went for a long walk around the inside of the airport.  Later, we found an Internet service and caught up on e-mail.

Today our trip is about half over and so I did a summary.  We are each about $3500 over budget.  I wonder if that has anything to do with our motto: “In for a penny, in for a pound.”  I estimated our daily expenses in the different countries as follows (USD): Fiji $150, New Zealand $95, Australia $192, Indonesia $45.

In terms of glitches, it hasn’t been bad.  1) The airline we had planned to take from Sydney to Bali went belly-up in November, and we did not hear about it until about two weeks before we had to go, but we were able to get new tickets for a fairly reasonable price. 2) Sandra lost her cell phone, but we could never get it to work anyway and never really needed it.  3) An ATM ate my credit card, but I was able to cancel it, and I had another for backup.