Back from Indonesia

[Andrew Gubb]

I'm back! Holiday's over. Pictures will be up on Facebook soon.

I've seen and heard and felt so many things on this trip. It's been such a growth experience for me. More about that on my blog later.

I feel like changing a lot of things in my life now. Some serious spring cleaning so to speak. This will probably involve some changes in how I use the internet and this forum, although I don't know exactly what form these changes will take yet. I have to say I felt a lot lighter somehow on my routine of checking my email every 3 - 4 days. Not saying I intend to continue in exactly that rhythm but something a bit more like it, I think...

How have you guys all been?

[dream]

You have been missed! Tell us all more about your trip and what you have learned. You can put up a full commentary on your site but give us something to munch on. I like hearing about others experiences abroad.

[Andrew Gubb]

Well here is the full commentary: Indonesia Holiday

And here are the photos:

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Photobucket: Pictures by Andrew_Gubb - Photobucket

If I can, I may write something here later. I'm a bit pressed for time though.

[moonrambler]

Hi Andrew, welcome back! I was wondering where you've been.

[irfan]

Hey Andrew,

Nice blog and glad to hear you had a good time in Indonesia. I've lived here for 20 years now, and I still learned a few new things. I've never even heard of House of Peace before! I've had that type of mock-duck and mock-lots-of-other-things in Singapore and quite like it.

I go through periods of mainly eating raw, so I appreciated your comments about the fruit and veggies.

I get up and go for long walks early in the morning in Jakarta, sometimes all the way across town - amazing how far you can walk in two or three hours if you keep up a steady place - geographically speaking, it's not such a big town, it just has a lot of people in it, which makes it feel like a big town ....

.... but this morning I walked around Monas, the park you enjoyed, before finishing up at one of the hotels where I'm a member of the swimming pool.

You talked a little bit about the lack of poverty in Indonesia. Appearances can be a little bit deceptive like that Around half of the people in the country live on $2 per day or less. They are the people out in the villages, away from the main streets, and in the kampung.

I don't agree with you about durian. I think they are the best fruit on earth.

Jogja is a lovely town, isn't it? I always recommend it to friends who come through Indonesia. I love living in Jakarta, but it's a bit big and intense to take in on a holiday for some people.

Check out my blog on writing a book about poor and marginal groups in Indonesia! The link is on my signature line.

Cheers to you and your girl friend .....

[Andrew Gubb]

Hey irfan, thanks for the time reading and commenting on my post. I've returned the favour... really interesting blog you have, too, I hope you keep it going.

Replying to your comments at random ....

I would really recommend you try House of Peace It's such a great restaurant.

The guys there also recommended "pundi maitri" - Pundi Maitri | Facebook - where you can buy the incredible mock meats they use in the restaurant. I would be practically living there if I lived in Jakarta I recommend the mock beef made of mushrooms. I think even hardcore meat eaters would want it.

About durian: I wonder if this is something genetic. My father works in genetics and told me about a) a flower which 10% of all people are unable to smell; and b) a genetic mutation that causes cilantro/coriander to taste exactly like soap.

The difference in the way durian is experienced is so wild that I'm sure it has to be something like that. The taste I experienced was so plainly horrible I find it hard to see how anyone could like it just by changing their psychological associations to it or whatever else causes someone to like or dislike a food. However you put the spin on it, the taste (for me) is horrible.

Indonesia definitely is intense, isn't it... it seems to be an acquired taste To start with we couldn't stand it, but we started to appreciate it a little more towards the end.

Oh, I smiled when you mentioned Jalan Jaksa in that post... we were staying in Margot Hotel.

Cheers

[irfan]

What made you choose Indonesia?

Years ago, I was travelling through Burma on a holiday. I ran into a couple of Americans who asked about Indonesia. They said they'd thought about visiting but it seemed "too dangerous". I couldn't believe it! In Burma, with the military and the smack lords and half a dozen secessionist wars, and they tell me Indonesia is too dangerous!

So how come you chose Indonesia and not, say, Burma, Laos, Thailand or Vietnam?

[Andrew Gubb]

Because I made some friends on the internet from Indonesia and that got me started on it. Apart from that I've always been interested in seeing an archipegalo nation which left me with Indonesia or the Phillippenes. I love the sea, and I loved being in such close contact with it.

Honestly, it could have been any other way, if I had friends in another country or just had my attention swung that way. It didn't matter overmuch where we were going to take the holiday, most of all we wanted to go far and go somewhere very different (and tropical). But I think we made a good choice.

[Federer]

Welcome back Andrew. Checked out your pic and they are great ones.

[SleepBro]

Can we see pictures? Must have been fantastic!

[Andrew Gubb]

@Sleepbro here are the pictures:

Originally Posted by Andrew Gubb

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Photobucket: Pictures by Andrew_Gubb - Photobucket