It's the picture taken at SMPN 3 Waru Sidoarjo
Saturday, June 21, 2008 4:38 AM
From:
""Stephan Störmer""
To:
engl.journal%stoermer@gmx.ch
Hello everybody!
After short time Singapore, I came to Sumatra, the biggest from around 17'000 Indonesian islands.
On the big ship to Sumatra were some tousend people. I was the only "white one" (european guy). It was a feeling like a rock star ;-)
When I came to Medan (north Sumatra), I met there some local people and also one man from Canada. We spent nice time together and it was not easy after around 1 week say 'good bye' to my new friends there.
Some parts on Sumatra are real jungle with some wild tigers, but normal they come not on the road, so I was happy not to see a real wild tiger there ;-)
The famoust Tourist area is Lake Toba, a lake in an old cold volcano on around 1'000 meter high. On Sumatra there are very less tourists and also there I see only 3 tourists.
Sumatra I crossed from north eat to south west and also crossed the equator. Since then I stay on the south part from the earth and don't know when I will come back to the north part???
Sumatra is to big to cross completly with a 2 month Visa and also travel on other islands in Indonesia.
So I took a bus south in Sumatra for around 1'000 km.
From there I took the ferry boat to the main island Java.
Java is so big like half of germany and there life around 120 mill. people. It means never I feel alone there!
The travel from the ferry to Jakarta was real dangerous, special buses, there passed too closed. When I screen to to bus driver, they cames sometimes shocked and mad a big turn around me.
In Jakarta I wanted extend my Visa. People in the immigration office give the application on Bahasa Indonesia (the Indonesian Language) and I can't read it. Nobody wanted help me there and so I left without Visa extension. Later people tell me, if you give some money (I would say to this maybe not- official- fee) they will give application on English.
Indonesia have around 200 different languages, but in the school they teach Bahasa Indonesia,as a official language.
The "warungs" (food stall or wagon) are also outside from villages and towns. So never I took a lot food on the bicycle, only water. Most time people on Sumatra and also Java and Bali like take a "bule price" (bule = foreigner) from tourists. So sometimes I ask 5 times ore more in different shops for water or other drinks or food.
East from Java young guy invite me to his house. It was first time after long time! He life there together with his parents grandparents, brothers and sisters. I enjoy it very much to have this kind of contact!
2 days later young people (Nisa and Anam) invite me to talk about my travel in a library club. In the end I stayed 3 days there with fool program for me ... interview in the radio and for newspapers, library club, college and junior high school. It was a great time for me to stay with local people and more to can talk about my travel for other people, especial in the schools!
A big thank to my friends Nisa and Anam!!!! :-)
Last day we go to Safari and enjoy the time and can relax together....
After I left my new friends, I came sick and stayed 5 days everyday for around 20 hours in the bed in a hotel. After this time I start slowly the way to Bali.
Very often people say 'hello mister', on Sumatra it was some days more then 500 times! Plus more then 100 times 'How are you?', 'What is your name?', 'Where are you from?','To where you want go?', 'What do you do?' -???
Most time people didn't understand the answers and speak not real English! So I can't talk with the people... Most people don't know where is Germany, but a lot people know Germany is famous for football!
My favourit meal comes Mie or Nasi Goreng (Mie = nudels, Nasi = rice). Most time it was real without meat. Sometimes I try to explaine I'm a vegetarian. But people speak most no English and to understand I want have Mie Goreng without meat, was not a easy exercise for me ;-)
On the islands Sumatra and Java (and also most other islands) life most moslem people. On Bali life Hindu people. Indonesia have 5 legal religions: Islam, katholic, angliska, Hindu and Buddism.
Around 80 to 90 % are Moslem.
In the houses and hotels in Indonesia, but also before in Thailand and Malaysia, they have no showers, but 'mandis'. A 'mandi' is a very big bowl in the bathroom you take water from there with a small pot over you. (Sorry for can not better explain! ;-))
On the road are often monkeys and also snakes. The last snake, was alive, I talk with locals about this, they say it was a real poison snake. But I turned around and was fast enough :-)
With snakes I will maybe have more experience in my next country.
At the time I stay on the paradise: Bali. I turned around the island from north and came 3 days ago to Kuta, the most famous village on the island.
Here they have nightlife, clubs, shows, surf and diving schools, white sand beach (but too much tourists on it) ... all what tourist like (or not ;-))!
Tomorrow night I will leave Bali by airplane and go to Australian. It will be the first time I use the airplane on my trip with my bicycle together for come to the next country.
In Australian I will look for a job, because I need money for continue my trip.
I think after two years and two month on the road, it's OK for me to work again :-)
Last weeks I had the idea to go back to Switzerland for earn money there. But I loose my chance and so I will continue my trip on this way.
I will also write from Australian, but if I have a job not so often...
Sorry again for all my mistakes and I hope you will understand what I mean...
My webmaster put the pictures on my german journal on my homepage:
http://www.stephan-on-tour.name/reisebericht.html
If it's not work so please use my startpage (on the end of this mail) and press
on the top: Der aktuelle Reisebericht
I wish all of you nice summer and enjoy your time with friends!
Keep in touch!
Steve
--
Stephan Stoermer
