Thursday, October 2
Wonosobo, Java, Indonesia
It was raining in the morning. The previous afternoon had been cloudy, but the rain had held off. Now everything was wet. At 6:30 I left in a car I had hired from the hotel ($150.) We were heading into the hills north of Yogyakarta. I wanted to visit some old Hindu temples located on the Dieng Plateau - a region dominated by ancient volcanoes.

We pulled out of Yogyakarta onto a wide four-lane highway slick with rain. All the motorbike riders were wrapped in colorful ponchos against the rain. I saw one woman with a child riding behind her. The kid was completely covered by the woman's pink poncho and only the tot's pudgy, little legs were sticking out.

Along the road were banana and palm trees. Farther, there were ponds where fish were being raised. I had the driver stop so I could take some photos. This is the advantage of having a driver - you see something interesting and you can stop. On the bus you just whiz by.

My driver, Indra, and I only half understood each other. Whenever he said something, I had to ask him to repeat it several times. Despite this, he was a friendly fellow and a good, steady driver - just what I was looking for.

Finally, after a little more than an hour we reached the Borobudur Temple. It was a huge, low stone temple with six massive galleys lined with stone carvings. At the top there were 72 stupas each containing a statue of the Buddha. The stupas were constructed so that you could see the statue inside. At the top there was a spectacular view of the surrounding palm groves and the hills behind them.

Borobudur is Java's best-known tourist destination and there were a lot of school groups visiting. They were all quite friendly and wanted to talk. I spent the better part of an hour visiting with these kids, ("Where are you from? How long have you been in Indonesia" and so forth.) Also, I had a line of them wanting to take their photo with me - I felt like some kind of celebrity. This gave me a great opportunity to take their pictures, too.

Back in the car we started to climb on curvy, narrow roads as it continued to drizzle. Every hill, every conceivable space on every hill, seemed to be terraced with rice. The fields were in all states of cultivation: some just being plowed, some being planted, some ready to harvest, and others sitting fallow. The landscape was some of the loveliest, most picturesque I have ever seen, but the fog and mist made it hard to photograph.

Higher up Indra pointed out tea bushes. There was also red and white bougainvillea, and marigold bushes as tall as a man. People walked along the road carrying bundles of rice stalks attached to either end of a long pole that they balanced on their shoulder.

Finally, about noon we reached Wonosobo, the gateway to the Dieng Plateau. First, we checked in to the Surya Asia, the best hotel in town according to my travel guide. It was quite nice and only cost $20 per night. Then, we drove a few blocks to a restaurant of the same name and had an excellent Chinese lunch. Java had the best tasting rice I have ever eaten. They also know how to cook it so it’s fluffy and light - never sticky. Even the rice in the fast-food restaurants was great.

After lunch we drove another half-hour up a winding road past more rice terraces to the Dieng Plateau. We drove over a steep rise and then down onto a wide, flat plateau surrounded by ancient volcanoes. The whole area was under cultivation - predominately with potatoes and cabbage. White plastic pipes arched over the road to irrigate the fields.

We passed several small villages on the way to the center of the plateau where we stopped to visit several 8th century Hindu temples. The buildings were small and severely weathered and not much to look at. The surrounding fields and hills made a more spectacular scene. I walked around the temples in the continuing drizzle. It had cooled off enough that I had to put on a fleece jacket.

Over a nearby hill I saw a huge column of steam rising. I asked Indra what it was and he offered to show me. The steam turned out to be coming from a cauldron of boiling mud. The smell of sulfur filled the air and hot mud splashed out of the pit. I had been warned not to stand too close.

Much of the center of the plateau was geologically active and I could see steam rising from vents all around me. In fact, there was a facility to capture the steam and generate electricity not far away.

After looking around for a while we headed back to the hotel. From there I walked to a nearby shopping district. There were a couple of three-story shopping buildings where I poked around until they closed. When I stepped outside I found it was pouring. There was a large overhang on the front of the building and I was stranded there. I spent the time talking to people.

Finally the rain eased and I made a dash for the hotel. Back there I visited the business center and sent some email. After, I sat in the lobby, drank a couple of beers and brought my journal up-to-date. It continued to rain.

Friday, October 3
Pangandaran, Java, Indonesia
It rained on and off throughout the night. At about 3:30 the Muslin call to prayer started. First, it came from one mosque and then shortly another joined in - then another. Finally, 5 or 6 mosques were blaring out the call. Instead of it ending like it normally did, they continued to broadcast the entire morning prayer - 5 or 6 separate, disharmonious versions. It was impossible to sleep. Finally, at about 4:45 it went quiet and I could sleep again.

By the time we hit the road at 8:00 it had started raining again. Today we were going to Pangandaran, a beach town on the south coast. I was planning to spend a few days lounging in the sun before heading on to Jakarta. At least I hoped it would be sunny.

First, we drove down a winding, narrow road through yet more agriculture. It was pleasant and green. Then we passed through a number of small villages with small thatch-roofed shops. There was often road repair going on. There would also be a man with a bucket soliciting donations to support the construction. Indra had a small stash of cash he dipped into to pay these guys.

Next, we pulled onto a wide four-lane road crowded with buses and trucks. We raced along as it continued to rain on and off. The last part of our journey was on another winding, narrow road. This time we passed through a lovely, wild forest with little sign of civilization.

It was raining even harder when we arrived in Pangandaran. I had Indra to take me to the best hotel on the beach ($30). I figured if I was going to be stuck in the rain, I might as well be comfortable. As I checked in I asked the desk clerk, "How long has it been raining?" I expected her to say something like, "All day." To my dismay and shock she said, "For a couple of weeks." Why, I wondered, didn't I know this? I had checked the weather in Yogyakarta. I decide right then that I was going to leave as soon as I could.

I dropped my stuff in my room and grabbed my raincoat. Back at the desk I asked directions to the nearest travel agent. Outside I found a becak and was driven into town.

I was soaked by the time I got to the travel agent. I told the clerk I wanted to go to Bandung, a large city in western Java on the way to Jakarta. He offered me two options: I could take the local bus or rent a car and driver ($45). After thinking it over for a few minutes I decided I wanted the car and driver. I figured this would give me more options. If I found it was raining in Bandung I would just have the driver drop me at the train station and continue on uninterrupted to Jakarta.

By now the rain had slowed to a drizzle, so I took a walk. Along the way I found a becak driver who spoke a little English and had him take me on a short tour of the town. As we drove the rain finally stopped.

Pangandaran is on a narrow peninsula, the far end of which is a national park. First, we drove by the fishing fleet on the west side, then past the park entrance where deer had collected to dine on the town's garbage and finally along the eastern tourist beach, which was completely empty.

I had the driver drop me at a small café where I had dinner. The walls of the café were made of woven bamboo and a cool, damp breeze blew in from the sea. As it got dark I sat and drank a beer. I wondered how it could have gotten so cool - it was almost cold here by the water. Just a few days ago I had been suffering in the heat. Finally, I walked back to my hotel and curled up secure in the knowledge that I was moving on in the morning.

Saturday, October 4
Bandung, Java, Indonesia
I got up early and I took a walk on the beach. It was cool and breezy and dark clouds filled the sky, but at least it wasn't raining. Then I had breakfast in the hotel's open-sided restaurant. After eating I sat watching white waves break from the dark sea. It was great to smell the salty, humid sea breeze. I was a little sad my stay here was going to be so short.

At 7:00 my driver, Dedi, picked me up and we headed off to Bandung. The Internet weather forecast, which I had checked the previous evening, predicted clear skies so my hopes were high.

The drive to Bandung wasn't very exciting. The first half was along the same road I had come in on - thickly forested, but dry this time. Then we turned west and passed more rice fields. I had Dedi stop so I could take some pictures of two men plowing with a water buffalo - a sight one does not see in the States.

As we neared Bandung the road got wider and the thicker with traffic. In the distance I could see conical, volcanic mountains which surround Bandung. About noon we pulled into the Guntur Hotel - both Dedi and my travel guide had recommended it. Besides being fairly cheap ($21), it had a central garden, air-conditioning and was just around the corner for the railroad station.

I had three things that I needed to do: exchange money, send email and get lunch. I got a map from the desk clerk and had her show me where I might accomplish these things. Then I headed out into the sunny afternoon. What a relief to be hot again. But instead of focusing on my task, I decided to take a walk in a nearby shopping area.

There were several multi-story department stores with the nearby street full of noisy stands selling everything from sox to vegetables, from VCDs to kid’s toys. As I walked around it started to lightly rain, so I ducked into one building and explored it floor by floor. In the basement was a food mall where I got something to eat. The next two floors were given over to clothing stores. The third floor contained beauty shops.

On the top floor I found a group of boys racing some kind of battery powered model cars. They had an elaborate three-lane track laid out on the floor and sat in little groups "tuning" their tiny racers. They were delighted to show me how their cars operated and to have their photos taken.

Outside the rain had stopped so I went looking for an exchange booth and an Internet shop. I found neither and decide to take a taxi back to the hotel. From there I stupidly headed out on foot to find the places the desk clerk had suggested - even though the sky was dark with the threat of more rain.

I found the exchange place first - it was closed - and then headed on toward the Internet shop when it started to rain again. This time there were no buildings to duck into, so I had to stop and sit at a food stand. It poured for the next half-hour. As soon as it let up a little I flagged down a taxi and headed back to the hotel.

It was getting late and I still needed to send email so I asked a young fellow I met in the lobby to help me talk to a taxi driver. After he explained what I wanted, I was driven to an incredibly noisy Internet shop. Most of the computers were occupied by boys playing video games while eating plates of rice and vegetables. I sent my email as quickly as I could and left. On the way to find a taxi I saw an ATM machine where I got some cash then headed back to the hotel.

Now I needed to decide what to do tomorrow. I could stay another day in Bandung or move on to Jakarta. The rain had thrown my plans off. I hadn't intended to stop in Bandung, but here I was. I sat in the hotel dining room pondering this while I drank a beer, but still I couldn't decide. "Tomorrow," I thought, "I’ll decide what to do in the morning."

Sunday, October 5
Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
When I woke I started reading my travel guide. I figured I could amuse myself in Bandung for another day, but decided instead to head on to Jakarta. After breakfast I walked around the corner to the train station and caught the 6:30 express to Jakarta.

It was one of the most pleasant train rides I have ever taken. The car was clean and modern. As soon as we left an attendant brought pillows and a box breakfast. There was also a movie playing on the overhead TV's and even "in flight" shopping.

But the best was the scenery. As I have already written, Java was beautiful and the first half of the trip was through some of the loveliest country I had ever seen. There were small canyons terraced with narrow rice patties. The air was clear and the light sparkled off the dew-covered rice. Areas not under cultivation were full of tropical vegetation. In the distance there were sharp, volcanic mountains. The train moved along at a good clip and I had that wonderful feeling of expectation that comes with traveling to a new place.

Just before noon we pulled into Jakarta's main train station. Outside I took a taxi to the Arcadia Hotel where I got the last available room. I then headed out for a walk, but was quickly defeated by the heat - it was much hotter in Jakarta. For relief I headed to the Sarinah Department store, near the hotel. First, I had lunch and then shopped the many floors of souvenirs they offered - it's quite a collection and well priced, too. Back at the hotel I took a nap. I was planning to go out when I got up until I looked out the window. In the distance I could see heavy rain rolling in. I decided to visit the hotel bar instead.

Monday, October 6
Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
I woke early determined to make the most of my last full day. After breakfast I walked north a few kilometers to a busy, muddy market. There were several buildings full of shops and the streets were crowded with stalls. They had everything from fabric to fruit, from car parts to plastic goods. I amused myself by taking photos. After an hour or so I got a taxi to a bird market on the other side of the city. Jakarta is a large, flat city and going anywhere meant spending time stuck in traffic. I did the usual at the bird market: nosed around and took more photos.

Next, I got a motorized three-wheeler (similar to the Bangkok tuk-tuk) to the antique market. Actually, I never made it to the market in the tuk-tuk. The driver was clueless and drove me in circles. Somehow he ended up near my hotel, which wasn't even close to the market. When I recognized the neighborhood I had him stop. I got out in disgust.

I finally found a taxi driver who actually knew where I wanted to go. The Antique market was a collection of small shops running along a dirty canal. They sold mostly Chinese porcelain and polished brass nautical instruments. Owners sat in front of their shops working on their wares.

From there I walked over to a nearby flower market - took more photos - and then got another taxi to Jakarta's biggest shopping mall, Plaza Indonesia. It was one of those western-style, upscale places. I looked around and quickly left - it was way too expensive.

I got taxi back to my hotel and from there I walked to a local shopping area. Along the sidewalk there were small food stands. They usually had a smoky charcoal cook fire on the street side and opposite that a bench and narrow table. The whole thing would be covered with a canopy against sun or rain.

If you were trying to walk, you could either crowd through between the diners and the "kitchen" or, if you felt brave, walk in the street with the buses and cars. These little food stands were either extremely interesting or completely annoying depending on how big a hurry I was in.

Anyway, I shopped and photographed the rest of the day away. Later, when it cooled off, I found an outside café on a reasonably quiet street and sat watching small lizards crawl the wall looking for insects.

It was time to say good -bye to Java. I had enjoyed the breath-taking landscape, the quick-to-smile people and the wonderful archaeological sights. Java was both inexpensive and very interesting. It was as pleasant a place as I have ever visited.

Tuesday, October 7
Jarkarta, Java, Indonesia
I slept late and then did some more shopping. Later, I loafed around my room and finally packed my bag. Around 2:00 I took a taxi to the airport to catch a flight back to Thailand. I still had another day in Bangkok, but I was on my way home.

Ann Arbor, Michigan
November 2003

Part One: Yogyakarta

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