2004 Indonesia
In Oktober I went to Indonesia for 2,5 weeks and travelled around on Java and Bali.
The Album is on Flickr here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nitroburner/albums/72177720334127843/
Nov 11th, Leaving Schiphol Airport by KLM. First time in a plane. First time holiday without family. No idea what to eat or what to visit in Indonesia. I just wanted to meet my Girlfriend again.
Nov 12th, I arrived in Jakarta (after a 1,5 hour fuel stop in Singapore) where my friend Lita meets me. Together we flew to Surabaya later that evening (Lion Air, 21.45h). I stayed in Pabean Sedati, Sidoarjo with friends.
This was during the night of Idul Fitri 1425 H. So Loud music and children screaming into the Mosques (Masjid Al Ikhlas bar) speaker system, which was across the street. I couldn’t sleep.Nov 13th, we celebrate Idul Fitri together with the family and have dinner in a restaurant in a Surabaya Mall.
Nov 15th, we visit Air Terjun Coban Rondo Pujon, Alamando resto and Hortensia restaurant in Batu. In the afternoon we walk around in Malang (Alun Alun Tugu Malang – Jan Pieterszoon Coen Plein and Toko Oen).
Nov 17, the family takes us to the Grand Whiz Hotel Trawas.
Nov 18, we take a plane (Lion Air) to Bali and find a car that will bring us to our Hotel Puri Tanjung in Nusa Dua
Nov 19, Together with friends (Paul van der kroon en Irna, I think) we visit Goa Gajah, Kintamani (when there were no hotels there) and the Tegallalang rice terraces. in the evening we go see the monkey Dance performance, I forgot where.
Nov 20, We go to see Uluwatu, and Pura Ulun Danu Bratan in bedugul. At the end of the afternoon we arrive at Tanah Lot temple.
Nov 21st. At sunrise we arrive at Denpasar Bus station to take the touringcar to Surabaya. A one day trip. Due to the holidays (idul Fitra) there were no plane tickets available.
Nov 22nd. We take the train from Surabaya to Yogyakarta. When we arrived there at the station, we searched for a hotel and decided to stay in Istana Batik Ratna, just across the train station and close to Jl. Malioboro.
Nov 23rd, we visit Prambanan temple in the morning, and Borobudur temple in the afternoon. We also see Candi Mendut. In the evening we visit some Batik galleries and I try some Batik painting myself.
Nov 24th. A becak takes around Jl. Malioboro, Fort Vredenburg and the Yoguakarta Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat (Kraton). We want to go to Bandung next, the place where my father was born and grew up unit he was 15yo. But we can’t find a direct connection. So we take the night train to Jakarta. It was supposed to leava at 21.00h, instead it left at 23.00h. We could barely keep our eyes open at the station as we were both very tired, and I was afraid I might wake up to find our luggage lucky. Luckily it was all ok.
Nov 25th. We arrive in Jakarta at 8.00 or so in the morning, where a car and driver is waiting for us. We take te Puncak pass route to Bandung. By the time we arrive in Bandung it is alreay 13.00h. We visit the places my father lived and spend his youth and see gedung Sate. We stay in Hotel Guci. only half a day in Bandung.
Nov 26th. We go to see Kartika Sari early in the morning and the car takes us back to Jakarta. In the afternoon we visit Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. We stay at night with Lita’s Sister Oci in Bogor.
Nov 27th We take a minivan (stuffed with lots of people) to go to the botanical gardens (Kebun Raya) in Bogor, and see palais Buitenzorg (now Istana KePresidenan Bogor) in thr mornng. In the afternoon we take the trein to Jakarta and visit the Monumen Nasional (Monas) and go souvenir hunting in Sarinah ware house.
Nov 28th. In the evening I fly back home in a KLM 747.
Nov 29th. early in the morning, my parent pick me up at Schiphol. At around 7.30 (or maybe a bit later) I’m back home.
Until 2004 all the holiday’s I spent was with my family, and not further than Austria and Lake Garda.
Spending 2 weeks in a country that’s so completely different really made a big impression on me.
I’ve returned to indonesia in 2009 and 2012 with my family and for a long time didn’t go back. We wanted to in 2020, but then Covid-19 came. We moved house in summer 2022, so no time for holiday. We wanted to go in 2025, but in winter 2024 I got sick, spent a week in a hospital and was not sure if I was ever gonna be able to go on a (far) holiday ever again. Luckily in spring of 2026 I was able to go back to indonesia. And I lost my heart to the country and the people that live there. I cant wait to go there again. And in 10 years time, when I’m retired and hopefully still alive and healthy, I think we should rent a house there for a few months in winter time. I would really like to spent the winter time there. Just need to figure out what I’m gonna eat every day…
Some photos are blurred on request of my family.
The Album is on Flickr here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nitroburner/albums/72177720334127843/
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