Welcome to the hard house world of the new Indonesia! In this regard, Tiesto (the Dutch DJ) made a significant contribution last Saturday night, when he performed at Carnaval Beach, Ancol Bay City Jakarta. We had tickets for this outdoor happening, and despite rain and muddy conditions, we stayed until 04:00. We arrived late though, [...]
Tiesto is performing at Carnaval Beach on Saturday, and I (together with Caecil and Sanjay) decided to not miss this event, and got hold of tickets yesterday. Price: Rp 250k each.
This is the schedule on Saturday:
20.00 – 21.00 : ORIGINAL NARO
21.00 – 22.00 : MILINKA RADISIC
22.00 – 23.30 : ROMY 1945MF
23.30 – 01.00 : WINKY [...]
Below is a GPS track log of the taxi ride from Kalimarau Airport to Tanjung Batu last month, and the speedboat trip from Tanjung Batu to Pulau Derawan, including waypoints. The position at Pulau Derawan is the location of the guesthouse where I stayed at.
I have marked Pulau Kakaban and Pulau Sangalaki as well, but [...]
Below is a GPS track log of the trip by car from Makassar to Tana Toraja last December. As usual, I used my Garmin GPSMAP 60CX to log the track and to mark the places we stayed at.
One day after returning from Pulau Derawan, I became sick with severe headache. It lasted a few days.
On 16 January I flew from Balikpapan to Jakarta.
On 18 January, my visa expired, so I flew to Singapore, and took a ferry to Batam for another 30-day visa. I stayed one night at Istana Hotel Batam for [...]
Pulau Derawan (and nearby islands) is another one of those hidden gems in Indonesia’s remote corners. Not many have heard about it either.
Arrival at Kalimarau airport.
Excited as I was, on 4 January, 10:40 hours, I flew from Balikpapan on KalStar Aviation (Rp 720k) via Samarinda, and arrived at Kalimarau airport in Tanjung Redeb, the [...]
We happened to be situated in Balikpapan during the New Year. Astrid was our host, and still is, during our stay here.
On 1 January we were surprised by a really heavy downpour while driving, and the streets were flooded in just 15 minutes or so, making some stretches impassable. But the rain vanished just as [...]
Christmas 2009 was spent in Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, together with Caecil, Astrid, Saras, Eka, and Rani. Tana Toraja is known for their unique burial rites. I and Caecil also spent a few days in Makassar afterwards.
23 December
I and Caecil flew from Jakarta to Makassar on Batavia Airlines (Rp 750k each), and checked into New Legend [...]
I observed this colorful VW Beetle in the parking lot of Plaza Senayan last Friday. Cool.
A freaky Beetle.
Last week I went to the local immigration office here in East Jakarta to complete the paperwork of my visa extension. The office is located in a dirty and depressing area of the city, next to a huge high-security prison surrounded by high walls, double fences and razor wire. Drug convicts are held here (Jakarta [...]
I’m rather bored sitting countless hours inside a car in the Jakarta traffic jams, and here is a rather pointless picture I took right now, on the way from the city to Cibubur. At least I can play with my internet connected computer to make time pass by, including posting this!
Jakarta traffic.
It suddenly started to rain, and I decided to take this totally meaningless video while sitting at a place called Pappa Cafe in jl. Jaksa, where they got cheap beer (but ice cold!). A hippie type is entering. Moments after I took the video, a girl entered, fell on the slippery floor, head down, and [...]
I was near the Sarinah building the other day while having my lunch on the street, and took these pictures of bajaj passing by.
Jakarta is full of these Indian two-stroke engine powered vehicles, especially on the smaller roads. Fare determination is by bargaining.
Bajaj.
Bajaj.
First time I see one of these in Jogja, or in all of Java for that matter. Normally the becaks are pedalled, but this one has an engine. There’s an integrated sound system too. Cool. I made a ride in this one from Mall Malioboro to my hotel yesterday.
And after 12 days in Jogja, I [...]
When I was at Mall Malioboro yesterday, some sort of parade was suddenly passing by along jl Malioboro. I went out to take a few pictures.
Oh yeah, and when I came back to the hotel last night, the Muslim guy (his name is Anton) in the reception was drinking vodka with a friend. I saw [...]
I went to the beach at Parangtritis yesterday afternoon. It’s less than an hour drive south of Yogya. I haven’t been there in about 7 years, but it looks the same today. Very quiet since on a Monday. The huge waves make it impossible to swim though. Black volcanic sand. Windy.
Parangtritis beach.
Parangtritis beach.
Parangtritis beach.
In lack of something better to post, here’s a video clip taken yesterday during a becak ride from Mercury Guest House to Mall Malioboro. It’s a distance of 3 km.
Deepavali is a Hindu festival, and in connection to this event, on Sunday (18 Oct), we visited our Indian friend Sanjay at his family’s residence near Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta.
I ate too much of the delicious lamb curry, while Caecil said it was too spicy… The Indian snacks was great too.
Sanjay and cousins.
The train arrived in Yogyakarta at 17:50 yesterday, 9 hours after leaving Jakarta.
I took a becak for Rp 15k to Mercury guest house (as usual), and checked into room number 12 upstairs, which I had reserved in advance. Rp 110k room price. The best rooms (in my point of view) are number 12, 14 and [...]
I left Gambir train station, Jakarta, this morning at 08:52 (37 minutes behind schedule), on board the airconditioned Taksaka train (Rp 210k) bound for Yogyakarta.
Hopefully I will be in Yogya around 8 hours later. In the mean time I’m enjoying the view of Java here from my train seat number 10D. It is sunny, almost [...]
I am in downtown Jakarta, at the Sarinah building, and took a couple of pictures from the bridge crossing jl. Thamrin, one of the main Jakarta streets.
Of all places in Jakarta, this area is possibly the most familiar to me.
Indonesia’s first McDonald’s recently changed name to Toni Jack’s, also a junk food joint.
Beggar on the [...]
We moved out from Aston Rasuna apartment today, and in to the Cibubur residence, on the edge of Jakarta.
My bicycle also arrived today. It was sent by cargo ship from Balikpapan last month.
I will probably make a trip to Yogyakarta soon, to my “oasis” Mercury guesthouse. A great place to just hang out and do [...]
I took a taxi to the East Jakarta immigration office this morning to have a visa extension. I went here last Thursday too, but in vain, since they demanded the signature on the sponsor letter to be written across a stamp duty (Rp 6000 tax stamp).
The immigration office is located next to the large Cipinang [...]
Yesterday we drove to the Cibubur residence, East Jakarta, for the Idul Fitri holiday, and will be staying here until Wednesday.
Here’s a video clip of one of the birds in the garden. I found the bird to be quite funny, look at the way it’s waving its head.
This is the last day of Tour Europe 2009 for the Gang of Four.
The Laughing Taxi Driver, still laughing, picked us up around 04:00, and drove us to the airport, terminal 3.
We took a Mandala flight (Rp 500k) at 06:00 to Balikpapan, arriving in Balikpapan around 09:00.
Saras took a taxi to her residence, while I, [...]