Where is Rune?

I decided upon this trip just a few days before departure, and bought a relatively cheap return ticket with Aeroflot from Oslo to Bangkok via Moscow.

Trip duration: 6 to 27 July 1998.

Route: Arrival in Bangkok. Bus to Hat Yai, and then to Songkhla, where I found a hotel to stay. I met some Thai people and was invited to a villa in a nice area near a lake, and stayed a night there. Bus back to Hat Yai, and then crossing the border to Malaysia by land, and further on to Georgetown, Penang (Malaysia). Ferry to Belawan in Sumatra (Indonesia), and a bus to Medan. Bus to Bukit Lawang. Bus back to Medan. Bus to Danau Toba. Then finally bus (and one ferry) all the way back to Bangkok (via Medan, Belawan, Penang, and Hat Yai). Departure.

It was extremely cheap in Indonesia at the time, since the Rupiah had crashed to 15.000 to the dollar, compared to 2.400 to the dollar on my first visit the year before.

My hosts outside villa at lake, near Songkhla, Thailand

Bukit Lawang, Sumatra, Indonesia.

Danau Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia.

Market at Parapat, Danau Toba.

This was my second trip to the Philippines, and lasted from 15 March to 12 April 1998.

Route details: Arrival in Manila on Lufthansa via Frankfurt. Bus and ferry to Puerto Galera (I stayed at Sabang beach). Back to Manila again. Flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Jeepney to Sabang (near the Subterranian River). Jeepney back to Puerto Princesa, then another jeepney to El Nido (12 hours jeepney ride). Back again to Puerto Princesa (another 12 hours jeepney ride). Flight to Cebu. Ferry and bus to Camiguin island via Cagayan de Oro. At this point I don’t remember the route exactly, but after Camiguin, I ended up in Boracay, and from there I went back to Cebu by land and sea. Finally I took a flight from Cebu to Manila, and departed on 12 April (Lufthansa).

Ferry, Puerto Galera.

Entering Puerto Princesa Subterranian River, Palawan.

Boat trip, El Nido, Palawan.

Flat tire during jeepney ride from El Nido to Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Camiguin island.

This was my first trip to the Philippines, and lasted from 5 to 26 July 1997. I flew on Gulf Air to Manila via Abu Dhabi.

Route: Arrival in Manila on 5 July. Long bus journey (and a ferry) to Allen, Samar island. Jeepney ride to Calbayog. I met two old American missionaries (husband and wife) on the jeepney, and they offered me to stay in their house for the night (which I accepted). Bus and ferry to Cebu City (via Catbalogan and Tacloban). Bus and ferry to Boracay. And finally passenger ship to Manila, and departure on 26 July.

Passing through Catbalogan, Samar island.

Flat tire, on the way to Boracay. My bag can be seen on the ground.

Boat to Boracay, which is the island in the background.

Village in Boracay. I was invited into the house for a tuna fish meal.

Forbes Park, Manila.

Informal settlements along the river. Tondo area, Manila.

My second trip to SE Asia lasted from 29 December 1996 to 25 January 1997. I had wanted to go on a vacation outside Europe. It had to be a warm, tropical place, especially since I was trapped in the cold and dark North-Norwegian winter (I was stationed with the military in Bodø). I considered either to go somewhere in South America or South East Asia. I finally decided upon SE Asia, as I regarded it as safer and easier than South America. I had already been to Thailand, so I decided to fly to Singapore, and fly home from Jakarta. It would be a nice circle to travel I thought (and so it did!)

The route was something like this: Arrival in Singapore on KLM (I stayed at Lee’s Travellers Club in Beach Road). Bus to Malacca (Malaysia) on 1st January. Bus to Taman Negara National Park (I stayed one night at a hut in the forest). Bus to Georgetown, Penang. Ferry to Belawan (Indonesia) on 9 January, and then immediately a bus first to Medan, and then Danau (Lake) Toba. Bus to Bukittinggi. Bus to Padang, and then immediately a Mandala flight to Jakarta, where I stayed at Nick’s Hostel in Jalan Jaksa (paid Rp 10,000 for an A/C dorm bed). Train to Solo from Senen railway station (I had an “ekonomi” ticket to Yogyakarta, but missed it and jumped off in Solo instead). Bus to Bali, where I stayed in Kuta (at two different places). I rented a motorbike and a car for sightseeing. Bus all the way back to Jakarta, and finally departure from Jakarta (on British Airways) on 25 January 1997.

Singapore residence. A friend of mine used to stay at this residence in the 1980s.

Taman Negara, Malaysia.

Taman Negara, Malaysia. I stayed one night here.

Hostel in Solo, Indonesia. The dormitory was empty, so I had it all to myself.

Bajaj ride in Jakarta.

My very first time to set foot outside Europe! It happened when I and my sister Siri arrived in Bangkok on 28 June 1995 during a vacation to Thailand. Our mother Ellen was also supposed to join us, but arrived a few days later due to illness.

The whole idea about this trip was not actually mine, I just sort of followed along, thinking that this could be interesting. It was Ellen who got the idea from her Thai students (in a school for immigrants with the purpose of learning the Norwegian language). They were helpful in providing economical airline tickets too.

The trip went like this: Arrival in Bangkok on 28 June on Finnair via Helsinki, and plane same day to Phuket (we bought the domestic ticket on the spot). We stayed a few days at Patong beach before moving on to Kata beach. Among other things, we rented a motorbike for sightseeing. Our mother arrived eventually. A few days later we took a bus to Bangkok, where we stayed in the middle of the city (don’t remember where). Then we took a train to Chiang Mai, and with that city as a base, we went on a few tours to nearby Chiang Rai, Mae Sai, Mekong River, “Golden Triangle”, jungle trek, etc. At the end, we took a train back to Bangkok and departed on 14 July 1995.

Patong beach, Phuket.

Kata beach, Phuket.

Mae Sai, a border city with Myanmar.

Elephant show near Chiang Mai.

Asian toilet.

River trip near Chiang Mai.