Wednesday 10 December 2014

My live Indonesia trip 2014


My Indonesia trip 2014


Directions:
Lombok - Kuta, Bali - Tulamben, Bali - Kuta, Lombok - Gili Trawangan - Sengigi, Lombok - Kuta, Bali - Jakarta - Bogor - Gununug Padang - Cijanjur - Bandung - Cimahi - Jakarta - Bandung Lampur - Baturaja - Danau renau - Jakarta - Yogyakarta - Kuta, Bali - Jakarta

*Once traveling on Sumatra or Java the train timetable / schedule could be usually find online /www address below/ but buses have no timetables at all as every bus/transport company is independent. Once you can speak Bahasa Indonesia ask locals if not it's going to be bit difficult as for us. Some people mainly receptionist are very helpful but not everybody speaks fluently english.
  



 I came to Indonesia on 15.11.14 Flow from Yangon (Myanmar) with stop in Kuala Lumpur where met my friend Ting Ting and landed in Lombok, Indonesia.
We've had no accommodation organised as usual, sorted visas on arrival at the airport but had not enough cash. Well immigration officers let me leave airport without passport to get money from ATM outside.
Once I stepped off the terminal door was getting dozens of offers from local offical and unofficial teksi drivers(taxi), ojeks /moto taxi/, etc. common price for tourist was 150.000 IDR approx. 15USD per car. We took taksi for 5USD to hotel nearby in Penujak as had to leave next day to Bali meet my parents who were coming.
Went for late walk through Penujak trying find place where selling beer - no chance puretly musliman place.
 Took 5.30pm planes to Denpasar stay on the airport as parents should come in an hour time ...they had 3h delay : ((
 After arrival got to Kuta, Bali where we've found hotel for approx 170.000IDR thanks my malaysian and indonesian friends.
 We've done one day trip to Puri Besakih, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan and sunset in Tanah temple.

21.11. left Kuta Bali moved to Tulamben as I heard only good about USS Liberty wreck
was told the ship was shot by Japanese during WW2 made it to harbor but later was sank by volcano anyway
wreck dive was nice and easy just me and dive guide but too early as not as much light in da water just after 6am well the wreck is in shallow felling in parts so but is massive over 100m long deepest point approx 25m

   

Right after dive and breakfest got organised car transport to Padangbai catch ferry to Lombok (approx 400.000 IDR)
reached the booking office in Padangbai had to fight for tickets price as everything over prices as usual in Indonesia once sorted some guys from the booking office grabbed the luggage and carried them on board had small incident with them completely forgot to be aware of porters /cheeky expensive guys/ they were there required 150k IDR told they will get 30k or nothing finally gave them 40k as they never said a word about the price just grabbed the luggage and walked !
 Ferry between Bali to Lombok was approx 5h sea bit choppy in the middle of trip but in final okay even my parents without sea riding experience weren't sea sick
 Jumped of the ferry avoid any porters walked outside - skipped any closest transport around the boat find warung with beer and organised car for approx 400k IDR  

Reached Kuta Lombok around 8pm checked to cheapest accommodation found on booking.com Gday Inn later find out it wasn't perfect choice as two of three rooms air conditions were never maintained - dirty filters no power
 In Kuta Lombok was necessary to hire motorbike as any surfing spots are kilometers away. Even to hire motorbike - scooter here wasn't easy as bullsh*t like 1 day means borrow in the monring bring back the same day night. Later we've changed for Dedy's Homestay which was nice, comfortable only wifi couldn't reach the rooms
 Lombok is surprisingly more expensive to Kuta Bali

From Kuta Lombok went to Gili Trawangan. The cheeky taxi driver dropped us in restaurant roughly 600m away from harbour where he got his pocket money from the restaurant keeper. They offered us three different types of transport boats to Gili T. Gili T. appeared as most expensive of this area compare Lombok and Bali.
there meant to be speed boat around 400k IDR, shuttle boat for 50k and public for approx 20k. We've paid more later find out it was just a public boat got scammed.    

Gili Trawangan wasn't WOW well spend there few days you can ride the bicycle around the island inn 2,5h if you pedal won't fell of as happened to me...
Stayed in Pondok Hadi was nice maintained place 10min away the sea coast. Only transport on Gili T. is horse, bicycle or your own feet.

Next stop was back on Lombok in Senggigi area the accomodation was bit further from there well went for walk around old Mataram airport. In the morning on 30.11. moved back Kuta, Bali again where stayed in our favorite Kubu hotel. I tried to manage my indonesian visas extension unfortunately had not time enough as was on the go to Jakarta next Sunday.

7.12 arrived to Jakarta avoid taxi got Damri bus which increased from 20.000 to 40.000 IDR 4 years old and brand new Lonely planet guide has old price only : ((

I reached Gambir station find out it's impossible get subway - train which would stop on Cikini station well didn't give a f*ck just walked down to Six Degree hostel on Jl Cikini Raya took about 20min with 16kg backpack not so bad even with crazy traffic luckily not as bad as Sunday. Unfortunately hostel was full went to closes Old Batavia Capsule Hotel which was perfect place as met really friendly and nice staff who help us a lot with managing any other trips around Jakarta, Java and Sumatra also find out where I have to go to extend visa.
We return to friendly Old Batvavia Capsule Hotel at least three times, every time we've got help and support even during late or early night arrivals.

9.12. finally left the big messy Jakarta city as I hate big cities like this and moved to Bogor it was 1h 45min from hostel in Cikiny botanic garden.
We stayed in Apu pension 100m away the train station, had walk through the town and looked into the Botanic garden as usual dual pricing for locals and foreigners which are written beside each other.

Next stop on our trip was Gunung Padang Megalithic site close to Cinajur found on Tripadvisor.
There was unfortunately no word about it in Lonely Planet guide which pissed some british lady later off as we saw )
Original plan we had was train trip Bogor -> Cianjur.
Cianjur - >  Gunung Padang Megalithic site but we've "luckily" changed out mind on the way as met few friendly and rarely well english speaking local elder guys jumped of the train on Lampegan station. It's one of the smallest train stops I saw so far. There were only two transport options - walk or hire Ojek (motorbike taxi). Ojek took about 15min drive through bendy uphills mountain roads in the middle of nice flavored tea fields to reach the bottom of steep stairs up to Gunung Padang Megalithic site (Ojek price approximately 25k/motorbike).

 Once ready to climb the stairs was stopped by local students on their school trip as usual they wanted to take a pics with my blonde friend Petra.
One of the student was so excited to see foreigners that day as he said the dreams come through to meet foreigners and have a chat with them.
Spend an hour up there as was bit of shade under the tree also cool view all over the hills and valleys around right in the midday time.
 After the chill out we climbed down met some other local guy with laud speaker who loved to talk to his customers also to us from short distance by his gear. In few minutes of chatting we were offered free transport to Cianjur as he was really nice to us. Right after they left we moved downhill it took some time as most of transport was coming/leaving with same customers. Luckily we've found Ojek got dropped to Cianjur suburbs where we got cheap and nice Bakso (indonesian soup with "meat" balls).  
 It was good organised by ojek drivers some other guy called us from Warung(Restaurant) just when we finished our meal.
Unfortunately bus had puncture and our trip Cianjur to Bandung was 5hours instead of planned 3.

When we reached Bandung took taxi for about 1/3 of original price. We were looking for Guest House Pos Chimpelas found in Lonely planet guide. Well didn't find it got other hotel on same street for 300k/nite for twin room luckily with big beds for three people.

 Had a walk in night Bandung found nice man in warung on far corner of Jl Champelas x Jl Kebon Kawung got nice Mie Ayam /Chicken noddle soup/ also gave us tips where and how to reach buses going towards Pangandaran /one of the town on south west coast of Java/ which would be my friends' potential destination as I had to come back to Immigration office in Jakarta for photography and finger prints as part of my visas extension. In the evening browse tripadvisor, lp guide made decision stay together go to see Cimahi waterfall. Cimahi is second train stop away from Bandung approx.15 min.
 Cimahi is spread hill town. Maximal price for local Opelet - minibus is around 7k even that you give driver 50k he says thanks and you have to tell him you need your change back..
 He asked us fluently in bahasa indonesia if to go to the waterfall or keep going to bus station we didn't understand - agreed well it was 10k more expensive when we appear near waterfall access less to 1km away the place he told to us.
       

Transport
found on blog

Bus

Central Jakarta 

GAMBIR 37 KM
Ke Bandara > Gambir Station – Pasar Baru – Jl. Garuda – Arena PRJ – Kemayoran Toll – Sedyatmo Toll – Airport
From Airport > Airport – Sedyatmo Toll – Pluit Jaya – Slipi Toll – Tomang – Tanah Abang – Gambir Station
approximately 40.000 IDR





Java Trains
https://tiket.kereta-api.co.id/

Many Bus companies no single www about buses

Lombok November 2014












Internet connection
I found AP Inn in Kuta Bali as best place with reliable internec connnection - acommodation & restaurant.




When you are in Kuta, Bali going through Poppies I stop on the corner with Gang Bedugul pull to Balirita bar for beer into open street bar and say hello to Budi from Jay thanx ; ) 










Wi-fi spotssendok cafe corner kuta bali
la mulya hotel
dsm@wifi.id

 Kuta Bali, Indonesia beach sun set November 2014



Kuta Bali, Indonesia beach after storm : ((



*funny thing is we had two Lonely planet guide releases one 2010 english, second 2014 czech language  but information were almost same and no updates on prices at all !!!
 *my personal experience. That means it's not necessary to buy brand new travel guides



Motorbike Taxi in central Java with my "small" 26kg backpack. Wherever you go, travel light guys!!









Good bye Indonesia!


Money Indonesia
IDR - Indonesia Rupiah 
approximately

1.00 USD = 14,425.02 IDR

Of course you can pay on some occasions by USD only.