Day 159: Sydney

This morning, I ate my complimentary hot pocket style airplane breakfast as the sun rose over the clouds. What an amazing sight.

Getting through immigrations was surprisingly easy. All I did was scan my passport, then a camera with some facial recognition software, somehow, recognized my face from my passport photo; then I was done. Seriously, why can't it be that easy in other countries. From the moment I got off the plane to when I got out of the airport maybe took me 15 minutes.

A friend from college, Lauren, picked me up at the airport. Since graduating, she has been living here in Sydney; it was great to see a familiar face, let alone a fellow Gamecock.

We headed back to her apartment and I met her flat mates as they gradually woke up. 

That afternoon we headed over to the mall and grabbed some sushi. It is weird being in an English speaking country; the new found simplicity in being able to order food was amazing! After we walked around for a bit, we headed back to Lauren's flat. She eventually headed off to work and I made friend with one of her flat mates, Mark, who is from Florida. Mark needed some backup to help prove to this girl that they were "just friends," so I joined him, as a third wheel, to the movie Superman.

The movie theater was kinda different from those in the States. First off, the price of a ticket was $19!!! Second, we had assigned seating.

After the movie, I didn't do much. I ordered takeout and hung out in the apartment with Lauren's boyfriend, who is from Slovakia.

Being in Australia reminds me of being back in the US. I don't feel obligated to be a tourist, because there isn't really a touristy feel to this city. Sure there are some great things to see, but its not as "unique." I'm not going to be ordering Australian food from a street condor who speaks little to no English, or am I staying in a dingy hostel. I feel like a local.

Asia Wrap Up

So I am off, waving Asia goodbye through the Malaysian Airlines Airbus A333 Economy seat window from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, Australia, bridging the gap between a Third World Eastern country to a First World Western country. When I was a young teenager with my parents and sister in Las Vegas, NV, I remember being shocked when my dad was handed a card with a naked women pictured on it, being offered a good time, not just because of her beauty, but because a sense of life-innocence of mine had been broken. In the past 5 months I have been offered my far share of "good times" and occasionally more than anyone would desire to see or do. 

If your used to hygiene, Asia will quickly break that barrier; if you are used to simplicity, Asia will quickly break that barrier; if you think you are cultured, Asia will teach you something! Being able to travel through so many developing countries has been amazing, seeing the growth first hand that most only read of or watch on TV. Instead of searching Google for an answer to why India is such a backwards country, I was able to witness it for myself and speak with Indians in some crazy cities to learn more than any segment on CNN will ever teach me.

All throughout Asia, the people are generally nice. Most people will come to your aid if you are having trouble speaking with someone who doesn't speak the language, however, you can't rely on this as your personal translator; I became very good at Pictonary and Charades!! 

I don't want to talk about each country, because I would be repeating my previous country wrap ups, but the countries in Asia are Eastern Civilization for a good reason, they are so much different from the West in almost every way possible, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

While I have been traveling, the only time I watch TV is when a TV is on in a restaurant. East Asian television is absolutely hilarious, everything from the ridiculous Chinese gameshows to the hilariously terrible acting in a TV drama. I would just bust out laughing with a heap of rice in my mouth and some of the locals would look at me, wondering what is he laughing at? 

Parts of Asia were like my trip through the Middles East and North Africa in that there weren't many western backpackers. While it is always good to be stuck in a car full of Europeans or South Americans, I would much prefer speaking with a local and picking their brains about, what seems to them as, the most trivial things, like, "what is it like praying five times a day?" I have no clue what goes through the head of someone who is Muslim, Hindu, lives in a Communist country, etc. and since I am here, I seize the opportunity to learn first hand rather than from some news outlet or book. I want to see an unfiltered view of the world and then present that to all my friends, family, and those who read this. If it seemed harsh when I talked about how dirty India was, then fly to India and ask a local, they would say its disgusting, however, they see it as a job for those who are extremely poor. Talked a little too much about the pollution in China? Go there and see a skyline that can be riddled with smoke stacks that are billowing smoke, or try to see down the road on a good hot summer day in Beijing when the pollution levels are way above the "safe" threshold, or question why there are nuclear power plants less than a mile away from some cities. If the people walking the streets in Vietnam are picking their noses all day, you should know that. While most stereotypes about Asia can seem absurd, many of them are probably true. Imagine growing up driving on a chaotic hellish road where all rules are thrown out the window and then try driving in a country where you can be pulled over if you don't wear your seatbelt! Yeah, it's going to be a hard adjustment. Now flip that scenario around, and that's what I have done. It's going to be WEIRD seeing normal traffic in Australia. 

So the next prevailing question is, can I survive in a First World country? The rest of the world has molded me to believe that it's ok to walk around without shoes on, eat with my hands, miss a day or three of showering, or judge the cleanliness of my clothes by the degree of odor. I'm going to laugh at the sight of a sign outside of an establishment that reads no shirt, no shoes, no service.

The first First World country awaits me. What is this next culture shock going to be like?

Only time will tell and anything is possible.

Indonesia Wrap Up

Wow, Indonesia was a great visit! I wish I had know of all this country's beauty so I could have allotted more time to spend here. I really wanted to take the time to see Papua in the eastern part of Indonesia, which is home to some very isolated tribes that requires a 1-2 hike to get to them; how cool would it be to see them?!! One day I will come back and go there!

While Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is a rising global player in business, the rest of Indonesia seem to be left alone. Bali has a huge tourism industry, so it is rather developed in that sense, but not many visitors leave Bali or even know that there is so much else to see outside the island. I would guess that the reason why most people stay is because Bali it developed around its tourists, you have to hunt for a squat toilet, while outside of the island is quite the opposite, you have to hunt for a shower that isn't just a bucket of water. So maybe the type of tourists that come to Bali like all the comforts of home and don't want to leave? Just a thought... Regardless, that's fine with me. East Java was wonderful, not only because it was touched by so few tourists, but because I was able to see some of this country's amazing natural beauty. While constantly waking up early to begin a tiresome trek did run me thin, it was well worth it! The sights alone were enough to keep me awake, I needed no coffee.

Outside of Java and Bali there is still so much to see. Some of the world's best deep sea fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving can be found among the vast number of islands that make up part of Indonesia. Being a part of the Ring of Fire, also make Indonesia home to plenty of volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers. On top of that, Indonesia has countless jungles and Natural Parks to keep any outdoor or wildlife lover entrenched here for years.

Like I have said, the traffic in Indonesia is on a whole new level. From what I have heard from the locals, the roads were originally designed for a smaller amount of traffic that consisted primarily of mopeds. Now the population has grown and with it, the number of cars. Many global news reports cite Jakarta has having among the top (if not the top) of the worst congested cities in the world and having the worst traffic jams. Locals laugh when I ask them of the traffic in Jakarta and the say that if you want to go three blocks it will take you an hour... No lie. Poverty is such a problem that people will come up to stopped cars and steal mirrors off the cars, or open the doors and steal stuff out of the car. What are you going to do? You can't drive anywhere! 

Since I was in Bali, the government ceased a subsidy on the gas at the pump, increasing the cost by 45% per liter. The government says that the money that it will save from the subsidy will go to help the poor. When I asked locals about this, they again laughed, telling me that the Indonesian government is extremely corrupt. While all I see is the locals being relatively corrupt, I have yet to see any government officials being corrupt, other than me bribing the cops and others having to do the same when pulled over. When I ask locals how the public transportation is in Jakarta, they say that there is none, you'd think in a heavily populated city that is notoriously traffic congested it would be huge, yet it is primarily busses and mini busses, which only adds to the problem. They have just begun adding onto the existed rail system, which has only two lines, that is supposed to be finished in 2018. A cab driver told me, the money just goes into the officials pockets.

Poverty is also a problem. Most people outside of the cities can't afford schooling, "no money, no education," the cab driver told me. He said that if the people have a little bit of money, they have to choose between a level above poor quality food or an education. It's no wonder people would charge me a dollar or 50 cents more than what it should cost; some of them are doing what they can just to survive.

Being the most populated Muslim population in the world, I was expecting a much larger presence of it. Aside from the Call to Prayer and the women all wearing the veils, that was it. In the Middle East, the majority of the women were wearing burqas, which covers the entire body, possibly showing just the eyes. 

The only time I got to really speak to a Muslim in Indonesia was my last meal in Yogyakarta, when Eline and I ate dinner. We sat across the table from a Muslim couple. The man primarily spoke of business and the college he was about to go to in the UK and the women spoke about praying. We learned that they had just met in April and were getting married in August, so yeah, very fast! An official at their school had to introduce them and approve their relationship, then the women continually prayed for guidance on their potential lives together. When the question of marriage came up, her prayers then shifted to asking for acceptance of the marriage and if it is the right choice. This on top of the religious prayers five times a day can really add up, but this is their lifestyle, it is centered around their faith and religion. To me, it seems like a lot of work, and what happens if, through prayer, she learned that this marriage is not acceptable? Regardless, she was so excited when she talked of her life! Going through her time in school and being young, it was similar to any other person growing up, and she never forgot to mention, "and then I would pray to make sure..." I couldn't help but smile with joy in hearing her stories. Got to love the differences in this world not matter how small some of the may be!

So, all in all, Indonesia was a great country. The people were friendly and some of them even humorous in the way that they act. I'll never forget the old lady that ran to local food restaurant next to my hostel in Bali, "ooh, welcome back... You extra chicken this time? Heh heh heh'" as she carved out a helping of rice and threw it into a banana leaf. The outdoor wonders are what truly spark my interest in this country and I cannot wait to return to Indonesia one day.

Day 158: An airplane to Sydney

A third day in a row where nothing particularly interesting happened. This morning it rained hard all day. Parts of Bali were starting to flood as I headed for the airport. I could see full roads covered with water as my flight took off. 

Got to Kuala Lumpur a little delayed. This airport loves me! I have been here now 5 times; I know the layout like a local now. The smoke coming from Sumatra, Indonesia was definitely visible in the air. I spoke with a local Malaysian next to me and she said that it was much worse a week ago. I could tell she was pretty angry about the issue, rightfully so.

Caught my overnight flight to Sydney; I'll be in a western civilization in the morning. How weird is that going to be?

Day 157: Kuta, Bali

Aah, another relaxing day in Bali. This afternoon, it started to off-and-on pour down rain, making it impossible to really do anything but stay inside. So, I bided my time conversing with fellow backpackers; time can easily slip by when your with good people.

The rain persisted throughout the day, so little was done outside the hostel doors except for a dart through the rain to get some food and beer. 

Not much to write home about.

Day 156: Kuta, Bali

Today Luciano decided to book a tour of Gili Island, east of Bali, and continue his travels. Since I have a flight out of here in two days, I have decided to stay and explore more of my neighborhood. 

Didn't really get much done today, I juggled my time between the pool at the hostel and the beach. The beach isn't all that good here, in my opinion, but I can't come to a beach town and not spend time at the beach!

That night, I popped back into the local restaurant and ate dinner with some Balinese people. It was rather hard to have a meaningful conversation with them. The furthest I could get was traffic and the recent increases in gas prices (by 45% might I add).

Day 155: Kuta, Bali

This morning, Luciano and I rendezvoused with another group of backpackers and hired a cheap car to show us around for the day. One van, six backpackers, and five countries; let the adventures begin.

With no clue of where to go, we had our driver decided where to go first. When you're crammed into a van with five other people, you get to know them very fast, whether you like it or not. Aside from Luciano and I (Italy & USA), we had two guys from Argentina, one girl from Holland, another girl from Germany, and a litany of stories to fill a thick book.

We first arrived at a famous temple in the area, Tanah Lot, which is actually out in the ocean and only accessible during low tide. Unfortunately, we were there during high tide but it was still an amazing sight. The coastline was a jagged steep rock face that has been molded by the massive waves that pound it day in and and day out with occasional gust of water spraying up over the rocks. 

(This is the Tanah Lot Temple. Now you can see why they only let you walk out there during low tide.)

(Little kids were also selling tourists random things.)

We hung out in the area for a bit, exploring the coast and the tourist shops, and then made our way back to the van. While we were outside, there were these old ladies selling these fruits wrapped in a banana leaf. 

I still do not know what they are, but they were absolutely delicious. She had sprinkled coconut shaving ontop of them, and the inside of the round fruit was a caramel tasting sweet goo. I could have eaten her entire stock of these fruits, and for 50 cents a banana wrap, it was hard to resist.

After we all chowed down on these fruits, we made our way to another temple. Not really sure what the significance of this temple are, but our guide said we must see it. During our ride, we saw many parades and locals dressed up in ceremonial attire. 

Our driver informed us that it is a routine religious festival that is held two days after the full moon of each month. "Where are they going?" I asked, "to the temple," he replied, "haha... okay." He kept responding to the answer with the temple throughout the day, so now you see why it was so hard for us to find the temple yesterday... they are everywhere, but I assume the locals use that term but know in their mind which temple they are talking about. It would be like me asking a friend back home if they were going to the pool. More likely than not, I am talking about the Olympia pool, not only because I lived there but it is the most popular in the college realm, so my friend would know that I meant the Olympia pool, yet I never said it. 

There wasn't much to see at the temple, just another temple... 

We then made our way to a coffee plantation. It is starting to get late into the afternoon, so the first plantation we visited was closed. Luckily, the second one allowed us to come in. Since it was so late, we didn't actually get to tour the plantation, just sample the variety of things they were growing. One of the things they had was cocoa; unsure of what natural chocolate really looks like or how it is made, I was thinking that I could just cut the fruit out of the tree, slice it open, and spoon pure chocolate out of it... Yeah, thats not how its done. Inside the fruit are loads of cocoa beans; you cook the beans and then make chocolate from that. However, there is this white slime that surrounds the beans that tastes good. You just pop the bean in your mouth and eat the white stuff off the bean, its sweet and a little sour. 

The lady told me not to bite down on the the seed because it tastes very bitter and I wouldn't like it, so I bit down on it. It was pretty terrible and the inside of the bean is a dark purplish color, not at all what I was expecting. 

My question is, how in the world was chocolate discovered? Did someone one day just say, hey lets cut down that thing down thats growing from a tree, throw it on the fire and see what happens? Hats off to whoever suggested that!

Once we finished up with the coffee plantation and chewing on bitter cocoa seeds, we made our way back to the hostel. While we did spend the majority of the afternoon in the van, we did get to see a good amout of Southern Bali, even though it was just through a window. 

That night I decided to rest, exhausted from a day of getting sloshed around in the back of a van on the windy hectic Balinesian roads.

Day 154: Kuta, Bali

This morning, I went to the front desk to extend my room in the dorm for one more night, they were full. I usually just book my rooms one night at a time in case something random comes up and I want/need to leave, I have never run into this situation before. A guy from Italy was now in the same boat as I, no place to sleep in the dorm; luckily, they had a twin room available that was the same price as two beds in the dorm, so the Italian and I decided to grab the room. Luciano (hard to say that name without wanting to us a strong Italian accent) had been staying in the hostel for quite some time and made some good friends while in Kuta; one of which, Andre from Chile, was still around. Andre was flying back home to San Diego that night, so he wanted to spend his last day, touring the town, with us.

We decided to rent mopeds and see a few of the sights around the area. One of the problems that tourists run into is getting arrested for not having an International Driver's License or not knowing the laws of the road, resulting in a high bribe that must be paid to the arresting officer. Since neither of us have an International License, we pulled over to ask a cop if we could get a temporary one. Instead of getting a temporary one, I asked if we could pay him to write up a report that said we had had our wallet, ID, cellphones, and driver's license stolen from us. With a suitable bribe and a promise for a beer when he returned, he was off to get the official report. Its amazing what a little bit of money can do in third world countries.

So, I didn't really realize how terrible traffic was in Bali until I drove in it. This place is a mad house! The main problem is that the majority of (where I have been) Indonesia is just one or two laned roads; not nearly enough for the amount of traffic. Mopeds flood the streets and are constantly having to drive into oncoming traffic when possible to move through traffic easier. There aren't many street lights that I have seen, you just inch out gradually and whenever there is an opening, you and about 30 people behind you, shoot the gap, changing the flow of traffic. Constantly weaving through traffic in an attempt to find the fastest way through was very nerve wrecking. I don't know what I would do if I had to deal with this traffic on a daily basis; Indonesia definitely has the worst I have ever seen, personally, in the world.

Andre and Luciano had their sights set on some temple, however, there is a temple on every corner in Bali, so when we pulled up to a local and asked them do you know where the temple is most of them just laughed. We had the name of it and where it was on the map and locals still couldn't give us directions to it. 

We were constantly going one way then going back the way we came, then back in the original direction only to find nothing. We were eventually pointed to some small temple on the beach; definitely not the large temple we were searching for.

(This guy was trying to sell us girl's brackets. "Boss I got something for you... You want something boss?" We bought a necklace in an attempt to get a good picture of his teeth. I kept asking for a big smile and he would cover his mouth and start laughing. A little shy.)

As time went by, we passed by some big looking temple and I suggested we pull over. If we can't find the one we are looking for, we might as well see something, right? This wasn't the temple either, but it was still nice to see.

After we walked through the temple, we headed over to the beach and watched the waves roll in.

That night, we waved Andre goodbye, and hung around the hostel before heading out. I met a guy who just got to the hostel, who is from Charlotte and went to the University of South Carolina, graduating in 2007. What are the odds? Later, Luciano and I headed out to see why everyone calls Bali a crazy party town.  Just like the night before, tonight was rather lame. There is a massive club close by, Sky Garden, which is the place to go. 

For $5 its all you can drink from 6-7 and all you can eat from 5-7; from 9-10 its all you can drink for free. We made it just in time for the all you can drink for free. The bar was filled with overly drunk dudes in tank tops, jerseys and flat bill hats, fist pumping the night away. I would say the guy to girl ratio was about 9:1. Enough to keep us their for the free drinks and then leave.

Day 153: Kuta, Bali

I woke up to the roaring of motorcycles and rumbling of heavy traffic outside the dorm walls. It is ridiculous how loud and hectic this traffic is; all the mopeds and motorcycles have extremely loud and high pitched exhausts, depriving even the comatosed of sleep. I was thinking that I had slept into the afternoon because of the traffic, but it was only 6:30am; it starts early and never stops. I don't know if I could ever work the front desk of this place and have to listen to the two wheeled vehicles that scream past this place minute by minute.

I didn't do much today, just relaxed by the pool and read. I met two guys from Quebec, Canada and we talked for a bit about the differences between Quebec (French speaking part of Canada) and the rest (predominantly English speaking). It turns out they also keep a blog through Blogger, so I will be interested to follow their travels as they move forward in the next couple months.

Later that evening, I walked down to the beach to see what was all the buzz is about. The walk to the beach was all you would expect from a touristy surfer town. The streets are overcrowded with Rip Curl, Hurley, and other board shops, reminding me of the unnecessary over-presence of Starbucks in America. Where there isn't a board shop there is little knock-off product shops, trying to sell you everything from a Kobe Bryant basketball jersey to Dr. Dre Beats headphones, or a Western style restaurant (Mama's German Food is a popular spot), or locals whispering in your ear, "marijuana? viagra? magic mushrooms? coke?" I am not sure who would accept any of these offers from a local; first off, when I entered the country, there were signs everywhere that said If you are caught with Marijuana, you could face the DEATH PENALTY. With this type of zero tolerance I am scared to even spit on the ground for fear of having my tongue cut out!

Not much was special about the Kuta beach. Lots of tourists and locals selling things and no real waves. What brings people here? There are other beaches around the area that are better know for the surf and many people travel from Kuta to those beaches to surf then come back... Why not just stay there? I dunno, I've never surfed before so what do I know anyway?

That night I met back up with Mira and we took a car to a popular beach, Uluwatu, to go to a bar/club, Single Fin, for the Oakley Pro Bali afterparty. The set up was really cool with a large stage at the end of a huge endless pool overlooking the ocean. However, the band was terrible, an old man, way past his prime, croaking out Led Zeppelin and other American classics. Afterwards, a terrible DJ took the stage and played soft music that could easily rock me to sleep. A huge crowd of people who were barely wearing clothes, amazing set up, and terrible music. So much potential. Not all can be a homerun.

Day 152: Kuta, Bali

This morning was yet another early wake up call, heading out at 5am to catch my flight at 7:30. The traffic is so bad, even this early, that I had to leave this early to catch a domestic flight at an airport 25 minutes way. 

When I arrived in Bali, I saw this restaurant and started cracking up!

Good ole knock-offs!

I was pretty excited to come back to Bali, since last time I didn't have much time to relax. Also, since I have a better sense of what things cost on the island, I was ready to start bargaining. As I was leaving the airport, I asked various employees how much it costs to get a taxi to Kuta, I got a ballpark idea and then pick my price below that. Once I exited, all these guys approached me. As soon as they saw me, I'm sure they were thinking fresh meat! "Where you go?" "Kuta," I said, "ok come with me," he replied. "Haha, no no, how much?" "Ok for you 160,000 ($16)." "How about 100?," I answered. With a shake of his head, I walked over to the taxi cab stand and asked how much they would charge, still set on getting a ride for 100,000. They wanted 150; I knew that this was too much. The original guy came up to me and said he would take me; I asked him, "100, right?" "Ok, I'll take you for 120." Walking away, I told him all I needed to do was leave the airport and I'd get the price I wanted. He chased me down and accepted my offer. It's a small personal victory every time I beat a bargainer at bargaining!

I headed into Kuta with no clue of where to stay. I read some more about Indonesia on the plane and was thinking of buying another plane ticket to somewhere else once I landed in Bali. I couldn't really find anywhere that I could visit within a week, so I decided to take it slow and relax for the next couple days. I could be in Kuta for the next couple days, or just the night; only time will tell. I popped into a bar, grabbed a Bintang, and searched the web for a decent hostel in my area so I don't spend the time wearing down my flip flops and my patience traversing this scorching town dealing with all the locals who are trying to give me "a good deal." 

I found a perfect spot and headed out. I passed by a relatively nice hotel and the guard asked me if I needed a ride. I showed him the location and he said ok. "Wow, wait, how much?" "What it says in the email, 60." When I book a hostel, they usually send me an email with directions from the airport or bus station with the price that it should cost to get there. "No, no. The airport is almost an hour away, this place is a 15 minute drive." He was trying to convince me it was much further, however, I already looked it up on Google Maps. "Thanks anyway, I don't mind walking." As I turned around, he said, "ok, ok, wait here." It is amazing how much you can get ripped off in this side of the world. If I had had this knowledge in the Middle East and Northern Africa, I could have probably been living like a king for next to nothing.

Once I got checked into my hostel, I quickly changed clothes and dove in the pool!

The area that I'm in is tourist overload. I is similar in comparison to Phuket; however, imagine all of Phuket's trashiness mashed into just two beaches, so I decided to relax by our secluded pool. I wasn't at the pool but for a couple minutes and a friend of a friend, Mira who is from Bali, contacted me and wanted me to join her and her cousin for some drinsk that afternoon. I headed out and got a ride from a local on his moped, again bargaining for a good deal. The guy was cruising through the traffic with such ease, surprisingly, I was able to just relax while he took this hectic traffic head on. During our drive, this tourist came roaring by in a load motorcycle, cutting off locals and driving into oncoming traffic like a madman. When he drove by us, my guy got up close and started yelling, "F*** you!" At first, I was taken back by his comment to the tourist, and then he said, "some tourists just have no respect for our way of life." Then it dawned on me; would you like to live in a slice of paradise and then have it over run with some rude tourists who think the world revolves around them?

Once I met up with Mira and her cousin, we drove over to a day club called Potato Head, grabbed a spot on the lawn and a round of drinks. Right now there is a surfing competition going on close by, Oakley Pro Bali, and many of the pro surfers were at Potato Head to relax before their competition tomorrow. It was cool to be sitting next to these guys. Their some of the most famous surfers in the world, yet they are able to live their lives down like normal people and not be barraided like a typical famous athlete. Could you imagine getting paid to ride waves all day, following the surf around the world all year, while staying in remote exotic locations? Their office is a beutiful beach that most people dream of visiting at some point in their life. Not to mention they had a flock of gorgeous women at their side! Life must be good.

Us three relaxed, got to know each other, and soaked in the amazing atmosphere. We eventually headed out and Mira dropped me off at my hostel. Later that night, I ducked into a local restaurant and grabbed some spicy noodles.

Exhausted from a week long of sleep depravation, I passed out before 10.

Day 151: Yogyakarta

We got yet another early start to the day and headed off to Borobudur. Luckily, no one else booked the tour, so we had the driver to ourselves. Instead of going straight to the temple for the sunrise, we got him to take us to a nearby mountain so we could watch the sun rise over the Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi Volcanoes with Borobudur Temple in the foreground. We truly lucked out! The rain clouds blanketed the sky reflected the most amazingly rich colors in the early morning!

Until the sun got up, I actually thought that the temple was a large mound covered with trees, it was much smaller than I imagined!

(The Borobudur Temple is in the center, I originally thought it was that isolated clump of trees to the left of it!)

After snapping way too many photos, we headed back down to our car. The end of that sentence just made me seem like the exact opposite of a backpacker! On our way to the Temple, we had him pull over at these small rice fields with a perfect view of the volcano.

Wow!

Before we entered the temple, we sat down for our complementary breakfast; two slices of toast. Breakfast of champions on this side of the world! The Borobudur Temple was pretty cool; what makes it truly stand out is that it is a huge famous Buddhist temple in the middle of the most populated Muslim country in the world. I spent a little over an hour walking around and admiring the building.

(Try to guess what she was selling?!)

(Tons of local kids came up to me to take my photo. Most of the school children have to talk to Westerners for their school assignment. They would all point, laugh, and say, "tourist, tourist... photo?")

I eventually made my way back down to where we had breakfast. Our driver was sound asleep.

Before we got back to our hotel, he stopped at the Mendut Buddhist Temple. 

It was much smaller than Borobudur, but was still cool to see. There was this massive tree outside the Temple, I don't know what kind it was, but it was crazy looking. It had what I think we roots growing from the branches down to the ground!

(To be 100% honest, I kinda hesitated to walk in and take this last photo, fearing that the tree might just suck me up into its branches.)

I then walked around the Temple and saw the large Buddha inside.

We later got back to our hotel. Time to rest! I spent the remainder of the day... Doing nothing. I did manage to pick up all my laundry. Finally, socks and underwear to put on. How glorious!!

Tonight, Eline and I had our final meal and round of drinks. Tomorrow morning I am headed back to Bali to actually see more of the islands and some that surround it. Again, I am waving goodbye to a new great friend. I hope that our paths will cross again one day.

Talk about one hell of an amazing week. What could the next seven days possibly be hiding?

Only time will tell, and anything is possible!!