Expat Explorers - travels with my family ideas...insight...inspiration
Get in contact
  • About
    • Meet the family
    • Photo gallery
  • Blog
  • Travel ideas & advice
    • Expat suitcase >
      • Moving to Dubai
      • Moving to Singapore
    • Jigsaw pieces: travel advice
    • Australasia
    • Middle East
    • South East Asia
    • USA
    • Where in the world are we?
  • In the news
    • Freelance work
    • Who said that? Travel quotes
    • Signs that make you think
  • The book
  • Contact us
    • Explorers' Club

Are we nearly there yet? Through Java by road

6/5/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hidden gems
Day 11
Indonesia’s islands are small and compact, each one a unique jewel box full of promise. Sometimes the contents are an insight into life as it flashes past the car window; a women combing her child’s hair, chickens scratching around, a tethered cow chomping grass in a paddy field, a fruit market. Often it is the poorest elements of life that line the street. It is the poorest elements of life that can not afford the luxury of privacy.

Sometimes the contents of the jewel box are something glittering; a glimpse of a temple, streets decorated for a festival, the split second when you realise the Kodak moment has passed uncaptured, untrapped, still free.

Indonesia might geographically be small and compact, but the distances are deceiving. Each country seems to measure distance in a different way. When we lived in the States, the answer to the question: “how far is it to the shopping mall?” was a sensible; “twenty minutes”.

Ask the same question in the UK and the answer isn’t a matter of time, but of distance. It might be five miles to the shopping centre, but it could take you 15 minutes or an hour depending on the traffic.

And in Indonesia the answer is different again. It’s non committal. It could take you three hours or five hours. And this is dependent on a range of factors: the state of the road, which are only single lane; the number of mopeds that buzz around you; whether you get stuck behind a lorry. I frequently cast a furtive glance over the speedometer to reassure myself that we were going faster than 40 kph. Each time I was disappointed. This makes planning a trip quite difficult. Of course, we’d seen a map before we’d left, and made rough estimates of how long it would take us to do each leg of the journey. We even sought advice on how long it would take us to get from point A to point B. But then we choose to ignore it. After all, how could it possibly take us seven hours to drive 200km. We were so widely out on our estimations. So the lesson learnt is that, if travelling with young children, or even if you don’t want to be stuck in a car all day, listen to advice!

That said, I don’t think you can learn so much, or experience real life, without spending time on a road trip.

Today we drove from the plantations of Kalibaru, and hopped on a ferry to Bali. And all of a sudden life has changed. Where Java is predominately Muslim, Bali is predominately Hindu. The streets are lined with life and every second house is a temple. The architecture is absolutely stunning.

So I suppose the lesson is, even if the road you travel is long and winding, you’ve made a decision and, whether right or wrong, out of the decision you will be rewarded with new experiences, sights and sounds. And that’s what travelling is all about.

Ferry Crossing: Ferries leave every hour from Ketapang in Java to Gilimanuk in Bali, and the crossing takes just over an hour. Don’t expect luxury, but it’s a fun way to arrive on the Island. You can buy tickets very cheaply before you board.

Accommodation: The Westin, Nusa Dua, family suite. Superb five-star hotel with excellent children’s facilities and spa. www.westin.com/bali

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Get the book

    Picture

    Destinations

    All
    Abu Dhabi
    Advice & Top Tips
    Al Ain
    America
    Argentina
    Arizona
    Australia
    Bali
    Batam
    Belfast
    Burma
    California
    Cambodia
    Chicago
    Dubai
    England
    Expat Life
    Hong Kong
    Illinois
    Indonesia
    Japan
    Java
    Jordan
    Kuwait
    Las Vegas
    London
    Malaysia
    Misc
    Myanmar
    Nevada
    New Zealand
    Northern Ireland
    Oman
    Ras Al Khaimah
    Restaurants
    Salt Lake City
    San Diego
    Scotland
    Singapore
    Southeast Asia
    Travel Musings
    Uae
    UK
    Usa
    Utah
    Wales
    Woodstock

    RSS Feed

    Or if you prefer to receive an email update click here to register.

    Archives

    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    June 2019
    April 2019
    July 2018
    June 2017
    May 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.