Global Village you do the time-space coordinates, for clarity and avoid confusion. It 's the end of April and I'm leaving Bali. A wooden boat along a fifteen feet, takes me along with 10 other travelers to the Gili islands, off the coast of Lombok. Six hours, lulled by a rhythmic rocking that puts to bed the most '.
Trawanggan, Air and Less are the names of three islands forming the archipelago of Gili. Tiny coral gems set in a sea of \u200b\u200bdeep blue color. A great place for snorkeling, diving, relax and pamper yourself with excellent food and lively evenings dancers. The most 'largest of the three islands - Trawanggan - turns in less than one hour by bike ... Little peace of heaven ': the islands there are no paved roads, so cars and zero zero scooters, bicycles only, with which we are silt, and cidomo, small carts pulled by horses.
Islands are a very popular destination among travelers, probably due to the proximity of Bali, and then become a real landmark dellla "ruta backpackers in Southeast Asia. Of course, as I have already 'seen in similar places (especially in Laos and Thailand), that' means a waiver of local characteristics, in this case Indonesia, to meet changing needs' of the global traveler. This phenomenon that has hit Trawanggan, where you can find everything from pizza to cappuccino, from burgers to fish & chips untissimi. There 'who enjoys and is stranded on these beaches for one month and there' who turn up their noses and run away after a few days, as you may have realized by now, I fall back into the second category. This' remains comunque che anche io approfitti della insonnia festaiola delle isole e dei suoi agi; per 2 notti consecutive finisco a letto alle 6, causa semifinali di Champions League, tra inglesi ubriachi e indonesiani football-maniaci. Inoltre la consapevolezza di trovarmi nell' ultimo party-place prima dell'Australia mi spinge a darci dentro. Conosco alcuni tipi interessanti: un istruttore di sub italiano; un gruppo di ragazze olandesi, una delle quali invaghita del subacqueo; un ragazzone tedesco reduce da 5 mesi di lavoro a Jakarta, con il quale mi confronto sulle follie notturne della capitale indonesiana.
Lascio questo villaggio globale dopo 6 giorni, 3 dei quali passati a Gili Trawanggan e 3 a Gili Air. Attraverso quindi in pullman e frettolosamente l'isola di Lombok; decision, in retrospect, regret ', as the island has much to offer: besides the ultra-friendly people of Indonesia, there' a volcano of over 3000m, rain forests and a wild and unspoilt south coast, battered by the foaming waves of the Indian Ocean.
In less than 24 hours and then I find myself in Sumbawa Besar, the largest of the city 'on the island of Sumbawa: destination number 5 of my "island-hopping" after Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok. Note
drug: from the islands Gili I started taking drugs with a daily pill of Malarone to prevent malaria, the areas I'm visiting are in fact considered at risk. A
Sumbawa again I find myself totally immersed in "the Indonesian experience": the absence of foreign travelers and people who say hello to me all the time, willing to start a conversation. My Bahasa Indonesia is improving and I get closer now to the basic 5-minute chat.
Stay in Sumbawa, Lombok as, and 'quick. I'm starting to count my days on a tourist visa, the road up to East Timor (and Australia), still long and, above all, unpredictable, urges me to accelerate the pace of the trip. I shot three quarters of the island in an exhausting day of travel. I cover the 250 km that separate me from Sape - the port where I embark 'on the island of Flores - in 13 hours, at an average of 20km per hour due to mechanical failures and a bus si ferma in continuazione a far salire e scendere passeggeri. Sono stretto tra due file di sedili con un sacco di riso sotto i piedi che mi costringe in una posizione rannicchiata, a ginocchia raccolte, che ammazza lentamente gambe e fondoschiena. Sono pieno di dolori e non riesco a spostare i piedi oltre il sacco di riso in quanto il pavimento del pullman e' surriscaldato e mi crema letteralmente le suole delle infradito. Fa talmente caldo che gli zipper metallici dello zaino della mia vicina di posto sono diventati incandescenti e uno mi ha ustionato il polpaccio! Il bus e' zeppo di persone e animali (galline in maggioranza) e non c'e' posto piu' neanche per uno spillo; anche se sono l'unico straniero in viaggio, questa volta c'e' poca voglia di scherzi e sorrisi: we are all suffering and we hope that this torture will end soon. When the hour of the 20 arriving at the quay of Canadian pension-Sape are so exhausted that I can not find even the strength of a scare when Rattazzi the size of a cat crosses my path in the hallway. Helmet in a heavy sleep, which stops abruptly at 5 am, when the relentless muezzin of the mosque next to the hotel decides it 'time to rally the faithful. Allaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!
Rene '
Fantastic tropical Bali down from the extraterrestrial landscape of Mount Bromo I find myself in the hectic and chaotic reality' of Indonesia. With a night bus to Probolinggo I move to Bali, where I come, stoned, at 5 am. A taxi, the meter will most likely fake, takes me away from Denpasar, the city 'more' big island, Kuta, discharging directly into the heart of the bustling and crowded tourist destination worldwide.
Bali and 'different, unique and fascinating. Indonesia and 'a Muslim country but the island of Bali' of Hindu religion, if the Indonesians are polite and friendly, the Balinese are even more '. Day after day the island reveals its many facets, as a place ... fantastic.
I rented a scooter so I can move in freedom '. Although the island is tiny compared to Sumatra or Borneo, the main tourist attractions are still separate fifty km apart.
The first days were spent in Legian, in the south of the island, a short walk from Kuta beach in the pit. The beach and 'long, beautiful, with waves of average height and capricious crashing on the shore, a great place to take their first steps on a surfboard. I'm lazy days, including baths, reading, sunsets and night sweating in hot, crowded clubs along with many Australians in jeopardy and muscular surfers.
South of Kuta beach gives way to the coastline of the Bukit peninsula that ends in the beautiful promontory of Ulu Watu. Here the strength dell'oceno Indian clashes against black volcanic rocks, high and mighty waves roar continuously against the cliffs. At the point where the sea the land meets the Balinese have built a temple, high above the waves on top of this magical cape. An exciting place, full of energy, where the eye finds no rest. Not far from the rough rock, nonsense and intrepid surfers challenge waves much more 'high for them. I find myself totally immersed in the fascinating beauty of the place, so much to come back several times during the stay on the island.
In the opposite direction to the Bukit Peninsula is rather Ubud, a town near the center of the island. Lush tropical vegetation, humidity, 'rice fields and temples are the characteristics of this area. E ', cultural capital of the island, the retreat of artists, especially painters, internationally renowned. Every day, the evenings are filled with the sounds and colors of traditional dances and theatrical performances. Compared to the bustle of Kuta here you will find yourself catapulted into a new dimension, dominated by the peace '. Many hotel chains have built luxury resort in Ubud, where splendid buildings hidden by vegetation zealous uniformed staff is responsible for the care of the body and mind of their customers, beauty treatments, various therapies, meditation, yoga, painting classes and cooking. Here you can 'happen to get lost among the rice fields, and as' happened to me, and to have addressed the right way by an elderly peasant in return please do not ask for anything but a smile. Ubud and 'magnetic: the atmosphere and the kindness of the people could be attracted for weeks.
along on a scooter on the streets of this area one comes across often in religious processions: long lines of Balinese dressed in traditional clothes - men, women and children - bring offerings to the temple, including music and fragrant incense. Shows in which no one is indifferent. Women with long hair and smooth blacks, with flowers in her hair, seem to come directly from a painting by Gauguin. Religion and 'a constantly present in everyday life in Bali, and the offers of flowers, fruits and incense sticks to punctuate the entrances of houses and shops.
My explorations of the island and then take me on the east coast, to Amed, a charming fishing village. The landscape is characterized by a succession of small coves of black sand, coconut trees and the typical fishing boat of white lacquered wood: trimarans. The villages are small and you stay in bungalows on the beach or on the high cliffs. The daunting summit of Gunung Agung, an active volcano, watch over this coast, the steep slopes of his knowledge she started to touch the clear blue sea. Not far from the beaches of Amed I dive and I see the wreck of an old Japanese warship. It 'almost completely submerged by sand, but the little boxes and' beautifully studded with coral. Hundreds of colorful fish playing hide and seek in the folds of rusty metal e una stella marina si muove lenta sul fondo sabbioso.
Alla sera, seduto sotto la veranda del mio bungalow ascolto i rumori del mare e mi lascio accarezzare da una fresca brezza. Il mio soggiorno a Bali non e' ancora terminato ma nella mente si affollano gia' i ricordi dei molteplici volti di questa terra: il traffico asfissiante di Denpasar e Kuta, i templi battuti da mare e vento a Ulu Watu e Tanah Lot, le danze e le processioni religiose di Ubud, le torride notti in discoteca, le spiaggie, le onde, la lussureggiante vegetazione tropicale, i sorrisi dei balinesi, il dolce profumo dell'incenso. Bali e' tutto questo. Turismo, misticismo, rifugio tropicale, surf, arte. Fantastica.
Rene'
Wuthering The journey from Jepara (the city 'home to the Swedes) in Probolinggo and' a perfect example of "slow travel by bus" in Indonesia. Another ... You think. It 's the rule ... I got it. Use almost 13 hours to do 250km of road. Exhausting. The fact that you are on Java, the island more 'populated country, has done nothing but make things worse.
The bus without air conditioning, and 'cluttered and, as tradition has no fixed stopping points, but stops when someone wants to raise or lower it. And there are only passengers. For long stretches and is' in the company of groups of guys trying to pick up some money playing the guitar or selling soft drinks, peanuts and snacks. As the only foreigner on the bus I am overwhelmed dagli "hello mister!" degli indonesiani.
Arrivato a Probolinggo mi faccio scaricare di fronte ad un hotel, sulla strada principale, e mi sistemo in una camera economica.
Il giorno successivo prendo un taxi collettivo (pulmino) e salgo a 2000m fino ai bordi del cratere del vulcano Bromo. E' una delle principali attrattive turistiche di Java e ci sono parecchie guesthouse nel piccolo villaggio ai margini della caldera.
L'aria fredda e una sveglia puntata alle 3.30 mi costringono a letto presto. Quando lo squillo del cellulare mi rianima mi trovo alle prese con una spasmodica ricerca di vestiti caldi: camicia, maglione, cappellino di lana, persino la giacca invernale. Sembro in procinto di partire per una spedizione alpina.
Mi butto in strada alla ricerca di un passaggio per il punto panoramico dal quale ammirare l'alba, posto a 2600m di altezza. Di fronte alla guesthouse, c'e' un gran movimento di jeep e 4x4 ma i veicoli sono gia' tutti pieni. In lontananza addocchio un ragazzo indonesiano in sella ad una moto. Appena mi avvicino mi offre un passaggio. In moto? Ma รจ sicuro? chiedo. No problem mister, mi rassicura. Negozio la tariffa e salto su. La strada scende all'interno del cratere: e' buoio pesto, fa freddo e c'e' una nebbia che impedisce di vedere a piu' di 10m di distanza. La carreggiata e' una striscia di sabbia nera, vulcanica. Ci si muove in difficolta'. Il ragazzo deve mettere giu' i piedi un paio di volte e fermare la moto perche' le route si bloccano nella sabbia fine. I begin to doubt that we will succeed. Yesterday afternoon, with the eye, the crater seemed to me at least 2 or 3 miles wide. At one point the road starts to climb. We're leaving the caldera and we started to climb up one of the edges. The white cloud of water vapor and sulfur gives way to a serene sky illuminated by stars of last night. The facial skin has lost sensitivity 'and I have the forehead and eyebrows dewy drops of icy water. I try to nascodermi as much 'as possible behind the body of the driver, to minimize the impact of cold air.
After an endless series of switchbacks finally reach the parking lot of the viewpoint. I shot a coffee 'boiling and eating a packet of wafers that had hidden in his jacket. 5 and we are the next morning.
The balcony and 'full of people. Someone has' deceived by the equatorial latitudes and around in shorts and sandals, try not to show it, but is suffering terribly. At an altitude of 2600m it is cold all over the world, especially if it is not 'yet risen sun.
The first segment gives a nod to 5.30, gradually illuminating the caldera and the volcano's slopes. It 's a spectacular view. Inside the crater there are two volcanic cones, smaller, one active. The dense white smoke coming out from the top 'and' an unstoppable flow. In the distance, beyond the deep crater of Bromo, the perfect cone of another volcano rising over 3000m. Every ten minutes, with the precision of a Swiss watch, shoot the arrogants of black smoke, rising into the sky, take the form of a mushroom.
Landscape and 'surreal. The crater of Bromo and 'still covered by a thick white cloud that hides the black sand, occasionally the cloud, like a glass of water filled to the brim, overflowing, spilling over the village on the edge the crater. The tips of two small volcanoes in the center, springing from the white expanse, the thick fumarole sulfur rises vertically to the sky and a high volcano in the distance, from the steep slopes, watch the scene. Except for the green fields and forest surrounding the crater of Bromo could have the sensation of being landed on a planet in space. Black and gray are the predominant colors of this landscape.
are not lost in the universe, I'm just enjoying another aspect of the tumultuous, wild, lively and unpredictable land of Indonesia.
Rene '
