On a shoe string

There is nothing like preparing for a long journey that can give you a mix of joy and headache. I have been on that state for weeks but fortunately, every time my day ends? I always smile - knowing that everything will be ok and all that is left is for me to enjoy.


Of course, I need a lot of helps to get there and they come in different ways. I can always ask my friends and cousins who have been traveling just like me and fortunately, to other places that I've never been before. Other than that? I can always count on the book above.


Yes, I scanned it from my own copy and this is my simple review about it. I've bought it in 2005 before I went around one of the provinces here all by myself for about 2 weeks. The book has a complete guide for all the countries in South East Asia and was especially written for backpackers.


The section about Indonesia is the thickest part of it and I'm so glad with the fact that I can find almost every information I need on the book. I've also used it when I traveled to the other countries in the region. The information they shared in the book is reliable and very useful indeed.


They always update the information on the website and there might be a new edition of the book every other year. It can be a bit pricey to get each new edition but extremely useful if you travel often. Otherwise, you can always get the latest updates on their website - print them to carry with the book.


I also like the way the added other options beside the ones for budget traveling. So if I feel like a splurge, I can pick one of the hotels listed there and enjoy my traveling time in a different way. Needless to say, I've been using a Lonely Planet book for the trip I'm having now with my cousins from Holland.


Having the right information to not only getting from point A to B but also enjoy the journey is the most important thing for me; at least for now. Who knows? Maybe I'll do some impromptu traveling one day - just go where the wind blows ...


We shall see!

Leaving on a jet plane

~ Uluwatu Sunset ~

on Flickr by The Sunset Girl

As I'm preparing my next adventure, I can't help but wondering about how traveling can open one's eyes to a whole new level of understanding life and its precious moments. Of course, people are different thus have different traveling styles.


One of my friends rode motorcycle (a huge one that is) across states in the US with her husband - each on their own bike; another friend traveled around a state in the US alone by car and even one of my cousins traveled around Asia for 10 months. My teachers of life.


My own experiences may not be much but I learned a lot. One of them is how I love my country. Like they said; there is no place like home.


There are plenty of places to visit here, of course, and I will never get tired of going around my country. I've been to more than 10 provinces so far (haven't counted it yet) and will visit more when I travel soon. As for the means of transport, usually we take the plane because it's archipelagos - we can travel by boat but it will take days and even weeks to reach some provinces.


The travel companions? Oh, the varieties!


First, with families. The list is endless. I've done it since I was little back home. I remember a trip where the entire extended families on my mom's side went to a remote village far from our hometown and we had to cross the sea by a small boat to buy food to cook on the next island. Perfect!


Second, with friends. My favorite is traveling with my old colleagues because we all are the same - a bit crazy. The smiles, laughter and midnight chats are precious. I also flew to another country to meet an old friend who was on her way back to the US from home and I will never forget that moment.


Third, alone. I've been around places all by myself usually for a week in Central Java (3 cities - Yogyakarta, Solo and Semarang), in East Java (2 cities - Surabaya and Malang), on East Bali (to several small villages) and in countries nearby.


Fourth, with a "friend". I usually visit his hometown and he flies to my hometown Manado. My uncle has a small hotel near my parent's place and they always welcome any "friend" of mine to stay there. It also involves some visits to families and tourism sights around the cities.


Fifth, with cousins from Holland. I'll go backpacking with them soon. I've never done it and I must admit that I can travel like a princess sometimes thanks to my Accor hotel membership. So this is a new thing and I'm excited about it. To go somewhere without even booking a hotel room first? YES, I CAN! LOL


So I guess it all boils down to why I travel and with whom. As you can see above, it depends on the case of course. But to be honest, I find myself learning more about life by the places I visit and the people I meet. Even the sunset pictures taken at the same place are never the same. ;-)


Because that's what life is... a journey...

The trip is as excited as the destination itself.

Picture is mine - © l.a.o.w. - original

Living in the present

Anybody knows what this is?

Let me start with some background stories about that picture first. Where - it was taken on Bunaken island. When - on a weekend getaway in summer 2007. (With) who - my cousins. How - my uncle took us with his boat and we stayed for a night in one of his cottages. (Do) what - taking pictures, going on a boat ride, talking with my families all night long, reading books, sunbathing, etc. Why - I spent a night there instead of a day trip like always because I thought I was going to die.


For real.


To put the story short, a pain at the back of my head forced me to fly back home in summer 2007. My dad is a radiologist and he wanted me to take a general check up. Fortunately, the result showed that it was not something serious. I remember sharing the picture of the CT-Scan result 2 years ago on an old private blog at yahoo 360. One of my blogging friends is a doctor in London and she examined the result which was a funny experience to me.


Despite all the laughter and smiles in the end, the thoughts of what if that was it for me was inevitable the minute I started feeling the pain. I ended up doing all sort of my favorite stuff that summer while at the same time reminding myself to enjoy them because those might very well have been my last chances on doing them. That included going to my favorite island and spending a night there instead of day trip like I usually do.


Just so I could see the sunset from that island.

~ shades of gold . ~
Sunset from Bunaken island - summer 2007
on Flickr by The Sunset Girl

I'm forever grateful, of course, that not only everything is ok but I also had one of the best times in my life on Bunaken island that summer. A lot of sitting alone on stranded boats and getting lost in my thoughts. However, I didn't make any resolutions about what I would do if I managed to survive the challenge I faced at that time. I only promised myself - that I would try my best to be happy, stay happy and get even happier because life is too short for anything less than that.


Needless to say, I took more than 1 pictures on that island; including the one on top of this blog. My best guess is, you are going to laugh at me. But hey, I'm no scientist. Therefore, not until recently did I find out that there is something a bit special about that circle around the sun in that picture. Something I thought was meaningless is in fact an optical phenomenon called Halo (visit this link to the Halo page on Wikipedia for more explanation).


I know an angel halo but not this Halo! :-P


My best friend laughed at me after I told her about my new knowledge of 'halo'. I laughed at me too. I really thought it has no meaning and found myself surprised at the pictures of Halo on that Wiki page which are definitely way better than mine. Thanks to my friend Jens who let me know about it, I will hunt for more 'halo' pictures from now on. The lessons for me from these experiences are; I should try to learn from the past and not to worry about the future.


But above all, live for today and enjoy.

Pictures are mine - © l.a.o.w. - original

In a fortnight - 2 months on Blogger

~ one fine day ~

on Flickr by The Sunset Girl

Unlike the memory of my first computer ever back in 1990, which is fresh in my head, I don't remember exactly when the first time I was able to be on-line. I think it was somewhere in 1998 because that's when I lived in a place where I could get an on-line connection for the first time.


After all these years, being on-line has its own challenges to me - just like the real life. They make me laugh most of the time. Despite the dramas and trolls, the biggest challenge for me is time because I do have a life to live outside. Add that with a connection that is only reliable during wee hours?


It's been two months and it is time to start doing something.


I have been thinking about it for a long time and now more than ever is the time for me to put it into practice. I know I can be too organized at times and I laugh at myself too, by the way, but to my defense, going through all the hustle and bustle of finding the best system that works for me really pays off eventually.


For once, it helps me to stay focus.


Most especially when it's difficult to be on-line like now. I have so many things to do in the real life. Last week passed by with me flying back to Jakarta on Monday then I met my cousins from Holland on the next day. I tried (and hope I did OK) to be their guide for about a day before they continued their next journeys.


It was difficult to stay on-line like usual.


Because I also had to prepare everything before the new week kicks off. There are going to be some busy weeks before another couple of weeks traveling to the East parts of Indonesia with my cousin next month. After that, I will have a big exam to take in order to prepare myself for my near future plan that is coming soon.


Should I put blogging on hold?


Not even close! On the contrary, it will roll faster than usual. Right now, the system that works for me is a post on Multiply - photo album / link / video (1 post every 2 weeks) and public blogs on Blogger (according to my archive, 2 blogs a week). What's coming next? I have 2 more blogs to make which I don't need to share the details here.


That is why on-line priorities are in order.


Admittedly, I can get addicted to some of the on-line sites I use. But I can't afford that anymore and luckily I have found my own system to work around them. All and all, it is more than just finding which site is more important. For me, it is about really wanting to be there and make the best of the time spent there. I'm glad to be where I am right now - here and there.


Of course, to each their own.

Picture is mine - © l.a.o.w. - original