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Fifi Flipflops Big Adventure
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marrask. 2015 – syysk. 2025

Fifi Flipflops Big Adventure

Päättymätön seikkailu — Fifi flipflop Lue lisää
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    Realisation

    10. syyskuuta 2022, Malesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I wake today very tearful. The frustration and reality of how hindered I am with this broken ankle has really hit home, and even though the pain has eased a little my arms feel like I've been punching all night. I'm still unsure about my plans as I'm due to fly to Langkawi tomorrow and I can barely get round the apartment at this rate. I have a day of total relaxation today after dosing myself with tablets and James goes out to see if he can find me a suitable rucksack as its not viable to carry my huge rucksack on my back on crutches. He calls to say the cheapest one is £70 and that he can lend me his one instead. Nico has messaged me today and we arrange to meet in a place just round the corner from here called Souled out. After waiting forever for a cab one of the ladies from the coffee shop offers to drop us off. It's so good to meet Nico again. We enjoy dinner and a few cocktails and the whole time we're here I think every table in the house must have a birthday because we spend most of the evening singing along and just before we are about to leave all the staff start dancing. Apparently they are paid more money because they have practice sessions. Even just the effort to come here has exhausted me and I tell the guys I'll just head back but they won't hear of it so we all head back to Quad and finish the evening with karaoke again.Lue lisää

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    Absolutely plastered

    9. syyskuuta 2022, Malesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    I wake today to the sad news the queen has passed away. Having served her in the military I feel an outstanding amount of sadness that she has passed. With being in Malaysia it's not as apparent as in the UK as having spoken to numerous people that said it's the only thing on the telly compared to here where I have no television. In the morning I get to meet Shakira a lady that works for James but with still not feeling well I head back to bed for an hour and let them crack on with the work. I actually sleep for 3 hours and after I wake up and grab a bite to eat and a shower it's pretty much time to go and get my leg put in plaster. When I arrive I'm seen straight away and the doctor advises that I've actually broken it in 2 places and I have the option of surgery or to try with plaster first. I'm psychologically not prepared for surgery and opt for the plaster. He places me in a half cast and James comes to pick me up. I'm really struggling with the crutches , honestly I consider myself really strong but I already have blisters on my hands and my underarms are extremely tender. In the evening James has a few friends coming over and to be honest I am glad of the distraction. Vivi has brought moon cake as today is the Chinese celebration of the Mid Autumn festival otherwise known as the moon festival. It is as important in the Chinese calendar as Chinese New year and it when the moon is at its fullest and brightest point in the year. In Chinese style we enjoy the evening singing karaoke. I stay up till just after 1am but am exhausted and somehow fall asleep with the singing continuing until the early hours.Lue lisää

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    Breaking bad

    8. syyskuuta 2022, Malesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    I've decided this morning that I'm going to get my foot looked at. It was really swollen again last night. James drops me off on the bike and comes in with me initially but he has a lesson later and it's obvious I'll be here for some time. I get taken to x-ray and have multiple x-ray taken before going back to the doctor who tells me I've broken my fibular bone and need to be put in plaster for the next 6 weeks. She asks me how I've coped with the pain and I tell her I haven't really used anything but ibuprofen, she writes me the referral and prescribes some strong painkillers and tells me I need to get crutches from the chemist and come back in the morning to get put in plaster. I ask her about flying and she advises that I shouldn't fly long haul as due to the situation there's a much heightened chance of dvt. I collect my prescription and crutches. Shortly after I get back to Quad my friend Lucky arrives. It's so good to to see her. We spend a few hours catching up before she has to leave. In the evening we get a cab down to the little square. I get to meet John the guy who owns the gyoza shop and eat here while sharing a few beers. Upstairs is a bar with pool table so after shutting up we go up for a few games of pool. It seems like forever since I played and apart from hobbling around the table I play pretty well. I literally fall into bed when I get back I'm exhausted.Lue lisää

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    Farewell Indonesia

    7. syyskuuta 2022, Malesia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I wake this morning and prepare my little farewell presents and photos. I don't see today as a sad day as I'm pretty sure I will be back in November. I say my goodbyes and Wawan Barra and Abang walk me down the 270 steps. I have to say it's a lot easier than I'd envisaged. it's nice to be down by the river. As I arrive to the taxi Abang gives me a small present. I can't believe I've been here for nearly 3 week and it's crazy how at home I am here. Even buma the dog comes down to send me off. I bid farewell to Wawan at the steps but continue to the taxi with the other boys. As we drive away I really appreciate the jungle. The drive for the first couple of hours is quite rough but as we enter a more civilized area there's guys to cross us across the busy junctions. We arrive to the airport in good time and after grabbing a trolley I make my way to the back of the check in line. I don't know what it is with me and lines but before I know it the guy in front of me is checking in the whole family with 15 passports. It takes nearly an hour. I have time for a quick coffee and cigarette before boarding the plane to leave. I'm slightly gutted by how little I've seen of Indonesia although I have done quite a bit here like Komodo Island, Labuan bajo, Amed and Sumatra but I haven't really scraped the surface so I guess I'll have to put Indonesia back on the list. I book a grab and it's over an hour to Jays house and by the time I arrive I'm exhausted. We have a quick catch up and order food. While we're waiting I have my first hot shower for weeks and it's amazing it's the little things that we all take for granted that makes me happiest. After dinner and numerous cups of Yorkshire tea I go to bed a happy lady.Lue lisää

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    The last day.

    6. syyskuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Once again I wake with a heavy heart knowing this is my last full day. The place is busy and I sit on the veranda just enjoying the peace. The ability to integrate with local people and still be me is something that I've deeply appreciated on the trip and Ive found it without the football connection as football is nowhere near as much as a big thing out here in Indonesia. Wawan calls me and as I go down one of the lads is up the tree knocking advocado out with a stick, the way they climb and trek blows me away. We have jungle acrobatics this afternoon with the funky monkey throwing themselves about in the trees as if they have no care of life. I could literally sit for hours and watch they're antics, actually that's literally what I have been doing this last few weeks. I also have a little practice of getting up and down the stairs to the half way point and it's nice to actually see the river that I've heard so much about and only ever crossed in the dark on the night I arrived. There is a storm coming in and as I look across the hills I see the dark clouds follow the same shape as them. Shortly after the electricity goes off and tonight stays off for some time but just like the old days everyone has dinner by candlelight. I've been asked to join everybody for dinner and I enjoy delicious tuna and rice. In the evening we're joined by nanang and dolar and enjoy a little sing song before I head for bed.Lue lisää

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    Footloose

    5. syyskuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    I have a plan today to do a couple of the stairways here to get some exercise in preparation for the colossal decent I will be doing the day after tomorrow. When I arrive to the restaurant Barra tells me I need to move rooms from the bamboo to a family room. I enjoy my morning coffee and pack up in 5 minutes and actually enjoy the fact I have a different view it's like being in a country garden, I can hear the river and the birdsong is beautiful. Dewi messages me to say she has something for me and when I get to the restaurant she's bought me the prettiest pair of earrings made out of coconut. The new t shirts are ready and I've bought one my memories here have been incredible the people amazing and the food delicious and is a souvenir I will treasure and hopefully wear on my next jungle trek here. In the evening I grab a shower and don my t-shirt for the group photo. I even manage to put a bit of make up on as well. In the evening I watch the boys play takraw from my balcony. As I'm sat here Johnno the friendly funky monkey runs across my roof gets to the edge and looks down then jumps to the tree opposite and eyes my bag. I grab it before he can. In the evening once again we have intermediate power loss again and it's not due to a storm the local government do it to annoy the residents. When I reach the restaurant every one is wearing them and it looks really cool. We take some group photos and I enjoy my evening watching football highlights and eating the biscuits that Barra brought me from the village. Everyone loves it as it's not something they would often have.Lue lisää

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    How it all started

    4. syyskuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I once again fall back to sleep this morning and eventually rise before 10. It's a nice day today and I enjoy a catch up with Wawan in the morning. The whole sanctuary here was set up In 1973, Regina Frey and Monica Boerner, two Swiss zoologists, established an orangutan rehabilitation centre at Bukit Lawang. This they called the Bohorok Orangutan Centre after the nearby town of Bohorok. Although illegal, orangutans were widely held as pets in Indonesia, and the centre sought to reintroduce them to the wild. It was supported by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). The centre has since been closed and thankfully the Orangutan let back into the wild. And Regina is an owner of Ecolodge, another accommodation lodge here. The difference with On The Rocks is it's high up but the views and nature here are incredible. Abang isn't feeling good today so they have sent for the medicine man who gives him a massage. While he's here I decide to get another massage on my foot and Wawan gets his shoulder sorted 3 birds with 1 stone. We all feel much better Afterwards but at the time mine was painful to a point where I could feel myself close to fainting, but he really knows where the pain is and as they say no pain no gain. A little later I notice I've been bitten by something all along my arm. I use my pawpaw and don't really notice it anymore. @pawpaw if you want an ambassador for your product I'm the one. One again I get given pudding in the afternoon. This time it's bubur sum sum very similar to creme caramel but with rice as the base it's delicious. Today I've also seen a snake and a bat from the restaurant it's really a different thing every day the longer I stay the more I think I could live somewhere like this, so close to nature. I also learn that bats can walk and all cockroaches can fly, quite a scary thought. Barra comes back from the village and gives me a new lighter which is a Liverpool one it's so I don't lose it. As we settle in to watch the game, a grasshopper jumps onto the television and at some moments looks like a person on the pitch out of the corner of my eye. I watch the football till about midnight but retreat to bed exhausted.Lue lisää

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    Another day in paradise

    3. syyskuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    In the morning I stay in bed a bit longer and listen to the jungle with my doors open. The sounds outside are incredible and I sit and listen before drifting off to sleep for another hour. This morning I'm invited down to the lodge and sit with Wawan and Abang. Shortly after 2 guys arrive with medicine for boomer. He's got an allergy to some thing and has been scratching for a few days now. Boomer knows there's something going on and starts to get a little bit agitated. Wawan goes to the kitchen and comes back with sardines and after a couple of sniffs scoffs the lot down tablets included. 2 new guests arrive from England and I accompany them down to the rock room which is the furthest I've ventured since hurting my foot but gives me the clearest view of the mum and baby yet. I don't take any photos I just watch I'm amazed by how small the baby still is although you can see she's definitely confident of swinging on her own. In the late afternoon the village starts coming to life with live music playing and it's definitely Saturday. Down there a noise is coming like wacky races and there are cars revving up and the noise echos right the way through the valley. Wawan has arranged for a photographer to take some updated photos of the site so I accompany Wawan the photographer to my room where he asks is it alright The plan was to go to the village tonight but as much as I wish I could I don't realistically think the steps are viable. I cut my losses and stay and watch the football instead but even that is dissapointing.a draw is not the result I was hoping for. I watch the other games before heading to bed to listen to the party going on in the villageLue lisää

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    Brick wall

    2. syyskuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    Today I feel like I've hit a brick wall. I'm so restricted with where I can go and I hate having to rely on people to do things for me. My little mate Esbi is waiting eagerly with the dominos but 10 minutes in he's bored and wanders off. Dion is heading to the village so I order a few things like deodorant and cigarettes and hand him all my loose change which over here is 1000 and 2000 notes. I'm learning a lot of Indonesian but when I'm trying to hear people speak it's so difficult because some people speak with a very dramatic accent while others are very softly spoken and the way I hear the same thing said by two different people they could be saying something totally different. In the afternoon a couple come up from the village for lunch. I point out a few of the key areas to watch out for things and out of the corner of my eye catch sight of the 2 hornbill. They manage to get the best photos yet and pass them onto me. It's the most clear siting we've had and is beautiful because I can just watch this beautiful bird while someone else takes the photos. In the evening I'm brought a portion of cake it's like a rice pudding base with a blachmange top. I've also upped my skills of mosquito squatting and am pretty much professional. Later in the evening I'm told it was Esmis birthday. The difference for me is incredible. The money and fuss we make is ridiculous our kids are spoilt way too much at home and don't even realise it. I go to bed with a heavy heart that we haven't even sang happy birthday to Esbi but I'm sure he's none the wiser.Lue lisää

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    On the mend

    1. syyskuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    I can definitely say there's another improvement in my foot again when I wake this morning. I've been given an oil to massage it daily and although it's painful it does feel better afterwards. This morning I chat with Dion about the Gibbon monkeys and didn't realize that there were so many different types. The native ones here are the white faced gibbon and the black gibbon and named relevantly. They are very difficult to come across but one of the treks saw them yesterday. They also see the black gibbon which is really unusual. The nice thing is they stay with the same partner for life. I feel extremely homesick today and it's nothing imparticular I'm thinking of but I'm actually just missing hugging people. I get totally distracted by getting shown card tricks but then being shown how it's done then learning to balance a spoon and fork on a matchstick on the edge of a glass. I'm so grateful to be learning new things every day. Just worried I will have forgotten them by the time I go home. Then I'm beckoned into the kitchen to start my cookery class with Dewi and the help of Ayu and Pitri . We are cooking meat rendang and start with dry frying coconut until it turns brown then putting it into a food processor and blitzing to a paste the depth in flavour it gave was immense. Other ingredients were chilli ginger garlic lemongrass coconut milk gelang lemon leaves and tumeric leaves. Omg it was delicious and I enjoyed it later in the evening . I've recorded a video today for a young man named Evandro. One of the many people I've met along my travels who I will always remember by his quote "The world will always find a way to put awesome people together" I spend a few hours entertaining Esbi and teaching him how to count with cards with only the jungle orchestra to be heard. It's really beautiful. Today my food of the day is Kotol Kamping which translates to "god's balls" it's like a Michelin star banana fritters with coconut and psalm sugar and is absolutely delicious. I head to bed at 11 as I have an alarm set for 2am for the gameLue lisää

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    Up close and personal

    31. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    It's an early morning rise again and not because of the monkeys because of the pain. It's like a bad toothache that isn't going away just getting worse. My foot though is pretty much back to normal in size.I must admit the mornings are the worst and once I get moving a little bit it eases up. Im actually walking on it with full weight but just taking it really easy. This morning there is another little boy here called Isbe. He's one of the staffs son's and it's really nice for Laman to have a little playmate. It's crazy how a language barrier never seems to happen between kids they have this amazing way of communicating. Another thing I'm aware of is this is the first Lego space ship that Isbe has probably seen. I've decided that I'm going to take a cookery class with Dewi In the next few days. I tell her I want to cook for everyone and she sets about writing a shopping list. Chill chiili flake and fresh chillies this is sounding spicy. We are cooking meat rendang. As we're sat here a Thomas leaf monkey comes into the restaurant. Rather than taking a long video I put my phone down and walk around the side to get as close as I can. For days I've watched these monkeys but today is very special. The amount of detail I can't stop looking at his ears and hands. He's very calm and I don't get too close. I practice a lot in Indonesian this afternoon as without the internet I have no Google translate. Later in the afternoon the engineers arrive from the village. Can you imagine getting given the job at the top of the steps, and when they have to go down for parts it's a bad day at work. After a couple of hours were back on line. In the late afternoon we have an family of Thomas leaf monkeys that literally surround the restaurant. I've kind of started to take it for granted a bit, and when I think I will leave in a few days I sit and watch even longer today. They are constantly on awareness mode and the slightest movement you have at least 8 pairs of eyes on you. I have been here 2 weeks today but can honestly say it's been the highlight of my whole trip. We have the fish that was 'caught' yesterday and after eating dinner get a visit of another insect I've never seen before I constantly keep pinching myself that this place is a reality. In reality there are daily power cuts but generally only for a few minutes but they also have a back up generator. Another earliesh night before the party arrives in townLue lisää

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    Gone Fishing

    30. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    This morning I'm woke. At 630 with the screeching of monkeys and seeing as these ones are endemic you would think I would be pleased but they're a bloody nuisance. I can hear them on my porch so I go out and lie in my hammock and watch them kamikaze out of the tree into the bushes. Amber and Anne leave this morning and after seeing them off I once again just sit back and watch the Thomas leaf monkey swinging between the trees, when they stand up they are like a meerkat honestly the cutest monkeys as long as they're not nicking my stuff. The boys are off fishing today and they leave pretty early in the morning. It's so quiet without them, but I go down to the balcony and lie on the mattress with a 360 degree view of the jungle. As I'm laying here a huge eagle fly's across in front of me . I'm so relaxed and It's so peaceful I actually have a little power nap. The sky has gone very dark when I wake up and a storm is imminent. I hear the thunder in the distance and within minutes it starts to pour. This is followed by lightning and I sit in the shelter watching the rainy mist sweep through the valley. It's beautiful but after an hour is still in full swing. I make my way up to the restaurant and would get a lot less wet if I could run but that is not an option at this stage. The storm actually takes out the internet and it doesn't come back on all night. I use my 4g and get my flights booked. I leave on the 7th but potentially plan for a return. I'm gutted I can't do the trekking this time and also Mount Bromo is still on the daydream list.The boys still aren't back by 11 so I decide it's the perfect opportunity to take an early night..Lue lisää

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    Robbing bastards

    29. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    I wake up late this morning and feel like shit. I'm in a lot of pain but the swelling has gone right down as well as the bruising. It's crazy how quick the day goes when you are doing absolutely nothing. Later in the morning Barra asks if id like anything from the village so I ask him if he can get enough lupin for everybody and 2 packs of cigarettes for me. He can only manage to get 4 lots but they're put in the fridge for later. I'm invited down to the balcony and I'm watching the Tomas leaf monkey getting closer then I realise the next thing Johnny the monkey has hold of a plastic bag containing my medicine luckily Barra sees him and grabs it back for me. The boys are playing sevens and suddenly Dion jumps up from his seat. I'd seen something flying but didn't know what it was and when I look it's the hariest caterpillar I've ever seen. And it's two tone seriously it doesn't look real. The monkeys keep coming back until boomer the dog sees them off. The evening is once Again pretty chilled that's what I kind of love about this place.There is always a little corner where you can hide but more often than not I sit with the boys at one of the huge tables and practice my Indonesian. I am smoking a lot here but I'm not drinking which is a good thing and just what my body needs to recuperate properly especially the state I get in sometimes.Lue lisää

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    Hornbill heaven

    28. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    I wake this morning and the pain is so intense I can barely put a foot down. I struggle on and get a shower and walk over to the restaurant. Wawan turns up 10 minutes later and I enjoy the little hour when I can pretty much talk about anything because people have gone out trekking. Today's subject is drugs. I really want to dig a bit deeper. He explains how it only takes a few tries and your addicted. Very similar to crystal meth and during hard times how ex friends had fallen in the trap. Then I see Ayu the lady who was really sick the other night and she's back to work. The boys even spoke how they thought she wasn't going to make it through the night so to have her back so soon and climbing up from the village, the resilience of the people here never ceases to amaze me. He explains how during COVID people started to leave and there we're just a few who stayed loyal and at times he was here on his own. Can you even imagine that. Noone would come up and down the stairs here voluntarily and at that time noone was allowed to. The other aspect is how close would the monkeys come in especially if no one was trekking in the Jungle. I also ask about poaching and Wawan tells me that would never happen here as everyone in the village knows anything that's going on and they realise their lives depends on tourism so will do anything to protect it. In the afternoon Ayu brings me a plate of donuts that she has bought for all the staff. Within 10 minutes Dewi brings me a bowl of Kolak Pisang which is like a banana soaked in caramel. I'm on sugar overload. There are so many flying ants tonight that I feel I'm the dam in dambusters it's a sure sign it will rain tonight. I get myself comfortable for the football and bring out the biscuits that I bought for the trek. It's like a flashback when I bite into it it's like a lemon puff but with chocolate instead. They even have a football on the packet. It's so good being able to watch the football on a big screen and at a decent hour. Once again I go to bed exhausted.Lue lisää

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    Orangutan before breakfast

    27. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    So before I've even had my morning coffee Abang shouts me that there is an orangutan, seriously I could do a planet earth edition here without moving from the restaurant. The boys bring me my morning brew and I take a different seat in the restaurant. I love the fact how in different places here there's a whole different view and sounds. It's wonderful because it so quiet that you can hear a branch break and that's a pretty sure sign there's a monkey about. Another couple checked in yesterday with they're son Laman who is just the nicest young man. He has a Lego space ship set and sits and plays for hours with it and eventually draws me into a game of Lego space invaders The longer I'm here the more in tune I'm getting with the jungle there a so many sounds and slowly I'm beginning to recognise different sounds. Seriously there are so many it's like a little orchestra playing around me. In the afternoon banana fritters called Tempe goreng are brought up from the village and as I'm chatting to my original guide Ajad tells me that a lot of the guides bring the orangutan out of the trees to the ground and that yesterday an orangutan had got angry because one or the other companies guide had got into trouble and he'd had to help to get it back in the tree. Wawan once again called me and shows me a huge bug with the most beautiful wings. The crazy thing is I Google lens it and it still can't tell me what it is.. maybe I've discovered a new insect. I get my prime position for the night but then when we try to get the United game on which is before it we can't and after lots of messing around realise in the small print that premiership games have only been paid for on his phone not on the TV as well. In the evening Dion tells me that in the village you can buy peanuts and drugs off the same guy. Sabu Sabu (crystal meth) is a big issue here, especially since covid where young people were bored and depressed. Saturday night in Bukit Lawang is party night and I have that groundhog feeling which is a good reminder of how long a week is. I've definitely decided to stay here till the 7/8 September and fly to Kl for a few days then fly on to Langkawi. Just after half time the girls come back from the village and even though it's really loud down there I don't think it gets busy till after midnight. I thoroughly enjoy watching the game on a big screen and of course our 9-0 win. It rains again tonight and when I get back to my lodge I've left the window open and have a pool of water in the middle of my floor. It's nothing that one of my towels won't fix. I mop up shut my window and fall asleep within minutes.Lue lisää

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    Pure peace

    26. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I wake this morning in a lot of pain although the swelling has gone down considerably. There are no treks today only people coming back and the two guests from yesterday went on the night bus last night. There's something rather relaxing about just lying here and listening to the sound of the jungle without any background noise and even with the foot drama I feel very relaxed and at peace. Later in the morning Wawan is asked to do a last minute airport pick-up and within minutes he's called someone and they will be at the airport in 20 minutes. Just before every one arrives Dion one of the guides has made me a crown and came over and crowned me queen of the jungle. Just as they do this the guys arrive back from they're overnight stay and I'm pleased they've seen so much Emma and Ewan are from Scotland and truly lovely people checking whether I need anything from the town as they're heading out for a few beers later. We all have a game of shithead and share a beer. Oliver is an astro scientist but explains how he bartered to get a price down from 200k to 150,k , gave the guy 200k and didn't realize they'd given him a 5000k with a drawn on zero to make it look like 50k The boys shout me that there are orangutan and I go down and watch them swinging through the branches on the other side of the stream. Dion tells me how the mother orangutan carries her baby for 6-7 years. That they never have twins and that pretty much as soon as the 6/7 yr old leaves she'll have another baby. The male just leaves. As we are sitting here we watch 2 hornbills hopping through the tree it really is like being queen of the jungle. The boys are playing takraw again but I prefer to stay and watch the wildlife tonight. Later in the evening we sit round the table transversing and joking when Wawan distracts me to show me a chameleon it just looks like a medium sized ghekko but Wawan catches it by its tail and it's wings come out. It's actually just like an attached piece of skin that they use to glide with. We also get a visit from the preying mantis again before the wind changes and I can se the lightning over the village. I wait a little while but in the end borrow an umbrella and waddle home.Lue lisää

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    Jungle woman

    25. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    I wake up this morning feeling grateful which given the circumstances is a little crazy. I have had an awesome trip and even if I wasn't to go home my plans need to change drastically. In the morning everyone is out apart from Bayu. It's nice because he's learning English and he's teaching me Indonesian. We listen to my favourite Indonesian song 'Di Sadiyan' and translate the words. One of the lines translates to pour water of peace. A little later Abang comes back and with him brings the Thomas leaf monkeys. They really come up close and personal and I enjoy watching them for over a hour. They have a name of Johnno for one of them but not the othes. The Thomas leaf monkey is endemic to north Sumatra so I enjoy this amazing opportunity. At one point Abang goes and hands one of them a banana. It's a beautiful site and without the injury I would never have seen half of this. I spend a good part of the day massaging my leg after being given an oil with various herbs in by one of the guides. It's really crazy how I'm struggling to find the time for my blog at the moment. A little later wawan returns with a huge stick insect bigger than my hand Demi delivers a promise by making me Lupic -sticky rice coated in coconut and psalm sugar syrup it looks and tastes so good I forgot to get a picture but it was delicious. I get invited to watch the boys playing takraw. The ball is thrown to the player on the left to keep it up in the air only with they're head chest knees and feet over a badminton net. As th game progresses you can hear monkeys in the distance and how close they have been getting I'm surprised they don't join in. Back at the ranch a couple have come back from a day trek and didn't manage to see an orangutan they are so dissapointed so I tell them that just over an hour ago they're were 3 orangutan just by the butterfly cabin and it might be worth a look. They come back ecstatic they managed to see them. Later in the evening I sit with Bayu and an insect drops on the table, even after using Google lens we still don't know what it is. Wawan joins us and he's constantly got ideas or is doing something and later in the evening has the guys re oiling the beautiful wooden tables here with nothing more than coconut and as they massage the coconut on the table the oil comes out from it, and all the money I've spent on oils and waxing products. I feel exhausted today so just before midnight hit the sack.Lue lisää

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    Slowly slowly

    24. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    So for the first time in a while I manage to get both flip flops on it's been nion impossible for the past few days I trundle my way to the restaurant and feel really exhausted today I've got muscles that I didn't know I had. When I arrive at the restaurant Dion has been bitten by a caterpillar on his left foot and he's sick. We joke about how we'll never walk alone with his right foot and my left foot and a stick. They're are competitions in the village here for climbing greased poles and It teaches kids climbing skills. The children learn a lot of things really early from walking long distance but being well behaved. It's really quiet in the morning but in the evening another couple checks in who are from Scotland. It's quite a nice thing watching people come up the steps (the gringo killer) after finishing the two or three day trek. They ve usually seen quite a few orangutans as well as other creatures and insects so the are exhausted but happy A little later I see Bayu coming up the steps with a pack of something. When I ask him if he's been to the village just for that and he says yes it's for tonight and hes been all the way down and up the stairs for a bag of cookies without breaking a sweat. Dion later sends me a picture of him on a drip but tells me he's fine and at home. I have a nice evening sitting on the porch with the staff listening to indonesian songs where all the different generations know the words. We talk about our families and for the first time I'm able to take myself to bed.Lue lisää

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    Thing can only get better

    23. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    I'm glad I only upload my blog a few days after things have occurred because otherwise people would have been panicking with what I've uploaded today. I watched the game at 2am but still I wake at 7 and enjoy the freedom this morning of being able to take a short shower. My foot is a lot less swollen too but my mood is not great after losing to man united. The Dutch family leave today and I will definitely be catching up with them again I'm sure. The whole place where I'm staying is made out of the hardest wood or Bamboo and the boys are moving one of the most solid wood tables, it is the heaviest table I've ever seen and you can see the strain on all the guys faces I hope they don't have to go far with it. I'm pleased to see Demi back although she still doesn't look well. She's great at making the nutmeg that goes on my foot selfish I know. I'm nearly out of cigarettes and luckily the German guy has to go to the village. I ask him to buy me some cigarette and he offers to lend me his computer and expect him to be back in half an hour but comes back nearly 2 hrs later and I feel guilty because he hasn't been able to sort what he went there to do and only came back with 1 pack of cigarettes. In the evening I speak with Dion. His English is exceptional and he likes to learn and to teach me. It's a win win. We play a card game called 7 with nanang before he gets distracted by his phone. As we're talking a praying mantis lands on the table and the boys handle it like is a stick insect. It makes me laugh at the amount of limbo dancing I've done trying to avoid touching one. Demi is still not well but still makes my balls of nutmeg that I can mix with water later to make my own paste and one for the morning. I have an early night and the trip back to my bungalow which is a lot easier tonightLue lisää

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    Childs play

    22. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    This morning is an early rise. I slept last night with a pillow propping my leg in position and considering have slept really well. I enquire how Ayu is and she's I. The hospital so hopefully she'll be fine. There are no guests here as they have all gone trekking so I'm surprised when I hear a lot of children. I hobble over and see a group of young school children with there teachers and parents. Wawan has invited them up to do a nature watch and they all have a piece of paper with animals on including monkeys elephant and tiger and have to tick what they've seen. Crazy as they don't realise how special it is to see the monkeys they are seeing and the only time kids in Europe would see these animals is in a zoo. The other thing is these young kids have walked up the numerous steps on they're own. As they go back down you can hear the men shouting to other guides in the jungle and they answer back. Sitting in the restaurant I'm a little bit bored so I make a few suggestions to Wawan about a page of indonesian words he loves the idea so we spend the day collaborating and it's great because I learn a few new words as well. I've decided to learn a lot more Indonesian while I'm here. It's a perfect opportunity and the guys are keen to better their English, I'm even helping with a bit of Spanish. In the afternoon the Dutch family return and I'm pleased to hear of they're adventures as the kids are so excited. Another 2 Dutch couples have checked in and after my morning and early afternoon spent watching monkeys I join them for a a game of cards called asshole. I chat with one of the guys Dion and he tells me a lot of injuries in the locals don't come from trekking in the Jungle they come from playing a game called Takraw a game of football badminton (Google it it's incredible). In the restaurant a young Indonesian girl has her 25th birthday, her boyfriend has brought her on the 4 HR journey from Medan. Everyone sings happy birthday and she shares her cake with us. A little later we go to a little hut a bit further down in the valley and the boys make me a little bed and we sing and play guitar. One of the guys has a brilliant voice and I'm in my element as the birthday girl leaves and passes us on the steps wawan plays happy birthday on the guitar and we all sing. When the music stops you can hear the song of the jungle. This place is really very special. I head to bed as I'm up at 2am to watch the redmen.Lue lisää

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    Traditional medicine

    21. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I stay in bed a little longer today it's crazy how losing one foot is a lot more stressful on the other parts of your body. My left leg is knackered and I might as well have one arm as one is constantly on a stick, no crutches here. I use the door handle to pull myself up and as I do open my doors to the most amazing view. A hammock for me to lie in an watch the monkeys in the trees. If I could give anyone advice it would be that sometimes we just have to put our camera down and enjoy the moment. at the bottom of the valley I watch the orangutan swing through the vine and the macak monkeys move closer to me for a better look. I eventually push myself to get into the shower and feel so much better when i do i get dressed am using my 2 sticks bring myself along the grass to the restaurant. With a cup of my favourite coffee a cigarette and watching two baby macaks cleaning each other I've made the decision to take my recuperation time here even if I get eaten alive by mosquitos I'll always have my pawpaw ointment. Wawan the owner has set up the football on the TV here so I'm in my element all that's missing is a pool table although I probably couldn't play anyway at the moment. Just after 1pm Yumi and Chris come back to camp from the original trek I was on. Let's just say they've had an adventure. The first night they were camping by the river and although they kept dry they still were worried about the river levels. They have just arrived back by tubing down the river and when I tell them what I've seen here they confirm I've seen more than them. They share lunch with me and have been offered after to go and do a little more trekking closer to home and manage to see another 4 orangutan. 5his national park used to be a sanctuary and even though the orangutan have been released back to the jungle if they know an area for collecting food easily in the past they are sure to stay close by. I spend the whole afternoon just watching the Thomas leaf monkeys swinging right in front of me. There is a whole family of them and multiple babies. I watch as the adults move closer and the babies following the path through the trees. There is a flower bush right at the bottom of the steps where I'm sitting and it's apparent they like to eat the flowers as they sit a few feet away from me picking them off and eating them. I am so pleased as next week I was due to rush off and trek up mount bromo but instead I'm believing that I'm not finished with Indonesia and gives me a good reason to come back. In the evening we exchange music recommendations and guns and roses November rain. I have such a nice evening as literally every one else is out or in bed. A little later Ayu one of the girls from the kitchen takes really poorly, I leave the communal area as I don't want to be In the way and to be honest I'm exhausted.Lue lisää

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    Welcome to the jungle

    20. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    In the early hours of this morning I wake with pins and needles in my toes., My foot is so swollen I feel like the skin will burst. I give my toes a good massage and take a pain killer and fall back asleep. My natural alarm wakes me at just after 7am and I hobble out of bed and upto the restaurant it's easier for me to be there as it means that if I need anything I can shout. As I'm sat there wawan shouts me and points down and there's a female orangutan with her baby in the trees below us. I'm blessed that I'm sat here while everyone else is out trekking seeing exactly what they are seeing. It's crazy how I hear the trees rustling and see the leaves shake and your guaranteed a monkey but usually it a macac but the bright orange colour makes it stick out like a sore thumb. While I'm lay with my foot up a German guy comes over and asks if he can have a look. He examines it and confirms it's not broken which is such a relief he advises that I should put cold water compress on it which I do. The big Spanish party arrive back from there trekking in the afternoon and the mum is a doctor who also confirms it's not broken. She brings out a really sticky bandage which she wraps around my foot. I feel caught in the middle because wawan is saying the cold compress is not what they would do here and when my foot swells up again that evening I decide to listen to wawan so in the evening he once again mixes a concoction of herbs and applies it on my foot and leg. I have a couple of choices I either have to stay here literally in the middle of the jungle or take a 4 HR journey to sit in a hospital then a hostel/hotel for the next week to 10 days. The nature here is amazing and as long as my foot doesn't get any worse I can't think of anywhere better. In the afternoon wawan shouts look a hornbill. I can't believe it. There are actually 2 off them and is the bird I got my tattoo off. Once they're spotted every one wants to see them and I hobble out the way so everyone gets a look. In the early evening I play shithead a card game with the Dutch family but they head out on a trek tomorrow so it's an early night for them. I decide to stay up a bit longer and enjoy my time with the boys singing and playing guitar. Another storm is overhead tonight and when the rain dies down the boys help carry me back to the room.Lue lisää

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    Orangutan hunting

    19. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    I wake this morning so excited as today I'm off on a 3day 2 night trek in the jungle at Bukit Lawang in Sumatra Indonesia. It's something I've been looking forward to for months now and one of the only things I've pre-booked on my trip. I empty my big rucksack to get to my trekking gear and repack my little rucksack with the essentials for the next few days. We eat breakfast and I'm thankful there is just the 3 of us on the trek as sometimes less is more. You have to be quiet to see wild life in their natural habitat. We take a break a little bit further in and as we sit there a Thomas leaf monkey comes into view and perches himself in the tree next to us. I could just sit for hours watching him and his mannerisms. We trek for another 30 minutes and come to a clearing where we take a break for fruit. To my absolute delight they serve rambutan my favorite fruit in the whole world. I can't believe I have been trying to find this fruit here, but it has been out of season. It's delicious, we continue our trek and within 40 minutes I slide and twist my ankle. I know the trek is over for me, I'm absolutely devastated. I have to get myself prepared to get taken out. Yumi and Chris say they want to come out with me but I insist that they must continue. The boys call to camp and within 2 and a half hour the boys have arrived. Nanang Nawan Chichi and Dika meet us at a point where our guide has arranged. I'm amazed how they can actually find us but sure enough do. After chopping a few trees down to make the carrying arms for the stretcher, within minutes of us starting out it becomes apparent that the stretch isn't going to work. The pathway is only wide enough for one person and the ground is so treacherous that the 4 of them take turns to carry me on their back literally piggy backing me out of the jungle. Even this at times is treacherous but after three and a half hours and a solo sighting of an orangutan as well as the peacock like birds in a group I am relieved when we got back to the bungalows. The guys have been really efficient and cold the nearest there is to a doctor out here but he's more a jungle medicine man. I endure maybe an hour of torture as the medicine man relocates my dislocated ankle. While the girls from the kitchen hold my hans and fan me. He then covers it with some herbal concoction. I sit in the restaurant and the most wonderful storm is right over us. I sit and watch and a Dutch family arrive we sit and chat as they have an Airbnb in Amsterdam and we share a few beers before I'm helped to Bed. Wawan the owner tells me I can change my room tomorrow as inviting as the spiral cased power shower is it's simply not practical as I'd of wet myself in the middle of the night trying to hobble down the stairsLue lisää

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    Bye bye Bali

    18. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    My alarm goes off at 6am and I've only taken my wash bag out of my rucksack so after a quick shower I go downstairs to get a grab. I have trouble in trying to get my location and Kedah thankfully offers to call me a bluebird(taxi) he makes me a coffee but I've barely taken a sip and my taxi has arrived, I'm always glad of this as there's nothing worse for me than being stressed at the airport. I enjoy a cigarette before checking in and I'm pleasantly surprised when I find there's a smoking area inside but when I arrive at security they confiscate both my lighters. The smoking area is outside and I manage to blag a light off someone out there but goodness knows how they managed to get them in. It's really nice out here as I watch the planes taking off. It's time to board and we actually arrive in Jakarta 20 minutes early and the clocks have gone back 1 hour. It's only a short layover and after a coffee and cigarette I check the board which says gate 1a for my departure to Medan. I sit at the gate but it doesn't seem very busy and when I check my boarding pass it says 3a. There are 2 girls in front that look European and when I ask they aren't sure either. I go to the desk and on my boarding pass cross it out and put 6a. When I arrive to gate 6a there are quite a few people but we eventually board at gate 7a really not ideal but at least I e made my flight. When I arrive I get a message fro Yumi and Chris the people I'm going to be doing the tour with to say they missed the flight and won't arrive until 5pm. Gary from on the rocks messages me an I agreed to wait for them as it's a 4 HR journey so I buy the driver food and we sit and eat dinner and smoke about 20 cigarettes while we wait. It's very apparent I'm back to hecticness on the drive to On the Rocks but I embrace it and enjoy chatting to Yumi and Chris. We then start making our way into more of the jungle area but still passing through little villages on route. After an arduous journey on very bumpy roads we arrive and get dropped off on the side of the road and told we will need to walk the rest of the way. Debbie has messaged me to say enjoy the steps. It's like climbing Machu Pichu just when you think you are there you turn another corner and there's more. No wonder it's called On the Rocks.Lue lisää

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    Independence Day

    17. elokuuta 2022, Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    I admire my last sunrise here before going back to bed for a few hours. I fall into a light sleep drifting in and out of dreams. Today in Indonesia independence Day and is a celebration of Indonesian independence from the Dutch in 1949 changing it from the Dutch East Indies to the United States of Indonesia. There is a boat race every year to commemorate this and this year there are 35 boats taking part. They all line up on jemilook beach right outside where I'm staying it really is a sight to see. The race starts just after 11am and within minutes one of the boats comes back to the beach out of the race. A traditional steel band are playing the boats the locals outnumber the tourists on the beach it's good to see them enjoying their day of freedom. In-between I decide to take advantage of a final massage off Made's mum. And before she's finished the race is finishing and I jump up to see Sumade one of the guys who plays in the band has won with Bar Ameds boat. There are many celebrations on the shore as the rest of the boats come in one by one. After a shower and packing my bag I get dressed for the afternoon ceremony at the temple. Today is the final day so is extra special the men were at the temple early this morning preparing the pigs and getting the final arrangements done. We arrive just after 4 and have cakes delivered to the temple as an offering.Nico buys the kids the equivalent of a kinder egg which comes as a ball with various toys inside an the all play with them in the forecourt until just after 530 a guy comes in with a huge enterage and a suitcase and I guess this must be the 'holy man'. This afternoon there are many more people here today every one is really dressed up and wearing gold, even the children have full make up on. Sadly it starts to rain and everyone huddles together under the roof of the shelter. The women are called into the temple to give the offerings for blessings and I stand in astonishment as the 'holy man' looks like a king. The ceremony is very controlled by the ringing of a little bell and after all the items have been blessed we all make our way back to the forecourt where the children perform they're Balinese dance. After this the older women perform and invite me to join even though I haven't got a scooby what I'm doing. Then everyone is called to pray with huge bamboo brooms being dipped in water and splashed across the crowds. Then the holy water is given in the palm of our hands 3 times to drink 3 times again to wash and the rice which I remember to put on my face this time rather than eat. The flower ceremony then takes place where flowers are offered up in prayer numerous times and eac time a small flower placed behind the ear or for the men I side they're headwear. As the evening comes to an end I bid my goodbyes as I have a taxi to catch at 8pm I couldn't have picked a nicer day to finished my time in Amed and really wish I could stay for tonights party but the jungle is calling. My taxi is on time and after saying my final goodbyes we head for Kuta. Forty minutes into the journey he asks is it ok to stop and wait for his friend. A tourist has rented a motorbike and forgotten to leave the key. So we pull over into a petrol station and wait for the guy to come on his motorbike to join our taxi to go to the airport and collect it. We arrive in Kuta just after 11 and I'm greeted by the nicest guy at de dukah guest house, we sit and chat for nearly an hour putting the world to rights and I'm quite sad I have to go to bed but Im heading for the jungle tomorrow.Lue lisää

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