• elias adventures
  • elias adventures

south east asia

An open-ended adventure by elias adventures Read more
  • Permuteran

    February 23, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    9 a.m. - After a good and restful night I got breakfast in the homestay.

    12 p.m. - Later we went to the beach and I collected a lot of shells to make my own customized necklace or a bracelet.

    1:30 p.m. - Brian and I got some nice western food for lunch.

    3 p.m. - I got back to the homestay and my laundry was ready. In total I had 7kg of laundry the most I have had so far. I chilled and did nothing except of organizing some things for the next few days

    7 p.m. - We got dinner in a fancy eco restaurant.
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  • Permuteran -> Nusa Lembogan

    February 24, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    7:30 a.m. - After breakfast we got ready for another long travel day.

    8:30 a.m. - We got pick up by our driver and drove through the north of Bali. We made a stop at the twin lake where the had crazy exotic animals to take a photo with. Afterwards we went to Ubud to drop Oleta of and I saw already a bit of Ubud. The center was really busy, a lot of shops and restaurants and only foreign tourists. I really don’t know if I would like it or not. Afterwards we continued to Denpasar where I had to say goodbye to Susan and Brian and I got picked up by other driver and got dropped of at the harbor.

    3 p.m. - I arrived at the harbor and now I am on my own again.

    4:30 p.m. - Departure to Nusa Lembogan on the speedboat. After 30min I arrived there. The boat ride was quite bumpy but not to bad. My transfer to the hostel dropped me of at the wrong location. So I had to walk the rest which was annoying because I paid for it.

    6 p.m. - I arrived at the hostel and the first thing the owner told me that he made a mistake so they were fully booked and I had to go to another one hostel near by for one night.

    7 p.m. - Later I got dinner an connected with some new people.
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  • Nusa Lembogan

    February 25, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌩️ 27 °C

    8:30 a.m. - I got breakfast in the morning and waited until the rain ended. Afterwards I moved back to the hostel I booked and rented a scooter there.

    10 a.m. - I started exploring and just drove along the main street. On the way I met some locals and started to play pool with them. They were way to good and I got destroyed but it was fun. I continued, drove over the yellow bridge to Nusa Ceningan and got some coffee and a snack on the way. Afterwards I went further to the secret beach which was quite cool and continued until I ended up at a restaurant where you could cliff jump. Of course you have to pay for it. I found a nice viewpoint from where I had a great view over the blue lagoon. Furthermore I met some locals fishing with interesting fishing rod and they taught me how to fish. In the morning it was still cloudy and rainy so I didn’t used suncream. However the sun is so strong that I got a sunburn anyways. I used suncream but it was already to late. Afterwards I drove another way back ended up at a view point in a cave from where I could see Nusa Penida and found a lot of rubbish in the middle of the island. Then I drove back in the direction of my hostel and stopped at Diamond Beach from where I went to the devils tear. At the entrance I messed around with some of the employees and we did arm wrestling for free entrance. Unfortunately I lost and I had to pay. However the devils tear was really impressive and satisfying to see.

    4 p.m. - I went back to the hostel and swam for 20min in the pool. I just realized how bad my sunburn is and Panda, the hostel owner, gave me some fresh aloe vera. Later I played a couple of rounds pool and had a phone call with my family.

    6:30 p.m. - I got some food and went to sleep early. Somehow I was really tiered.
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  • Nusa Lembogan

    February 26, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    8:30 a.m. - After I woke up I had some breakfast and nice talks with the people from the hostel.

    11:30 a.m. - Later I went to a café to write my Penguins because I didn’t had time and energy the last days. Afterwards I also got lunch there. The rest if the day I chilled at the pool. All day long was sometimes heavy rain and it was really.

    5:30 p.m. - In the evening I went for a walk and ended up at the dream beach where I met some others of the hostel. There were some high waves and we had a lot of fun catching them and just playing. Afterwards I went to devil tear again which was insane the waves were huge.

    8 p.m. - I went out for dinner and the heavy rain started again.
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  • Nusa Lembogan -> Nusa Penida

    February 27, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    8 a.m. - Before I got ready to leave I got breakfast in my hostel.

    9 a.m. - Afterwards they drove me to the little harbor at the yellow bridge. I took the boat to Nusa Penida.

    9:30 a.m. - Nusa Penida is so close that we arrived after a couple of minutes. I got a scooter at the harbor for the next days and drove to the other side where our accommodation was.

    11 a.m. - It took me quite long to get there but the drive was really nice except of the last road. The road was in terrible condition and really bumpy. However I managed to get there save and waited for my friend to arrive.

    1 p.m. - We went out for lunch and drove afterwards to The Manta Point. On the way we passed by the Teletubbies Hill. Unfortunately you couldn’t go down because the cliffs are to steep. Anyways we had a incredible view and we managed to spot three manta rays from the top. Afterwards we drove to the Thousands Islands viewpoint. Another incredible view over the cliffs of Nusa Penida and once again we were able to spot some mantas from the top. The hike was quite exhausting so we made break and got some refreshing drinks. Then we wanted to go to the close Diamond Beach. It was already quite late and the weather got worse so we decided to go to our homestay, which was close, and go to Diamond Beach another time.

    5 p.m. - We just arrived at the homestay when it started to poor down rain. Not gonna lie we had good timing.

    8 p.m. - We waited until the rain stopped and went out for dinner. Unfortunately we had to drive the crazy way in the dark which was quite scary.
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  • Nusa Penida

    February 28, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    8:30 a.m. - I woke up early to get active. Unfortunately it was still stormy in the morning so we waited until the weather got better.

    10 a.m. - We left and drove to our first destination. On the way we got some lunch.

    12 p.m. - We arrived at Tembeling Beach. A not really popular spot but definitely underrated. We walked all the way 30min down because they said the road is in bad conditions. Which was true but it would have been alright if you fell comfortable on a scooter. The spot has a natural pool directly near the sea. Really nice view and one of the only spots where you can walk down the cliffs to the sea. We didn’t wanted to walk all the way back because it got very hot and we wanted to save time so we took the bike taxi service. Then we drove to Banah Cliff which is also underrated in my opinion. Its just a viewpoint but a really good one. Afterwards we went to the famous Kelingking Beach. I think we had a good timing because it was as crowded as expected. However the climb down an back up was quite challenging. It is definitely beau no doubt in that. We chilled there for a bit, I went a bit swimming but you have to be careful because of the waves and the current. Later we went to the Broken Beach and we wanted to see the sunset there.

    6:30 p.m. - Unfortunately there was no proper sunset and we drove back because we saw really dark clouds coming. Unfortunately we were 1h from our accommodation away and we got into the rain. We found a house/store where we waited until the heavy rain endet. Afterwards we continued driving and got some dinner on the way. It was already really dark when we started to drive again and we had to drive through the mountains which was really scary because of all the fog.

    9 p.m. - We arrived back at the homestay and we stayed dry once again. It was an eventfully day and I was really exhausted so I went to bed early.
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  • Nusa Penida

    March 1, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    7:30 a.m. - I woke up quite early and checked out.

    9 a.m. - Later we got breakfast and went to the Diamond Beach. Once again we had a beautiful view and because we were so early we where almost alone there. We chilled there and just enjoyed the view. Furthermore I had a lot of fun with the waves. Later it got really crowded and the weather looked like its gonna rain soon. So we decided to leave.

    12:30 p.m. - We arrived back at homestay and it rained again. I waited until the weather got better and then I drove to my new accommodation on the other side of the island.

    2 p.m. - I arrived at my new hostel on the other side and figured out everything for the next days. The hostel was really nice. Nice rooms, a beautiful garden, a pool and they have a kitchen where you can order food. I got lunch there.

    2:45 p.m. - Later I did some groceries and dropped of my scooter at the harbor. I bought some fruits and something for my cough/cold which got worse.

    3:30 p.m. - The plan was to walk 30min back to my hostel. On the way a local stopped and I got a free ride back to the hostel. The rest of the day I chilled at the pool. And in the evening I had a phone call with my mum. And I went to bed early because I was very tired and I had to get up early the next morning.
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  • Nusa Penida -> Gili T

    March 2, 2023 in Indonesia

    7 a.m. - Another early morning. I got some nice breakfast and got ready for my snorkel trip. The weather was amazing this morning so we had really good conditions.

    8 a.m. - We got pick up to the harbor where we switched on a boat. The purpose if this snorkel trip was to swim with the huge mantas I saw already the days before from the top. We were so lucky because on the way we saw a small school of dolphins which was amazing. At the first spot I saw one manta really close but they are faster than expected. So he went really far out and we weren’t able to follow. Later we saw another but he was gone really fast. Our guide did already give up and we were on the way back as we discovered a third one. The third one was the best. He was huge and we could watch him for ages. Those animals are really interesting. They can reach a width of 7m and it looks like they fly trough the water. Very calm and smooth definitely satisfying to watch. Ou boat guy let me drive back the boat to the harbor. Ai Ai here is captain Elias.

    11 a.m. - I got back to the hostel and got lunch directly when I arrived. Afterwards I packed my bag because I had to get a boat.

    12 a.m. - The hostel dropped me of at the harbor. Unfortunately the boat was delayed and I had to wait.

    1:30 p.m. - We departure to Gili T. At some point we got into a little storm and the ride got very bumpy. After a while it got extreme and everyone started to wear life jackets. Not gonna lie sometimes I thought we gonna tip over. Many people got sea sick had to throw up. It was disgusting. I didn’t had any problems the only shit thing was that my backpack got soaked. It took ages to get to Gili but we weren’t able to go fast because of the waves.

    5 p.m. - We arrived an 1 hour delayed in Gili T. It was raining once again and I walked to my hostel which wasn’t far. I met some new people and got free dinner. Later we were pre drinking and went out. Honestly the pre drinking was better than the „club“ we went. At least the music was way better than in Thailand but I once again noticed that I don’t like going out that much when I don’t feel the music.

    P.S.: Look out of the window then you don’t get sea sick.
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  • Gili T

    March 3, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    9:30 a.m. - I woke up after a really bad sleep. It was so cold and I didn’t felt really good.

    11 a.m. - I went for a walk to discover the center of the island and some brunch. Furthermore I wrote my penguins.

    1 p.m. - I went back to the hostel because of my headache and just chilled. Later I went for another walk and bought medicine for my cold and cough.

    5:30 p.m. - I felt a bit better and went out for to eat pizza. Honestly the pizza was the best I had in a long time. Afterwards I enjoyed the last sunset lights and got eaten by mosquitoes.

    7 p.m. - I came back and wanted to nap a bit because today was the motto party gender bender. Unfortunately I got knock out and the nap turned into a 12h sleep.
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  • Gili T

    March 4, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    8 a.m. - I woke up after a decided night and some good rest. My hostel helped me to print all the documents I need for my visa extension which was very nice and helpful.

    9 a.m. - Later I rented a bicycle and got some nice breakfast. Afterwards I explored the island with my bicycle. On my way around the island I saw so many bars which sold mushroom shakes. In the end I drove around the hole island.

    12 p.m. - After I came back I chilled in the hostel at the pool and signed up for the sunset boat tour.

    5 p.m. - We started the sunset boat tour. There weren’t that many people with was great so the vibe was more familiar. It was very nice and chill although the sunset wasn’t the best. I definitely enjoyed it.

    7:30 p.m. - We came back, I took a shower and ate something. Afterwards the beer pong tournament started. Unfortunately my team was out in the first round. Later we went out to a beach bar which was alright. Better music than in Thailand but not my vibe at all and I still didn’t felt well. So I went back to the hostel at some point and when I entered the room my two roommates had sex. I went out again and waited 30min so they could finish. Afterwards I went to bed.
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  • Gili T -> Senggigi

    March 5, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    11 a.m. - I checked out and got some breakfast at the beach with all my luggage. Afterwards I organized the boat and transport to Senggigi.

    12 p.m. - We left to Lombok and I took the cheap public boat. When I arrived in Lombok I got a bus to Senggigi.

    2 p.m. - I arrived at Indah Homestay and it started to rain heavily. I checked in and got a free room upgrade so I got a private room. Later I organized my scooter for the next days. I got a really got price because I rented the scooter for 10 days. Afterwards I drove to the gas station so I got a full tank for the next day. The rest of the day I did nothing and just relaxed because I still didn’t felt well.
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  • Senggigi -> Kuta

    March 6, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    8 a.m. - I woke up after a hard night. At some point my right ear hurt so much and I had pressure on it. I phoned my mom to inform her and what I should do. I probably got a ear infection. So I decided to go to the doctor the next day.

    8:30 a.m. - I went to the pharmacy/doctor but unfortunately the doctor wasn’t here. So I went to the immigration office first. I had to wear long pants because of the dress code. The visit in the immigration office was very easy and chill. I just brought all the documents they needed, filled out some forms and gave everything to the officers. Afterwards the gave me a invoice and I went to the next bank to transfer the money. I even could pay in cash. Afterwards I went back to the office and then I had to wait until they took the photo and fingerprints from me. Although the had technical problems with the system they were really fast. Not I just need to wait five working days and then pick up my passport. The biggest mosque in Lombok was right opposite of the immigration office so I went there to have a look. The was was quite beautiful but when I looked a bit closer there was a lot of construction to do because the rain damaged the facilities. Afterwards I went back to Senggigi and visited the doctor again. Unfortunately I was right and I got an ear infection. So medicine and antibiotics but no water for me :(.

    12:30 p.m. - I took all my stuff and made my way to Kuta with my scooter. Half way in it started to rain again heavily. So I waited in a random restaurant until the rain got less. Then I continued my journey to Kuta.

    3:30 p.m. - Because of the rain it took me 2h more than acupuncture planned. I stayed in a party hostel for a night because I booked accommodation very spontaneous. I dried my stuff from the rain and took a hot shower.

    6:30 p.m. - Later I went out for dinner and missed a beautiful sunset. At least I saw the beautiful clouds afterwards. Still not fit I went to bed early.
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  • Kuta

    March 7, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    8:30 a.m. - I changed hostel my hostel for the next few days. I stayed in the Pipes Hostel. The best hostel I stayed so far. It has an amazing vibe and everyone is so nice and friendly. Furthermore the facility is nice the got a pool and a skate bowl. I got breakfast there and made a small plan because my actual plan was to go surfing for a couple of days but because of my ear infection I couldn’t.

    9:30 a.m. - I tried to get into the race circuit in Kuta. It’s by far one of the most beautiful circuits on the world with a beautiful scenery. Unfortunately I got rejected at the entrance so I tried to get a view from one of the surrounding hills. I didn’t got a nice view on the circuit but I found a nice hill with a nice scenery and a good view on a beach. The hills there reminded me of Austria the had cows and goats there and it was just gorgeous.

    11:30 a.m. - Later I went to the Tanjung Aan Beach. The beach I saw from the hills. It was a beautiful beach and I met a group of germans there. We hanged out for a bit and had a lot of fun.

    4 p.m. - We decided to go to Areguling Beach for a surf session. The boys are apparently very good in surfing, they got sponsors etc, so I decided just to watch them. Unfortunately the surf spot was to far from the shore to see anything so I just chilled. Later one if the girls came back because it was to dangerous for her with the shallow water.

    6 p.m. - We decided to go o top of the mountains to see the sunset. We found a beautiful sunset spot and no doubt in that it was the best sunset in my life. So incredible beautiful and gorgeous.

    8 p.m. - After the sunset we went to a Mexican restaurant where we met some people from the afternoon and got some nice dinner.
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  • Kuta

    March 8, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    8:30 a.m. - I got breakfast in the café of the hostel.

    9:30 a.m. - Afterwards I tried to topped up my data which was more difficult than I thought. Nah I just was to stupid to see the Telkomsel shop just around the corner.

    10 a.m. - I visited the local Sade village to get to know more about the culture. Just some short facts there are over 90 houses made out of bamboo, grass, wood and clay with over more than 400 people. They have their own religion which is nature based but influenced by Hinduism and Muslim. They marry their cousins and the have their own language called Sasak. A local showed me around and introduced me into their lifestyle. They are all farmers so they grow rice, corn, cotton and different animals. I could visit their houses and tried their cigarettes and rice coffee which was quite interesting.

    12 p.m. - For lunch I went to a restaurant near the bat cave. There I waited until the sun was perfect for some nice cave shots with good light. We went into the cave and the smell of all the bat shit was disgusting. It was really really bad and also the amount of cockroaches and other insects made it not better. Anyways it was worth it for the experience to see all the bats and the amazing photo conditions.

    2:30 p.m. - Afterwards I went back to the hostel for a bit of rest and chilled at the pool. I am still not at a hundert precent energy.

    6 p.m. - Later I went to the cave again to see all the bats leaving when the sun set’s. It was just incredible how many bats left the cave at the same time. You could even feel the wind of all the bats. Furthermore the scenery was also crazy because of the sunset. Breathtaking experience definitely.
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  • Kuta

    March 9, 2023 in Indonesia

    8:30 a.m. - After breakfast I did my laundry once more and definitely needed.

    9:30 a.m. - Later I drove along the coast to explore south Lombok and arrived after 30min at Selong Belanak Beach. A perfect spot for beginners to surf. Unfortunately I was still not allowed to swim so I just watched people surfing. Later I went to Mawi beach. It was a crazy road to get there but so beautiful to just drive around. Anyways it’s the same at every beach. Surfing, surfing and surfing. I felt really bad because I wanted to surf so bad but I also wanted to recover as fast as possible. On the way back I also checked out Mawun beach.

    1 p.m. - I came back into town for lunch at Kenzo’s café. Which was a bit fancy. Afterwards I continued exploring into the other direction and finally found a mountain with a view on the race circuit. Definitely one of the most beautiful circuits on the world with that scenery and unfortunately I missed the race weekend just a couple of days. Close by I found a more quiet surf spot with a great view so I just sat there and watched people surfing. It was already so much fun just watching them so just imagine do it by yourself. I have to say it once again I was so frustrated that I couldn’t surf.

    3:15 p.m. - I arrived back at the hostel where we did a pool jump contest and later a game of skate in the bowl in the backyard. Amazing vibes.

    6 p.m. - I left for another sunset and went to the spot I found in the afternoon. Although the sunset wasn’t the best I can never get enough of sunsets. Afterwards I got some food on the way and then I was ready for the movie night in the hostel. We chose a movie and made popcorn really chilled and relaxed.
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  • Kuta

    March 10, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    8 a.m. - I drove to Mataram to pick up my passport in the immigration office. Honestly I did thought that extending my visa in Lombok is that easy. Everyone was always like you have to it with an agency otherwise its so much effort and not doable. Maybe if you do it in Bali but definitely no on Lombok.

    10:30 a.m. - I arrived back at the hostel and went to a pharmacy because I used all my antibiotics and my ear still wasn’t better. So I go new antibiotics and we had another jump contest at the hostel. This time even crazier as yesterday. They tried to do double flips. These guys are just crazy and don’t have any fear and for the others it was entertaining to watch. The rest of the day I chilled in the hostel at the pool and I met so many germans. They told me some crazy stories that locals stole scooter’s from foreigners and then they had to pay a lot to get it back or to pay the insurance. Furthermore they went out yesterday night and one of the guys had a bad scooter accident when they drove back drunk. You can’t imagine what they did in the ambulance and in the hospital. Literally nothing. This guy got absolutely fucked but still had luck that he didn’t did. Always wear a helmet and never drink and drive. A week earlier a tourist died because of a scooter accident.

    5:15 p.m. - I went for sunset to Bukit Merese. It was super crowded and the sunset wasn’t great but I met super nice locals and they invited me for dinner but I didn’t had time so we exchanged contacts.

    7 p.m. - I went back to the hostel because I signed up for the big BBQ. It was literally a BBQ party. There were so many people, we had a lot of amazing food and the vibes were just perfect. Between everyone said I look like a surfer so I was frustrated once again that I couldn’t surf.
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  • Kuta -> Tetebatu

    March 11, 2023 in Indonesia

    8:30 a.m. - After I woke up I had to packed my bag and say goodbye to the stuff and people in the hostel. Definitely one of the best hostel’s I stayed in although I couldn’t surf.

    10 a.m. - I left with my scooter and my luggage north.

    12 p.m. - After a 2h drive in the hear I arrived in Tetebatu at my homestay where I just chilled for a bit and informed me about what I can do here. Furthermore I got a really nice bungalow for myself. Definitely glad to get some privacy for a couple of days.

    2 p.m. - I left to meet up with the two locals I met yesterday at the sunset point. Budi and Riza wanted me to show me there old school and their culture. We went to Budi’s old school where I was the main attraction for all the students there. The students practiced their english with me through just talking and explaining me what their daily lives look like. It’s a tourism school so they prepared some traditional food for me and served it for me. It was so spicy but very sweet from them. Afterwards they showed me around and when I saw the facilities I was shocked. Their accommodation was not in a good condition. They had holes everywhere in the wall and after I saw the kitchen I thought that I definitely get food poisoning. Very bad conditions if you compare it to Europe but the kids there are so happy that they at least get a opportunity and they really hustle. Later they gave me a hole bag of fresh Jamaica apple’s and fresh bread. They make it themselves and sell it on the streets with some toppings to get some more money. Afterwards Riza wanted to show me her village so we drove there and I got to know her family. Once again I was the main attraction especially for all the kids. There were literally 30 kids surrounding me when we visited the fields where they grow rice, water spinach, corn, coconut etc. One of the kids climbed a coconut tree for me to get a fresh coconut for me. Literally the freshest I got so far. It was so impressive how he climbed that tree. Like a monkey. They are build different. Later it got dark and I headed back. On the way we stopped at a local pancake street place where they showed me how to make the pancake’s.

    7 p.m. - I arrived back at the homestay, got dinner and extended another night. Furthermore Budi invited me to visit his home village the next day. I was very exhausted and the water was too cold to shower. Apparently I had no hot water. Later the employees of the homestay played some live music. It was really nice everyone came together and surprisingly they were really good in what they did.
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  • Sembalun

    March 12, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    8 a.m. - I started the day with a good breakfast in the hostel. Afterward I took a shower because I only had cold water and yesterday in the evening it was way too cold, and I was too tired. 9 a.m. - I met up with Budi and Riza because Budi invited me to his home village, Sembalun. 12 p.m. - After quite a long scooter drive into the mountains, we arrived ad Budi's house. At first, we got lunch with his family there and talked about the culture and religion in Lombok. Afterwards his dad showed me the his fields in the mountains. Most of the people there are farmers. They grow different fruits and vegetables like strawberries, rice, water spinach, corn etc. He explained me a lot about the agriculture. About the different seasons, how they use the water from the mountains and how they work in generally. The village and the surroundings remembered me a lot of the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. His family was very kind and welcoming. Later that day we also visited his mom because his parents are divorced. Later we continued our journey further north and drove to the coast. On the way, we stopped at some local food stalls and we bought some fruits. Furthermore, he showed me the best dessert in Indonesia. Fried banana and I literally fell in love with that dish. The drive itself was amazing with the scenery and the nature. After a while we came to a local public swimming pool where a friend of Budi works and took a refreshing swim. Afterwards we continued to his Mom's place. There he introduced me to his other part of his family and I tried another local dish, but I don't remember the name anymore. Apparently, his Mom's house got damaged from the last earthquake. Altough she got money from the government to repair it, it still looked not really good. Later we drove home because it was quite a long drive and I wanted to be at home before it got dark. Unfortunately, it started to rain on the way. 7:30 p.m. - I got back to my accommodation, got some dinner and went to bed early.Read more