Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia

December 2019 - February 2020
A 70-day adventure by Gina Read more

List of countries

  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Vietnam
  • Cambodia
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Germany
Categories
None
  • 31.0kkilometers traveled
Means of transport
  • Flight25.7kkilometers
  • Walking-kilometers
  • Hiking-kilometers
  • Bicycle-kilometers
  • Motorbike-kilometers
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometers
  • Car-kilometers
  • Train-kilometers
  • Bus-kilometers
  • Camper-kilometers
  • Caravan-kilometers
  • 4x4-kilometers
  • Swimming-kilometers
  • Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
  • Motorboat-kilometers
  • Sailing-kilometers
  • Houseboat-kilometers
  • Ferry-kilometers
  • Cruise ship-kilometers
  • Horse-kilometers
  • Skiing-kilometers
  • Hitchhiking-kilometers
  • Cable car-kilometers
  • Helicopter-kilometers
  • Barefoot-kilometers
  • 154footprints
  • 70days
  • 392photos
  • 9likes
  • Kebun Raya Samosir, Indonesia

    February 12, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today we crossed Samosir island in the middle by motorbike. So we cruised from on shore through mountains, forest and the plateau to the other shore. It was a very nice ride since it is a wonderful landscape and the people are so friendly and welcoming. They grow a lot of eucalyptus in parts of the forest and in between you can find huge tree ferns. On the plateau you can find farmers and a lot of water buffaloes 🐃 - you can find more about water buffaloes 🐃 in another entry.
    It was round about noon when we met a lot of children coming from school and in the beginning I did not know what they were up to. They walked along the road and when they saw us, they held the hand up in the air 🤚🏽. I thought: this is a weird way of waving 👋🏽... but then I understood: they wanted to give me 5 🤚🏽. So I spend the next quarter of an hour driving by children and giving 5 to all children in Samosir 🤪. Rainer was a bit annoyed I must admit 😇.
    We also passed an area which is called „Kebun Raya Samosir“ which is planned as a conservation area. Translated it means „Samosir Botanical Garden“ and the area is about 100 ha big. Since it is in planning there is not much to see yet, the collected plants will display endemic pine species, collections of medicinal plants, natural dyes, fruit and wood producers. Until now the Samosir Botanical Garden has built a management office, nursery, embung, environmental road.
    So we went across Samosir and back and when we arrived back at the shore, we still had a lot of daylight left over 😁 so we went along the shore direction east but I will write about that in another entry...
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  • Water buffalos, Sumatra, Indonesia

    February 12, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    You can meet water buffalos all over Asia and they are different... Two extant types are recognized - the river buffalo of the Indian subcontinent and further west to the Balkans, Egypt, and Italy, and the swamp buffalo, found from Assam in the west through Southeast Asia to the Yangtze valley of China in the east.
    This are Swamp buffalos and in contrast to river buffalos (which prefer deep water) they prefer to wallow in mudholes which they make with their horns. During wallowing, they acquire a thick coating of mud.
    At least 130 million water buffaloes exist and more than 95.8% of the world population of water buffaloes are kept in Asia. More people depend on them than on any other domestic animal. They are especially suitable for tilling rice fields, and their milk is richer in fat and protein than that of dairy cattle. Water buffalo milk is processed into a large variety of dairy products, including: cream, butter, ghee, heat-concentrated milk products, fermented milk products, hard cheeses and soft cheeses.
    Water buffaloes thrive on many aquatic plants. During floods, they will graze submerged, raising their heads above the water and carrying quantities of edible plants.
    Here you can see a curious one...
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  • Pakpahan, Sumatra, Indonesia

    February 12, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    After we crossed Samosir island today, we still had some daylight left over. So we decided to drive along the Samosir shore to Pakpahan.
    It is a stunning route - one serpentine after the other and the road is newly paved. First you drive up from the shore to the mountain crest ⛰ and then along the crest. So when you go east, you have the lake on your left side and the rice terraces on your right. From time to time you pass small villages and farms. There are some restaurants and coffees along the road, some of them are build at nice view points. So you can enjoy a drink while gazing into this huge crater lake.
    As usual here, everybody greets you, when you drive by - so you never feel separated.
    If you ever come to Sumatra you definitely have to visit Samosir in Lake Toba and if you do, I strongly recommend to rent a motorbike and drive along this crest direction east - I am not sentimental but I literally cried for sheer beauty.
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  • Batak values, Lake Toba, Indonesia

    February 15, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    This is a graffiti in Tuktuk. In Batak culture, the qualities of a king are written down in 8 traditional Toba Batak values. They point out what is expected by the community from their king. The graffiti shows rule no.8: «Sihorus na lobi, sigohi na longa; sipatuat na butong, sipanangkok na male»
    That means: Speak smart and wise.

    Here all 8:
    1. «Parbahul-bahul na bolon» that is, not easily angry or emotional, and hurt.
    2. «Partalaga so ra mahiang, paramak so ra balunon, parsangkalan so mahiang, partataring so ra mintop» that is, like to help others both materially and morally, advice at any time, in public interest.
    3. «Talu in huta, monang in balian» that is, succumbing to the common good.
    4. «Jinama Rungkung Jinama Pargolangan, tuk dohonon ni munsung ndang tuk jamaon ni hand» that is, does not promise something that is impossible to fulfill; or don't talk a lot without doing anything.
    5. «Tobu tolong na so marlaok bota, na so lupa di uhum na so lolos di tona» that is, act based on the rules and legal provisions and listen to the advice of others.
    6. «Elek tu na poso, hombar tu natua-tua» that is, close and attentive and incorporate the opinion of all parties.
    7. «Mangido is very grimy, mangido gogo tu babiat» that is, asking for advice from people who are right and not because of close friendship.
    8. «Sihorus na lobby, sigohi na longa; sipatuat na butong, sipanangkok na male» that is to speak smart and wise.
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  • Drinking water, Sumatra, Indonesia

    February 15, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    Fortunately most of the people living here use the big bottles of water 💧. Imagine the amount of they if they wouldn’t... I always asked myself how they clean and refill theses bottles. Now I know...

  • Sadness, Lake Toba, Indonesia

    February 15, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    I‘m a bit sad to loose this view from my balcony... It’s our last evening at Lake Toba, tomorrow morning we‘re leaving direction Medan, stay there over night and fly ✈️ over Jakarta to Bali the next day. There we‘ll also stay only one night and fly ✈️ over Istanbul to Hamburg.
    Although I‘m missing my friends & colleges, my son, my plants 🌱 and my apartment, I definitely will miss this wonderful clear lake, the swimming, the climate and the friendly Indonesian people 😕. To celebrate our departure we had Batak Toba Fish 🐟 BBQ this evening, it made a bit easier...
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  • Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

    February 16, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Today our long travel home began. It will take us three stages, so today stage one... After waking up, going swimming for the last time in Lake Toba and having a wonderful breakfast, we took the boat 🛳 to Parapat at 12:30 and arrived there round about an hour later. We took the shared bus to the bus station 🚌 and caught the bus to Medan at 14:00. The wonderful kitchen at Romlan prepared some take away nasi goreng for us, which we enjoyed in the bus. At 17:30 we arrived in Medan at Amplas bus station and ordered a gojek cab. Finally at 18:15 we arrived at Bua guesthouse... So the first stage went pretty smooth and tomorrow we’re up for the next stage 🤪, wish us luck...Read more

  • Kuala Namu, Sumatra, Indonesia

    February 17, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    I am no longer used to getting up at half past seven in the morning with the alarm clock ⏰... today we're going to make stage two, so we went to Kuala Namu airport in Medan. The dew glittered on the rice fields this morning as we set out. Rama fixed us some rice and eggs 🍳 for breakfast and drove us to the airport ✈️. The airport was almost empty, what a strange feeling at an Asia airport... empty... no long lines and no hordes of people who are shouted at by their cell phones - usage of headphones seems pretty uncool here. I felt like on another planet 🪐 - everything empty and quiet - I think Covid-19 makes this possible.Read more

  • Jakarta, Indonesia

    February 17, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Jakarta - this is quite a huge city... I'm happy that I don't have to stay here over night. Yesterday we were rebooked and now we have not only two, but four hours stay in Jakarta. Well, since we started early it’s not a problem and we will arrive in Bali at eight o’clock. So today is a boring airport day and since I‘m not into shopping 🛍 it is aaaaaaa *drumm-roll* AUDIOBOOK 🎶 day ❤️. I downloaded three new ones yesterday 🥰.
    Btw for you as information: we flew Batik Air and I have to admit that this was the worst food I ever had in an airplane. Until now I’m still amazed by the food on Turkish Airlines flights.
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  • Bali, Indonesia

    February 18, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Yesterday we arrived in Denpasar, Bali - our last stop before we hop over to Europe again. I always avoid to stay in Bali but as a connection point it’s practical. So we arrived yesterday, did the online check-in for the flight over Istanbul to Hamburg and today we went out for a Bali tourist day 🤪. You can imagine that nor the temples are comparable to Angkor Wat nor the beaches to Tambarat. But for tourist chilling in the beach club it’s perfect 😉.Read more