Blogs from Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia, Asia

The school trip…. For years and years I’ve been travelling – either alone or with a friend. I like both. I like touring with a good travel companion, but I also relish being on the road independently. But, once or twice a year, I hit the road with a large number of middle school students. This is a whole different style of travel all together! The opportunity to take extended school trips to interesting places was one of the things I most looked forward to when I decided to teach overseas. First of all, I love all travel and especially free travel. Second, I would not have to worry about accommodation, transportation or meals – it would all be arranged for me. Third, I would get to take young people to see some wonderful sites and ... read more

Ich hatte mit etwas großem, etwas einmaligem gerechnet. Mit einem eigenartigen Gefühl im Magen oder zumindest im Enddarm. Hatte mich auf Blumenketten und singende Kinder eingestellt. Oder aber zumindest mit einem freundlichen Händedruck eines Offiziellen in Uniform. Doch Fakt ist, nicht einmal der Kapitän des Flugzeuges erwähnt mit einer Silbe, das wir nun auf der südlichen Erdhälfte sind. Nun wenigstens haben wir für uns still und heimlich mit dem in Plastikbechern servierten Mineralwasser angestoßen. „Auf eine tolle Zeit im Süden der Welt“, oder „Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Äquatorübertritt!“. Es mag unspektakulär sein und auch überhaupt nicht aufregend, doch was wäre die Welt ohne Höhepunkte? Sind diese auch noch so nichtig. Für uns beginnt eine neue Zeitrechnung, ein neues Kapitel, die andere Seite der Welt öffnet auch eine neue Seite auf unserer Reise. Noch... read more

We've been travelling for almost 5 months now and have managed to do this without loosing any of our belongings! So when we jumped out of the swimming pool in Kuta, got dried and jumped on the mini bus that was taking us west to Java we were a little upset when we realised that we'd left our swim suits at the pool drying :-( it's a little sad. We got on the bus in Kuta at 4pm and headed for Mount Bromo, which is a volcano on the east of Java. We arrived at 4am for the sunrise but had an hour walk to the actual rim of the crater. Because we again refused to pay to get on the back of a bike we decided to walk, we had a little map that said ... read more

It's been over three weeks now since Bapak and Ibu Heru herded me into a taxi on the way to Yogyakarta International Airport. Jogja, as it is affectionately dubbed, was my home for three months until this past January. Although the time was very brief, I experienced so much that it felt like I was there for a lot longer. My original purpose for going, to learn enough Indonesian language to apply for microfinance jobs with American organizations, became overwhelmed by the vitality of being in a new and very richly endowed cultural milieu. I think Jogja is a very easy place to love although I admit I am generally underwhelmed by the level of infrastructure and living evironment of Indonesian cities. Jogja has all of the unpleasantries of most large Indonesian cities, horrible congestion, poverty ... read more

The temple is located in the Village Kebondalem Sojiwan Kidul, District Prambanan,Klaten regency, Central Java. To go to the temple is not hard, you can take the route fromthe entrance of Prambanan Temple. the south gate of the temple there is some sort prambanan provincial boundaries. Note that there is a small road on the left to the south After passing the railway, from the existing rail junction, take the straight road, about300 meters you will find a junction with a branch to the left (east). Take the road to the left, you've arrived at the village main street of South Kebondalem. Follow the straight road. about 400 meters from the junction before, you already can see the Temple Sojiwan located on the right or south road. This temple is patterned Buddhism, evidenced by a temple ... read more