http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Indonesia , Sumatra , Banda Aceh en-us Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:25:48 +0000 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:25:48 +0000 Een korte blog over mijn heerlijk weekendje met papa hier in Banda Aceh.Door een annulering van een vlucht enzo was er donderdag namiddag ineens een verandering van de plannen. Door het offerfeest was iedereen op donderdag na half 3 gestopt met werken en was het dus even hectisch om de chauffeur te contacteren. Maar na een hoop telefoontjes van Ingrid kwam het uiteindelijk in orde. Vrijdag was he http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-457145.html Dag lieve Blog lezersAllereerst bedankt voor alle lieve berichtjes op mijn vorige blog. Zo mijn eerste week Banda Aceh zit erop en met veel trots kan ik melden dat ik het heb overleefd. Hier een greep uit mijn recente avonturen.Woensdag avond vroeg Patrick of ik geen zin had om in de stad met hem wat te gaan eten. Patrick mijn huisgenoot houdt er niet van om te koken dus meestal wil hij uit ete http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-452164.html En toen begon het avontuur pas echt. Na een paar dagen verblijf in Jakarta. Vloog ik maandag 2 november gisteren dus naar Banda Aceh. De plek waar ik voor naar Indonesi ben gekomen. Ik vertrok maandag zeer op tijd vanuit het hotel het verkeer staat bijna permanent stil in Jakarta dus voor een stukje rijden naar het vliegveld 30 km moet je twee uur rekenen. Maar zoals je altijd zult zien was http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-450485.html ich mach ja schon einen http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-378383.html I start thinking it's going to be a long taxi journey from Medan to Ketambe when the kid in the seat behind me pukes before we even get to the end of the road. It's 8 hours on what is known as the 'vomit route' over pot holes the locals chain smoking and listening to Indonesian pop music full blast. Indonesian pop music is generally crap English music speeded up x10 with a thumping beat in the b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-335732.html There is a blog missing which covers Malaysian Borneo including Miri Sipadan. This will be added ASAPWe flew from Tawau to Kuala Lumpur and then had an 8 hour wait before our flight to Medan. Medan is the capital of Sumatra the furthest east island of Indonesia which happens to be the most populous Muslim country in the world. During the long wait we got Mon's eyes checked out by the airp http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-288371.html a months after tsunami hit Aceh region My wife flow to Aceh.As a one of NGO staff she stayed couple months in Aceh travelled lots from one place to another place in Aceh sometimes by 4x4 vehicle and oftenly by UN chopper.She saw lots of damaged and destruction there.Now Aceh is start to developing again. Thanks to the world and God who helping us.Basicly Aceh land is a virgin beautiful and rich l http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-202693.html After a quick visa run through Malaysia we entered Sumatra for our final Indonesian stint.The twisty roads and crazy driving on the way to Meulaboh made me see my chicken curry again the driving here is just mental. 15 hrs later we arrived at Gampong Chot and the Yasyan Bumi Sehat clinic where we volunteered. info at www.bumisehatbali.orgMeluboh was ground zero for the Tsunami the whole area wa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-202527.html Wehsaarelta tulon jalkeen katsastettiin viela pari tsunamimuistomerkkia. KFCsta kanaa mukaan lentokentalle jossa pikainen lounas ennen lentoa takaisin Medaniin. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-192009.html Kahden ja puolen vuoden takaisen tsunamikatastrofin jalkeen Acehin paakaupunki nayttaa nousevan uuteen kukoistukseen. Kaupunki on todella siistin ja modernin oloinen. Rakennustyot jatkuvat.Nimenomaan taalla maanjaristykset aiheuttavat erityisen karmivia tunteita. Heti hotelliin asetuttuamme alkoi mandialtaan vedenpinta heilua itsestaan. Syy selvisi myohemmin uutisista. Jaavan lahella oli ollut 75 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-190289.html Banda Aceh. It's about as far away from Western Civilisation as I've ever been. They even have Sharia law conservative Islamic law imposed. I first arrived in Medan the fight was actually not too bad bit of a bumpy takeoff but then Lion Air's full threehour full flight service of a plastic of water certainly made up for it. I hope that Lion Air can expand their services to NZ. Medan. All http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-148201.html We advise you to exercise caution when travelling to Aceh which is emerging from a longrunning internal conflict. You should exercise particular caution when travelling to remote areas. You should also monitor all available information on the local situation. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. Still Current at 6 April 2007 Updated 4 April 2007. Don't take the Foreign Offi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-145680.html We were up early to make our way out to the airport. However our flight was delayed so Una decided to tell us a few horror stories about Indonesian Airlines to pass the time. The flight itself went grand and we were met by Indra our driver Very posh for the day. Our first stop as seems the way with Una regardless of where you are in the world was a coffee shop. It's run by Una's friends in B http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-143262.html This is my last entry from Banda Aceh Indonesia. I am at totally different extremes emotionally so happy to be starting a new position in East Africa...so sad to be leaving my friends here in Aceh. My heart is getting a workout these days. I haven't had time to reflect back on my time here this year...but I wanted to jot down some thoughts on things Irsquove learned about myself before hea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-96861.html If you come all the way to Banda and you should if you come to Sumatra don't just head directly to Sabang. See the major sites Grande Mosque beaches Pasar Atjeh etc.. but click on the photo's below to get information on other things to see and do in and around Banda. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-94974.html 4.25am I open my eyes stunned that I can have energy at this time of the morning. Geni my roommate is already in the kitchen eating her preprepared breakfast of rice and fried chicken. I am still full from the night before but I eat my usual yogurt oatmeal and fruit. We down a few glasses of water and soon the horn from the mosques start to sound the fast for the day has begun. She go http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-91640.html Head Shersquos making us all look ridiculous running around like a little schoolgirl telling everyone ldquomy boyfriend is coming for a visit this weekrdquo Heart Speak for yourself. I think itrsquos wonderful to see her so excited. Crsquomon itrsquos been 6 months since they last saw each other and Irsquove jammed her pack full of emotionshellipIrsquove been looking for http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-48459.html Although my Dad would surely disagree I don't consider myself an idealist. I came to Banda Aceh because I felt my skills would be useful and I would get workpersonal experience that I couldn't get back in New York. I wanted to be in a motivating environment and part of something extraordinary and unique the rebuilding of a region after the greatest natural disaster in present history. The r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-46221.html I need to followup on my last blog entry about the dance performance. It would be easy to say that it was a huge success. The pics look great and it even aired on local TV news. As a result the dancers were invited to perform in Quebec and the govt. has offered to expedite the passports. Sounds great Yes it is great. But blogs are funny things...you all wouldn't know any different if I http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-42204.html Last night was such an amazing night for me that it will be a little hard to explain. Suffice to say I played a small part in inspiring a big event. I don't have much time to write because I leave for Vietnam in 2 hours and have to pack meeting friends Deb and Dena there for a little RR so I'll just writeup what I said last night to kick off the event.Sanggar Cut Nyak Dhien is a traditiona http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Banda-Aceh/blog-41951.html