Indonesia- a real gem in South East Asia that not many travellers ever consider going to.
Laura,
Sp pleased I have been able to help you. That for me is one of the great things about travelling letting other potential travellers know what my experiences were and giving vital up to date info'
Actually my school has finished now. I must write up a new profile for Thorn Tree.
The teacher felt he had taught the children as much as he knew. Nowadays he only teaches Yanyan for me. Yanyan is a polio inflicted young 15 yr old I have decided to help with his life- new wheelchairs, education to Uni level and free English lessons.
You are always welcome to visit all my friends in Cianjur and Cipanas- keeping my fingers crossed that the area will be in one of the new Lonely Planet books next year. One of the guys from Lonely Planet contacted me and even tho' the school was no longer I convinced him to visit the area and he was impressed and was looked after by my friends Yudi Sujana and my ex teacher Andang Heryana.
Cheers
Pamela
Reply to this Laura,
Here is a list of posts on a forum that has a Sumbawa section. Thought you might like reading the posts from Dr Bruce who lives on Sumbawa with his Indonesian wife and their children.
He used to have a website but I cannot find it at the moment.
Pamela.
Reply to this Laura,
Could not post yesterday, here is the link http://www.bali-information.com/expat_forum/viewforum.php?f=24&sid=9df4499702b7c09c5bd12fa881ed22ae
The wonderful website seems to be no longer so cannot help you there.
I tried to send you a private message-did you receive it?
Pamela.
Reply to this Just found the website on Sumbawa by Dr Bruce. http://sumbawa.org/ Enjoy reading. Pamela.
Reply to this Hi,
A traveller I have been helping with Indonesia information sent me the link to his current blog he is writing whilst on the road in Indonesia. I thought some of you here might like to read it. http://traveltiger.blogspot.com/
Reply to this Any traveller heading to North Sumatra and wishing to visit many of the different areas, Lake Toba, Bukit Lawang, Tangkahan and etc, but not wanting to do it by yourself like I did.
Well, now there is a website you should have a look at and see if what is being offered would suit your requirements. http://www.expeditionjungle.com/
Pamela.
Reply to this Laura,
Just wondering how your trip is going? If you get a chance to get back onto the internet we would love to hear briefly from you.
Thinking of you travelling through Indonesia now and wishing I was there too.
Pamela.
Reply to this Who is visiting Indonesia in 2008?
I am hoping I can get a month off in April to return and visit some of the places in Sumatra featured in my photos from 2006. http://www.webshots.com/user/ppamela2006
Pamela.
Reply to this Hi Pamela,
I am an Indonesian and am very glad you like to travel to Indonesia. I am really proud of coming from Indonesia. Right now, I live in the U.S but I still often miss Indonesia. When I visited Bali last year, I was amazed by its friendly people and its natural beauty.
Thanks again.
Reply to this Hi Ichiya,
Whereabouts were you born in Indonesia and when did you go to the U.S.A?
Pamela
Reply to this INDONESIA is awesome. My husband and I went there in 2006 for our honeymoon and will be travelling there again August. I am so excited to go back there. Once you've been there you have to go back. I am counting down the months. Any idea if anything special is happening in end of August? We will be spending our time in Seminyak. Last time we stayed in Legian. We will be there for 5 days.
Tania
Reply to this Hi Pamela,
I just saw your pictures. They are really beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
To answer your questions, I was born in Medan, Sumatra and moved to Jakarta when I was 5.
I remember when I was young, we went to Lake Toba quite frequently. Have you been there before?
I am proud being from Indonesia and would like to introduce my country and culture to everyone in the world. Currently, I produce free bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian language) lessons for anyone interested. Check it out if you’d like.
Terima kasih!
Cici or Ichiya
www.LearningIndonesian.com
Reply to this Hi Ichiya,
Glad yuo like the photos- I am just an average person trying to take photos that reflect Indonesia. I wish I could take photos like the professionals- maybe one day I will find time in my crazy busy life to take some lessons.
Thank you for the link to the Indonesian online lessons. www.LearningIndonesian.com
I cannot understand why it was deleted before. The lessons are free, not as if you are not making money from it. It is a great community service. I am oging to post the link on Bali Travel Forum www.LearningIndonesian.com
Yes, I have been to Lake Toba twice once in Jan 2004 and again in September 2006. My photos include both visits. Sadly I do not speak Bahasa Indonesia because I am always helping people with their English when I am in Indonesia.
I do quite a lot of volunteering in different English schools, encouraging the students to speak English. I do not teach English as such. Most of the students know what to say but are always reluctant shy or whatever to speak. I get them relaxed and ask questions and then the minute they are asking questions and speaking. It is so much fun.
In 2006 I spent time about 10 days at the Master English School in Painan 2 hrs south of Padang in West Sumatra encouraging students to speak English. Then had the most amazing experience helping out for just one day in an Islamic boarding school in Padang Panjang where I wore full borrowed Islamic dress for the day. I had met one of the teachers at the local markets in Padang and agreed to the experience. I loved it and would love to do it again.
I also attended a few lessons at the free English school that has been opened in Bukit Lawang in Northern Sumatra bu a Dutch woman.
If I can get back this year to Lake Toba in April/May I want to spend a couple of days helping a guy James who has a small school near Siantar just before Lake Toba.
He is contactable on sms and was in contact with me last night. So anyone wanting to visit James and help in his English lessons send me a Private Message and I will pass on his mobile no.
Pamela.
Reply to this Hi Pamela,
I just saw your pictures of Tangkahan. It's such a beautiful place! Now I really want to go there. I am embarrassed to admit I didn't travel Indonesia enough. I also saw your pictures of Indonesian food. Do you like Indonesian food? Is it not too spicy for you? Looking at the food pictures makes me miss Indonesia even more 😊
Thank you very much for letting other people know about www.LearningIndonesian.com. I do hope more people will want to learn bahasa Indonesia and consider visiting Indonesia.
Thanks again Pamela!
Cici or Ichiya
Reply to this Cici,
I really love Indonesian food anything really spicy like Minangkabau food from West Sumatra. And the best food is always cooked at home and with loads of Indonesian friends I get to eat the best food when I am in Indonesia.
Look most Indonesians haven't travelled and I have had fun over the years flying some Indonesian friends up to West Sumatra from West Java and even onto Medan and Lake Toba. They have been amazed and one of them could not believe how wonderful and friendly the people are.
Yes, Tangkahan is a paradise and one of the reasons I visited there was to take photos and let the world know about this beautiful place. i heard on the grapevine that Lonely Planet visited a few months ago.
So I guess it will be in their new up coming books. It will be good for the locals but I hope it doesn't encourage utrageous development so the area loses that special remote appeal.
Pamela.
Reply to this Hi Cici,
Just got word I can take holidays so I am heading back to Indonesia on 10th April for 26 days. Will be visiting West Java, West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Ketambe in Aceh. A bit of a whirlwind trip but I am dying to see all my friends from my last trip and gather new up dated info' for all the travel forums I post on every day.
Pamela.
Reply to this Hi Pamela,
That's so wonderful! I can't wait to see the pictures from your trip 😊
I also just got word that I can take holidays in May..so I am going home for two weeks. Besides Jakarta, I haven't decided where to go. But I really can't wait to be back (and eat masakan Padang which is my favorite food in the world!!!)
Cici
Reply to this Hi Ichiya,
Sorry for the delay in replying- life has been busy.
I am leaving on Thursday for 27 days in Indonesia, fly into Jakarta and from there will spend a few days in the following, West Java, now Bali for 2 days, then North Sumatra- Bukit Lawang and Tangkahan, Ketambe south Aceh, then Pematang Siantar and Lake Toba, then bus to Bukittinggi, Lake Maninjau, Padang, and Muara Labuh all in West Sumatra.
Have you decided where else you will go?
I can't wait I am so excited to be going back to my special Indonesia.
Pamela.
PS.- Brilliant new website on Ketambe is here at
and the map showing the area including North Sumatra is here at Reply to this Hi Pamela,
Good to hear from you! It's so exciting you are leaving for 27 days! It definitely sounds like a wonderful trip.
I am also going back to visit my family in Jakarta from 16 May - May 30. Since it is a short trip, I don't think I will have the chance to visit my other relatives in Sumatra. Anyway, I am still very excited and can't wait!
Have a wonderful trip! Please post the pictures from the trip 😊
Regards,
Ketty
Reply to this 
