Selamat pagi, Guten Morgen, Goede morgen.
It has been a while sinds our last blog entry.
After Borneo we flew to Jakarta, where we got picked up by the family where we stayed at in Cianjur (120 km south of Jakarta).
We stayed at their house, they cooked for us and we where part of an Indonesian family. We met a lot of locals, heard interesting every day life stories and saw lots and also tasted lots of Javanese food - they really like to fry everything and even though there are lots of vegetables everywhere you don't see them back on your plate.
We also did some volunteering, so we spent 1 afternoon at a English teaching school to talk to two classes - one aged 15 the others 13. They were all really shy and where more giggeling and laughing. I broke the ice, when I found out that 3 guys of this class do Karate, so we did a little Kata performance together. Funny that we then all speak the same language.
The next day Niels and I where part of a speeking contest - as judges! We arrived at the school (students aged 17) and saw a speaking stage and also 3 tables saying Judge 1, 2 en 3. The students had to talk about "Indonesian Glory" - and every speak starts with Sallamaleikum (Java is about 90 % moslim) and then with big thanks to Allah for the opportunity of learning english and being able to stand in front of us...
It was fun to hear them talk, some with a really bad pronounciation, some really shy, some singing, some praying, but all shouting "indonesia is the best country in the world".

It's nice to see that most of the Indonesian people are not mad about the Dutch, but more thankful for the colonialism. They feel that they now have more opportunities and are a better developped country.

After Cianjur we flew to Surabaya (east Java) to visit Margreet who is studying there for half a year. Again we where the only tourists, so lots of eyes on us white people.
It was great to see Margreet again and we had 2 really fun days.

Sunday we flew to Bali, where we now still are. We stayed the first day in Kuta on the beach, did some surfing (so far not really succesful). We wanted to do an early morning surf today because locals say at 8 there are the best waves. Well that plan didn't go through thanks to the Crispy Chicken yesterday which now led to a BALI BELLY. So after a Thai belly we are now having troubles again, so we will stay close to a toilet.
We also spent two days in Ubud in a great Private Pool Villa, being the only guests in the whole resort. Unfortunately there was a whole day of rain so we enjoyed room service, bath tub, lots of DVD's and the private pool. Not too bad a day like this for a change.

It's great to be back in Bali after 5 years, the beach is still the same, maybe even still the same people are working there. The hotels are bigger, more people (whole Sweden is at our Hotel) and more shops.
On our two last days here we will definately enjoy the sun, massage, pedicure's and shopping before we leave to down under tomorrow night.

Good day!