Hi everyone - firstly sorry about the beach photo with this postcard hope you're not all too envious back there in sunny UK. Right I have so much to get through this time - but I'm sitting in this Internet cafe feeling a little sick (something to do with cocktails, red wine and beer I think) so I might not be able to ramble on for too long (thank god I hear you all cry!!). Ok I last left you in Java when I was at Pangandaran. We than made our way inland to Yogyakarta which is classified as the cultural centre of Java. Don't know about cultural centre but it certainly was the rat centre of Java (but I was brave). We got there quite late in the afternoon so did not really do that much other than try to find Internet that worked. Honestly internet here is so bad - when the owner of the internet cafe tells you it's slow because there are clouds outside you just give up (hence my lack of communication this past week). On Thursday we took a Becak Tour around Yoja and went to see the Saltans Palace (boring) and Water Palace (yawn) then shoppping (big smile). But the best thing on Thursday was the Ramayana Ballet. The ballet is shown at Prambanan Hindu Temple at night and just the setting alone is stunning. We had dinner overlooking the temple then were allowed to go to the dancer's dressing rooms and watch them get prepared. The show itself was great - we had notes so could kind of follow the story line and 2.5 hours just flew by. On Friday we visited one of Java's most famous sites - Borobudur Buddhist Temple. It was constructed somewhere around 825AD and you have to climb many steps to reach Nirvana at the top. It's actually the no. 1 tourist attraction in the region but primiarily Jarvenese tourists. The no. 2 tourist attraction in the region is 4 westerners visiting the temple... honestly there were more photos taken of us than of the temple and I think I will be hanging on peoples walls now all over Java (what a terrible thought). That evening we decided to wanted some live music so Uday and Arnot (our guides) took us to a local bar to eat but the bar also promised live music and true to form the band "Shaggy Dog" turned up and kept us entertained for hours with dancing and singing. Jon and I stayed on after the band had finished then spent some time talking music to them - fav band of the band was The Clash. Music in Java is so important which I've think I've said before and most of the sounds you here around is rock or reggae and most bars have live music rather than putting on CD which I loved - live music everywhere you turn, it's like being at a festival. The next day we we're off to Mount Bromo and after a horrible 10 hour bus journey through East Java (it was so hot - the air con in the van did not work and when you opened the windows just hot oven air blew in) I thought I was going to die. However we finally made it to our simple guest house had dinner then went to bed for our 3am start to climb the volcano and see the sunrise. All of us we're particularly perky at 3am (which I found odd) and took a jeep to Bromo. The views of the sunrise over the volcanos were amazing and once again many local tourists around and many more opportunities to be smiling off the mantlepieces in lots of homes in Java. After Mt Bromo we had another long journey (by train) to get to Bali. But the train was packed so we had no seats other than the floor between carriages. Uday managed to bribe the guards so after about 2 hours we got seats (and I just slept). So ferry across to Bali. I was so suprised to see how close Bali and Java are - it must be about 1/2 a kilometre and you can clearly see Bali from the Java port. For two countries to be so close together it's strange how different they are. It's not just the religion (from Muslim to Hindu) but just the feel of the place, the people, the landscape, the air. There are much fewer people in Bali and they are so used to tourists that it feels odd after the curiousity of the Jarvense. You can also get around quickly (no rubber time here as the roads are not clogged up with traffic) and there is much less pollution. However give me Java for the people there any day. Bali is extremely pretty but you tend to get hassled a lot here as a tourist - "want taxi... want sarong... want hotel.... want tour..." it can get a bit tiresome. We've been to the beach for a few days and snorkelled, been to the countryside and walked and now we're in Ubud for shopping and the monkey forest. I don't have much to say about Bali at the moment - maybe because I feel sick and want to leave the internet cafe, or maybe because after Java there is nothing to say. However music here is still a big part of people's lives and we're seeing lots of live bands still. The people are having a hard time here because of the bombs and you can really sense it. Balienese rely almost totally on tourisim to live and there are not many tourists here - they are hoping for a good Christmas and that people will come back to this beautiful island (they should). When the locals find out I'm from London, they all want to talk to me about the bomb there and here - it's like we have a unique connection because of this. Do I like Bali - I think it's too early to say. It's certainly very beautiful here but with two more weeks left in Indonesia and my homestay maybe I'll understand this Island more. Well I'm off to find some hangover food. Not sure how soon I'll get back on the Internet as tomorrow the tour ends and I'm heading out to the middle of knowhere in Bali for my homestay, then flying off to Gili Islands to dive (but very much doubt if they have even heard of internet there). Guess I'll say hi next from Kuta before hitting Oz. Take care everyone Viv xxx