Glad We're Home

At Borobudur with a Buddha in an exposed Stupa

Phew!

We are back home again!

The vacation was fast-ending as it was fast coming when we first yearned for an escape.

Yes, we had fun. Seen lots in a foreign land and experienced plenty... the beautiful culture, the magnificent landscapes and the sad human realities there too. An eye-opener especially for our Sonny.

Central Java, Indonesia has a rich past dating from ancient times. From ancient ruins showing testaments to their past Hindu and Buddhist civilizations, to the old buildings of once occupied country by the Dutch, the English and the Japanese before their centuries-long fights for freedom gained their independence in 1945.

Going from places to places together with the rest of the tour group - our family of 5 people and 3 middle-aged couples from Singapore, the trip was made fun and alive especially from a hilarious and very animated guy, not our tour-guide but our own local man named Pak Shukri from Ang Mo Kio.

The Java Overland Tour Group

11 of us were the closest to a family we got with Pak Rizal as our tour guide and time keeper, we spent during our 6-day Java Overland Tour as we journeyed together across the vast land.

Starting from the capital city Jakarta in the west, stretching all the way to end of tour coverage as far as Jogjakarta, about the centre of Central Java island.

A nice experience overall for me simply because I have the most favorite people to share it with... my family and parents.

The only drawback is my weak stomach. The second last day proved that I am not that tough after I eat a packed of steamed ground nuts Mom bought from a street peddler who came to our coach.

Mom eat a few, so did Sonny, but I eat most of it and finished it all, so I got the worst reaction... only me!

This time around, Wifey got to tell me "I told you so" when I fell ill coming back to Jakarta from Bandung. My stomach was in so much pain as I felt it twisted and turned upside-down inside of me from food poisoning.

She kept reminding me not to buy food or drinks from the street peddlers. I did not, but my Mom did. I am not blaming, I just tend to forget the hygiene level there as our stomachs are accustomed to living in Singapore.

The vast padi fields dominating most of country's landscape

That was the most longest and painful, grueling 3-hour coach ride of my life!

The medication we brought for the trip took a long time to take affect but did a good job nonetheless reducing my trips to the toilet... everywhere we could stop at one along our journey.

Disposable underwear came in handy too, I tell you! Fortunately the toilets at all pit stops were surprising clean. Phew!

Well, I have to stop here as nature calls again, the third time today.

I promise the next few posts will be pleasant ones... the ones we immersed ourselves with enjoyment entirely.

To-the-loo... for now!