I’ve Had The Time Of My Life – Not the Dirty Dancing Song!
I’ve been back home in Brisbane for the last few days thinking about the awesome trip to Indonesia I have just experienced. Really, I’ve Had The Time Of My Life, it was awesome!
The 4 week trip felt like it lasted for 4 days! I had such a blast, and I’ll never forget it!
I was amazed at the variety of experiences I had on this trip. Each place was just so different in character, feel, and food!
When I originally thought of this trip idea, I wanted to experience the real Indonesia – not the tourist one.
The only way to do this is to stay with the locals and have them show you their world. That’s exactly what I received – and so much more.
I was shown the very best of Indonesia. And I saw the very best of the Indonesian people.
So to all of Indonesia – Thanks so much for everything.
Unfortunately, Indonesia does receive some bad press, but the hard reality is that 99.9999999% of their people are extremely wonderful, hospitable and caring human beings, and I have definitely been grateful to receive this hospitality.
My job was to show all the good in Indonesia, and I think I’ve accomplished that!
Thanks to the local blogging communities, there were so many things that I experienced that would have been almost impossible as a solo traveller.
Things such as drinking Teh Telur (Tea With Egg), Kacang Memet (Shaved Ice with Red Beans), eating Cow’s Nose with Peanut Sauce.
Experiences such as an Indonesian Wedding, the off the beaten path areas of Banda Aceh, and Muara Takus temple.
These are experiences that money cannot buy. I am so grateful that I was able to be part of your lives. I consider myself very lucky.
And I think I’ve made a few more friends in Indonesia!
Thanks so much again, and I hope to see you again soon!
I would also like to thank Air Asia for their support for flying me to and from Australia. Hope to to this again sometime!
For other bloggers out there in cyberspace, the websites of each Blogging Community I visited are listed below.
Drop an email and say hello – I’m sure the Indonesian bloggers will be happy to hear from you, and follow each other on Twitter. They’re a friendly bunch and love to have a good time.
Here are the websites:
Banda Aceh – AcehBloggers.org
Pekanbaru – Bertuah Blogging Community
Palembang – Wongkito Blogging Community
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Bandung – Bandung Blog Village, Batagor, and RumahBlogger.
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Semarang – Loenpia
Surabaya – Tugupahlawan
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I had such a good time this year. I might have to try and swindle another trip next year!
To find out more about this magnificent country and its people, check out Bahasa Indonesia Book 1: Introduction to Indonesian Language and Culture.
Anyway, normal service at The Travel Tart will be resumed from next week!
Keep an eye out for a return to the crazy, wacky and downright absurd aspects of world travel today!
Anthony, thank you for visiting Indonesia and glad to meet you
Remember, if you’re into Indonesia again, you must visit Makassar and Tana Toraja. 😛
keep in touch ya,see you.
Hi Ina, I would love to go to Sulawesi. Maybe it’s an idea for my next trip to Indonesia! 😉
Nice to know you Anthony. I hope next year you will go to Palembang again and we’ll show you other part of palembang…
Thanks Ira! Was great meeting you too! I’m sure there’s lots more to see around Palembang – I saw so much this time, but there’s so much to do in Sumatra!
thank you for visiting Indonesia, Anthony. Nice to meet you 🙂
Hi Ivan, it was great to meet you as well – hopefully I can get back next year for another trip!
mate, sorry I don’t reply ur message. I got chicken pox this week so have bed rest and can;t do anything
Anyway still waiting anothe rstories 🙂
seya mate!
Don’t forget what the healer said about your life prognostic, An… :))
keep in touch,
Hi, nice to meet u…
Just read your post, and I would say it’s AWESOME….
Thanks for your good words on Indonesia…
Wow! About a month ago, I listened to a podcast by an Indonesian blogger about Pesta Blogger, and thought that it sounded like fun. I never imagined stumbling onto an Australian blogger’s site and finding a whole trip based around the Pesta Blogger idea. Fantastic stuff, Anthony.
I really like how you’ve got across the message that Indonesia is more than Bali and that Javanese people (and other Indonesians) are so friendly, welcoming and really good fun to hang out with. I went to university in Yogyakarta for a while and I loved it. I can’t wait to go back and visit Java and other places again. Thanks for sharing and showing others what they’re missing if they think Indonesia starts and finishes in Bali. Bali is fantastic, too – it’s just that Indonesia is so amazing and diverse to explore and great to travel in because the people are so friendly and welcoming.
I’d love to make contact with some Indonesian bloggers, too.
Anthony… Thank you so much because you have time to enjoying my hometown Palembang… you give me a little story and experince in my life
.-= suzan´s last blog ..Bukan tempat-nya, tetapi nyenyak-nya. =-.
Interesting. You were actually in Indonesia around the same time as em . I attended a blogger party in Bogor.
I’m so glad that another visitor found Indonesia to be a nice friendly destination with so much to offer. With all the bad press that we’ve been getting, it’s hard to convince anyone to visit especially outside of the Java and Bali area. I’m so glad you visited somewhere else. 🙂