Ask them a word
such as ‘Indonesia’ and see the results.
Indonesia – Bali
Indonesia –
Earth-quake
Indonesia –
Tsunami.
Most people THINK that they know Indonesia, but try
the same word recognition test on a recently found group of friends of mine and
this is what you’ll get
Indonesia –
Jakarta
Indonesia -
Waterfalls
Indonesia – Miss
Padang 2012
Indonesia - Trip
of a lifetime
The latter proves
to me that not only have my new friends seen a different side to Indonesia the
country but that they have experienced the country, not merely heard about it,
not merely visiting it, and not just done the normal well trodden tourist
destinations.
Indeed the “trip
of a lifetime” as expressed by one of my friends, was an unplanned and
unexpected event for us all. A request by the Indonesian Embassy in Bahrain and fully sponsored by The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, to
join them on a Familiarisation Trip to experience Indonesia and report on what
we found, was out of the blue, a nice surprise but one that had expectations of
seeing the usual government sponsored sites and events.
Ten people
joined the tour. Ten unknown, unrelated strangers who just ‘clicked’ from the
outset, made this trip easy from the start.
Travel can be laborious at times, but accompanied by like minds, friends
and enjoyable companions the journey is made easier.
Indonesia 1.01
is this;
-population 240
million people,
-currency
Rupiah,
-capital Jakarta
with 12 million people and traffic which can congest quickly.
Indeed as per
the original word association Indonesia has seen its share of trouble,
earthquakes, tsunamis and yes Bali is a popular destination. But to relegate
this country to just these issues is not knowing anything about Indonesia at all.
After a week in
Indonesia I can tell you honestly and from experience the following ;
Indonesia is
amazing, fun and diverse in more ways than I think I have experienced in many
countries.
I have now
visited 82 countries on this rock we call Earth and Indonesia amazed me like
few others. It has everything; ancient temples dating back millennia,
provincial traditions retained and honored, modern metropolises and sensational
rarely explored wilderness. Whether you are looking for a fast paced stop off,
quiet vacation, shopping trip, business trip or eco friendly exploration, you will find it in
this country of 17,000 islands.
Our tour visited
Jakarta, West Java and Western Sumatra, and given more time we could have spent
a week in each and still not seen enough. From the emerald green of rice
paddy’s in the low lying sea level belts to the rich lushness of tea and coffee
plantations 2000 feet above sea level, craters of still active volcanoes, warm
lakes where fish nibble at your feet and walks through the native village areas
where villagers allow you to pick cocoa pods from their front yard and share
tea with you in their home …this is a country of diversity and unbelievable
friendliness.
Like any country
it has its areas of improvement but also remember that it does indeed have a
hard past from which it is working hard to overcome. Few of us could face
earthquakes, tsunamis and everything else mother nature can throw at us, and
still be so accommodating, friendly and filled with wonderlust as Indonesia.
If you think you
know Indonesia, then think again!
Give this
amazing country an opportunity to prove itself to each and everyone of you and
in return our tourism dollars will help propel this land of amazing natural and
traditional cultural amazements into a new stratosphere of recognition.
Bali may be fun,
but the rest of Indonesia is truly magnificent.
Garuda Airlines
is set to begin direct services from Abu
Dhabi to Jakarta in December 2012 with flights already being available from
Jeddah to Jakarta, other countries and for connectors from Bahrain, consult
your local travel agents.
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| A traditional fisherman on lake Singkarak...From the hectic world of jakarta Indonesia still allows the opportunity to be by yourself, even in a country of 242 million, you can still be the sole person on the lake...Amazing ! |
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| Peace and Serenity in the Rice fields of Indonesias Harau valley |
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| With vast beauty the islands of Indonesia also have awe with 150 Volcanoes to visit 75 of which are still active. |
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| Harau Valley will amaze those seeking Eco-Tourism and the chance to get lost in the wilderness and serenity of nature. |
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| Pagaruyun Palace with its traditional shape and design is dedication to the traditions of old. Despite the massive population and the need to push forward Indonesians are proud of their heritage. And rightfully so. |
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