December 21, 2003

Indonesia in a nutshell

After 16 days travel across Bali, Java, and Sumatra, here are a few things I noticed:

* No tourists! A combination of the time of year (wet season), the Bali bombing and other terrorist activities, SARS and the general decline in travel, and the worldwide recession have led to very low numbers of tourists and travellers.

In many places that I stayed I was the only person. At most there was one other couple. Most tourist sites had many more Indonesians than foreigners.

In some ways Bali is the worst hit. Despite still having the most foreigners the numbers are way down on years past. And the 90% Australian ratios of the past seem unlikely to be repeated in the future. Outside of Kuta I didn't see a single Australian.

* Volcanoes everywhere. Especially in Bali and Java, there are always two or three big volcanoes looming over you, if you can see them through the mist.

* Nothing ever dries properly. It's just too humid.

* By rights everyone should be dead in a car crash. They drive like maniacs. I don't know how I survived.

* But best of all, everyone is really friendly, especially those not trying to sell you something. I've never seen so many smiles.

Posted by David at December 21, 2003 07:51 PM