Cared for by Joost Schouten about Travel

We were just going for a little strawl in Gantok to gather some more information on traveling up north by chartered jeep to get close to the Tibetan and Buthanese borders. Apperently gorgeous scenery and deserted roads. While at the travel agents we also let them inform us on hikes out west in Sikkim. Making our way from travel agent 2 to travel agent 3 a man walked up to us casually asking us if we might be interested in a 9 day hike in western Sikkim. While he asked this the man from travel agent 1 walked past signaling a few things to the man. He seemed fairly confident we did not recognize him and must have though he played it well. So like well behaved catle we followed the man because his offer did sound interesting. The only catch, we would leave in an hour! We had a good barganing position because we were quite fine going a week later and ended up paying about half the usual price. We packed our bags and were on our way to western Sikkim.

It is a long and slow drive to Yuksom by shared jeep. Shared means 4 people on each bench. We soon realized that this day in the jeep was day 1 of our 9 day hike. In Yuksom we were led to a nice little room, got some food and went to bed. In the morning our guide, or at least what I thought was our guide, was proud to present to us our cook for the trip,.... and some cookies. He was so eager to show us the cook because he had not yet located our guide.?? Indeed, we were quite surprized as well.

It turns out he was not our guide, all he was there to do is come with us from Gantok to organize find people to organize our trip for us in a matter of 3-4 hours. For that little stunt he and the travel agent pocketed about 50% of the money payed by us and our hiking companion Jean-Baptist. But we only found all this out later. The good news was that the people that in the end did organize it all were very capable and we set off with a good team. 1 Guide, 1 Cook, 2 Porters, 1 yak man and 2 yaks.

During the hike we stayed in huts that got progressively simpler the higher we got. There was no electricity and deffinately no hot watter. But we had our team of support whcih cooked every meal for us and were ready waiting with hot tea at the end of each stage.We slept in thick sleeping bags which just managed to do the job at about -5C.

I can talk long and short about the hike, but have a look at the photo's as they will do a way better job at explaining the beauty. In the end we actually hiked for about 6 days and had 2 acclimitisation/rest days. Jean-Baptist on the other end, took those 2 days Mahalia and I very much needed to hike some more. You tend to get so proud of your achievements during hikes like this, but are brought back to reality, every time one of the porters runs past in shorts wearing flip-flops, carying 35kg in a straw basket on his head, smiling and wishing you a good day.

About one month we took to circle Rajastan. A few ways to describe it:

• Functional anarchism
• Complete mayham
• Dulling the collors of the rainbow
• The friendliest way to get ripped off
• Cinderela's castle meets public toilet
• Curry, curry curry, thali, curry
• spot the non-veg restaurant; 10 points
• Two-tact-rickshaw-galore
• Obviously there is an elephant in the middle of the street

After a comftable few days in Bombay with Mario, Usha and their son Romario (friends of Mahalia's dad) we found our way to Mount Abu, our first stop in Rajastan. Initially we actually planned to just be there for a few hours, it turned out to be 7 days. First Mahalia had a bad fever after which I followed. Not a bad place to be though, and a great place to get used to India.

No, there is no Indonesia bloodline in my family as you might expect from such a title. But those years under the Indonesian sun in the early 1900's by my family surely did leave its mark in more ways than one.

I have obviously always known about this history in my family. Though up to recently it has been little more than factual knowledge. My grandfather was no big talker to say the least. In my memory (he passed away in 1993) he is a big very friendly man who blew up his cheek so we could better give him our kiss. He was an origami master and seemed to know every fact in the world. Though at a personal level I never really knew him. I was only 15 when he passed so we have never had a chance at a “grown-up” relationship . Funnily enough, it feels as if I have just established this more than ever.

My Grandmother and aunt have been here before with my grandfather as a guide. Shortly after his passing they returned again along with my dad his partner Annie as well as my aunts partner Eric. They came to return to Indonesia what actually always belonged here. His ashes where scattered in the harbor of Samarang.

Once I made my plan to come to Indonesia I asked my family for a few pointers on where to go and what to see. It was Eric who produced an answer way beyond what I expected. A 25 page document with the entire history, complete with photos, addresses and all. You can find this at http://www.semarang.nl/verhaal/articles.php?lng=nl&pg=125 (in Dutch).

I spent 3 weeks in Indonesia of which one on Java. My reunion with the past started where my my grandfathers story began and ended, in Samarang.

I was actually planning to go straight to Kuta Lombok, a surf town down at the south end of the island, but transportation options at 20:00 at night on Lombok are not quite like the MRT system in Singapore. I thus ended up in Pamenang where I got lovingly ripped up and sent onto a 4 day hike up Rinjani. Ripped off becuase I paid more than I could have, but if it would have cost double I would have still thought it was well wort it.

In the morning I found myself in a jeep with Jason and Matt from Melborne and Jean-Pierre from Belgium. We were all heading for the same trip and all had been given a different itiniarry. The main difference being that Jean-Pierre was going for 3 days and the rest of us for 4 days. I guess the travel agent's service went as far as his own front door.

All that aside, wow! It took a good effort to get up to the top on the morning of the second day to see the sunrise, but it was amazing. So was jason's effort in getting there! He set aside the numurous comments form our guide that he wouldn't make it, and didn't give up. I don't think I have seen anyone ever come down a mountain that satisfied,.... and tired ;-)

Day 2 was completed with a decent into the crater where we were treated to a cascading hot-spring waterfall. We made sure to spent most of the next morning there as well. Making our way back up out of the creater again was quite a mission again. From there it was all down hill, one more sleep and we were back out again.

If you ever go to Lombok, climb this puppy.

My trip has started today. No clue how long and where it will take me. But my fist leg will take me to the north island of New Zealand. On the way there I had to stop and surf Kaikoura. It is was my 3rd surf there and yet again another amazing one.

The drive up the coast keeps amazing me and I'm sure it won't be my last time though here. But for now, See you later South Island, it has been great!