In Reply to: That was great posted by Frank in Perth on Sunday, 23. November 2008 at 20:34 Bali Time:
quite homesick for my spiritual home of Indonesia.
Visited Surabaya in July 2006 on my way to Bromo- very very busy now.
Met a local whom helped me enjoy such a huge city.
East Java is very beautiful and the people so friendly.
I went by myself, a single female with no language skills ( completely safe) from Cemoro Lawang Gunung Bromo to Malang, spent a few days.
Then I needed to get to Ambulu a small village in far East Java to meet an older Dutch internet friend ( we had met on the internet after the Bukit Lawang flood of Nov 2003.)and his Indonesian wife.
So took a chance with a bus from Malang to Lumajang and then a few hours later another bus from there to Ambulu where my friend met me.
8 hours of bus travel cost me $5AUD.
Spent only a day in his village with him and his Javanese wife and then onto Jember ( via ojek with big back pack) and then Bondowoso and onto Kawah Ijen the sulphur volcano.
The scenery in this part of the world is just so breath taking.
Allan, please keep the stories coming- I can't wait for the next installment.
Pamela.