An ode to Indonesia – a land promising picturesque panorama and hearty smiles

What do you picturize in your mind whenever you think about Indonesia? Is it the decadent temples taking you back in time? Is it the delectable Nasi Goreng? Is it the rolling acres of verdant glory hyphened by enchanting landscapes, gorgeous sandy beaches or picturesque mountains? Or, is it simply about the throbbing cities bustling with activities and urban luxuries?

When we planned our first trip to Indonesia – and NO! It wasn’t Bali – we didn’t know what to expect! Our trip was planned across Bandung, Jakarta, and Tasikmalaya in West Java and covered a healthy dosage of ‘vitamin sea’, verdant plains, rolling mountains playing hide-and-seek with cotton-ball clouds, and magical landscapes with hot springs and crater lakes. We also had the opportunity of covering the grand temple of Borobudur at the last leg of our trip. But trust me, when I look back at this trip taken with my friends, I just remember nothing but a series of misadventures and happy smiles that culminated in making this one of the most memorable and loved ones of my life.

Who would say no to off-roading if one is promised of such vivid panorama at every turn?

But ‘misadventures and happy smiles’ – bit of an oxymoron, isn’t it? Let me explain. Indonesia was one of the first trips that we had taken from Singapore and we wanted it to be a bit unplanned – much of a backpacking trip of sorts. But little did we know that backpacking, too, needed a plan and it wasn’t our cup of tea. From missing many a buses to getting lost at the dead of night in the middle of nowhere to travelling in a scooter that had break failure – we saw it all together. However, the reason we are finally here unharmed and writing this story full with positive vigour are the sweet, generous and extremely helpful people of Indonesia. They are the kindest, let me tell you. Otherwise, who would help a bunch of strange guys coming out of nowhere asking for help? And who would go an extra mile to make a cup of coffee at night and give a set of clothes each to five strangers from a different land? Indonesia, take a bow! 🙂

Whenever I look back at this trip, trust me, more than the gorgeous scenery, the innocent smiles of the people is what I miss more. And with this, I long to be in this country once again, perhaps on a longer vacation this time, perhaps just choosing one place at a time this time and engulf in more wonderful conversations with the cherubic people this time. Till then, so long! 🙂

Gorgeous Indonesian township

Humble breakfast at a local eatery near Tangkuban Perahu

Such benign smiles used to make our days

There’s no dearth of adventure – This photograph was taken along the tiny pathway that leads to the famous volcanic lake at Tangkuban Perahu

Language is no barrier when you meet people who are eager to strike lovely conversation with travelers. 🙂

The reason some of us absolutely cherish road trips – you get to meet so many like-minds from around the world and exchange invaluable notes on travels 🙂 And these bikers were gems of people. They helped me and my friend to cope with an accident and helped us reach Bandung safely from Kawah Putih.

A scrumptious lunch amid pristine nature on our way to the green canyon

Do we need any reason to be in love with the picture?

Off-roading comes with its sets of highs and lows, and this picture affirms to both. Too much of off-roading and some misadventure forced us to take a break en route to the Green Canyon, where we were supposed to reach by the evening. However, little did we know that we will discover a throbbing, local beach to spend the night at! We stayed at this little shack for the entire night before boarding the  early-morning bus to Tasikmalaya. Such li’l teasures make any traveling so intoxicating 🙂

Mystical sunrise from Gunung Sikunir, Wonsobo. There were so many people waiting eagerly to catch a glimpse of this beautiful sunrise as if some extravagant show was going to be staged by some maverick artist. 🙂

Local musicians at the foothills of Gunung Sikunir – need I say that the performance was astounding?

Let’s pose and click and pose and click and pose and click 😉

Our camps at Gunung Sikunir…ah! Don’t worry – we care for our environment and cleaned all the filth around before we left the campsite.

BOROBUDUR – the spectacular temple complex in Indonesia that promises to take you back in time through its exquisite architecture and grandeur.