News – June 2007 (Makassar / Indonesia, June 19, 2007)
- Website statistics: In May we were able to welcome on our website 34'590 visitors who did 859'868 hits.
- (April = 30'741 visitors – 748'302 hits)
- The visitors are coming from about 100 to 118 different countries!
- Record days since 12/17/1998 - the birthday of our website: 2/19/2007, 2'518 visitors and 293'778 hits
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- After three weeks of exploring Timor-Leste, the previous East-Timor (incl. the Enclave of Oecussi), driving
- 691 miles criss-crossing 'our' 156th country without any problem, we left on June 4th, this certainly beautiful region,
- which will become for sure once a future tourist destination. We headed back to the Indonesian border in
- (West-) Timor, as we received in Dili within three days without objection a new Indonesian visa that exempts us
- now for the next 60 days from any extension difficulties.
- Now, the time was coming for more Indonesian ferries, because we wanted to move on to Sulawesi. Luck was
- again with us: Already on June 7th, there was a non-stop-sailing for 22 hours from Kupang to Aimere in Flores on
- one of those very slow ASDP car ferries, which run with a speed of about 8.2 knots. Immediately afterwards, we
- drove into the mountains of Ruteng, where we had the chance to meet for a second time the former well known
- Missionary Pastor Ernst Waser. Unfortunately nobody was then able to verify, when the next vessel is supposed to
- leave Labuhanbajo for Bira in Sulawesi (earlier Celebes). Due to the fact that this connection is running only every
- two to three weeks, we headed immediately to the port where we met Thomas Ullrich of Swisscontact, who works
- as an aid organization for Swiss and Australian projects in the region of Manggarai. Surprisingly, the ship was
- suddenly in the harbor, although its office informed at the same time that it would leave only at the weekend! Thus,
- we boarded instantly in the morning of June 12th, – we were the first vehicle and remained also the only one – and
- at noon, the boat left with about 50 people for the 28-hour-trip straight northwards. At least, this voyage was very
- quiet indeed, despite of some rocking due to the Southeasterly swell. There were two stops on the Island of Selayar,
- situated between Flores and Sulawesi, and we arrived in Bira that lies at the most Southeasterly corner of Sulawesi
- in the late afternoon of June 13th.
- Bira is actually a seaside and weekend resort, particularly for the people of the 2-million city of Makassar – earlier
- named Ujung Pandang – the capital of Sulawesi and fourth biggest city of Indonesia. Regrettably, a lot of the
- infrastructure in this vacation spot is decaying, and because the rainy season is obviously not yet completely over
- in Sulawesi, the whole region looks even more deplorable. If there isn't any water running since many days, how
- can an Internet be expected to run – not to mention the absolutely broken and potholed roads, where the whole
- garbage lying now at the beach and dotting the whole village could be concealed? Being still in Kupang until
- June 6th, we were able to download during the early morning hours with a lot of patience at least a few emails.
- Afterwards, this became, until our arrival in Makassar on June 16th, only wishful thinking. All the interested and
- waiting Internet- and email-"fans" might forgive us, but Indonesia has due to various reasons definitively entered this
- age only partly!
- Fortunately, we have now a new Indonesia visa, because the Philippines seem to have the longer the more troubles
- in allowing our vehicle its entrance for a temporary stay. It is simply unimaginable why a two-month visit can make
- so big headaches to the responsible authorities. Actually, it could be assumed that this island republic ought to have
- a rather more positive attitude towards tourism, but .....: other countries, different customs!
- This delay allows us to visit soon here in Sulawesi the well known Toraja-Land. Hence we shall shortly report on
- our website "Indonesia Trip, part 5" about our continuation!
New Reports/Pictures
- SOUTHEASTASIA: mouse over picture shows comments
- click a picture to see details
|
||
|
 |
|
|
||
|
 |
|
|
||
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| + our Indonesia Trip, within the 5th part | Tana Toraja (Toraja-Land) – June+July 2007 |
|
| + our Indonesia Trip, 5th part | Sulawesi – June+July 2007 |
|
| + our Timor-Leste Trip, 2nd part | Mainland with Dili – May 2007 |
|
| + our Timor-Leste Trip, 1st part | Enclave of Oecussi – May 2007 |
|
| + our Indonesia Trip, 4th part | Sumba, West Timor – May+June 2007 |
|
| + our Indonesia Trip, 3rd part | Lombok, Sumabawa, Flores – April 2007 |
|
| + our Indonesia Trip, 2nd part | Bali – Jan.-March 2007 |
|
| + our Indonesia Trip, 1st part | Sumatra, Java – Dec. 2006 |
|
| + our Borneo Trip | Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, Kalimantan – Sept.-Nov. 2006 |
|
| + our LandCruiser on a "Rejuvenation Cure" | in Miri/Sarawak - the East Malaysian province on Borneo June-Aug. 2006 |
|
| + added from a earlier visit to the USA: | Las Vegas (Millennium change) |
|
| + added from our Arabian Peninsula round trip: | Pictures from Yemen (May-June 1996) |
|
| + Flashbacks of our Worldrecordtour: | Pictures from "all the continents" (Oct. 1984 - April 1997) |
|
|
|
|
|
||
