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- News – November 2017 (Ternate/Indonesia, 12/5/2017)
check now and then also our information site → "what's happening?"
- Website statistics: 'Webalizer' has been shut down in February 2013. 'Logaholic' became too unreliable in Sep. 2016.
- Thus 'Google-Analytics' remains unfortunately the only somewhat reliable counter for us.
- 'Google-Analytics' showed 10'466 pageviews during November 2017. The visitors came from 235 countries!
- ('Google-Analytics': October = 12'381 pageviews / Sept. = 11'836 pageviews / August = 14'011 pageviews)
- Record day since 12/17/1998 = the birthday of our website: on 11/5/2007 = 13'407 visitors and 787'456 hits ('Webalizer')
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- As you can see from the statistics above about visitors, the click numbers are decreasing steadily since quite some years. Because since
- April 1st, 2010, 'Google-Analytics' is our provider for these figures, its results are really comparable today: While we had occasionally during
- the first years (2010-2013) more than 50'000 pageviews a month it dropped afterwards continuously to what is now in November 2017 a
- measly number of 10'466. We don't believe that our input is the main "share of the blame", however that Facebook "captured" many of our
- previous visitors. The fact that we didn't adapt our website suitable to Facebook (cellphone format) may be one of the causes. But we shall
- keep it like that – even if it's a bit unprofessionally made – for personal remembrances like a nostalgic photo album and diary. Moreover the
- pretty strong downturn of visitors does have also an impact on our motivation to write more and more often. Apart from this we would like
- to see still more of the remaining world unknown to us, which makes us prefer discovering than sitting at the computer during our remaining
- lifetime. It's not only that the worldwide restrictions and regulations are increasing, the general security situation thereby won't be better in
- many places. Now there's enough complained! What happened actually since our last "News Sept./Oct. 2017" of October 16th, 2017,
- which was also our 33rd anniversary of our journey?
- Because most of it can be read in our "what's happening", here's only a short summary: 11/3/2017 flight from Manado/North Sulawesi with
- Batik Air via Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur (3 + 2 hours); 11/4 visit to the doctor (everything OK!); 11/6 apply for the Indonesian visa – 11/9
- visa collected (no problems); 11/10 flight from Kuala Lumpur with Malindo and Batik Air via Jakarta to Manado (2 + 3 hours); 11/15 visit
- to Tangkoko National Park in North Sulawesi (recommendable); 11/16 ferry from Bitung/North Sulawesi to Ternate/North Moluccas
- (15 hours); 11/22 ferry from Ternate to Tidore/North Moluccas (20 minutes); 11/23 ferries from Tidore via Ternate to Sofifi on Halmahera/
- North Moluccas (20 minutes + 1½ hours); visit of Tobelo and its surroundings in the Northeast and Jailolo in the West (worthwhile); 11/30
- fruitless attempt at Weda/East Halmahera to sail by ferry to Sorong on the Bird's Head Peninsula in West-Papua (frustrating); 12/1 ferry
- from Sofifi/Halmahera back to Ternate (1½ hours).
- Now some comments: It seems that there have been made a lot of improvements on the road infrastructure during the past years, but still no
- changes in the enormous bureaucracy. Thus we haven't been the only ones who drove the long way (62 miles [100km]/3½h + 2h ferry) to
- Weda to be stuck there, because the shipping company doesn't announce schedule changes (website/facebook). Phoning, emails etc. doesn't
- bring anything, as either the numbers aren't correct or there won't be simply an answer. This isn't happening just to us, not knowing the
- Indonesian language – it happens also to locals again and again – a frustrating fatalism and a thoughtlessness. The whole region of the North
- Moluccas, i.e. amongst others the islands of Ternate, Tidore and Halmahera, are wonderful and well worth seeing, but the challenges at it are
- enormous for an enjoyable and satisfying stay. Although the price level is increasing steadily towards the East – it's still relatively reasonable
- for westerners – the expectations have to be scaled down simultaneously. Shortages and deficiencies are nearly always everywhere and have
- to be accepted frequently. We could write a book about this, but don't find the time for it as mentioned already above.
-
-
- What we are going to try now: On coming Friday, December 8th, we shall ship once more from Ternate to Sofifi/Halmahera to drive another
- time to Weda. According to the bulletin board in the port there (photo at "what's happening"), "our" ship – called 'KMP Arar' – should arrive
- during afternoon to return to Sorong on Saturday night at 1am. It takes 30 hours and three stopovers (at Patani, Gebe and Gag). Other
- information is simply not available. There is no office, no phone number, simply nobody who knows something. Just as little is known whether
- we would be ever able to leave Sorong city with our LandCruiser. In both of the provinces of West-Papua and Papua, i.e. the former Irian
- Jaya, all foreigners need beforehand a travel permit ("Surat Jalan") from the police. This applies also if traveling by public means (car, bus,
- plane, ship) and is needed for all destinations beyond big cities like Sorong, Manokwari, Biak, Jayapura and the Raja Ampat Tourist Region.
- Whether our car will be able at all to circulate there, nobody could answer it yet. This case simply seems to haven't happened yet.
![Sudan/Meroë (Bagrawiyah): Pyramid-shaped tombs about 125 miles [200km] northeast of Khartoum](/bilder%20sd/902-P1060850.JPG)
![Djibouti/Tadjoura: In the background the 5'740 ft. [1'750m] high Goda Mountains](/bilder%20dj/901-P1060475.JPG)
