Sarawak Map

 

 

 Map of Southeast Asia

Indonesia

latest picture: February 15, 2018

• click a picture to see details

1067  At the port of Sorong ‘Usahamina’ on the

Bird’s Head Peninsula adventurous looking boats

and most ASDP ferries run to different islands

1068  The Alpha Omega Church in the classic

architecture in the city of Sorong. The people

of West Papua are mainly Christians; there

are all kinds of congregations

1069  The pastel colored row of houses

on Ahmad Yani street stands out from the

otherwise monotonous Sorong’s city scenery

1070  The At Taqwa Mosque in its

striking green paint is a dash of color

in Sorong’s city center

1071  Remu creek is criss-crossing the

city of Sorong: Its romance however gets

lost by the floating garbage

1072  Sunset at the ‘Kasuari Valley Beach

Resort’ 8 miles [13km] north of Sorong, which

we enjoyed together with members of the

Toyota LandCruiser Indonesia Club

1073  Christmas 2017 in Sorong: The lovely

crib along a road spreads some spirit of

Christmas despite of the tropical heat …..

1074  ….. also the colorfully decorated

Christmas trees are announcing

Christmas …..

1075  ….. and the bakery at the Saga

Supermarket contributes with its own

sweet creation to the Christmas mood

1076  At the Christmas decorations

shop girls happily pose for a picture

1077  The ladies at the Saga Supermarket

entry hope to sell some of their fruit

1078  Emil at the cashier of the Saga Super-

market. Yes, he is buying water not beer!

(though it would be available here, but expensive:

1 case = 24x16.9oz [500ml] = US$2.50/can!)

1079  Emil with Ezra (next to him), his father

and brother of the Toyota LandCruiser Indonesia

Club at the ‘Kasuari Valley Beach Resort’

outside of Sorong

1080  The Mayor of Sorong-South

surprises Emil with a big donation with

the words “You are my heroes!”

1081  Picture with the nice young officer at

Sorong’s main customs office who transferred

the Indonesian entry stamp from the old

‘Carnet de Passages’ into our new one

At the Boswesen market in Sorong, approx. 4½ miles [7km] east of town at the seashore

1082  Chicken and quail eggs are piled up.

Quail eggs are considered a delicacy

in many parts of the world

1083  Display of root vegetables, cooking

bananas, papayas, pineapples; also the red

chili peppers are not missing

1084  Apart from plucked chicken,

fish is the only fresh meat sold at the market

At the Boswesen market in Sorong, approx. 4½ miles [7km] east of town at the seashore

1085  A stall with betel nuts. Mixed with

a green mustard stick and crushed coral lime

they generate a mild stimulant – similar to

the qat leaves in Yemen

1086  Meticulously arranged vegetables of

every kind at a market stall. The Muslim

vendor points to the spicy red chili peppers

1087  A vendor arranges betel nuts. The red

tinted saliva that is produced through constant

chewing und then spitted out, leaves red marks on

the ground. It reminds us to Papua New Guinea

At the Boswesen market in Sorong, approx. 4½ miles [7km] east of town at the seashore

1088  The girl on a market stall does

not hesitate to look into the camera.

Then she wants to see her picture

1089  Little boys have always

fun when their picture is taken

1090  “Do I not look cool with this sunglasses?”

Faces of three clever vendor ladies at the Boswesen market in Sorong

1091

1092

1093

1094  A man is preparing coconuts. Its

vitamin rich coco water is refreshing and

its jellylike flesh nutritious

1095  Houses on stilts are lining the eastern

coast between Boswesen market and

‘Kasuari Valley Beach Resort’ near Sorong

1096  This is how it looks behind the

Boswesen market in Sorong. The beach

is covered with inches of garbage

1097  12/24/2017: Our Christmas meal at

the “Dapur Berkat” Restaurant in Sorong.

Menue: melon drink with coconut stripes,

satay sticks with rice and wine

1098  Papua children gather at the “Dapur

Berkat” Restaurant to receive Christmas presents.

Eveline, the owner, supports the local nonprofit

organization “Yayasan Pelangi Negeriku”.

Priorities: Education, health, orphanage

1099  Eveline greets the kids.

They are gifted with new clothes,

shoes and school satchels

1100  The little boy beams at the Christmas

handing out at the “Dapur Berkat” Restaurant

in Sorong. He returns again and again to

shake Liliana’s hand

1101  Also these two girls are outgoing

1102  The curly hair, the broad nose and the

dark skin are typical for the Indonesian provinces

of West Papua and Papua (former Irian Jaya),

and also for the country Papua New Guinea

1103  Locals feast on durian, the Southeastasian

tropical fruit with its pungent smell of rotten meat.

It is banned from places like hotels

1104  “Delicious!”

1105  A family is feasting on the “king of fruits”.

This is how the durian fruit is also called in Asia

1106  “Which fish would you like? Which

color suits today?” It is grilled on the spot and

the smell of grilled fish fills the air in the evenings!

1107  The elderly lady is sitting each evening,

when it cools down, in front of her little kiosk

1108  What might this girl with the lovely

head dress think?

1109  The 189th flat tire at 104°F [40°] midday

heat about 25 miles [40km] from Sorong on the

“Trans Papua Highway” direction Manokwari.

The steel belt broke

1110  At the tire repair shed in Sorong Emil

has to assist handling the split rim ring

1111  Our four new ‘BFGoodrich Cross

Control 7.50R 16 LT’ (= IDR 7'068'000/US$561)

tires airfreighted (freight IDR 5'084'000/US$404)

from Makassar in South Sulawesi are mounted

163 years ago, the first missionaries set foot on Papua on the Mansinam Island near Manokwari. This is celebrated each year on February 5th

1112  At the beating of drums, a traditionally

outfitted dance team initializes in front of the

portal of the Maranatha church in Sorong

the festivities of the 163rd anniversary of the

landing of the first missionaries in Papua

1113  Group picture of the traditionally

painted dancers in raffia skirts

and feather headdress

1114  During the church celebration

also children are among the singers

163 years ago, the first missionaries set foot on Papua on the Mansinam Island near Manokwari. This is celebrated each year on February 5th

1115  Churchgoers are joining

in the solemn chant

1116  The priest on the pulpit is also

wearing the traditional feather headdress

1117  Listening to the long sermon it

can happen that the eyelids are dropping!

163 years ago, the first missionaries set foot on Papua on the Mansinam Island near Manokwari. This is celebrated each year on February 5th

1118  The three little boys with their

sparkling eyes are bored …..

1119  ….. whereas the little girl is

following spellbound the celebration

1120  Closing ceremony against the special

background of the golden pulpit in form of a

shell and the Raja Ampat scenery. The cake

with the number 163 is cut by the priest

and then distributed

1121  A calm jungle river on the way to Ayamaru

meandering through thick jungle vegetation

1122  Simple ladder made of bamboo

that bridges the steep slope

1123  The beauty of moth orchids of the

genus Phalaenopsis is part of jungle highlights

1124  This density of this forest is testimony

of the fast growing tropical vegetation

1125  Alone on the “Trans Papua Highway”

direction Manokwari – about halfway

between Sorong and Ayamaru

1126  A shed with a priviledged lookout

down to the “Trans Papua Highway”

1127  It is hard to miss the big sparkling

red flowers hanging from the New-Guinea

creeper (Mucuna bennettii)

1128  This bush produces a wreath of

white leaves with delicate yellow flowers

in its middle.We found on Seram the same

plant with orange blossoms (pic.# 1191)

1129  This creeper with its pink bells often

covers entire tree trunks. It looks like a bellflower

of the genus Lapageria that is native to Chile

1130  This peculiar squarish white

flower belongs probably to the

moonflower family (Ipomoea alba?)

1131  The attraction of the high growing tree

with its fleshy leaves is its blooming crown of

red “berry bundles”: Umbrella tree

(Schefflera actinophylla)

1132  Bundles of green edible fruits of the New

Guinea walnut tree (Dracontomelon dao) are

hanging from the branches. It can be compared

with the American eastern black walnut tree

1133  The modest hut along the

“Trans Papua Highway” short of

Ayamaru is built with wooden slats and

the roof still covered with straw mats

1134  Our LandCruiser takes the

next bend on the finished part of the

“Trans Papua Highway”

1135  Short but steep section of the still

partially unsurfaced “Trans Papua Highway”,

which by rain transforms into a real sliding area.

Upwards there is just spinning without differential

lock, and downwards there is just sledding –

for our 4 tons no chance

1136  View from Hotel Alvira across the

football ground of Ayamaru on the “Trans Papua

Highway”, about 100 miles [160km] from Sorong

1137  Soft evening light spreads

over Lake Ayamaru

1138  A white tower of clouds in Ayamaru,

floodlighted by the evening sun

1139  Early morning fog clings to the valleys

and hills at Lake Ayamaru, because Lake Hai

that is about 6 miles [10km] farther contains

100°F [38°C] warm water …..

1140  ….. nothing mars the absolute

tranquility of the new day …..

1141  ….. the mist is clearing and

reveals the full beauty of the scenery

surrounding Ayamaru

1142  The course of the new

“Trans Papua Highway” leads partly

still through (nearly) untouched jungle

1143  Our LandCruiser spirals upwards

on partly breathtaking steep climbs

towards the Petik Bintang Pass …..

1144  ….. flanked by walls

of impenetrable jungle

1145  Sweeping view from the Petik Bintang

Pass to the East

1146  The last, steepest and longest climb

on the (yet) unsurfaced road to the 3'284 ft.

[1'001m] high Petik Bintang Pass, by rain

a very dangerous sliding area

1147  U-turn on the Petik Pintang Pass:

We have no desire for mud games on the

still unfinished “Trans Papua Highway”

beyond the mountain pass

1148  A depressed glimpse back to Petik Bintang

Pass (at the very back), where we had unfortunately

to abandon our “Manokwari undertaking”

1149  Smoke rises from a primitive bush hut,

a woman waves with both arms. Should we

envy or feel sorry for her?

1150  A man is sitting on the floor of his make-

shift shed. Nothing else than forest around him.

What did push him to this solitary life? (resembles

a Korowai Tree House in the southeast of Papua)

1151  Between Sorong and Ayamaru the crystal

clear Karabra River is meandering through the

valley and flows finally into the Seram Sea

1152  Delicate white long-stemmed

orchids bloom at the side of the road

1153  Two motorbikers join us at the

lovely Karabra River. One wears a

colorful Bob Marley T-shirt

1154  Selfie hysteria: This family

backtracked quite a bit in order

to take a selfie with us!

1155  A picture that often stands out in the

jungle: A lonely tree raising into the blue sky

1156  On villages of the “Trans Papua Highway”

we come across of several such neat small huts,

but could not find out their significance, all the

more as this one carries the Israeli Star of David

1157  Posing for a picture with Eveline, our

attractive visa sponsor, in front of her restaurant

“Dapur Berkat” (along Basuki Rachmat km 8,

before Fave-Hotel, Coord. -0.88942/131.29802)

in Sorong, where we often had lunch

1158  Farewell picture with the crew of our

Guardian Hotel (along Basuki Rachmat km 7.5,

Coord. -0.88964/131.29445) in Sorong. Julia (far

left) was a great help at our online-purchase

of new tires in the Indonesian Bahasa language

1159  The hearty smile of this family in their

passing car in Sorong symbolizes how we will

always remember the people of West-Papua.

(Appendix March 2018: Much friendlier

than the people in Ambon)

1160  2/14/2018: The “KMP Kalabia” sails with

us in 33 hours from Sorong/West Papua via Fakfak

to Wahei on the island of Seram in the Moluccas.

Strangely it doesn't depart from Usahamina-Sorong

(Coord. -0.87739/131.25122), but from Arar-Aimas,

20 mi.[35km] more to the south (-1.02310/131.24213)

1161  The crew of “KMP Kalabia” gathers

for a picture, which only happens thanks to the

selfless escort (third from right). He guided us

from the city port to the 20 miles [35km]

out-of-town located departure terminal

1162  A group of family members makes

themselves comfortable beside our LandCruiser

for the long sea journey. Here they have

enough space to stretch down

1163  We sail between uninhabited, often

circular islands, which protect us from the swell

of the open sea. It's about a 44 miles [70km]

long narrow strait between the islands of

New Guinea and Salati

1164  As night approaches – already in the

Seram Sea – our “KMP Kalabia” sails towards

a pitch-black bad weather front

1165  Sunrise on high sea on our way to Fakfak.

This big city of about 100'000 people, still in the

province of West Papua, lies behind the two low

islands of Ega and Panjang (right) that are just

offshore. The first part is ending after 16 hours –

Ø-speed 12½ miles/h [20kmh] = 10.8 knots

1166  Fakfak on the Bomberai Peninsula is

greeting us with a lovely scenery. The yellow

dome is the mosque ‘Agung Baitul Makmur’;

the little green mosque to the right is called

‘Nurul Taqwa’

1167  On the hill glows the monumental

catholic church ‘Saint Yosef’ in the morning

sun. Below is the small mosque ‘Jami Fakfak’

1168  Also on the east side of the port mosques

dominate. Their golden domes emerge beautifully

from the green environment: The onion dome is

‘Al-Akbar’ and the round one behind ‘Al-Fatah’;

to the right at the seashore ‘An-Nur Merapi’

1169  Emil on the upper deck of our ferry in

front of the Port of Fakfak building. Here there

is no structure for discharging vehicles

1170  After an 8-hourly stopover in Fakfak we

sail for another 17 hours towards the Moluccas

islands again. Due to the lack of a ramp in this port

this is so far the only place where we wouldn't

have been able to disembark with our LandCruiser

1171  We are sailing towards the islands of

the Central Moluccas, which form together with

those from the South Moluccas the province of

“Moluccas”. In between we cross the provincial

border and say here goodbye to West Papua

More websites from the "Borneo-Sulawesi-Moluccas-Papua" trip:

Part 1: Pictures from Sarawak-Kalimantan-North Sulawesi – Miri/Malaysia via Kuching and Balikpapan to North Sulawesi from Aug. to Oct. 2017

Part 2: Pictures from the second part of North Sulawesi – Tomohon and surroundings, Tangkoko NP in October 2017

Part 3: Pictures from the North Moluccas Part 1 – Ternate and Tidore in November/December 2017

Part 4: Pictures from the North Moluccas Part 2 – Halmahera in November/December 2017

Part 6: Pictures from the Moluccas Part 1 (Central) – Seram in February 2018

Part 7: Pictures from the Moluccas Part 2 (Central) – Ambon in February/March 2018

Part 8: Pictures from Papua Part 1 – Yapen in March 2018

Part 9: Pictures from Papua Part 2 – Biak in April 2018

Part 10: Pictures from West Papua Part 2 (Irian Jaya) – Manokwari and easterly ‘Trans Papua Road’ in April 2018

Part 11: Pictures from South Sulawesi-Kalimantan-Sarawak Part 2 – South Sulawesi via Kalimantan to Kuching and Miri/Malaysia from May to July 2018

More websites from Indonesia and Timor-Leste:

• Pictures and report from the first part of our Indonesian trip in Java and Sumatra from November to December 2006
• Pictures from the second part of our Indonesian trip in Bali from January to March 2007
• Pictures from the third part of our Indonesian trip in Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores in April 2007
• Pictures from the fourth part of our Indonesian trip in Sumba and West-Timor in May and June 2007
• Report and pictures from Timor-Leste (Oecussi and Mainland) in May 2007
• Pictures from the fifth part of our Indonesian trip in Southern Sulawesi before and after Toraja Land in June and July 2007
• Pictures from Tana Toraja (Toraja-Land) in South-Sulawesi in June and July 2007
• Pictures of the sixth part of our Indonesia trip in Kalimantan (Borneo) in July 2007
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in North Sumatra from March to April 2010
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in West Sumatra in May and June 2010
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in Southern Sumatra in June 2010

More websites from East Malaysia und Brunei:

• Report from Brunei in September 2006
• Report from Sabah in October 2006
• Report from Sarawak, Part 1: Northeast (Miri) from June to August 2006
• Report from Sarawak, Part 2: South (Kuching) in November 2006
• Pictures from our Borneo trip through Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and Kalimantan from August to November 2006
• 1st Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser in Miri/Sarawak/East Malaysia from 6/15/2006 - 8/26/2006 + 9/17/2007 - 9/24/2007
• 2nd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser at the same place from 7/30/2012 - 10/4/2012
• 3rd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser at the same place from 2/6/2017 - 5/3/2017 + 7/16/2018 -