Our last two nights were spent in Ubud, inland on the Eastern side of Bali. Although we were not there for very long, I genuinely loved Ubud. I would definitely go back. The area is covered in lush jungle and surrounded by rice fields. On every street there are Hindu temples and small bamboo baskets full of offerings to the gods. 

The temple and wishing well at Monkey Forrest- Ubud, Indonesia.
The main tourist street, Jalan Raya as well as everyone's Scooters. Its pretty common to hire scooters and travel around Bali. -Ubud, Indonesia.
One of the highlights of our stay was 'Ketuts place', a bed and breakfast up the hill from the bustling street of Jalan Raya. As it was our last stop, we decided to chuck in a extra $5 each (hardly a sacrifice) and got a place with a pool. It felt like moving from camping to the Four Seasons. It was in stark contrast to our roach infested hovel on Gili T island. I would recommend Ketut's Place to anyone visiting the area. As part of the $22 dollars each a night, we got fresh pineapple and coconut pancakes as well as freshly squeezed juice served to us on our own private balcony each morning. It also included a king sized bed over looking the Balinese gardens. Ketut himself was extremely friendly and helped us to book taxis and recommended places visit. He appears to be the second generation living on the land, as their was a private Hindu temple exclusively for his parents. 



For booking at Ketuts Place click here.

On first evening we went to watch a traditional Balinese- Hindu dance. The dance is called a 'Kecak" dance (said like chuck chuck). Essentially over a hundred men, dressed in traditional clothing, sit in a circle around lit candles and create a rhythm with their singing. Although the dance has no explanation or words, the story is fairly easy to follow as a Hindu princess is kidnapped. The highlight for me was watching a man run across hot coals and not have burnt feet afterwards. I wont lie- we cringed and looked away a moments as his feet dragged across the red hot embers.

The dancers in their intricate costumes. These particular characters were members of the royal family. -Ubud, Indonesia.
On our second day we went to 'Monkey Forrest', about a 20 minute walk down the road. The forest is full of naughty monkeys and their babies surrounded by ancient temples in the jungle. It felt like Tarzan would swing by from vine to vine at any second. At only $3 dollars for entry, its a fairly decent and affordable stop.

A bridge at Monkey Forrest. We were impressed at the roots hanging off of it - Ubud, Indonesia.
A male monkey, sitting as cool asa cucumber. Not remotely worried about the people around him. -Ubud, Indonesia.
Entrance to Monkey Forrest -Ubud, Indonesia.
The Monkeys, sitting on top of a cement monkey (Gabi called it 'Monkey-inception' - Ubud, Indonesia.
Most of all, I enjoyed haggling in Ubud. I was able to buy a painting that was priced at 400 000 Rupiah, and reduced it all the way to 110 000 Rupiah  ($11). Gabi and I tried to see it as a sport. I think because I'm a pale skinned and freckly foreigner, many of the locals assumed that I had a lot of Euros to spent. With the ever dipping South African Rand, my haggling skills had to be on point. Gabi managed to bargain a Ukulele down to a 5th of the price. She hadn't even originally wanted a Ukulele, she just didn't want to miss the opportunity! I think we have been watching Suits for too long. My advice, never take the first offer and go in with a strategy. We had a guy follow us down the street a few blocks trying to sell a set of carved chopsticks. He said it would make our food taste better (we'll have to let you know when we try them).

Fried noodles and prawn crackers anyone? -Ubud, Indonesia.
As sad as it is, Our time in Indonesia has come to an end. I had such a blast with my sister, Chris and my old college friend, Gabi – we have made some unforgettable memories (que 'Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing lol). But... whats left to do now? As reality kicks in, I need to go back to South Africa and look for a job hopefully in design (a genuinely scary concept). However, after this awesome month in the sun surrounded by beaches, stingrays, turtles and temples – I think I will be okay!
After backpacking through the main land of Java, we decided to give Bali – and the island of Gili Trawangan, a try. I forgot to mention previously that I have done all my traveling with my old uni buddy, Gabi (said gaahhrr bie – like a pirate because shes Afrikaans). We have spent the better part of the last two weeks in the sun with heavy backpacks on our shoulders. 

A restaurant on the beach overlooking the sea- Gili T, Indonesia.
Gili T is a gorgeous spot of land off the Eastern coast of Bali, full of backpackers, beach bars and places to snorkel. If your looking to sit back, relax and drink Bintang (Indonesian beer), Gili T is your place. The Gili's consist of three islands between Bali and Lombok – Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno. While Air and Meno are seen as the quieter of the 3 with family resorts, Gili T is full of tanned 20-something backpackers looking to soak up the sun and party – often on a tight budget.
Umbrellas and smoothies! -Gili T, Indonesia.
The beach- Gili T, Indonesia.
Bintang beer at a beach bar - Gili T, Indonesia.
The island takes approximately a hour to cycle around and no cars are allowed on it. There is the almost constant click-clacking of horses hooves against the cobbled streets, dragging tourists in carts to their hotels while locals try to sell you coconuts and beaded bracelets.

For one the days we hired bicycles and cycled around the islands. The bikes cost us about $5 dollars for the day and the cyle took about an hour to circle the entire island.- Gili T, Indonesia.
We spent four days soaking up the sun and snorkeling off the islands reef while having too much fun playing beer pong against Finnish surfers. We have to sadly admit that we suck at beer pong – but really enjoyed all the beer we got to drink... paid for mostly by two Finnish backpackers. Score.
Cocotails on the beach- Gili T, Indonesia.
Obligatory knee shot while tanning- Gili T, Indonesia.
One of the only negative moments of this leg of the trip was the accommodation. Although we are already able to laugh about it, we were less than impressed that they decided to close our hostel for renovations during our stay. Eventually we were put in a Homestay. I would suggest that anyone who enjoys sanitation and electricity avoid Bannera Homestay. For all intensive purposes I have nicked named it 'Buthole Bannera'.

We found more than one cockroach in our room, there was no hot water and we were never given sheets, blankets or towels. Eventually we took the curtains off their railings and slept under those. The bathroom was the type of place where you can brush your teeth, have a shower and take a dump all in the exact same position. The best we could say is that Bannera has character. We laughed every time we saw someone new moving in, “ Enjoy...your in for a lovely surprise”.
The curtains we slept on.
Gabi sleeping under the cutrains
However, despite our gross little home, we really enjoyed our stay. We took a package tour (it was only $15) to go island hopping and snorkeling at three different spots. The price included fins and a snorkel set. We really enjoyed getting to swim with fully grown turtles in the open ocean and diving down to see a Japanese ship wreck. 

Gabi having her feet cleaned by the fishies. I wouldn't do it because I am far too ticklish- Gili T, Indonesia.
Baby turtles at the turtle sanctuary- Gili T, Indonesia.
$1 sweet corn. We ate these as snacks many times during I stay. They roast the hob over hot coals and cover it in butter and garlic. -Gili T, Indonesia.
If your looking to stay on an island full of life and European tourists, Gili T is a beautiful and affordable option.

Next stop – back to Bali to see Ubud.
One of the stops along our way backpacking through Indonesia, was the city of Yogyakarta (said like Jog-ja-karta) to see the temple of Borobodur as well as some of the coffee plantations in the area.

This Buddhist temple, which was built in the 9th century is about the oldest establishment I have ever visited. The pictures couldn't quite capture its sheer size and intricacy. Along every shelf and stair is detailed engravings carved into stone. Each engraving tells a story about the people of the time and what their lives where like. There are engravings on everything from worshiping the gods through to children and what they did for entertainment.

The temple of Borobodour facing the East side - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
The entrance to Borobodour temple as well as a Japanese man trying desperately to take a selfie with his selfie stick. - Yogyakarta - Indonesia.
But what exactly is Borobodour? Essentially it is a temple built on the many layers of Buddhism. A birds eye view of the temple, shows its structure in the shape of a mandala (often used in meditating) with 3 different spheres, the highest being a sense of 'nirvana' (or complete peace- and not the rock band as I had first thought lol).

A view from the top of Borobodour Temple - Yogyakarta - Indonesia.
Walking along the second tier of the temple. All the walls have engravings representing stories from the time the monument was built - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Laughing at all the Korean tourists carrying umbrellas and hats to hide away from the sun. Yogyakarta - Indonesia.
The bells at the top- Yogyakarta- Indonesia.
'Fuhisment'-  was punishment 'fun' back then?
More than anything, I was in awe of the sheer size and magnitude of Borobodour. I couldn't help but imagine thousands of Indonesian slaves in the early 800's, dragging rock after rock up the temple stairs without any machinery or electricity to aid them.  It was only years later in 1815 when British forces (aka Sir Ruffles - try not to laugh at his name) found the temple and commissioned the restoration of the monument to its former glory. There are still places in the temple that have mis-matched blocks. However, for the most part it looks fairly untouched and ancient. It sort of made me think of the 'Jumanji' movie.

A view from afar of Borobodour- Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
After the temple our tour guide- Budi, took us out into the jungle to see a coffee plantation. Budi is a part time tour guide as well as a part time fully qualified civil Engineer - a bizarre combination that seems to work for him. He explained that he does tours on his down time to improve his English before he goes to study in Finland. I would recommend that any visitors to the area go along with Budi to see a coffee plantation. He took us out to a tiny coffee farm in the jungle where there were no other tourists and fed us delicious traditional Indonesian food on banana leaves and freshly ground coffee while telling us all about the history of the area. It was a pretty fantastic day.

Across the jungle and coffee plantation - Yogyakarta.
Eating lunch at the coffee farm. The owners cooked us traditional Indonesian food and served it on banana leaves along with fresh coffee. - Yogyakarta- Indonesia.
Coffee tasting time - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Cooking the coffee beans- Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Grinding the coffee beans - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
The coffee farm we visited. It is a small coffee farm way out in the Indonesia jungle. This particular farm is supported by our homestay as a way to encourage local business and community growth - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
While we were in Yogyakarta we decided to sleep at a homestay simply called 'Chilled Homestay', booked off of AirBnB. Although there was no hot water, for the most part our hosts were very friendly and helped us with any questions. The owner is a British expat called Andy with a fairly colourful vocabulary and a love of international beers and motorbikes. He was very friendly and got up to say goodbye to us at 5 am saying “If you get caught in the shit, let me know”. If your looking for a cheap stop along your way and a fantastic live-in tour guide called Budi, 'Chilled Homestay' is your place.  Click here for their AirBnB profile: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2787004 

Prawirotaman street - the main tourist area where our AirBnB homestay was situated.
Lastly, is the city of Yogyakarta worth the trip? I would say it definitely is but only for a maximum of 2 nights to see the temple and surroundings. A longer stay than that is not necessary as there is not that much to do within the city as a tourist. The area we stayed in was pretty lively with many Indonesian and western restaurants combined. We drank a beer at quite a few of them! However, for the most part I would recommend Yogyakarta to any traveler looking to see something ancient and unforgettable.

Next stop along the way – Gili T island off of Bali! Getting the bikini out for sure!
Welcome to Malaysia – the land of avid Milo drinkers and spiced chicken satay sticks. Where it seems to be endlessly sunny and humid, with greenery and coconut ice cream around every corner. Myself and mini- me (my 22 year old sister) spent the better part of a week lazing on Malaysia's prized island- Langkawi, off the western coast of Penang.

Out on the open water, Langkawi - Malaysia.
It was a fantastic week of drinking Tiger beer on the beach and getting bikini strap tans while having no where in particular to be. The best part? I didn't have to be at school by 8.40 am and nobody told me I could only go home at 5pm. However, lets get down to the important stuff, Where did we stay? What did we eat? And what did we do?
 
My sister and I (and my thumb) on the beach, Langkawi - Malaysia.


Where did we stay?

We decided to stay in an area called Pantai Cenang, which is on the Southern side of Langkawi in a backpackers called 'Rainbow Lodge'. We had read many good things about it on Trip Adviser and decided to book a room (we splashed out and booked a room with air conditioning although there are bunks available). The staff were incredibly friendly in helping us to book tours and find taxis. We even emailed the owner to tell him our plane was delayed and he waited for us to check in after midnight. He also knocked on our door to check we were alive/not too hungover after he had seen us on a night out, making sure we'd be awake in time for our tour. 

Our accommodation for the week: Rainbow Lodge in Pantai Cenang.
Christine on the hammock.
I would recommend this backpackers to anyone looking for clean and friendly accommodation as well as a free wake up call service in the mornings – via the on site rooster that lives in the parking lot.  For booking visit: http://rainbowlangkawi.yolasite.com

 
What did we eat?

We really didn't stop eating from the second our feet touched the ground at the airport. Every aspect of our day was moulded around where we would be eating - Thai, Indian, Malay or even at a questionable Mexican Italian fusion restaurant. Every evening ended with a Pinacoladas or beer on beach tables with Shisha (hub). Let me tell you, its a happy and easy way to put on holiday weight. One of our best food experiences was the weekly Thursday night market. We managed to buy chicken curry and basmati rice, spring rolls, potato samosas, fried noodles, fresh fruit juice and traditional pineapple pancakes for about 7 or 8 dollars in total.

Chicken satay at the Thursday night market.
Coconut drink on the beach Pantai Cenang - Malaysia.

Stir-fried noodles at the Thursday night market in Pantai Cenang.

 
What did we do?

Sit on the beach. Tan. Turn over. Repeat.
For the most part we decided to take a few package tours. One of our first being island hopping. At 35 rm (aprox $12) it was a pretty sweet deal. The tour group collected us from our backpackers, took us around on a speed boat for half the day and returned us, a little sun-burnt and in awe of all the beaches. We also got to visit a Geoforest Island and natural lake. There was a package where you could do it all on a personalized jet-ski but our backpacker budgets couldn't quite stretch for it. We had to use the money for cocktails instead – it didn't seem like much of a sacrifice at the time.

Island hopping off Langkawi, Malaysia.
Island hopping, Langkawi- Malaysia.


On our 4th day we took a taxi to the Seven Wells. It is a natural waterfall located fairly close to Langkawi's Sky Cab. We gave the sky cab a miss owing to hazy weather and instead spent the afternoon bathing in the seven natural pools cascading down the mountain. A warning to all potential visitors: be prepared to walk steeply uphill for about 600 stairs. For those who are less athletic (don't feel bad if you do - I normally class myself in this category), there is a pretty substantial pool at the bottom. However, if you have it in you to hike up the 600 odd stairs, the view and pools from the top are pretty amazing.
The top of the Seven Wells (after 600 stairs), Langkawi - Malaysia.
The bottom pool at the Seven Wells, Langkawi- Malaysia
The main waterfall at the Seven Wells, Langkawi - Malaysia.
The final package we took was a Mangroves tour. If you do nothing else the whole week – take this tour. It was beyond beautiful and our tour guide knew so much about the wildlife in the area. Basically, the mangroves are water canals and trees that form inland when sea water and fresh water become mixed. We were taught so much about how these trees adapt to salt water climates and even how the local monkey's fight for territory. We were even taken to a massive bat cave and got to stroke a few sting rays. The mangroves tour guides seemed to genuinely care for the conservation of the area – our particular tour guide wanted one of the older monkeys to become alpha male again and was actively trying to 'fatten' him up with fruit. He said the new alpha was a bit 'bitchy' for his liking.

I would recommend 'Island Adventure tours' in Langkawi to anybody looking for a pretty thorough and interesting tour.

My sister petting a stingray at the mangroves fish farm, Langkawi - Malaysia.

Our boat for the mangroves tour, Langkawi- Malaysia.
The fish farm, Langkawi - Malaysia.
Mangroves tour, Langkawi- Malaysia.
Mangroves tour, Langkawi- Malaysia.

Most of all, I had a pretty amazing week with my sister laughing, drinking out of coconuts and swimming in the warm Malaysian water. I would recommend this beautiful island to any tourists on varying budgets.