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Whitten Journal
Feb.15th-March 8th
Exploring Indonesia and Thailand
By Elisha
It has been difficult to keep up to date with the journal. Oportunities to send out the journal come only when we cycle into large cities,usually,so it has been rare and not often and we appoligize.So I will do my best to kind of summerize what our journey has been like latley.
Feb. 15th?
We were invited to stay with our friend, Sarah whom we had met near Gerik in Malaysia.Sheand her family live in a 20 story appartment in the middle of a large city on the Island of Penang.I didn't realize that they built cities on Islands. I guess we had been spoiled by the wonderfull, slow paced Islands we had been to before. Penang is off the west coast, north Malaysia. So we stayed with them for about 3 days. They were incredibly generous with their home and we had good nights out on the town and beach with them and their
neighbors.Ryan and I also got a couple date nights out without the kids which was great! Ryan had had this idea brewing in his mind about possibilities of starting an importing bussiness.He had been looking around for different items that these people produce that would do really well in the States.Than when he went to the Ferry office to get our boat ticket out of Penang, he saw how cheap and easy it would be for us as a family to take a boat to Indonesia! We were excited! We hadn't thought we would get that opportunity! I am
glad we did.We had a great time there. But Ryan had heard that the Indonesians do really fine wood furniture work there. So we were able to leave our bikes and extra baggage there at Sarah's. We took about a 7 hour boat ride to Indonisia.(Feb. 18th?)We arrived in the bussy,noisey
city of Medan.We very much disliked Medan and were glad we were not cycling.People hassle you for taxis and everything else and you are not sure who all is being honest.We got a ride through the city to our hotel on a rikshaw (a cart attatched to a bike...powered by a little old Indonesian man.They have these in India as well.) The whole ride people kept pointing at Ryan's bald head and laughing...shouting, "BALD HEAD,BALD HEAD!" in Indonesian.
We ate at McDonalds for the first in a long while.We vowed we'd never but it was the best place with air-conditioning when it is hot out.In the morning we took a very long van ride,squished in with a bunch of other people, to a
place we heard was really nice, Lake Toba.On these Taxi van rides I think they are trying to get as many people to fit in the van as possible in order to make money. You end up very uncomfortable and pilled on top of eachother!Just when you think no more could possibly fit,
they stop on the side of the rode to pick up more passengers and have them sit on laps. I
tried to have a good attitude thinking about the Jews and many others who have had to
suffer packed in the dark, closed in train cars on their way to a concentration camp. We
had it way better than them so I had nothing to complain about.
LAKE TOBA!
Lake Toba is AWESOME!!!!! We loved it there! We thought it would be a great place to come
back and live for part of the year if we did the importing bussiness. It is a volcano that
over time has filled with water...(by the way...this is in the middle of the Sumatran
Island) so it is filled with water and than after the valcano erupted it had left an island
in the middle. So it's kind of an island within an Island!Cool!On this Island there is a
tribe of people called the BATAK people.In history past they were Head Hunters. There is
even a memorial of where the head chopping block was.But now they are the most happy,
peacefull people.They are all Christ following people...Christians. It is their culture to
be kind to eachother and to be welcoming to outsiders.There are lots of churches on the
Island.Thes people were such fun people! Every night, several groups of people sat
together at restorants or under gazebos and sang together with guitars! Ryan and I loved
this atmosphere!And all these Batak seem to all have excellent voices!It was the only time
I had heard an out of tune guitar sounding o.k. because the voices were so good...so many
colorfull harmonies! The start off playing and singing their traditional Batak songs which
were our favorite, and than then they could play anything you requested...like Bob Marley,
....any popular American favorite.I asked if they could sing a song about their faith. They
sang the Christmas song, "Oh Holy Night," and it was the most amazing,beautiful and powerful
version of"Holy Night" that I had ever heard.I almost cried.
We rented a motor bike to get around the Island on. Our little family of four had so much
fun exploring.It was beautiful there!Mountians and waterfalls, fun small towns with weekly
fruit markets and up in the hills are the village people...way out! Thats where we went!
We found this village school and we joined them in playing volleyball. Their teacher asked
if we would come back the next day to teach an English class! We agreed! Jade was so
excited to help us prepare a lesson for the kids. It was a fun experience for us as a
family.We went back into town and bought a bunch of colorfull gum balls for the kids and
we bought coffee and crackers and cookies for the teachers family.He had invited us to his
home that first day we went up there.It was SUCH a cool home!!!! Like going back in time!
I won't be able to properly explain it but all these village homes were AWESOME!!!
Hmmmm...they are like a one or two room cabin up on stilts...the roof is sharp and pointed
on both front and back...beautiful wood designs/carving under the roof.Inside they sit on
the floor.They cook on the floor.They cooked a traditional meal for us. His wifew was back
there crushing herbs and spices with a long stone in a bowl made with stone.There are
chickens and small puppies that live under the house.Jade and Eva enjoyed that!
One day we rode the motor bike to the other side of the Island to swim in the natural
hot springs!That was fun!So, deep in my heart I hope that one day we can bring some of
our family back at home in Colorado to this wonderfdul place!
BUKIT LAWANG
We took a van north of Medan to Bukit Lawang, where we did a Jungle trek! It was a great
experience!We were out for two days, one night in the jungle on an arranged camping trip.
They brought food for us all.Our family and a Japanese couple and a couple from England.
We got to see and interact with several Arangotang!(Big,red long haired monkeys)Some as
big as us.All were gentle and interested in humans, but we did not know about Meana!She
is a Big Ape and she had just lost her baby. It died falling from a tree.She is agressive
and demands that you give her food or she attacks!She has bit 50 people so far and
restles with you untill you give to her what she wants. Well, we were sitting in the
jungle having a nice packed lunch and all of the sudden our 2 guides stood up in a hurry
and told all of us to get up VERY quickly!We did!We had no idea why.Than they explained
and we had to give her all our bannanas and left over pinapple to please her while one
by one we snuck by her calmly with our little hearts beating in our chests! It was quite
exciting!
On the REALLY steep hills the guides carried Jade and Eva on their shoulders.We were glad.
We could have never have done it.We all crossed a river that was up to our thighs, holding
our backpacks and kids above our heads...to get to our already set up tarps/tents to sleep
under.We had so much fun camping together!Drank hot tea and Hot cocoa by the camp fire and
played really silly international games till late in the night!Kids slept really well!
In the morning We rafted back on the river to our hotel. Our raft was actually 4 big inner-
tubes tied behind the next like a train! So much fun for all!!!What is sad is we lost our
USV..(USB???) stick somewhere in the jungle on the trek which had ALOT of our pictures we
had taken in Malaysia and Indonesia (Lake Toba).On the van ride back to Medan...Ryan got
to ride on the top of the van with a couple other guys cause there was not enough room for
all the people they were cramming in there.In a 3 rowed seat van there were 25 people and
several on the roof! He had alot of fun up there! In the open breeze!
PENANG
We made our way back to Penang and spent 3 more days with Sarah.Spent some time exploring
some national parks and gardens and than said our good byes.We were so thankful to Sarah
and her sweet family and I truely hope one day we can return the kindness by having them
stay at our house in America.
LANGKAWI
We than took a boat to Langkowi Island....I think north of Penang.It was very comercialized
and very touristy. We decided to book a ticket to leave at 4:oo the same day.While we waited
we rode our bikes to this big park with slides and swings. We were the only ones there. Than
suddenly this like 35 year old Muslim guy came up with the most serious, angry face. He got
right in Ryan's face and showed discust at his shorts he was wearing and said something
about Westeners...and motioned we should leave. Than he got in my face. The look on his
looked like he wanted to kill us. Maybe I'm exagerating but he did'nt like us. We left soon.
THAILAND
We took a ferry to the main land Thailand.We were so excited to see a new country!The people
seemed grumpier than Malaysians but now after being here in Thailand for our 4th or 5th
day I know it is not true. People are so kind and open to meet you here.
We have plans to skip most of this first strip of Thailand by going to the islands and
taking boats up the coasts.We had heard it was not too interesting to cycle and that
northern Thailand was really interesting!Plus that helps us skip a whole Malaria risk area.
We kind of had a funny ...not so funny at the time...experience on the island of Lipe.
We stayed at PORN RESORT. The words don't mean the same in Thai.But all us foriegners were
joking about it...wondering if they knew what they named their resort. The people of this
Island are called Sea Gypsies. They are Malaysian/Indonesian mixed.
Ryan set up our tent at the beautifull waters side as he often loves to do. To watch the
sea's waves and the sun going down is nice. But we are learning about the ocean and sea
quickly:) The first night we noticed the water reached the corner of our tent and we had to
move it up a bit during the night.I had thought we should move it up more but Ryan thought
it would be fine.So the next night we were on a walk and came back to find the water had
risen even higher and now it had filled our tent with sand and all our clothes and books
were soaked in salt water.We spent half the day washing and drying clothes and books out
on the rocks.We moved our tent yet higher on the hill....went to the other side of the
island for a nice dinner and live music...by the time we walked back...our tent was filled
with sand and all soaked again!Another half day of drying, rinsing.We ended up having to
throw out our day planner and were able to save the journal Ryan's parents gave us.By this
time Ryan is roally frustrated and moves us into a nice bungalo for two nights!:)Thank you
Lord!For keeping us stupid people safe! This whole area was in the Tsunami zone...I think
alot about those people and I cry in my heart and pray quietly for their families.
MAINLAND THAILAND
Now we are cycling again! It feels good to be back on our bikes! We are riding for about 3
days and than we will go for some more Island hopping!Today,March 8th, was very hot here in
Thailand. We had fun exploring a cave...very beautiful ride today...but sooo hot! We were
very hungry and exausted at noon...looking for a resturant.We thought we found one...tables
set up with dark blue table clothes...neatly set. There were LOTS of people there motioning
us to come and eat for free.They searved us a huge feast! We slowly found out we were at an
out door funeral gathering for thier grandfather.We didn't guess for a while because they
were soooo extreamly joyfull that we had showed up!But than we realized most were in black.
Most people in Malaysia are Muslim while most here are Budist. This was a Buhdist funeral.
We were sooooo blessed by their generosity and joyfull spirits and as we rode away realized
that there was not a resturant for a while. God our Father took care of our needs when we
were tired and hungry.
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