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To start the 4 day trip were forced to endure the Bangsal Mafia when we left the Gili's. they try to sell you all sorts of rubbish. I've came across hawkers all over Asia and these guys have to be the worst. They ask you for foriegn coins, local notes and try and sell you the worst tat ever seen. When I tols them i had no coins to give them and they had nothing I wanted to buy one guy was shouting "He ain't got no fucking coins," almost right in my face. When I finally got on the bus one guy tapped me on the shoulder from outside and said, "You're so fucking stingy!" "Thank you my friend," I told him, "All the stuff you sell is shite!" I should have proceeded to wave a 100,000 rupiah note in his face, something he'll never see.

Dragons, boats, volcanoes and scams

Gareth Penpraze
2007-04-20 23:38:37

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best (add a week of salty showers in Gili islands on top of that).

From here 7 of us organise a charter trip in Flores -
thanks to Jolla (a guide on Lombok, but a tourist who came along with Kev and Caroline). The night before we set off there seems to be a lot of activity at the port. It turns out 6 police attack an soldier and the locals don't like the police so we were able to watch the havock unfold over dinner!!

We make it to a town called Bajawa on the first day still 200km from Moni - our destination. Before getting there we stop at a little Arak factory. Basically its Moonshine in indonesia, it could easily be used to strip paint off walls and less than a pound for a half litre, we couldn't turn our nose up at that. We were amazed when the kids picked up the Arak dish and had themselves a sip!! Bajawa is a small town around 1100m above sea level and its the first time I've been cold in 3 months!! The next morning we get up and out at 6am to go walk up a wawomuda volcano, locally known as little Kelimutu. When we get to the top the lakes in the crater have dried up and there's nothing to see!!

Ah well, it was a good way to get you awake in the morning!! We power on to Moni after and prepare to get ourt of bed at 4am so we can see the sunrise over Kelimutu volcano. Read the story on the picture to find out about Kelimutu. Its absolutely amazing - this is one of the places Ben told us to go see and I'm so glad the way it all worked out. I didn't fancy getting public transport there, it would be an entire blog in itself!! The roads aren't a bad as Cambodia's but still a pain in the arse none the less. The tour is almost over in Indonesia, all that is left to do is go to Ende for the rest of the day and drink some Arak!! A well worthwhile week and a half with a great bunch of people who I hope to see again in the not to distant future.

Not long til Oz now, back to Kuta in Bali for some home comforts like working ATM's and internet!!

Gareth Penpraze
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ASBO-Holidays/