Sick and Trapsing around Indonesdia

Tuesday, July 10, 2007--Yogyakarta

I tried to explore town today and ran into problems. I couldn't enter one sight because they couldn't give me change. Then when I tried to enter the old palace, they told me I had to go with a guide. Well, I hate guides, I didn't want to pay extra for a guide, and my ear was stopped up making it hard for me to hear a guide. I asked for my money back and left. I did see a museum with batiks, puppets, and other interesting items.

Tried to have lunch at an Indian restaurant, but it was closed. Instead I went to a nearby local place and had bihun, a fried noodle dish that was made fresh with lots of high quality ingredients. It was such a big portion that I had to leave part of it. It had wonderful pieces of chicken, nice chopped peanuts, cabbage, etc.

Well, my time here was spoiled in the evening. I got new neighbors--a local family of about 6-7 staying in one room. They spread all out across the patio in front of my room and occupied the space smoking horrible cigarettes with cloves, talking loudly, etc. I had wanted to stay here at least one more day, but I can't stand this. I'll get up and leave tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007--Yogya to Bandung

Happy Birthday to me! It wasn't much of a birthday, though. Instead of staying in Yogya and enjoying a nice coffee house/bakery I had found, I was up and packing to get away from my neighbors. It took an hour to walk to the train station. I got my ticket and had 1 1/2 hours to wait for the train. I'm going to Bandung which has nice things in the area, but seems to have expensive hotels.

I'm still sick. I'm taking penicillin, but my sinuses are still draining and my right ear is popping constantly. This isonly the third day of taking the medicine, though.

It was a long train ride. And the car became very cold as it got dark. It was better than the Indonesian buses, but I was so tired and uncomfortable toward the end. I actually took the curtain from the window and wrapped it around my head and arms to protect me from the cold air the last two hours of the trip.

Well, Bandung was a bust! The hotels were horrible--expensive and depressing. I checked out 3 before a settled on one knowing it would be for the one night. I can't stay in a place like this. First, the town isn't one of the great places to visit. Second, it would be horrible to be in one of these hotels even for a day. So I will be out of here tomorrow morning. I didn't even go out for dinner.

Thursday, July 12, 2007--Bandung to Jakarta

I was up early and headed for the train station. I'll be glad to have Bandung behind me. It's amazing how a hotel makes a difference in attitude toward a place. Even though the place I eventually stayed was clean enough last night, I could smell cigarette smoke coming from other rooms. And the only window faced a wall of concrete an arm's length away. I just didn't want to deal with all that.

I faced similar problems when arriving in Jakarta. I went to two places recommended by my guidebook and found them to be far less clean and bright than described. I saw a decent looking place and checked on it. The price is higher than I have been paying, but it is less than another place I was considering trying next. I took the room. It has a/c, hot water, breakfast, and the first cable TV I've had since leaving Alaska.

I ate Korean pork in the evening--my first meal in over 24 hours. It was small pieces of pork cooked in a dark soy sauce and served with mashed potatoes. It came with two very good spring rolls as an appetizer.

I'm concerned that I am not getting better faster. My ear is the main thing bothering me right now. There is still sinus drainage, but it is manageable. This ear just keeps popping,though. And I can't hear when people talk to me. When I try to talk, it hums. I went by a pharmacy last night to ask if there was something else I should do. The pharmacist said that the same antibiotic I am taking for the cold will take care of the ear, too. But it is frustrating for it to be popping for a fourth day with no obvious improvement!!