Leaving Malaysia, and re-entering Indonesia, we arrived at Tanjung Kumbik in the Riau Archipelago (4 degrees north of the equator) also known as the Natuna Islands — get out your maps! The sea was studded with mountainous islands, lushly forested, and it evoked what we’d all pictured in our minds for this “south seas” cruise. It was a lovely sunny
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Our arrival in Bali coincided with a magnificent sunset, whetting our appetite for what was to come. The mere sound of the word “Bali” conjures up images of an exotic tropical paradise and I was feeling romantic (after all, it was Valentine’s Day!) with the lyrics of “Bali Hai” ringing in my ears from “South Pacific…” If you try, you
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Today began with a more leisurely start — abundant sunshine and breakfast on the terrace. We bid farewell to Amanjiwo, departed for Jogya with our guide, Udin, and decided to stop on the way to sample the famous Kopi Luwak coffee a.k.a. “Civet coffee.” It may well be the most expensive coffee in the world — like $200/pound and this
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The pre-dawn wake-up call was preceded by the 4:15 a.m. call to prayer, but the thought of beating the crowds to one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world with “Ibu (Mrs.) Toni” at the helm was all the incentive I needed! The die-hard photographers in our party left the hotel at 4:30 a.m. and I brought up the
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A two hour non-stop flight brought us to Yogyakarta on the island of Java (let’s not discuss Air Asia’s outrageous overweight baggage policy!). We had opted for the “visa on arrival” which is so quick and easy — all you do is pay your $25 in crisp new bills — compared to the onerous process of getting an Indonesian visa
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Mollie Fitzgerald recently announced the itinerary for her next hosted departure! Accompanied by Tarquin Millington-Drake, they will take you on a cultural journey in Singapore, Java and Bali that will feature a 10-night Borneo expedition cruise, “Faces of the Forest” aboard the Orion II, with special guest lecturer, Dr. Birute Galdikas. Click here to review the full itinerary and learn
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