end week 5!

12-3-10
Well I think it has been nearly a week since I wrote anything on here and it has been a fast week. On Sunday we spent the morning at Merapi. It was incredible to see what destruction really looks like. It was also very humbling and sad to be in an area of such devastation and death and displacement. Especially to be involved in tourism due to their misfortune but it is a way for them to rebuild and make money. They charged an entrance fee to see each area. It was a fun day as we headed up there on a rickety old bus with a new friend of Ben's from UGM and then found a man to take me around on the back of his bike, while Ben's mate & Ben got on another scooter. It cost 100,000 RP for each bike and we were out for over 2 hours. It was hard for them to ride through the deep ash and Ben came off the bike once (though they were going slow trying to navigate the ash and became bogged, his landing was soft). Then we ventured down to the southern area of Jogja & checked out a few of the other touristy locations which was good to see ie the old water palace and we found an awesome vegetarian restaurant called Milas.
Our housemate's canadian friend arrived from Jakarta on Sunday as well. I believe she has open plans & may stay for the entire month. She is living with us & like me is a lady of leisure. She can't speak a lick of Indo & is starting classes on Monday. I have decided after reading through the language classes brochure that my bahasa is good enough to do without.
So what else have I done this week... Helped Canada find her way around. Yoga. Swimming. Riding my old, creaky, difficult bike. Devastating loss of Manu v Liverpool. We found a cafe/restaurant/warung close by that was showing the game and we smuggled in a heap of longnecks. Liverpool had the biggest following that night but I haven't noticed any liverpool paraphernalia around the city, however loads of MUFC. I found myself going for the underdog, however never imagined MUFC could be an underdog.
Karaoke on Tuesday night with some of the friends we have made so far. Unfortunately a couple who were living upstairs who we have been going out with have just left. It was lovely to have them, but especially a local, around to help. Karaoke was impressive.
Wednesday night saw us meeting to discuss heading to Kalimantan with our friend Ronaldo to educate/inspire local people about education and to discuss our differing education systems and what is available to young people when they study.. At least this is what I think what we will be doing. I think we'll head out there once this month and then again in June. The price is hefty to get out there, I think we have to get two flights, however the cause is just & Ronalda is lovely & it sounds like the people of Kalimantan are quite disadvantaged with less opportunities and less confidence.
This week I am fighting a fluey type thing. Constant headache most of the week that won't leave me no matter how much water, sleep and good food I try to eat. Though the good food is difficult, nearly everything I eat is fried or has something fried in it. Hopefully all the riding, swimming, yoga will take care of that. My throat is a little sore & been sleeping in a lot. Plus the stomach isn't feel 100%. It hasn't been too bad but a but of a nuisance.
Yesterday I went riding through the busy streets of Jogja, ie main roads etc. Rode a fair distance & stopped on Jalan Malioboro & did a little bit of shopping. I haven't done too much since I arrived. I got some awesome & very comfy batik thongs, a batik dress (that looks like a huge patchwork potato sack but I love it) and a tye dyed dress that Canada & I both got. We found a batik market that was so enclosed, hot and stuffy. It was terrible! There was also a spice market that looked interesting but it lead on to a stinky fish stench so we turned around and got out of there.
Last night we were taken out to dinner at a true warung. A place I would never have eaten at. One of those warungs they tell you not to eat at but since I was with some nice local lads who were excited to show us, I couldn't quite say no. I had some cold rice with tempeh & tofu that was sitting cold but then he put it over some coals for a few minutes and added some kecup manis. Kecup manis is really good but it is on another level when it is grilled on tofu/tempeh. It was delicious! We both had hot tea, and a filling meal each and the entire cost put together was 9000 Rp, ie $1 AUD. My gut is ok so far today as well. So we sat in a circle under a tarp in the rain at the warung and chatted and when I needed to go & pee I was taken to a stranger's home to use their loo (squat). How kind is that. People are very nice. The guys we went out with were the same group we went to the orphanage with. They have started their own NGO that went from a few people to now 40. They do a number of things to try and improve the social conscience of people in Jogja but they also help to organise blood donations in Jogja & have been successful in doing so. I think they use a lot of social networking sites to get the message out and request specific blood groups depending on what circumstances arise. I am hoping to go along with them one time when there is an emergency and see what they do & how they collaborate their work with the hospital. Mid post-dinner chatting last night one of the guys got a phone call then asked if any us were blood group B, he said he was so got up and went to the hospital to donate blood because they needed it urgently. Pretty honourable people, it is inspiring.
We had a quiet Friday night. I don't know what I am doing this weekend. I need to book my flights to Thailand & pay for that volunteering...