Mum's holiday visit

By Karen Prince
Mother of a Murdoch University student s18
See photos of Karen's trip

In January 2004 I had the wonderful opportunity of a three week holiday in Indonesia with my daughter, who was a university student on the ACICIS program. This would be my first visit to Indonesia, so I was looking forward to a delightful new experience.

My first view of Yogyakarta from the aeroplane, was of a low-rise city of red-tiled roofs, brown rivers, lush greenery and beautiful mountains. My daughter and her landlady, Ibu Soegondo, met me at the airport and took me back to the Ibu's home in Bulaksumur, near the university. I was very fortunate to be invited to stay there, thus I had the warm experience of living in a Javanese home rather than the more superficial experience of a tourist hotel.

The first few days were spent in Yogyakarta, and it was the rainy season so there were frequent heavy downpours of warm rain. The gardens were so green. The Ibu's garden had beautiful orchids, colourful crotons and waterlilies in the fish pond, also papayas, rambutans and jackfruit. We often heard the various calls and sounds of the kaki lima vendors in the streets nearby. Early each morning we swam laps at the university pool. There were many male swimmers but few females. I loved shopping in the busy crowded pasar. Bargaining with the women for fresh fruit and vegetables, tofu, tempe in banana leaves, eggs in woven baskets, fresh noodles and traditional jamu medicines.

One day we bought provisions at the pasar and then cooked vegetarian dishes like sayur lodeh and spicy tofu steamed in banana leaves, and served lunch to some of my daughter's friends. They were from Sumatra and Kalimantan and East Java, so bahasa Indonesia was the common language. They all enjoyed the oleh-oleh from Australia.

Borobodur temple was situated in a spectacular setting of parkland and jungle covered mountains. We were drawn to the earthly carvings of elephants, camels, buffalo, dogs and children playing under mango trees and coconut palms on the lower terraces. Higher up were serene Bhuddas in meditation postures. There were throngs of school children in bright school uniforms.

We then flew to West Sumatra for a short holiday. Our first stop was Padang, which had gaudy painted buses with cowboy drivers and blaring music - so different to the formality and politeness of Yogyakarta. We also explored the old Dutch colonial buildings along the waterfront and the museum with Minangkabau and Mentawai artefacts. Next we went south to Bungus beach, where the villagers fished from the beach with large nets, and the fishing boats went out at night with lights to attract squid. We snorkelled in warm, clear sea and saw amazing coral and brilliantly coloured reef fish. Huge hermit crabs roamed the beach, small monkeys came close, and majestic sea eagles swooped near. Next we travelled to Bukittingi, in the highlands and then on to Lake Maninjau. The road down to the lake was steep and had 44 hairpin bends.We stayed at a lovely losmen where the restaurant was built over the water, and we feasted on spicy lake fish. The next day we paddled a simple dug-out canoe on the lake, without lifejackets.

When we returned to Yogyakarta we found that the new intake of ACICIS students had arrived. We were invited to join in, because as part of the orientation students from the previous semester share their experiences of student life in Yogyakarta with the new students. Finally, the day before I had to sadly leave to come home, the clouds finally lifted and I saw the awe-inspiring view of the volcanoes Merapi and Merbabu towering over Yogyakarta. They looked as though they were just at the end of the street where my daughter lived. I had a wonderful time in Indonesia, and I am so very pleased that my daughter is able to have this wonderful experience of studying in Indonesia. Well done ACICIS.