AMBOI - the journey in motion

AMBOI is a malay-indonesian saying to express "wow", "beautiful", "awesome". our journey across the archipelago breaks down to this simple word: amboi

Roadjunkies in the "Land of the Heavenly Kings"

As the sun rises we drive by the waves of the Makassar Strait pounding furiously against the cliffs. Our comfortable night bus is bound for the "Land of the Heavenly Kings" commonly known as Tana Toraja. I sit back and trip down the memory lane of the past few days.

Only yesterday an AirAsia Airbus had delivered us conveniently in Makassar - AirAsia's eastern most Indonesian destination. For me it's the fourth time in Makassar. Friendly people, a relaxed atmosphere and outstanding delicacies always make me come back. This time with my boyfriend Craig.

Catching the sea breeze we strolled about Makassar's popular Losari beach. With fantastic bay views we enjoyed some mouthwatering "Ikan Bakar" (baked marinated fish) and local favorite "Coto Makassar" (beef soup mixed with innards) from a street hawker. As billboards illuminate the nightly activity I noticed how fast the city had evolved into a vivid metropolis offering everything from top-end hotels and mega malls to one of the world's largest indoor fun parks (Trans Studio Makassar).

Now we will swap the pleasures of the urban lifestyle in sun-pampered Makassar for exotic culture and off-the-beaten-track nature in chilly Tana Toraja - an exciting first-time for both of us!

In the local tourism office helpful staff recommends us various outdoor activities in the hilly area such as wild water rafting, hiking, horse-back riding and of course cultural highlights of the Toraja people.

From our hostel we set off with a rented motorbike to explore the region. Our first stop is a traditional weaving village set amidst curling paddy fields on the slope of the towering Gunung Sesean. On the way we already glimpsed the world-famous "Tongkonan". Anthropologists still wonder if the shape of the high-thatched traditional houses stem from the horn shape of the omnipresent water buffaloes or the shape of ships as the highland Toraja have a naval heritage.

Now we stand in awe amid a compound of a dozen of these both futuristic and exotic looking buildings. The village eldest invites us to see the inside of his family's Tongkonan and offers a more detailed insight. Only minutes later we stop at a roadside Durian stall sampling special versions of the so called "Queen of Fruits" … mmmmmh yummy.

The cultural treasures seem infinite as we explore scary cave graves and a rock face with Tau-Taus (wooden effigies of the dead) on balconies and dozens of hanging coffins bursting with sculls and bones. These are truly places not to be missed by culture enthusiasts.

Both scared and exhilarated we kick back in a hilltop cafe with panoramic views over the "Land of the Heavenly Kings".

Then we hit the road again - or let's say dirt tracks - heading to funeral celebrations in a nearby village. Palm trees drift by and the head wind sweeps my hair as I smile at the farmers in the paddy fields. It‘s a picturesque view that unfolds in front of our eyes.

Suddenly we are ripped from the paradisal atmosphere. The dusty tarmac underneath us slips away. In slow motion I see us falling down and the motorbike skidding shortly before coming to a halt… Shock. Startled. Smoke.
Locals approach us offering their help. Thank god we weren't injured badly and the motorbike barely got a dent. Relieved we take a deep breath and continue our way.

The funeral celebrations are decadent with 35 buffaloes and more cattle being sacrificed and hundreds of guests being welcomed with traditional rites and pampered with food and drinks. On the side a group of men enthusiastically cheers up a rooster fight. As always the charming locals invite us to join them and they explain the celebration proceedings. We are so happy to see with how much enthusiasm the Toraja people preserve and embrace their cultural heritage.

We calm down in the tranquil town of Rantepao sipping Toraja coffee - one of the finest Arabica Coffee on the planet. Some revitalizing foot reflexology and a souvenir shopping spree along the handicraft market near our comfy hostel do their rest. Two days on a pristine palm-lined white sandy beach just an hour south of Makassar offer great snorkeling amid colorful marine life in an eye-popping seascape that glows in radiant shades of emerald.

Makassar and the state of South Sulawesi is truly an indulgence for both the mind and body. The trip exceeded expectations and we‘re definitely coming back again. We board the plane back home with a thousand memories. As the plane takes off we wave goodbye: „Jumpa lagi Makassar!“

Israel + Palestine + IRAN = ♥ ? - My take

I was pretty nervous about going to Israel with an Iranian Visa in my passport. Especially because loads of people fear mongered about tight security procedures up to denied entry.

Fortunately I stayed optimistic and it proved to be ok. Here's what I experienced:

Upon arrival

I asked the immigration not to stamp my passport, coz I love to travel and don't want to have problems. The officer found the visa and asked some questions, then asked me to go for an interrogation/interview. I had a rather comfortable 30mins talk with a young officer. She need me to give loads of details just about anything. In advance my friend and I had synced the story we'd tell.
Of course don't tell them you want to visit the Territories! Don't alter your story took much: It's their job to detect lies =) If you got to a point of no return =) change the topic!
We even talked about some everyday topics such as hitchhiking, CouchSurfing and Facebook. In the end they accidentally put the Israeli stamp. No worries, it's just ironic they put it next to the Iranian =)

At checkpoints (Rehan, Bethlehem, Hebron, Beit Jala)

Ok, we entered the territories at Rehan checkpoint - which was nuts to do. I cannot recommend it, because it's simply not allowed for Israelis nor Palestinians nor foreigners to cross here. It's only for the remote Palestian village that has been cut off by the fence. We somehow got in touch with the officers and ran through all levels of hierarchy and finally - after three hours - I convinced them with some Hollywood-like sentences about family, kids and stuff =) Wonderful moment, which proved there's humans everywhere, even at this inhumane concrete Checkpoint. Botton line: even at this no-go-no-chance situation they weren't put off by my Iranian Stamp.

Rehan checkpoint - not to be crossed by any other than certain Palestinians 

Upon exiting

Again, the officer instantly find my Stamp, asked some questions, and gave me and then of course my friend as well the worst security level number, which is "6".
They examined every single thing of our carry-on backpacks and gave us thorough, pretty intimate body checks behind closed doors. Nothing dramatic. The security process took us like 2 hrs. We arrived late at the airport about 2,5 hrs, which is too late on normal days! Plan for 4hrs if you expect to get a "6". On the other side u can gamble and come late, then they have to hurry to get u on the plane, just like they did with us. We had young, friendly staff.

Bottom line: Don't worry about traveling to Israel with Iranian Stamp! Challenge the situation with your sympathy and it's gonna be all right ;-)

Toda. Shukran. Thanks Israel & Palestine 

Love. Craig.

HNY from NYC

Hitching with Santa

Cadda and I hitched back to our families in Cologne. Cookies for Lifts.

I'll update this (more pics, stories from agent Hans, world record holder Alois & proud Anette)

Cardboard reading "WESTEN (KÖLN) Kekse & Nougat."

Mystery - Logs by Roadjunky

At Osterfeld a respectable man with best clothes quickly offers to give us a ride in his luxury BMW. He talks with us about hitch-hiking and the life in Leipzig and Berlin. Slowly but steady the Bernd becomes increasingly mysterious: He just cam back from his girlfriend in Jena who is an architect. They have just bought a nice estate from the former Minister of Finance of the DDR at a Berlin lake. He seriously invites us to visit him there and stresses he would cover all expenses. He says his work is important for everybody every day. While wandering what it could be we pass our exit for Leipzig-West.

It doesn't matter at all. Bernd is going to drop us at the airport where we can catch a train to Leipzig. We continue the thrilling conversation right to the end. At the airport we exchnage contact details and bid farewell. Then we head for the station.

On the road ... in English or Deutsch

Crossing over to the A9 bound for Leipzig - Logs by Roadjunky

At the Ellwangerberg we decide not to continue north on the A7 but to somewhat cross via the A6 on the A9. We find a man with his Mercedes Coupé offering us to give a ride to Nuremberg.

He shares his job experiences with us. As a junior professor he's having problems to stay on his preferred university because of strange regulations that force junior professors to change colleges after 5 years.

Darkness is falling as we reach the gas station on the A6 near Nuremberg. Sadly a Leipzig-bound car is full. As we approach people two women simply ignore us. But we know the problem: People loose their trust in hitch-hikers in the dark. We can't blame them for that.

With our cutest smiles we lure an old couple from Zwickau to take us with them. They're satisfying every prejudice about old people from Zwickau region. The woman is holding tight to her map reading out aloud the next intersections in the best of all Saxony intonations. She seems to be ruling the house.

From a Raststätte on the A9 we get a lift to Osterfeld, the last Raststätte before Leipzig.

Keep thumbing ... in English or Deutsch

Speeding through Allgäu - Logs by Roadjunky

Standing at the Swiss-Austrian border in Bregenz we quickly get a lift. It's a retired stage designed on his way to meet his wife - a theater actress - in Munich. He's really talkative and talks with us just about everything. In that way we also get to know that he's actually never hitch-hiked but instead he's really into hiking. When he was young, he explains, he sometimes hiked a thousand kilometers in a week. Those times he slept in barns but he thinks that today farmers are different.

At 200 km/h we speed through the picturesque Allgäu in his great car - a big Peugeout with glassed roof. When somebody's blocking the left lane the old man with his grey long ponytail shouts "Sleeping Italian!" or "Where did he win his licence?" I love his humor and his stories.

Since there's no gas station on the A96 he gives us a short lift on the A7 northwards to a really special Raststätte. It looks as if it was designed by Austrian artist Hundertwasser: really colourful and lots of mosaics.

En route ... in English or Deutsch

Transit to Austrian border - Logs by Roadjunky

The are really no German families on this Liechtenstein gas station where we are. The only cars around are packed with families coming back from holidays. A camper finally decides against taking us with them. Too bad.

Then a Swissman is apparently offering Dany to give us a lift to the Austrian border checkpoint. We're thankful for any ride moving us forward.

It's a short ride to the border in Bregenz.

Keep hitching ... In English or Deutsch

Village-hopping in Italy - Logs by Roadjunky

2 days fun with fellow roadjunkies have passed. Now something that I've never done before: hitch-hiking back 1200 kilometers to Leipzig in one day! Let's stage the challenge!

We give Robert and Franzi again the chance to go first. Waiting two minutes and they have a lift. Our car follows just seconds later.

The italian woman is on her way to work. She drops us in Omegna city center. It's a rather calm town. We put up our thumb and cardboards in the middle of a road junction. It's big fun to watch the Italian drivers explaining why they can't take us: They wave their arms, smile and have authentic eye contact with us. That makes hitch-hikers happy even if we don't get our lift. Finally a few meters away an Italian hippie stops. We exchange hitching stories in Italian for another 5 kilometers.

Standing by a big roundabout we're unlucky so we decide to cross the motorway junction. The cars are passing by fast but suddenly an Audi A8 comes to a halt 10 meters behind us.

It's a friendly Italian going another 10 kms towards the Swiss border. In terms of communication it's a dream, because it's a two-channel mode: we're speaking Spanish, he's answering in Portuguese. And on top his name is Ivan, but no Russian relatives whatsoever.

In the next town it's a matter of blinks and we hurry into a sporty VW Golf with a young Italian. He's going to the Italian border town. We speed through the meandering road by the Lago Maggiore.

Keep on track ... In English or Deutsch

Pickaback through Tunnels - Logs by Roadjunky

Pickaback on a train through the Lötschbergtunnel - another first-time

Had loads of fun with swiss David and Caroline

Awesome, we already made it to Bern by noon and were are probably taking a whole different route than the others. Dany and I already thought to leave the idea of the race behind us. Let's see what comes next...

In French, Italian, Spanish, german and mixed languages we wander about the gas station asking people. Finally we go to the nearby Restaurant because there seem to be more cars. Quickly I meet a nice young couple and they give me their word that they'd take us with them after lunch. Since they're heading through the supposedly adventurous tunnel we're happy, camp down and have our own lunch. Cars pass by with passengers staring at us. Never mind. Buon appetit.

Less than one hour later David and Caroline come back from the restaurant and we hit the road. While having nice conversations with the two accountancies we're leaving the motorway and continuing on national routes. The landscape is increasingly breathtaking: Huge mountains with snowy summits and lush greenery with some cozy-looking mountain huts scattered around - in one word Switzerland.

Our early nervousness about our adventurous route fades away as David and Caroline tell us, that the tunnel is indeed a toll tunnel but that it's a commonly used transport means to cross from one side of the tunnel to the other. But the doubts are back as the radio announces that another tunnel was buring because of an accident. Anyways for us Germans it's an adventure.

On a small, ugly concrete terminal punched out of the virgin nature of the Lötschtal we're taken pickaback by a train. Unfortunately nobody's allowed to leave the car during the ride through the long Lötschbergtunnel.

Just minutes after the tunnel we bid farewell to David and Caroline who are heading for hiking in the area. Luckily a Frenchman takes us another 5 Kilometers into the Valley to the central trunk road through the world known gorgeous Wallis valley.

Thumb it ... in English or Deutsch

Stuttgart Patriot loving genealogy - Logs by Roadjunky

BB stands for Böblingen

There is a nice atmosphere around our gas station: Lots of vivid families chatting about the upcoming holidays and heaving lunch in the sun. We're pretty much an attraction with our creative T-Shirts that we had just sprayed yesterday evening.

As usual we talk to the people at the gas pump. After some five minutes or one sandwich we convince a grey-haired man to take us with him. It's a really comfortable ride in his Mercedes jeep.

We're talking about his family and his interest in genealogy. Apparently he's just visited many relatives all around Europe to try out his computer application. He tells us enthusiastically about it's capabilities to show 3D-genealogical trees and pictures of relatives dating back to the 16th century.

We talk about the Stuttgart 21-project and discuss happening from related projects like the one in Cologne. I also try to guess his occupation and luckily I'm right with Mercedes Benz, which is one of the biggest companies in the Stuttgart area. After a short hop we have to get off near Stuttgart, because our driver lives further east.

Stay wired ... in English or Deutsch

Hitting the Road, Heading for the Race - Logs by Roadjunky

Once again we're hitting the road. This time with Dany, to take part in the German Hitch-Hiking Championship. It's going to start in Freiburg in southern Germany.

It's sunny and warm. We're pretty optimistic to make it there smoothly. Our Leipzig friends Robert and Franzi already left one hour earlier.

We're waiting for the bus because actually it is quite difficult to get out of the city. Still we use the time  trying to flag down one of the passing cars in front of the main station. No wonder nobody's stopping: Most cars are going somewhere in Leipzig city center.

30 minutes later we're standing at a bus stop within sight of the A9 Autobahn. This is the main launchpad for any lifts to the South and West of Germany.

Nobody seems to be willing to stop so we cross the junction and stand in the dirt a few meters behind it.
After half an hour a young guy stops and we jump in. What a lucky day: He's going in our direction and we can stay with him for 300 kilometers through Saxony and Thuringia.

It turns out he's a busy engineer sometimes testing machines in India and all over Europe. He changes his route to bring us to the next suitable gas station on the North-South-Highway A7. Dany and I wonder where our friends would be right now. They're taking a different route heading for Munich first and then crossing over to Karlsruhe.

Stay tuned ... in English or Deutsch

Morocco - CouchSurfing subsaharan Dunes

Salam Morocco

Morocco is a place highly worthwhile and fun to explore, especially because of its convenient tourism infrastructure. Although also famous for Beach resorts like Agadir I would certainly not recommend Morocco to sun & beach-cracks. On the contrary medieval towns like Fes, Mèknes or Marrakech boost vast so called Medinas to explore. In these open-air markets the faux guides and never ending harassments cause hassles and inconveniences. Therefore try to stick with your own instincts and orientation skills.

Transport through Morocco is relatively convenient thanks to a well maintained road system. Trains are also easy to go with though there's only one route in service (Marrakech/Tanger-Oujda). The cheapest fare for Fes-Casa is 110 Dh, whereas Casa-Marrakech costs 90 Dh.

A coach from Marrakech to Fes at 120D h is considerably cheaper compared to a 196 Dh train ticket, takes the same time and boosts the same standard.

Inside the cities the red petit taxis are the prime choice for transport.

Hostels and so called Ryads are abundant. Prices and included amenities vary. With 100 Dh a night you're all right. Prices drop in the low season and for every additional person.

To get the best deals for souvenirs peek into the small back lanes and Ryads where the Souvenirs are produced. Generally you have to bargain boldly and leave the shop area entirely at least once to beat down sky-rocketing american-tourist-prices.

Have a glance at my website where you can see a movie about our trip and more pics

Couch Surfing - The Missing Quick Manual

What is CouchSurfing?

CS is an online social network dedicated to advance cultural understanding by sharing hospitality with one another. The experience is highly beneficial to all parties involved.

How does CS work?

Members that are about to travel search online for members that live near the desired destination. The travelers then send requests via the online platform. If the recipients are willing to host then phone numbers, addresses etc. are exchanged and the marvelous experience is about to happen. Members can decide if they want to host somebody or only want to offer a dinner or a sightseeing tour.

Is it free and safe?

CS is free. CS is voluntary and bases upon mutual trust and responsibility. There are several ways CS tries to show that members are reliable and safe to surf. Firstly references are written for both hosts and travelers and secondly can members verify their address and thereby their CS-identity.

How do I write a good request?

Read or at least scan the profiles and refer to statements to show that you are not simply sending a serial mail which are generally ignored. Address the host and say thank you. Tell what you can offer (present, skill, cooking). Say something about you. Specify meeting times and places. Exchange phone numbers. Ask if you need to bring something (sleeping bag). Say thank you in the local language to show your interest in the culture.

Your request should not be longer than 15 lines because people tend to be busy and refrain from reading long texts. To uphold the member‘s privacies use the implemented CS messaging engine to communicate.

Watch a movie (Morocco, EURO-Tour, Poland & the Baltics) about my CouchSurfing experiences!

CouchSurfing.org

Barcelona - Spain

This charming, bustling meditteranean Town is definitely one of my favorites in Europe.

The cozy parks all around the city are unique. The Ramblas is a Tourist favorite, but also a trap for claustrophobic people. Drug dealers and crowded conditions make the Ramblas a hassle more than a pleasure.

Quartiers like Barrí Gotic, Barrí Cino (unofficial name) and the Barceloneta and port area are a heaven on earth. The Parc Güell and the Montjuïc hill are other must-visits. Other options for your itinerary might be the Aquarium (port area) with a tunnel through the shark pool and the hill from where you can be given awesome panoramas on the city.

If you‘re visiting Barça on a weekend make sure to attend the water concert at the fountain near MNAC off Placa España.

Just like most European cities BCN is extremely expensive and can be difficult for Backpackers to cope with. Public transport is highly efficient, especially the underground trains. Still, strolling the roads is much more rewarding and adventuresome.

There are hidden supermarkets all around the City even in touristic Barrí Gotic and off Ramblas.

Buses for Ryanair hubs Barcelona-Girona and Reus leave conveniently from the train station east of downtown BCN.

More pics? Go to craig-antweiler.de

Backwaters - India

Touristen strömen nach Kerala, um in den Backwaters eine Tour mit einem gecharterten Houseboat zu unternehmen. Hierzu dient die kleine Stadt Aleppey als Sprungbrett in eine andere Welt: Die Backwaters sind schreiende Ruhe, dahinschipperndes Holzboot, lauschige Kanäle, chilligrüne Reisfelder und aufgeschlossene Einheimische an einem facettenreichen Ort in einer sagenhaften Landschaften die ihresgleichen sucht.

Die meisten Houseboats sind geräumig, mit eigener Crew und deshalb auch kostspielig, jedoch jeden Rupee wert. Je mehr Zeit man für Handeln einplant desto schneller verringert die Opposition ihren Preis. Alles ab 3500 Rp für eine 24-Stunden-Tour mit privatem Houseboat einfacher Klasse (1 Schlafzimmer, Veranda) und 3-köpfiger Crew ist möglich. Öffentliche Ferien und Wochenenden können die Preise drastisch in die Höhe treiben. Aufpassen, am Anlegekanal gibt es keinen Bankautomaten! Der nächste befindet sich in Aleppey selbst.

Zu Beginn jeder Tour setzt man über den großen Binnensee über und legt kurz darauf für das Mittagessen an. Danach schippert man durch die Kanäle bis ein passender Liegeplatz für die Übernachtung gefunden ist. Die Houseboats dürfen nach 18:00 Uhr nicht weiter fahren!

Trotz dieser üblichen Itinerary sind die Zeiten für Mahlzeiten, sowie Aufstehen variabel und können mit der Crew abgesprochen werden.

Genießen sie die faszinierenden Backwaters in vollen Zügen, ohne Netbook auf dem Schoß oder iPod im Ohr!

More pics? Go to craig-antweiler.de

Basel - Switzerland

Basel is the second biggest city in Switzerland and lies right in the three-country-triangle next to the river Rhine. Although it‘s streets might make you think it may be tranquil here, it‘s not! Basel is the bustling business center of Switzerland. It‘s a bank robber‘s heaven whereas I certainly don not recommend Basel for culture or architecture lovers or people in search for repose. People here speak foremost German, Swiss German and French.

Among others, one compulsory activity for youth is the BarRouge on the 31st floor of the Messeturm towering Basel. Have a cafe or a chilled drink in this hip lounge chatting with the friendly staff, figuring out the structure of Basel or taking rejoice of the picturesque sunset.

In summer a fun thing to do happens to be on the Badische Seite (German Side) of the Rhine river bank. Get rid of your clothes upriver and enjoy a 500 meter river ride floating or swimming to the next ramp.

Don‘t miss the beautiful Basel Dome and it‘s nearby terrace which provides scenic views of the Rhine turn. Make sure visiting the town hall. It‘s a unique red-colored building.

Concerning the transport you should opt for walking. Though Swiss trams are highly convenient the distances are short and reward with better insights.

More pics? Go to craig-antweiler.de