Pics (2007)
 

Thank you to everyone in this forum that helped me preparing my trip to Myanmar and Indonesia (Lombok ans Jakarta), especially to Kathie. As a sign of gratitude I show everyone that is interested, my pics taken in August 2007 during that trip.
Check out at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jorge_a/sets

Nice photo! Did you take the "aerial" looking pictures in Bagan from that weird looking watch tower by the Aureum?

Thanks for sharing.

That's right. Much cheaper than the aerial views from balloon rides.
It was free because we were staying at the Aureum Palace Bagan.

I'm so glad you had a wonderful time. Your photos of Qunci Villas made me want to return!

Thanks for sharing your pics cytrav2000; I love the first one that starts the album---that water!

I'm glad to hear that you received good advice here. Where to next?

fantastic pics....thanks...

at the end of the lombok pics what is the very arid place??

we loved seeing quinci as we will be there in may....

Loved your Myanmar pix - seems you enjoyed the Aureum palace as much as we did. It seems you had lots of time to walk out amongst the temples in Bagan and to check out the Colonial architecture in Yangon - how long were you at each location?

Good pix of the people. Loved the photo of the lady with the baskets on her shoulder with her baby in one of them.

Things look much greener than when we were there - nice to see Bagan especially at a different time of year.

Hi all,
the last pictures of Lombok in a kind of arid place are in Kuta (vincinity of the Novotel Lombok). He had 2 nights there, and three nights in Qunci Villas.
For next year we plan to go to... Lombok again (Qunci Villas), now with my kids and just to have a relaxing vacation. We love tropical places and without crowds, and I guess thats not much left to see that interest us besides what we already seen.
We didn't get to see the Gili Islands and maybe we can stay two nigts there.
Maybe we will return to Bali in case we wont see terrorism activity in the area or/and bird flu increase.
The direct flights from Singapore to Lombok are very convenient and in 3 years Lombok will have an international new airport and so it will lose some peace.
We had to flew from Lombok to Jakarta with Garuda airlines and that was adrenaline rush. But all went well.
We were 1 full day and a half in Yangon and two full days in Bagan. We are very organized in our trips so I guess thats why we can see lots of things.

Forgot to tell this.
Indonesia is my favourite country in the world to travel.

If you only spent 2 days in Bagan you may have seen a lot but I'm not sure how much you experienced - you certainly visited a lot of temples and took a lot of (very good) photos. That tower is a blot on the landscape built by the government and thus we declined to visit it. I don't believe the hot air balloons operate during the rainy season although that was THE highlight of our trip.

did you hire a car in lombok or a driver? how did you arrange it....cost?? thanks
bob

Craig, we experienced a lot, it went beyond our expectations. There were few tourists and we saw much farmers and sellers activity, besides seeing temples. We also travel in the ayerwady river.
Besides we only used horsecart and never use car. I paid 30 usd per day with guide. That was another different feeling. The only way to try to change things is to visit Myanmar and show it to the world. But I have to recognize that if there wasn't the dictatorship the place would have been westernized a lot. That's why it is so unique. Sorry for my bad english.

One more thing Craig. If you went to the tower you would have given 5 dollars to the government. With the ballon ride you gave aprox. 300 dollars to the government.

Jorge,

You paid $30 a day for a horse cart? The hotel arranged it for us for only $15 a day. What happen?

I just reread your post - you had a guide and a driver so that make sense.

Hi rhkkmk,
we had a driver/guide for one day.
We start off at the Novotel at 8h30 am and ended at 8h00 pm checking in at Qunci Villas. Almost 12 hours trip and the van was new and powerful.
It was arranged at the Novotel. We paid 50 usd. We went to a Sasak village, Tetebatu, Sembalu and to the biggest waterfall up north. I don't recall the name. Don't miss it. You have to go with a waterfall guide and walk like one hour in a jungle setting. Go with sandals because in the way you have to cross water canals.
On the way back you can shortcut by a dark tunnel, that takes 5 mn, with water by your knees. Lots of fun.
If you want to know more you can email me.
[email protected]

Jorge - Balloons Over Bagan is a private company run by husband and wife team Brett Melzer and Khin Omar Win. While I'm sure the government gets its share (as it did for your hotel stay at Aureum Palace), it is nowhere near $300. The amazing views over Bagan at sunrise were worth every penny.

The fact that you used a horse cart the entire time explains a lot. My apologies - from your photos, it seemed like you were just running from one temple to another.

I imagine that the balloon ride is an unforgetable experience. But for two persons it is very expensive for me.
My impression is that two full days is enough to see Bagan. However I would have stay one more day just to take full advantage at the Aureum Palace.
We had time to be at the pool for some time and had a perfect massage at the spa.

Somehow I don't see Bob (or Karen) wading through a dark tunel with water up to their knees!

On the one hand, it sounds like fun - at least the fantasy of it - but in reality, I'm not so sure.

cytrav, sounds like you and Jorge are very adventuresome travelers.

Enjoyed your information as well as pictures!

Thanks for sharing.