The KHO News is published monthly for friends of John and Jamal, covering news and their life and times in Bali. June 2007 April 19, Jamal, John & Simon headed off from Denpasar Bali on a round Asia tour, first to Jakarta, then Jamal's hometown of Bandung, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Hong Kong, then back to Kuala Lumpa and Bali. Farewell Party The night before departure we had a farewell party at Warung Sobat with friends  wishing us well. Wendy, Clive & Peter Rob & Win Ayu & John Jamal Pak Made & John We apologize that here was no edition of the KHO News last month as we were on Holiday in Hong Kong. This month we feature a special edition on the holiday. We hope you enjoy. Next month we will return to our normal format.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 2   Jamal's brother Deni Cousin Simon Ketut Kiki & Komang The Tour AirAsia Fares Route US Km Denpasar-Jakarta $16 975 Bandung-KL $42 1,300 KL-Macau $63 2,485 Macau-KL $91 2,485 KL-DPS $48 2,000 Total $260 9,245 Average cost per Km 2.8c US All fares were sale fares bought on-line 7 months ahead. Bali - Jakarta Thursday April 19: John, Jamal and John's cousin Simon from Australia departed Denpasar airport Bali on AirAsia for Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta. We were met by old Lombok friend Herman.  In the evening we celebrated  Herman's wife Nini's birthday with their family at Raffles Hills Country Club then stayed overnight in their new two floor home. AA hostess welcomes us aboard Herman & Nini's Home Herman, Nini, Jamal & family  Friday April 20: After breakfast at Herman's we took the 3 hour Argo Gede train from Jakarta's Gambir railway station down to Jamal's hometown of Bandung. Jakarta-Bandung Train The train journey from Jakarta to Bandung is one of the most scenic in the world.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 3   Jakarta-Bandung The Argo Gede Train Jakarta Skyline Jakarta Slums Railway Nasi Goring Enjoying the ride Spectacular Scenery Simon checks-out the hostess Spectacular Gorges Antique Bridges We arrived 12:52 at Bandung station and were met by some of the boys from Jamal's family who accompanied us out to Rancaekek. Terrace Rice Fields Dian, Dede, Sena & Dadan meet us at Bandung station On the train to Rancaekek

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 4   Jamal's Nephew Dede with Jamal's brother Dadan 3rd Class PAX John & Simon That evening Jamal's mum and sisters cooked a great meal for us, after we sat around listening to the boys playing guitar. John helps Jamal's mum & sister Teteh with the wash-up Jamal Simon wants to play Sena, John & Dian Jamal and brother Atep John & Atep at his house Saturday April 21: The next morning 11 of us boarded a local train and traveled 15km out to Cincelenka where Jamal's sister lives, to visit her and see the land Jamal has just bought. Jamal's sister Teteh outside the Rancaekek house Waiting for the train The train trip to Cincelenka took about 20 minutes, we all then squeezed in a bemo to travel to Jamal's sister Lena's house.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 5   En-route to Cincelenka Jamal and nephew Martin Teteh in the bemo With Dede at Lina's house Jamal's new land Simon, Lina & John Jamal's new property is on undulating land with a clear view of the nearby volcano. Hanging around at Rancaekek We stayed at Jamal's house for two nights then headed back to Bandung where we stayed overnight in a hotel in order to catch our early morning flight to Kuala Lumpur. Guntur Hotel Bandung Some of Jamal's family came with us to Bandung, had dinner and stayed the night. Bandung at Night Bandung-Kuala Lumpur Our AirAsia 737 at Bandung Monday April 23: At Bandung Airport a ground hostess took us to the VIP lounge, she took our passports and did all the immigration formalities for us. Our Ground Hostess

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 6   Kuala Lumpur from our flight shot on our new Canon S3 camera We arrived in Kuala Lumpur (KL) on-time, took the AirAsia bus to the city and checked into our favorite China Town Inn in China Town. Tuesday April 24: Simon explored Kuala Lumpur, Jamal went to Little India for lunch and John went to Popular Book shop  Our favorite Chinese Food Court in KL's China Town looking for English books. We all met for cocktails in John & Jamal's room then to Reggae Bar for dinner and an Anzac eve beer. We noted they still have their Christmas decorations on display. Reggae Bar From our room in China Town Wednesday April 25: Simon left early by bus for his tour of Malaysia. After lunch John & Jamal headed off for KL airport for their AirAsia flight to Macau.  Kuala Lumpur-Macau The flight to Macau departed KL on-time at 15:35 and arrived in Macau 10 minutes early at 19:10.  We took a taxi over the bridge to Macau Peninsular an our hotel. Macau Peninsular Taipa Bridge

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 7   Macau Airport complete with roof top Ferris Wheel After checking in to the A$60/night Hou Kong Hotel we wandered around trying to find a restaurant still open. We ended up in a local Chinese restaurant that only had a menu in Chinese. The No-English Restaurant John remembered from his trip to China years ago the Chinese words for fried rice and beer and we finally managed to order a meal. Macau-Hong Kong Thursday April 26: We checked out of the hotel early and took a bus to what we thought was the ferry to Hong Kong, but ended up at the entrance to China.  The Hou Kong Hotel - Macau Chinese Border Crossing We didn't realize until we had been through Macau Immigration and we were standing in the queue with hundreds of people. We went to the supervisor and explained we had made a mistake, two heavily armed guards escorted us from the Chinese side back to Macau Immigration.  The Immigration officer was not going to let us into Macau as we had no exit stamp from China after calling his supervisor & explaining our mistake, they let us in.  Travel frustrations On entering Macau we caught a taxi to the correct terminal for the high-speed ferry to Hong Kong.  Hong Kong Ferry On arriving in Hong Kong we went to our tiny A$85/night pre-booked room on the 13th floor of Miradore Mansions in lower Nathan Road, just minutes away from the Peninsular Hotel. Peninsular Hotel - Hong Kong Great position, but pity about the cost of the room.  Our $85 Lux Room with a view

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 8   Hong Kong's famous double decker trams on Hong Kong Island The lights of Hong Kong That night we were hanging out for some western food and dined at the Spaghetti House restaurant, and had a change from noodles by having spaghetti. At The Spaghetti House We were suffering a little expense shock from Hong Kong, everything was so expensive compared to what we are used to paying in other asian cities. Roaming Hong Kong HK Disneyland Friday April 27: We headed out by suburban train to Hong Kong Disneyland.  After changing trains twice we arrived at the Disneyland Station. Hong Kong Disneyland is very much a cut-down version of the original in Anaheim California, however it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 9   Train to Disneyland Disneyland Station Entrance Fountain Disneyland Entrance Fantasy Land Fantasy Land Fantasy Land Adventure Land Adventure Land Adventure Land Cruise Adventure Land Tomorrow Land

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 10   Space Mountain Jamal was terrified riding the Space Mountain roller coaster in the dark, but he said later he loved it. John Carouseling John had a ride on the Carousel - Jamal said "aren't you embarrassed doing that?", I said "no, why not - happy childhood memories and anyway Jamal, no one we know will see us here."  Every afternoon at 3pm there is a Grand Parade through the streets of Disneyland, we joined in.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 11   "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. The smallest Malay rabbit deplores  his foolish habit. In Hong Kong they strike a gong  and fire off a noonday gun......." This famous tongue-in-cheek lampoon of the British colonial mentality was written in 1932 by Noel Coward. The Noonday-Gun The tradition of firing the noonday gun in Hong Kong is still practised - we though best we go down to Causeway Bay and take a look. Causeway Bay Causeway Bay is easily accessible by the Metro rail system. The Noonday Gun is just opposite the Hong Kong World Trade Centre. HK World Trade Centre Houseboat Living Although in the old days thousands of people lived on houseboats in Hong Kong, these days it is rare.  In Causeway Bay we found two houseboats, just near the Noonday Gun. The Noon Day Gun is in a fenced enclosure on the shore. Each day at 11pm an attendant arrives to clean, polish and load the gun. The Time is Checked The Bell is rung John is at the ready 12pm precisely, the Gun is fired

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 12   Looking from Hong Kong Island across to Kowloon Next stop the Peak on Hong Kong Island. We travelled up by the old cable car which gives a breathtaking view of Hong Kong. Riding the Peak Cable Car At the top there is a huge restaurant and hotel complex. Peak Complex Jamal at the Peak Jamal visits with the British Royal Family at Madame Tussaud's

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 13   Madame Tussaud's Incorporated in the Peak Complex is the Hong Kong Madame Tussaud's wax museum. Jamal spent hours there being photographed with the rich, famous and not so famous. With Princess Diana With Marilyn Monroe With The Beatles With Saddam Hussein With Honest John With Uncle Adolf With Albert Einstein Pssst - Do you know Nancy? We travelled back down from the peak again by cable car, took a bus to the Star Ferry Terminal to catch  the famous old Star Ferry back to Kowloon. Waiting for the Star Ferry Aboard the Star Ferry Then after a shower and a few cocktails in our room we took the Metro train up two stops from our hotel to visit the Hong Kong Night Market for dinner and some genuine fake antique shopping.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 14   The Night Market is fantastic, more than a kilometer of stalls set up in the street after dark. Running parallel is another street full of street restaurants. Street Restaurants We get into the local food The food and beer was quite cheap compared to downtown restaurants - surprisingly few westerners in the area. After diner we went treasure hunting. John found a new winter jacket, a Seagull 4B camera, a Buddha and some antique Chinese posters. John looking for Bargains The antique Seagull 4B camera 120 size film Twin Lens Camera,  was made in China around 1960's. Actually it's a copy of a German Camera, the  Rolleiflex.

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 15   The beautiful Largo do Senado in Central Macau Tuesday May 1: After a pleasant five days in Hong Kong we headed back to Macau and stayed at the glorious old & very Central Hotel.  We spent the afternoon wandering around the old Portuguese area of Macau, visiting Largo do Senado and the Igreja de Santo Agostinho church, just down from our hotel. At night we dined and a very nice Chinese Cafe in the old square. The next day we spent more time walking the streets of Macau, visited the Ruins of St Paul's Cathedral and the museum. At night we walked down to the Casino area, visiting the old Lisboa. Santa casa Da Misericordia McDonald's Government Office Civic Institute Largo do Senado Shops Largo do Senado Square

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 16   Igreja de Santo Agostinho Interior Largo do Senado at night St Paul's Cathedral Nice Chinese Restaurant Casino Lisboa

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 17   Thursday May 3: We headed out to Macau airport for our morning AirAsia flight back to Kuala Lumpur. Our 3.5 hour flight arrived on-time in Kuala Lumpur where we spent the afternoon relaxing before dinner al fresco in China Town. Our portable hotel bar KL Street Dining Genting Highlands Friday May 4: Cousin Simon arrived early at our hotel direct from the overnight train from Penang to KL, we  then headed to the KL China Town bus station to take the 54km ride to Genting Highlands resort, Malaysia's only Casino. The combo bus and 3.5km cable car ticket was only A$3.  Cable Car to the summit The First World Hotel At Genting we stayed in the world's largest hotel, The First World Hotel, (some say it should be called the Third World Hotel) which boasts 6,200 rooms. We spent the afternoon exploring the huge "City on the mountain" at night we had dinner at one of the sixteen restaurants in our hotel. Views from our room

Kerobokan Home Office News - June 2007 Page 18   First World Hotel Foyer World's longest Check-in  Not another Carousel Endless shopping We can't show you the 3 casino's because it is forbidden to take photo's, but we can assure you they are the most garish casino's we have ever seen. John even had a flutter on the roulette wheel and won 100 Ringgit. Many people complain about Genting Highlands, but if you take it for what it is, you can have a great time. We never stopped laughing. Wonderful Genting Highlands Next morning it was down on the cable car and back by bus to Kuala Lumpur where we were to celebrate the last night of our holiday at the illustrious Coliseum Hotel dining room. Coliseum front Bar John & Simon at the Coliseum 73yo Capt. Tan takes the order My Cordon Bleu was delicious The next day we winged our way back to Bali and caught a taxi straight to Warung Sobat where Deni and Kiki were waiting for us.  Welcome home at W. Sobat Next trip Feb 08 - Hanoi The KHO is the affectionate name of our house in Bali, this is a non - commercial site, to keep our many friends in touch  with the local scene. Our aim is to help the local people through promoting tourism.  Email us at:jbsymons@indo.net.id Check Past Editions Copyright ©2007 The Kerobokan Home Office - All Rights Reserved