Christian's Travel Blog

1991, when I prepared my first trip east-bound around-the-world trip, travel guides like Lonely Planet refered to an article by the  TIME magazine that ranked Tioman as one of the ten most beautiful islands on our globe. In addition I stummbled that time a few weeks before my departure over a similar vote in the GEO travel magazine. For sure, Tioman should be my first destination - and weeks later I went upon my arrival at Changi airport in Singapore straight to Mersing, the gateway to Tioman island.  Although the jetlag and the humid-hot climatic conditions gave me a hard welcome to paradise, I still own a memorable picture of myself posing in front of my tiny wooden A-frame hut located direct at the sandy beach of Juara, the east coast's sole settlement. Alone getting there was already adventurous. Tioman was at that time - except the short way from the narrow airstripe in Tekek - an island without cars and no roads connected the few local settlements. It takes two rew

20 years in Africa didn't transform me into a Jungle Boy , but firmly linked my heart to the wildlife and places of overwhelming nature on our globe. 2005 I had the opportunity to see for the first time the fascinating Orang Utah. F2F! Indeed looking straight into that big pair of eyes while they observe you in a calm, though mimic manner. 2012, traveling eastwards from Sumatra, visiting friends in Java back from my time at Nias, it therefore came into my mind to find a way to see the unique Komodo Dragons in nature. Approaching the Komodo National Park takes its time. And a boat. Visitors are not allowed to stay on one of the two main islands of the park, though this is not related to the circumstances that feeding the dragons was suspended in the late 80ies. It is said the population is growing, and my recent visit to Rinca and Komodo at least does confirm a great number of deer as well as buffalo. "In hard times they turn cannibals", my accompanying park range

The bump was felt throughout all the wagons as the economic class was connected to the business and executive class. Somehow it must have been like that, when Richard Katz boarded the train to Probolinggo, a small station and popular approach to the Bromo region, already in the 20ies best known for its awesome volcanic scenery. Probably Katz booked a seat in the "Dutch" departments - corresponding with today’s executive class - but compensating for the different standards over time, I decided to join the busy economic wagons for less than 3 Euros for the next 10 hours along rice fields and majestic sleeping volcanoes. Departing from Yogyakarta, one of the best preserved and most attractive cities in Java, I finally will have my first "in loco" encounter with Katz, exchanging impressions based on his chapter "Bob – the Java Pony" from his travel book "Ein Bummel um die Welt".  We arrived late in Probolinggo and it was getting dark w