Private Plane to Pangandaran

The airline industry in developing countries is known for being let's say an adventure. Indonesia is no exception and having a private plane flown by your boyfriend and a couple friends is also no exception to the rule.


Here is the video of our flight from Kupang to Bali to Pangandaran:

VVO was due for maintenance in Pangandaran, a little surf town in Java; perfect opportunity for a little vacay!

John and I have matching Lululemon Backpacks... so cute! John thinks I am a geek...

After spending a couple of days flight planning and getting the proper approval from various airports (or airspaces...obviously I had nothing to do with this part) we had a plan: depart Kupang at 5pm, watch the sunset from the sky (pearl harbor anyone?) and stop in Bali for the night to continue to Pangandaran the next morning.  If you know me at all you know how my life revolves around where my next meal will come from. I was excited to see the Indonesian scenery from the sky but I have to admit that after a couple of weeks in Kupang, all I could think about was a proper fruit salad in tourist friendly Bali (without the cheese and mayo dressing that is impossible to avoid in Timor)!

But of course last minute approval delays meant we didn't get to the airport until 7pm.  Just before we took-off we were told the plane could not spend the night in Bali.  It is not possible to carry enough fuel to safely make it to Pangandaran without stopping and the runway there does not have lights so you have to land one hour before/after sunset/sunrise. So in other words the trip was not possible that night.

The following morning we decided not to rush. We had a leisurely breakfast (best avocado shakes are in the Kupang airport!) and decided to make the most of the trip instead of stressing. That was barely possible...after landing in Bali we had one hour for lunch before we had to be in the air.  We had to leave Bali no later than 4pm in order to get to Pangadaran before dark. We did not get departure approval from Bali until 3:59pm!

As the sole passenger with my personal Susi Air crew I was barely aware of these disturbances and was able to enjoy the ride - for the most part. The boys decided to take advantage of not having any passengers (I guess I didn't count) and to my disappointment refused to wear their uniforms (or aviators)! But that was not the worst of it... They proceeded to take turns practicing dramatic dives, emergency recovery procedures and other scary things at 10,000 feet! Ah!

It was an amazing trip! From Kupang to Bali the sky was clear, the water a deep turquoise color (the one us westerners love) dotted with the golden coasts of the small tropical islands below. The eerie Javanese landscape was equally as breathtaking but quite the opposite in content.  The clouds were low, their bodies broken up only by the tallest jagged mountains.  I was in such awe I couldn't even take a picture when the giant crater mouth of what we believe was Mt. Semeru (the tallest volcano in Indonesia) suddenly appear directly below us. 

The trip was amazing, definitely something you don't get to do everyday! Unless of course you are one of the Susi boys. What a beautiful country and a cool job!  My camera died over Java but we landed safely in Pangandaran just before sunset.  We enjoyed a couple days of sun and surf before John had to return to Kupang and I went to Bali to meet my brother.

A couple notes about the video: Yes I am wearing aviators – someone had to! I have been told numerous times how uncool it is for pilots to wear aviators… And, John you are welcome, it took all my self-restraint not to include Highway to the Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins in the video.  


Thank you Matt Dearden for letting me use you Go-Pro footage! And BIG thanks to the Susi boys from Kupang for making my Indo trip :) Charlie, Matt and Tomo and of course John!


Enjoy ;)

Thanks for following!

- Tori

Ubud

Expensive Clothes, Cheap Art, and My Real Bali

Ubud is known as the cultural centre of Bali. What does that mean? Tourist flock here to experience the real Bali, which is apparently expensive clothes, cheap art, trendy cafe's and spas. To me the city of Ubud is just another tourist town which has exploited it's uniqueness. Don't get me wrong I am all about the shopping, eating and spaing (not sure that is a word...) but it's not cultural! The streets are crowded with tourists and locals taxi drivers are constantly harassing you - almost as bad as in Kuta. Our taxi driver last night told us it is very slow in Ubud right now. I can not imagine what it will be like in a month when the high season kicks off.

Amazingly, only meters from the main roads of Ubud are miles and miles of rice paddies. I think the rural area around Ubud must be the Indonesian equivalent to the Canadian Prairies (am I getting homesick?). But instead of endless fields of golden stocks there are green terraced hills and palm trees as far as the eye can see. Roosters, ducks and dogs wander the hills freely. The locals are legitimately friendly, every one giving you a quick smile and wave before turning back to their work. It is refreshing not to hear "transport?" every 30 seconds. This is the real Bali to me: farming, livestock, bugs, mud and smiles. The only things the locals offer you are ripe bananas and fresh coconut. Despite the gently rolling hills and cool breeze from this morning's rain we are sweaty and the coconut water is hard to pass up.

Tegan and I don't see another bulai (translates to albino) until we stop at the Sari Organic restaurant in the middle of the rice paddies. It is exactly the same as it was last year: slow service, friendly staff and tasty fresh food. Tegan is strangely at home here. Well perhaps not strangely, she has always been an old soul and had an inner hippie. The restaurant is busy with people all looking to experience the same thing: the real Bali. We might feel more authentic because we are in an organic restaurant in the rice fields but the cynic in me can not help but feel that we are in the next level of tourism - tourism that is delicately hidden from the traveler's eye. I am not naive enough to think the orange, banana, and mango smoothie I am enjoying right now was created with a local consumer in mind.

Enough ranting! I actually love the touristy side of Ubud: after a gourmet organic salad, vanilla bean or coconut latte and a relaxing massage I am in Heaven! I just hate it when people think that is the real Bali. Taking a break from the paved shopping streets in Ubud, the muddy paths through the fields are refreshing. I am worried they will disappear and become paved for future tourists. Will there still be my real Bali (animals, mud, bugs and smiles) for those who want to find it here?

I have been without my computer for over a month now! I am returning to Kupang on Saturday and have footage, photos and blogs from my private flight to Pangandaran, Singapore, Java, Bali and the Gili Islands! Lots of vlogs to come! Thank you for following :)

- Tori