A trip to Indonesia with children was the plan for this summer. After it was conceived, planned and paid for (not unimportant) we could go to Bali, our base. At 5 o'clock in the morning the whole adventure would start, when the taxi arrived. Sharp 06.30 am we were in Amsterdam to stare at the big screen in astonishment. The flight to Kualalumpur was delayed by no less than 8 hours! There you are, heavy backpack on your back with three half-sleeping children at Schiphol.
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After a long wait we were finally able to fly that evening (after having spent 5 hours at the Mc Donalds) and the delay was soon forgotten. Bali was beautiful, a true paradise. The kids had a great time in the sea (an ocean is an ocean) and the pool. The trips also went well. Where I previously had sleepless nights about traveling with three young children to a faraway place, it actually went without saying.
The rice fields were impressive to them, if it weren't for the fact that they didn't realize how terrified we were (that they wouldn't fall from that height). The monkey temple looked suspiciously like the monkey heul and the water temples? Just a swimming pool. After a week we went to Makasar with backpacks, from here the journey went to Ambon.
Now I had agreed in advance (based on stories) with the children that no DS would go with them. We adapt was the motto and you can play anywhere, right? Well, we've seen that. It is so nice to see that children always play together, no matter what language they speak. I have seen my son move a bicycle tire with a stick at a speed you tell yourself. The DS lay aimlessly in Bali, waiting for its return. This trip to Indonesia with children is even more fantastic than I could have dreamed. Sticks and stones are so much fun to play with too!
Mama walked everywhere with hygiene washing gel for the hands, but no other bumps in the road. Children are so flexible. After we got to a village and passed a large group of washing women, my son rightly remarked, “Look Mom, they don't have a dryer here.” No, here they wash by hand in a stream and dry where they can. .
“Mom, if we have to hand in our DS, shouldn't you adjust yourself a little too?” That same evening I was squatting, hand-washing our clothes. Leaving the hotel laundry service lonely. There is nothing more beautiful than the mirror your children hold up to you. Next year again?
By:Rachelle Verhagen
