Far from the madding crowd

14 - 17 Dec 2009 (Mon - Thurs) My idea of a dream holiday - one that is unhurried, unharried, with lots of time at hand to sit and stare. I found all these in Lake Toba, Indonesia. By about 3.30 p.m. each day, after a little sight seeing and shopping, we had the rest of the day to sleep, watch satelite TV, go for walks, and live a life like Thomas Wilson in 'The Lotus Eater' (Somerset Maugham).

Pictures No. 1 & 2 - The hauntingly beautiful Lake Toba, Parapat. It's the largest volcanic lake in the wolrd.

Picture No. 3 - At the Siposo Waterfall area, where one gets a last view of the lake

Picture No. 4 - Beautiful flowers in Brastagi

Picture No. 5 - The Sultan's Palace in Medan. With me is a fellow tourist Mrs. Goh from Singapore. In her 60's, she's cool and she rocks!

Verdict: A good holiday with lots of time at hand to do nothing but marvel at God's magnificent handiwork. The lake is beautiful but the towns of Parapat and Brastagi are dirty and there is poverty everywhere. Makes us appreciate all the comforts that we have back home.