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StoriesTravel

Made By Hand

written by Brenna Holeman July 8, 2011

Taj Mahal 1Taj Mahal 2Taj Mahal 3Taj Mahal 4Taj Mahal 5Taj Mahal 6Taj Mahal 7

Agra, India
I am sitting now in the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, enjoying a Bintang beer and enjoying the cool night air and enjoying the person with whom I’m sharing this all with. Yesterday, our first day here, we explored the town and indulged in some delicious food, mostly the famous (and famously greasy) nasi goreng; today we woke up at the crack of dawn to visit Borobodur, a huge temple an hour from here. The temple was beautiful, intricate and immense. We circled up it slowly, fancying ourselves like all those who climb it to reach enlightenment.
At the top, we were approached by a group of schoolchildren who wanted to interview us as part of their final English exam (being interviewed by schoolchildren is quite a common occurrence when travelling, it seems). They asked us about our plans for Indonesia and about our home countries: “Where are you going next?” “What are you most excited for on your holiday?” “Can you tell us about animal husbandry in your country?” (Answers: Mount Bromo and then Bali, diving in the Gili Islands, ummmmmm cows?) They also asked us about famous temples or other such landmarks in our native lands. And this is where I find countries like Canada differ so much with the countries I’ve been visiting; we really don’t have famous man-made landmarks the way that other places, places with such deep history, do. Being such a young country, Canada’s landmarks are almost all of the natural variety. We simply don’t have huge temples that date back hundreds and thousands of years.
I was struck by this same observation when I visited the Taj Mahal in Agra a few months ago – there is nothing like it in Canada (though one could argue there is nothing quite like the Taj Mahal anywhere in the world). I was overwhelmed by its beauty, its size, its history, by its fame but also its mystery; it was one of the top highlights of my travels. I was transfixed.
I’ve been fortunate enough in my life to have seen some of the most renown and wonderful man-made sights our world offers us: the Taj Mahal of India, the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge of England, the Great Wall of China, Schwedagon Paya of Myanmar, the Eiffel Tower of France, Teotihuacan of Mexico, the many wats of Thailand and Laos, the many churches of Spain and Russia and Italy and beyond. I’m so glad I’ve been able to add Borobudur of Indonesia to this list, and I would definitely recommend it if you ever find yourself on the island of Java.
So yes, we’re off to Mount Bromo tomorrow, and then we’re taking a ferry to Bali a few days after that. I only have three weeks of this adventure left, but I’m glad I’ll be spending them in the sun and the sand and the sea.

 

AsiaFun With CamerasIndiaIndonesia
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Brenna Holeman

Brenna Holeman has travelled to over 100 countries in the past 15 years, many of them solo. She's a big fan of whisky and window seats.

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4 comments

Kate July 9, 2011 - 10:31 am

Darling, if the nasi goreng you’re eating is greasy, it isn’t made right! It’s actually supposed to be light on oil, so I’d head to some street stalls and get the real version, if I were you.

Reply
This Battered Suitcase July 11, 2011 - 10:41 am

Actually, greasy was the wrong word – perhaps “heavy” would be better. The nasi goreng I’ve been eating isn’t greasy, just extremely heavy! Despite that, yes, the street stall version is divine…

Reply
Kylie August 22, 2011 - 3:28 pm

stunning! your travels are so awesome!

http://www.spencerandkylie.blogspot.com
http://www.travelingtriplets.com

Reply
This Battered Suitcase August 25, 2011 - 8:08 am

Thanks Kylie!

Reply

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About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

My name is Brenna Holeman and I drink a lot of whisky. No, wait. That’s not how I want to start. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm about to become a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here .

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Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

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This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why.

Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too.

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