Post #294, 30 September 2025

 Gentlefolk,

This post describes our main activities during the month of  September 2025.

The contents of this post are in the following sequence:

Photos of our activities during September 2025.

News items which caught my eye in September 2025. 

A brief summary by MSNBC of some key actions by President Trump during September 2025. 

International business graphs (US and Canada).

Highlights of  September 2025

A number of friends & family events: 

• Jen & girlfriends in Portugal and Spain (Camino).
• Andrew & Caz & kids settling into life in London.
• Kurt's shoulder surgery.
• My back was giving me a lot of grief so I had an ultrasound which showed small tears in 2 glutes in the left buttock. Our GP, Dr Greenwood, suggested I try an anti-inflammatory, Meloxicam. It worked a treat - first time I've been almost pain-free in 4 years!!! But it can have side effects so she advised me to take it sparingly - so close, yet so far ...

 

Saying goodbye to Jen before her epic trip to Portugal and Spain with Jules and Tam.

Jen and Jules at Brisbane Airport. They met up with Tam in Singapore.

The "Three Amigos", Jules, Jen and Tam on their Camino adventure.

They spent time exploring Lisbon and Porto and other towns in Portugal.

Follow the Camino sign.

Part of the Camino trail in Spain. They averaged about 22 km a day.

Sometimes conditions were wet.

Celebrating at Santiago de Campostela.
Then they had a week in Spain (mainly around Malaga) before heading home.
Well done, girls!!!

Spring has sprung. September had many really lovely days, mid-to-high 20sC. Sea temperature is around 20C, still a bit cold for us oldies but many others are already swimming - see photo of Kings Beach.
I've strted using the pool at the Village again - a comfortable 27C!

Stockland put on a "Fiesta" for the residents, a light lunch and entertainment. Margaret, Una and Vera at the "Fiesta".

Andrew and Caroline moved to London in August to open a Reddie Office.  They have found a nice townhouse to rent in Highbury / Islington.
Our grandson Eddie, 11, is enjoying his new school.

Our granddaughter Jay, 8, at her new school in London - the change from Sydney has been unsettling for her.

Our suitcase lost a wheel at the carousel at Jakarta Airport when we were in Indonesia last month. It's a really nice "Ricardo" case. We tried hard in Bandung and in Brisbane, but spare parts for this brand are scarce so it looks as if we will have to ditch it. Pity.

Lunch with my niece Laura in Mooloolaba. She enjoys living and working in Noosa, and is keen to stay in Australia if she can (not easy these days). 

Will Costin enjoying his month in Italy. I met Will in Jakarta in 1972, and we have kept in touch. He is doing very well.

Lunch with Henny and Julius and their daughter Fina. They migrated from Indonesia to Australia in 2000. A lovely family. Fina is a lawyer in Brisbane.

Food, delicious food!

Our grandson Kurt needed surgery on both shoulders (rugby injuries). He had the right shoulder done in early August, and then the left shoulder in September (we went to Brisbane to help out while Jen was away). 
He is an apprentice electrician, and will be off work for many months.

Kurt is young and fit, so rehab of his shoulders should be OK.

ABBA concert in the Clubhouse - even our neighbour Gary got up and danced!

Caught up with fellow residents Therese and Greg to hear about their recent tour of China. 

End of Term 3 lunch for members of U3A Travel Chats group at the Power Boat Club, Golden Beach.

Watching the AFL grand final between Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions. It was 36 all at half time, the Lions were 19 points ahead at three-quarter time, but then the Lions ran away with it in the 4th Quarter. The final score was 122 - 75. Most residents in our Village are Queenslanders, so delighted with the result.

The Brisbane Lions, AFL Aussie Rules Champions for the second year running. 

......

News items which caught my eye in September 2025.

($ are US dollars unless otherwise shown)

Global	SCO: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation met in Tianjin, attended by China, Russia, India, etc. China: big military parade in Beijing to commemorate 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the end of the Pacific War. Evergrande, once a huge real estate developer, was removed from the HK Stock Exchange; it had debts of $45B. Indonesia: President Prabowo said that MPs allowances would be reviewed following widespread anti-Govt demonstrations. Severe flooding in Bali, 15 dead. 1,500+ primary school children got food poisoning from the free lunch program. Gold: passed US$3,600 per ounce. Afghanistan: a major earthquake killed 1,500+. Portugal: The Gloria Funicular in Lisbon (built in 1885) derailed. Georgio Armani, famous Italian designer, died aged 91. Tennis: US Open in New York. Aryna Sabalenka beat Amanda Anisimova to win the Women’s Singles and Carlos Alcaraz beat Yannik Sinner to win the Men’s Singles. France: PM Francois Bayrou resigned after losing a vote of no confidence; replaced by Sebastien Lacornu. Former President Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of criminal conspiracy and sentenced to 5 years in jail. Nepal: large anti-Govt demonstrations’ 30+ killed. UK: State visit by Trump and Melania. Ange Postecoglou took over as manager of Nottingham Forest. About 32,000 illegal immigrants have come to the UK in small boats so far this year. The PM announced that a new ”digital ID” will be introduced to combat illegal immigration. Brazil: Former President Jair Bolsonaro, was sentenced to 27 years for plotting a military coup to overturn the last election. PNG: Papua New Guinea celebrated 50 years of independence. Australia wants an enhanced Defence Treaty with PNG. Spain: Pro-Palestine demonstrations which disrupted the final stage of the Vuelta, were applauded by the Spanish Prime Minister. East Timor: Anti Govt-corruption demonstrations in Dili. Palestine: UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, France and Belgium joined the other 146 countries which already recognized Palestine. United Nations: 80th General Assembly held in New York. President Trump addressed the UNGA. He called it useless, and said climate change is a huge con job. With the US reducing funding, many UN programs and Agencies are in trouble. Typhoon Ragasa: Much damage and many deaths in the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China. Switzerland: Swiss voters narrowly (50.4%) voted for a voluntary electronic ID card.
Israel – Hamas & Hezbollah & Iran	Israel strikes on Yemen targeted the Houthi leaders. Israel attacked Qatar and killed Hamas negotiators. IDF launched full scale attack on Gaza City, many casualties. The UN Human rights Commission released a report stating that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Presidents Trump and Netanyahu unveiled a 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Will Hamas agree?
Russian invasion of Ukraine	26 countries said they would contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, if there is a ceasefire with Russia. Dozens of drones were observed in Poland, most shot down. Russia said it was not responsible, but NATO worried.
USA	Trump renamed the Dept of Defence to the Dept of War. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to help ICE in LA violated the Federal Act that forbids the use of federal troops to enforce domestic laws. Nevertheless Trump deployed the National Guard to combat crime in Washington DC, and Memphis, and lately to Portland; he has threatened to use the National Guard in Chicago. The US Air Force destroyed three Venezuelan “narco-boats” in international waters, claiming they were transporting drugs. A Judge overturned Trump’s blocking of $2B in research grants to Harvard. Lachlan Murdoch was confirmed as Rupert’s successor; his 3 siblings, James, Elizabeth and Prudence, got $1B each. Larry Ellison (Oracle) $393B passed Elon Musk’s $385B to become the World’s richest person (at least temporarily). Right-wing influencer and Trump fan, Charlie Kirk 31, was shot and killed on a Utah campus. FBI arrested alleged killer Tyler Robinson, 22. Kirk was hailed as a martyr at a memorial service. NASA banned the employment of Chinese nationals. Actor Robert Redford died aged 89. He starred in over 50 films, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, with Paul Newman). He won an Oscar for Best Director. Trump filed a $25B lawsuit against the New York Times for defamation – the Judge described it as 'frivolous'. An Appeals Court stopped Trump from firing Lisa Cook, a Governor of the Federal Reserve. The Senate approved (48-47) Stephen Miran as a new Governor of the Federal Reserve. At its September meeting the FR cut interest rates by 0.25% to 4.25%. Disney/ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel for making light of Charlie Kirk’s death. They reversed the decision a week later following a huge backlash. The US will introduce a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas for technical specialists (IT experts from India get 70% of these visas). Without providing evidence, Trump warned pregnant women against using Tylenol (Paracetamol) as it may cause autism. The Dept of Justice charged former FBI Director James Comey with perjury (he is on Trump's enemy list). The Kraft-Heinz conglomerate will be split up. Trump announced new tariffs on imports of pharmaceuticals (100%), kitchen cabinets (50%) and heavy trucks (25%). Also movies not made in the USA.
Australia	South Australia banned fish-shaped soya containers as they cause pollution. Right-wing “March for Australia” rallies were held in several cities; limited support. The Federal Govt agreed to pay $495M to victims of Robodebt. Erin Patterson 50 was sentenced to life imprisonment (parole possible after 33 years) for the killing of 3 persons with poisonous mushrooms. The police offered a A$1M reward for information on Dezi Freeman, accused of killing 2 policemen; search now weeks old. PM Albanese announced $12B new naval base south of Perth. Latest Newspoll showed primary vote: Labor 36%, Coalition 27%. One Nation 10%, Greens 13% Independents 14%. The Govt said that its 2035 target is to reduce carbon emissions by 62% over 2005 levels. Despite ending the NRL regular season as Minor Premiers, my beloved Canberra Raiders lost to the Brisbane Broncos (28-29) and the following week lost to the Cronulla Sharks (12 – 32). The Grand Final will be between the Melbourne Storm and the Broncos on October 5. AFL: The Brisbane Lions 122 beat the Geelong Cats 75 to win the 2025 AFL Championship for the second year. Gold Coast Suns’ Matt Rowell won the Brownlow Medal.

 President Trump continued to dominate the media and news. 

 Trump's key actions in 7 days to 3 September 2025

MSNBC

Planned a military funeral for Ashli Babbitt, who was shot during the attack on the Capitol, according to documents released by a conservative nonprofit.

Revoked Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris, which had been extended by former President Joe Biden.

Claimed that Republicans in Congress were working on a “comprehensive crime bill” that does not appear to exist yet.

Claimed that his approval ratings, which are as low as 37% in one recent poll, are “in the 60s and even 70s.”

Ousted the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just weeks after she was confirmed by the Senate.

TRUMP’S key actions in week ending 10 Sept 2025

Continued to claim Trump’s signature was faked on a “birthday book” for sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Signed his 200th executive order after just 228 days in office, a pace that is unprecedented in modern history.

Said, during a speech at the Museum of the Bible, that when “a man has a little fight with the wife,” it’s not really a crime.

Announced that he intends for the next G20 summit to be held at a Trump-owned property in Florida.

Abandoned a Biden-era plan that sought to require airlines to compensate passengers when their flight is canceled.

 TRUMP’S key actions in week ending 17 Sept 2025

 Announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, claiming the city is “deeply troubled.”

Said he was “not familiar” with the name of a Minnesota state lawmaker who was killed in an act of political violence.

Saw the Senate confirm Stephen Miran, a critic of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, to the Fed’s board of governors.

Announced he would level sanctions on Russia if all other countries in the 32-member NATO coalition do so.

Persuaded Missouri Republicans to back an unusual mid-decade redistricting that could help the GOP win another House seat next year.

Trump’s key actions in week to 24 September 2025

Demanded on social media that Attorney General Pam Bondi move more quickly to prosecute his political opponents.

Said he was “trying” to get back Bagram Airfield, the former U.S. military base in Afghanistan.

Said on social media that he will designate antifa as a domestic terror group, despite the fact that there is no formal organization.

Said that news networks that write too many negative stories about him should “maybe” have their broadcast licenses taken away.

Filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times over its coverage that a judge dismissed as “tedious and burdensome.”

......

INTERNATIONAL Business

My 30 year career as an Australian Trade Commissioner gave me an interest in matters related to international trade and economics.  I used to subscribe to Bloomberg's excellent daily newsletter "Supply Lines", but in May 2025 this publication became "pay only". Fortunately Bloomberg has other, shorter, daily bulletins. The following graphs are from those sources (this month mainly about the USA economy).

......

Well, that's it for this month.

Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and keep smiling.

Vera & Alex Olah

Caloundra, Australia

Tuesday 30 September 2025

Post #293

   Gentlefolk,

This post describes our main activities during the period 25 July to 31 August 2025.

The contents of this post are in the following sequence:

Photos of our activities during the period 25 July to 31 August 2025.

News items which caught my eye in this period. 

Highlights

Our travel to Sydney and Indonesia, as per the following itinerary. Main purpose was to attend the Simadibrata Family Reunion near Bogor. 

This was our first big overseas trip since Vera's falls last year - she managed OK, which was great.

Vera & Alex Olah travel in July / August 2025

Itinerary: Nirimba - Sunshine Coast Airport - Sydney - Bali – Lombok – Bali - Bandung – Puncak/Bogor  – Jakarta – Yogyakarta - Bali – Sydney – Sunshine Coast Airport – Nirimba

 

Date	Travel	Accommodation
24 July	Nirimba to Sydney by JQ787	Bondi Junction
28 July	Sydney to Bali JQ37	Jayakarta Resort, Legian
31 July	Bali to Lombok IW1848	Howard at Tropik Resort
3 August	Lombok – Bali – Jakarta - Bandung	Andre & Iis (Vera’s brother)
8 August	Bandung – Puncak/Ciawi (by car)	Family reunion; Jambuluwuk Resort
10 August	Puncak – Jakarta (by car)	Swiss-BelHotel, Kuningan
12 August	Jakarta- Yogyakarta (by train)	From Gambir to Yogya; Neo Hotel
16 August	Yogya – Bali JT3560	Jayakarta Resort, Legian
21 August	Bali – Sydney JQ40	Paul & Niniek at Breakfast Point
24 August	Sydney – Sunshine Coast Airport JQ788	Home sweet home.

 

Sydney 24-28 July 2025 (to say goodbye to Andrew & family who are moving to London).

On 25 July we attended a function at Reddie's Sydney showroom. Pak Gatot and 2 craftsmen from the factory in Jepara (Central Java) were here to install the fitout at a Synagogue, and put on a demonstration of preparing old teak for use in new furniture. 

Over 100 guests came for drinks and demonstration at the Reddie Showroom, in Crown Street, Surry Hills; mainly young designers and architects.

Caroline (cutting the cake) & Andrew with Reddie staff Olivia, Kimberley, and Cassandra celebrating Reddie's Sustainability Certification.  The company has come a long way in just 7 years.

We watched Eddie play soccer (he is obsessed, and talented!). It was a cold morning in Sydney (it was the middle of winter, after all!).

Watching Eddie play soccer, I was all rugged up in a parker and scarf - it was a cold morning in Castle Hill, Sydney.

The sun came out in the afternoon, and the wind dropped, so Vera & I went to Bondi Beach. We love this area - always fun - we probably won't come here too often when Andrew & family move to London.

Some people were playing beach - volleyball. I used to play when we were posted in Rio de Janeiro - good fun.

Watching Eddie play indoor soccer - full on, hectic pace.

Jay had one of her classmates to a sleep-over.

The next morning Jay played Netball.

I took a bus from Bondi Junction to Circular Quay, always a favourite spot.  It will probably be a while before we visit Sydney again, now that Andrew & Caz & kids are moving to London.

Doing upgrade at the Opera House.

The iconic Sydney Opera House.

View of the Harbour Bridge.

City outline behind Circular Quay.

I chatted with this guy - originally from Vietnam came to Australia 40 years ago, now retired. He thinks Aussies are too insular and should enjoy life more. What a character!

Saying goodbye to Andrew, before heading out to Sydney Airport for our flight to Bali.

Selfie-time. The background is Eastgate Plaza Bondi Junction, near their house.

Our Jetstar flight left Sydney at 4.30pm; we arrived at 9.30pm Bali time. and got to the Jayakarta Hotel at about 11pm.

Bali was our first stop in Indonesia (3 nights)

We came back to Bali for 5 nights at the end - will not duplicate photos.

We stayed at the Jayakarta Resort Hotel in Legian. It's a bit old and tired, but a great location just across from the beach, and reasonably priced (A$115 per day, including breakfast).

Warning signs: no Durian fruit (very smelly), no drugs, and no outside food and drinks.

Nice swimming pools at the Jayakarta Hotel. Legian Beach is just the other side of the pools, very convenient. 

The Jayakarta is an older-style resort, with lovely spacious gardens. It is well locate, near the border of Legian and Seminyak. 

We enjoyed a hearty breakfast next to the pool every morning.

Other residents sat outside, next to the other pool, for breakfast.

We had a number of meals at "Warung Murah" on Jalan Double Six. Authenitic and yummy Indonesian food, at a good price.

Bali has lots of Tattoo Parlours (many Aussies get tatts here - much cheaper than at home), massage parlours (who goes there?), and money changers (very convenient).

We always went to the beach for sunset - busy, never boring.

A new bar "Vitamin Sea" was opening on Legian Beach. I met the owner and we had a brief chat. The owner has a deaf daughter, so he invited this group of Balinese dancers - they were great - the interesting thing was that they were all hearing impaired - how can they hear the music???

An Aussie couple got married on the beach. Sunset ceremony with friends.

We walked down to Kuta Beach. When we first came here in 1972, Kuta was just starting up.

Many young people learning to surf.

We were shocked to see the erosion on parts of Kuta Beach. There is not much beach left at high time. The local Govt has reinforced sections with bags full of sand,

Another reinforced section of Kuta Beach. 

We had lunch at the Beach Walk Mall, half way down Kuta beach.

Stop #2: Lombok, to visit Howard (3 nights)

Our friend Howard Eakins sold his house in Sydney and is building a Villa in the Tropik Resort in Selong Belanak, Lombok (the island next to Bali). We were keen to see his new lifestyle.

Howard and me. We first met in Jakarta in 1972; Howard was representing an Australian Engineering Consulting firm, and I was in the Trade Section of the Aussie Embassy.

Nice Sempiak Beach at Selong Belanak was popular.

Sempiak Beach is about 2 km from Howard's place. Lots of young people learning to surf. Good small waves.

Some Moslem girls enjoying the beach.

And lots of Westerners, mainly from Europe.

Lunch under cover at the Restaurant. There are also lots of warungs along the beach.

Saying goodbye to Howard and his son, David (visiting from Melbourne).

Stop #3: We flew from Lombok back to Bali, then to Jakarta. Iis met us at Jakarta Airport and we drove to Bandung (5 Nights in Bandung).

Long queues at Bali Airport. So many locals visit Bali these days. Last time we were able to fly direct from Bali to Bandung, but that serivce was terminated 3 weeks ago.

Coffee & cake at Braga Permai (established in 1923), with Andre and Iis. We like Bandung's Old City area.

Street art at Braga.

A craftsman selling his puppets on the street in Braga.

Vera & me with her brothers Frans and Andre. Andre and Iis hosted a family get together in Bandung.

We dropped Ita and Iis off at the High Speed Train terminal (called the Whoosh). Bandung/Padalarang to Halim (100 km) in 30 minutes!!! It was designed and built be Chinese - proving popular and working well.

Andre showed us the attractive Orchid Forest resort area at Lembang.

Big trees.

Orchids galore.  These were for sale for A$18.

Anyone for chess, with "local" pieces? 
There were a number of special attractions, including a suspension bridge

Saying goodbye to Iis, Andre and Fauzan, always nice to stay with them in Bandung. Fauzan finished his Medical (Hospital administration) degree last year, but hasn't found a suitable position yet. He announced plans to marry in December - so we might be back in Bandung sooner than expected???

Andre's staff Lucy and Aziz and their cute daughter. Servants are inexpensive in Indonesia, so middle-class families all have them.

Stop #4: Family reunion in Ciawi/Puncak, near Bogor (2 nights)

We stopped at the Puncak Pass Hotel, for old times sake. We always used to stop here for a meal or a drink when we were at Puncak.

Lovely view from the balcony of the Puncak Pass Hotel.

The Simadibrata Family reunion was held at the Jambuluwuk Resort near Bogor, about 70kms south of Jakarta. We occupied about half the Resort's accommodation (Villas). The drve from BAndung is only about 100km, but it took over 3 hours. The roads are pretty narrow and busy.  There were lots of trucks which slowed things down. We weren't doing too badly but got caught in a bad traffic jam about 2 kms from our resort destination, so the last 2 km took about 20 minutes. 

Felix with Samuel, who was the main organiser this time. He did a great job.

Vera & me with our passes for the 5th Simadibrata Family Reunion.

About 130 attended the 5th Simadibrata Family Reunion. Most came from Jakarta and Bandung, others from Surabaya and Jogjakarta. Some came from overseas: Australia, USA, Malaysia.

Old timers: Maggie & Yoop (Sydney) and Hoatje and David (Jakarta)

Wearing our new T-shirts.

More group photos.

Games were fun.

"Paper" Fashion parade.

More photos.

Vera and her brother Frans (he has had many health issues).

Vera with Tience (Frans' wife) and Yanti (Gary's wife).

Stop #5: Two nights in Jakarta (The Big Durian)

Ita arranged for us to stay at the Swiss-BelHotel in Kuningan. We had lunch at Sarinah in Thamrin.

Ita and Lulu at lunch.

Vera's brother Albert.

Albert and I took the MRT to Blok M and back.

Two huge buildings are being erected on the site of the former Australian Embassy at 15 Jalan Thamrin. That's where I worked when I was posted to the Trade Section of the Embassy in 1972. Later the Embassy moved to Jalan Rasuna Said in Kuningan (I would in that building in 1994 during a short term assignment to Austrade Jakarta). That site was bombed in September 2004 (following the Bali bombings two years earlier in which 88 Aussies died) and a new Embassy was subsequently built, also in Kuningan.

Family dinner at Senayan Sate & Seafood in Kuningan - delicious.

Stop #6: By train Jakarta to Yogyakarta (4 nights there).

Gambir Train Station in Jakarta.

The train was quite comfortable. took 6 hours to reach Jogjakarta. Cost A$65 pp.  Unfortunately the day was overcast so views were restricted.  We spent time in the restaurant car. Maximum speed was 150k/h, average speed around 95k/h.

Arrival at Jogja Station. We had booked to stay in the Neo Hotel, Jalan Pasar Kembang, about 200 metres from the railway station. The hotel was OK, nothing special, but in a good location.

Map of Jogja. Jalan Malioboro is the main Street - always lots happening, we enjoyed spending time there. Very different atmosphere to Jakarta, much more "grass roots".
The City's name is spelt Yogyakarta or Jogjakarta - bit odd, but both acceptable. 

We visited the Sultan's Palace, thje administrative and cultural hub of Jogja. Puppet show at the Sultan's Palace.

Gamelan. The music here was very laid back.

Spent some time at Jogja's biggest market Pasar Beringharjo. I have never seen so much batik !!

Inside Pasar Beringharjo: wall- to- wall batik (and there are many shops on Jalan Malioboro as well)..

Inside Pasar Beringharjo: wall-to-wall batik (and there are many shops on Jalan Malioboro as well). Vera bought batik tablecloths for back home.

Transport in Jogja was by motorised becak, bajay (like a tuk tuk in Thailand), horse carts, and shared motorbike rides. We took the local bus several times.

Taking a local bus along Malioboro Avenue. Cost was A$35cents a ride. I was surprised that the buses were not crowded - probably because there are other, also inexpensive, options.

Thsi couple were posing ofr a picture. Not many people ride bicycles these days in Indonesia - motorbikes are much more popular.

We went to a cafe overlooking Malioboro. Ceaseless movement of traffic and people.
Got chatting to a man, Ouda Eno. Turned that he is a lecturer in the English language faculty at Sanata Dharma University, where Vera studied in the 1960s. He even knew a couple of her teachers, now long retired. Interesting guy. His hobby is photography and he comes to this cafe frequently to record street activity. 

We saw many people playing chess on Malioboro. We really enjoyed walking up and down this street - so busy, so much always going on. Fascinating. The street is closed to vehicular traffic from 6 - 9pm every day, when it becomes a pedestrian plaza. 

I went to a local hairdresser - cost A$4 - she did a good job.

We spent time in Hamzah Batik, a large renowned local shop. Many buildings had red & white decorations as it was just before National Day (17 August). This was the 80th anniversary of the declaration of independence from the Dutch on 17 August 1945. But the Dutch did not give up easily, and 4 years of hard war followed, before they finally left in 1949.

A Javanese band and singer performed in front of Hamzah Batik. Hamzah is a great supporter of Javanese culture .

The inside of part of Hamzah Batik. It was 8.30pm at night, and the store was crowded!!!

We bought tickets for the Reminton Cabaret on the 3rd floor of Hamzah Batik. 

The Cabaret show was a mix of performers. We thought it might be more traditional.

We visited the Vredeburg Museum at the top of Malioboro. Many good dioramas of the struggle for independence.

Soon after Sukarno & Hatta declared independence, the Dutch military returned and the revolutionaries moved their headquarters from Jakarta to Joga. The Sultan welcomed them and gave them every support. The fight went on for a hard 4 years. 

The Australian Labor Govt led by PM Ben Chifley supported Indonesia's quest for independence, and sponsored them at the United Nations. This photo shows President Sukarno meeting with Tom Critchley from the Extenal Affairs Department in Jogja in December 1948. Mr Critchley was later Australia's ambassador to Indonesia.

One day we hired a car and driver and visited 3 areas: Borobudur, Mt Merapi, and Prambanan.

There has been a huge effort to improve the visitor access to both Borobudur and Prambanan Temples.

There 20 in our group to tour Borobudur Hindu Temple. People from Korea, Japan, China, Europe and Australia. A good guide was provided. 

In front of the Borobudur Buddhist Temple. Raffles discovered the ruins in 1815. I first visited Jogja and Borobudur in 1972 - they have done a lot of restoration work since then. The cost of entry for foreigners then was very little, now is about A$50.

 

One of the stupas has been opened up.

From Borobudur we went to Mount Merapi, an active volcano near Jogja. There hae been 5 eruptions in the last 20 years.  I did a "jeep safari" of the area.

This is called The Alien Rock - it was deposited here, about 7 km from the top of the crater, during the 2022 eruption. Must have been one hellva blast!

This house was destroyed by ash during the 2022 eruption. It has been converted into a museum, with pictures of the eruptions.

From Mt Merapi we visited Prambana Hindu Temple.
We arrived at 3.30pm, so only had about an hour to inspect the extensive site (entry charge A$40 pp).

We were a bit dsappointed in Prambanan - not much had changed since our last visit in 2019. At least you could see some progress at Borobudur, but little here. And the facilities for visitors were very basic (eg no hand rails for steps). 
A famous Ramayana dance show is held at night at Prambanan during the dry season (we saw it 20 years ago). We should have stayed, but were feeling tired after a long day, so we went back to Jogja.

Stop #7: Flew from Yogya to Bali (5 nights there).

Jogja's new international airport is about 40km from the city. As our hotel was close to the station, we took the direct train.
The flight to Bali was on time. We got a taxi and arrived at the Jayakarta Hotel at around 5pm.
Niniek and Paul had arrived from Jakarta the previous day, so we had dinner with them.

We  stayed at the Jayakarta Hotel again.

Vera in front of our room.

Dinner with Niniek and Paul at the Sands Restaurant at Kumala Pantai Hotel.

We met the singer, Tigor Sihombing. Fascinating voice.

Vera & I hired a car and driver for half a day to visit the Tanah Lot Temple, about 22km from Legian. The drive in the morning took about an hour, not too bad.  But coming back, around midday, took much longer. The traffic around Canggu is terrible. The streets are all narrow and congested. 

We had not been to Tanah Lot for about 15 years. It's more organised now, with entry charges and parking lots. I remember that the last 10 kms or so were just rice fields. But that has changed. The road is now lined with shops and houses and many rice fields are being taken over by Villas and Hotels. 

There is actually not that much to see at this Hindu Temple. It's a popular spot, particularly during sunset (when traffic and parking is very busy). We got chatting to a couple of tourists, a man and his son. Turned out they were from Galle in Sri Lanka - nice city, we were there 2 months ago! 

We spent some time in Sanur with Paul and Niniek, including at the Bali Hyatt where they have stayed several times. It is a beautiful hotel with extensive and lovely gardens.

The beach in front of the Hyatt at Sanur.  At low tide you can almost walk out to the reef. We stayed at Sanur previously - it is certainly quieter and relaxing  - but generally we prefer the energy and beach around Legian.  

We drove past the big new International Medical Centre and Hospital at Sanur. Impressive. 

We all decided to fly back to Sydney on the Jetstar daytime flight. It left Bali at midday and arrived in Sydney at about 8pm (Sydney time). You get back to OZ feeling much better than the usual overnight flights. Paul had left his car at the Airport, so we got to their lovely apartment at Breakfast Point around 9.30pm. 

Stop #8: Bali to Sydney (3 nights with Niniek & Paul).

We stayed with Niniek and Paul for 3 nights, before flying back to Sunshine Coast Airport. We didn't do much, just took things easy. The weather was much cooler than Indonesia, with some rain. I went for a couple of walks along the river. 

We had lunch at the Sydney Rowing Club at Abbotsford. 

Niniek and Vera on the balcony of their apartment at Breakfast Point. They did major renovations and the apartment is very nice now. On Sunday 24 August 2025 we flew back to the Sunshine Coast. And so ended our busy month away.  It was nice to sleep in our own beds again.

......

Books I read in the last month.

A bit of light holiday reading!

Odd story about elephants.

Polished author.

This was my favourite - Police in Edinburgh, raw.

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News items which caught my eye in the period August 2025.

($ are US dollars unless otherwise shown)

Global	UK: Trump’s “private trip” to Scotland, to open another golf course, became opportunity for meetings with Europeans. Formula 1: Belgian GP won by Oscar Piastri, then Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. Tour de France: winner Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia), then Joans Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz. Palestine: 255 MP in British Parliament (incl 147 Labour) called on Govt to recognize Palestine. PM Starmer said it would happen at the UNGA in September. Australia will also follow. Thailand/Cambodia: agree to a cease fire. Thailand: The Constitutional Court said that PM Paetongtorn Shinawatra (38) had violated ethics and should stand down. This is the 5th time a PM has been dismissed by the Court. Italy: will proceed with building a 3.7km bridge to Sicily. Pakistan: floods kill 330+. OECD: The average fiscal deficit in the OECD as a share of GDP is now 4.6%, up from 2.9% in the four years before Covid. Developed nations borrowed and spent heavily during Covid – no one knew what was coming. India: PM Modi will visit China next week. Canada: GDP growth fell in Q2, due to the economic uncertainties caused by Trump’s tariffs. Indonesia: Widespread anti-govt demonstrations.
Israel – Hamas & Hezbollah & Iran	Netanyahu proposed renewed fighting and the full occupation of Gaza. Five Al Jazeera journalists killed in IDF strike in Gaza. The IDF hit the Nasser Hospital in Gaza, 22 killed including 5 journalists. Netanyahu admitted it was a mistake.  The number of journalists killed in Gaza is close to 250. Total deaths in Gaza now approaching 65,000 mainly women and children.
Russian invasion of Ukraine	Trump met with Putin in Alaska. Then Zelensky and European leaders came to Washington. Trump is trying to arrange a meeting between Russia and Ukraine.
USA	Trump announced trade deals with several countries. Imports from the EU will attract 15% tariff. Imports from ASEAN countries will pay 19%. Countries with trade deficits with the USA (like Australia) will attract 10%. Trump said imports from India will attract 25% tariff (but electronics and pharmaceuticals excluded), to be increased by another 25% because India buys oil from Russia. Similarly imports from Brazil will attract 50% because of the treatment of Bolsonaro. The USA Court of Appeals found by 7-4 that Trump exceeded his authority with his reciprocal tariffs. The case will now go to the Supreme Court. Trump claimed that the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act gave him the authority to impose tariffs when he declared a national emergency caused by trade deficits. Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for “bias”. Trump released a letter terminating Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook; she is contesting his authority to fire her. Trump has wanted the Fed to reduce interest rates, but without success so far. Trump met with Putin in Alaska, and then in DC with Zelensky and European leaders. Texas proceeding with gerrymandering to create more Republican-leaning seats; California threatens to follow suit. RFK terminates $500M funding for mRNA vaccines. Trump said CEO of Intel, Lip Bu Tan, should resign; later met with Tan and changed his mind. Intel offered 10% share to US Govt. Nvidia and AMD agreed to pay the US Govt 15% of revenue from chip sales to China. Trump proclaimed a “crime wave” in DC; took over the DC police and activated the National Guard. He wants to get rid of the homeless. US immigrants will be stripped of status if found ot be “anti-American” or “antisemitic”. An Appeals Court overturned as "excessive" the Feb 2024 $464M fine on Trump for overstating his worth. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (both 37) announced their engagement. She is a famous singer, he is a tight end for the Chiefs (NFL). Imports of packages worth under $800 have not attracted import duties since 1938 under the ‘de minimus’ system. That ceased on 29 August. Last year 1.4 Billion packages (worth an estimated $64B) entered the USA under this system.
Australia	The British & Irish Lions won the second test against the Wallabies, lost the 3rd test but won the series. Singer Col Joye died aged 89. Mitsubishi awarded contract to build the next generation of Australian Navy ships. Economic reform round-table in Canberra. Qantas fined $90M for sacking 1,800 ground staff (outsourced work) during Covid. Dezi Freeman, a self-declared “Sovereign Citizen” in Porepunkah Victoria, shot dead two policemen and injured a third when they tried to serve a summons to him. ASIO determined that Iran was behind some of the antisemitic attacks and the Australian Govt expelled the Iranian Ambassador and staff. The Canberra Raiders became NRL Minor Premiers when they beat Wests 24 - 10 on 30 August; first time in more than 30 years! Can they go the whole way???

 

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Summary:

Looking back as I compile this blog post, we did a lot during our month away.

In Sydney we said goodbye to Andrew and Caroline and kids. They have now moved to London (a few hiccups along the way), to see if they can develop the market for their furniture in the UK and Europe.

Our 3 weeks in Indonesia went well, no major dramas. Bali is always nice (despite the traffic!). It was good to see Andre & Iis, Ita & Fauzan in Bandung - Fauzan is planning to get married in December, so we may be up there again soon!. 

The Simadibrata Family Reunion near Bogor was fun - always nice to catch up with extended family. Albert and Elly came with Audy and Wangga, and Gary & Janti looked after Frans and Tience. 

Indonesia as a whole seems to be going OK, although the widespread anti-Govt demonstrations this weekend suggest that there is a lot of tension under the surface. Let's hope those demos don't spread (history shows that they can quickly turn anti-Chinese).

Our flights, Jetstar and Lion, all went pretty well. One of our suitcases lost a wheel on the Bali to Jakarta flight, but we still managed to use it. 

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The battery in my Google Pixel 7a died when we were in Sydney (just tankful that it didn't happen while we were overseas). Got a new battery in Caloundra, took 4 days, but seems to be working well again. It was an odd feeling being without a smart phone for 4 days!

Kim (Uber) picked us up at Sunshine Coast Airport and we were home by about 9pm on Sunday night. The house was in good shape, and our car started immediately. 

Before leaving I had put my name down to participate in a bowls competition on Monday afternoon 25/8. I was in a team with Geoff and Gary. None of us are great bowlers, so we didn't think we would last too long, but we won the first 3 rounds! Finally lost the semi-final, which was a relief as I was tired by then. 

I went to Trivia that night, and our table came equal second - a creditable result.

On Thursday I saw our GP, Dr Greenwood.  My lower back has been very sore. She arranged for me to have an unltrasound and a CT scan. 

I've come down with a cold (flu?) - have not ventured out for the last 3 days - again, glad it didn't happen while we were travelling. 

So everything is getting back to normal - welcome home!!!

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That's it for this post.

Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Vera & Alex Olah

Caloundra, Australia

Sunday 31 August 2025.