The youngest of six children, New Zealander Stephanie Brookes
lived on a dairy farm outside of Auckland for the first five
years of her life, then moved to Auckland. Although she spent
most of her childhood in the city, essentially she still feels
she’s from the country because of her abiding love of
rural life, animals and the serenity of nature. Though her
background is in sales and marketing, for the past five years
she has pursued a career in travel writing and has had 30
articles published so far.
Can you tell us a little bit about your family?
I’ve been married for 23 years now and met my husband,
also a New Zealander, in the summer of 1981 in Aspen, Colorado.
We ended up traveling the world together for the next three
years before returning to our home country. We now have two
children, aged 14 and 11. My daughter was diagnosed Type 1
Diabetic at the age of 7 and my son is ADD, so we have a lot
of parental challenges. However, this has never stopped us
from traveling and going to new places. In fact we went to
India for 3 weeks in December, traveling on trains, lots of
long car trips and missed the 26 December tsunami in Sri Lanka
by only 24 hours! Never a dull moment.
Have you traveled much in your life?
My husband and I cycled 20,000 kilometers around the world.
Our first trip was from L.A. to Alaska. We were 21 years old
at the time. We lived in Alaska for the summer, then went
to Europe and cycled around Scotland then to Greece. We did
another trip from France to the Soviet Union, the summer after
the Berlin wall fell. We have cycled the South Island of NZ
as well as Tasmania in Australia. We have also cycled through
the Rocky Mountains in America and in BC and Alberta, Canada.
Have you done anything on your journeys that was out of the
ordinary?
I cycled with my husband through Eastern Europe to the Soviet
Union, flying a giant Earth Flag en route. We networked with
environmental agencies and had press, radio and TV interviews
about global warming issues along the way. In the Ukraine
we presented the Earth Flag to the President of the Peoples’
Diplomacy Club.
When did you first come to Indonesia and why?
Stephanie Brookes: Travel Writer
We moved to Indonesia on a corporate relocation posting from
Sydney in 2000. So far it has been the most fascinating travel
experience of my life, without a doubt. My first trip in the
country was a 10 day road safari in Sumatra. We traveled independently,
with our kids aged only 5 and 8. We were warned by many people
not to go, as the roads were said to be treacherous and the
island was a “wild place”. Far from it. It was
fantastic. We loved Lake Toba, and yes I must admit there
were some hair-raising road trips, but everywhere we went
the people were hospitable and friendly and we were usually
the only western travelers around. Definitely the only New
Zealanders anyway. We trekked in leech-infested jungles, ate
fresh fish out of the lake, cycled the length of Lake Maninjau,
crossed the equator and had our first experience in the rainforest
with wild orangutans. Everywhere we have traveled we have
felt safe, protected and had the ease of traveling with local
guides and getting off the beaten track. We loved everything
about Sumatra.
Sailing around the Lesser Sunda Islands was another highlight.
We’d end up in places that didn’t even have a
name, idyllic little islands in the middle of nowhere, with
pink sand beaches and snorkeling to die for. Komodo Island
was awesome and we hiked over neighboring Rinca Island in
the company of slow moving Komodo dragons and felt like Robinson
Caruso. We also really enjoyed Camp Leaky in West Kalimantan
where you can get up real close and personal with the orangutans.
Why do you like Indonesia?
Indonesia to me is all about its people - their gentleness,
the smiles and the warmth are so genuine - it puts us Westerners
to shame. Also Indonesia’s cultural diversity makes
the country very special. Everywhere you travel, each and
every island whether it be Kalimantan, Flores, Bali or Sulawesi,
the language, character of the local people and their customs
are unique to their specific island.
Can you offer any travel advice for families traveling with
children?
Go everywhere. Don’t listen to conservative, opinionated
people who travel very infrequently themselves. Talk to adventurous
people who have done it before. Contact the Indonesian Heritage
Society in Jakarta for a list of reliable guides and drivers
in the areas you are planning a trip to. For inspiration,
network with others who are well traveled. Above all, have
the confidence to go – no matter what the odds - as
the experience will be well worth it.
Do you have any future travel plans?
One day we’d like to live and work with the people in
Bali and keep traveling. I would love to follow all the cultural
festivals (like the Pasola in Sumba, the bull races in Madura
and the Dayak Festival in Samarinda). I would like to write
about these events, take photographs and encourage people
to get out there and see all the interesting things the country
has to offer.
Where can we read the stories and articles you’ve written
about Indonesia?
At www.travelwriter.ws.
For anyone interested in being considered for Siapa, please
contact : <pakbill2003@yahoo.com>
Copyright@2006 Al Hickey
You can read all past articles of Siapa
at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz
