So my better half has just had her leave request agreed to and we’re off to SE Asia this winter. Going to be based in Jakarta at first, as we have friends out there, then spreading out as we find our feet. As I don’t get any holiday entitlement (technically untrue, but it’s how it works in practice) I’ll have to come back to the UK for maybe 3 x 15 day periods during the 4 months.

My question is: Would it be safer for Mrs Ox to head back to the relative safety of friends’ pad in Jakarta while I’m back over here, or are there places out there where I’ll be able to leave a strong-willed, pint-sized, half-Geordie/half-Jock lady and return to find her in roughly the same condition?

Also, any recommendations while we’re out there? We’ve been told about all the Thai backpacker hedonism stuff, but we don’t just want to spend 4 months mashed out of our skulls.

Ta in advance.

Jakarta is fine, she might just go bit mad though waiting around unless your friend is willing to volunteer as tour guide.

I haven’t travelled *extensively* through Indonesia but my impression was that it was very safe in the sense of low crime. You’re more likely to step in front of a bus or trip over a manhole etc. You occasionally hear of bagsnatching and stuff, but all the same, they’re still pretty traditional countries. I would bet most tourists get in trouble through drink/drugs/assault by fellow tourists precipitated by the above.

(The above goes imvhe/o for Malaysia. Singapore of course is one of the safest places on the planet but a lot of people feel it isn’t terribly interesting. Accommodation isn’t cheap.)

Having said that, it’s not personal safety that would worry me about hanging out in Jakarta, it’s fact that it’s not really a very nice city and there’s not a huge amount to do. My wife hated Jakarta. I was ambivalent. 15 days would be a long time…although maybe a bit different with friends. My wife did a day’s cooking course in Bali, I wonder if there is something similar your OH would be interested in and could give her something to do every day?

Thanks for the answers.
Yeah, we’ve heard from the friends that Jakarta is a bit naff. I’ll see if she fancies Bali. Must be some bar work going out there, eh?

Your wife will be fine.

I would suggest a few weeks in Jak, then get out and about around SEA – go see some orang-outangs, go to Thailand, and get off the tourist route and explore North East Thailand, really get into it. I travelled by locak bus and trains all around the North East when I first went, just hoping on buses and seeing where they went.

From North East THailand head into Laos, up to the North, work her way back down to the south back in to Thailand and a train to BKK and into Jak for your return.

I saw some wierd and wonderful things out in the villages and towns. Met some really nice people and had a laugh, but did it all on my own.
Spent three weeks at one point not speaking to anybody in English, just having to muddle by on phrase book Thai.

I travelled through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore last year. Never felt like any of it was unsafe, and it was a great experience.