By Ian Burnet
The author is a geologist so he is very observant and literate. Prior to taking the lengthy journey described here, he spent thirty years living, working and travelling across and among Indonesia's 17,000 islands.
This book, the author's third, is a kind of affectionate farewell salute to the islands of which he is obviously so fond. In it he describes travelling over and around some seven of the larger islands. His was a fascinating journey that inevitably involved many maritime aspects.
He captures the cultural, geographical, geological, biological, religious, marine and political aspects of this extensive and very diverse country very well. That offers the visitor, whether for business or pleasure or, preferably, both an excellent overview of the place. It is different, very different, particularly once you get outside Jakarta.
Available from Rosenberg Publishing, Dural, Australia.
Web: www.rosenbergpub.com.au