We are on another bus, but this driver is not like the crazy driver we had when we were in Sumatra!! There is no need to feel that our lives will end soon.
Our destination is Jakata, the capital of Indonesia. Sumatra is wonderful and tropical, a world of difference as we enter the outskirts of Jakata. We are famished!! Starving, as we enter the bus terminal, our transition on our way to somewhere,
a KFC beckons us in the distance.
Fi and I had almost traversed the entire length of the island of Sumatra where traditional buildings are still hand built, decorated with vivid colours and stand among the jungle arena of the mountains. Standing now, stomachs relieved and hanging around in the smog of this congested circus of a city, there was already the feeling of escape. It's a huge contrast!! It's probably better to go to Jakata first and then head to the jungles of the other islands. But I guess entering Indonesia through the pirate infested waters of the Malacca Straight, as we did, has some excitement attached to it.
Rucksacks on the ground, map spread out over them and a finger poised ready to point to some new destination fairly close by as it was getting on in the afternoon, we headed off again.
A couple of hours later we got off the bus at a town we had pointed to earlier.
When arriving at a destination whether it be from a train or bus or even a hitch-hike, there are always people loitering around and hawking services at the places to ask if a hotel is needed. Normally these people just get a polite ''no thankyou'' and we head away to discover. But we had covered a fair distance today and the thought of discovering a dwelling by ourselves had no appeal. Turns out we got lucky. The hotel/pension we got taken to was very nice. A cool curvy alcove type room with a wicked view over the town. We took it instantly. Refreshed, it was time to get a bite to eat at the local warung ... that's the name of that big box on wheels that always pushed and shoved up and down the streets by one of the locals. A beer or two to wash down the peanut stays and then time for some sleep.
A cool culture vulture :) about being in foreign places is learning how the locals live. Well one of the things we had to get used to was the early morning call from the local Minaret. Indonesia if primarily Muslim and the call is held numerous times during the day. It's cool to hear as it's such a different way of living each day. From our balcony we could see a few of them scattered around the town. It's possible to sleep through the early morning call especially if the night before has been party party party!!
Indonesia is a country that has endless boundaries for exploring . Whether it's a tourist side street or a back packers break. The colours, attractions, smells and sights can overwhelm a first timer. Backpackers are a special breed for sure so what ever is in front of them is taken as normal, and as it should be, it's put down to experience.
It turns out we were staying in the town where X-President Suharto's summer residence was. That explains why things were a little more expensive I guess.
After a few days of wondering around the local area it was time to move on again.
The local train station beckoned us this time. Finger on the map, over to there we go ;)
Just waiting for the train to leave was an adventure in itself!! Market stalls crowding the streets nearby, tourists of different nationalities, homeless people, beggars and fruit stalls galore. A colourful supply of fruit in our bags and then it was on to the train to find an available seat.
Here is the second adventure of the train. Not only outside was it a spectacle, inside the train was more fantastic!!
Sellers/hawkers of all kinds roamed the train yelling and thrusting their wares in faces, karaoke singers holding amplifiers across their shoulders while a mike poised in one hand and the other hand held out looking for a little money for the effort/noise - whether the money was given for the performance or just to shut up and move on was a question that stuck in my mind -, blind people stumbling through the carriage looking for a donation, peanut sellers holding big sticks of fresh raw peanuts stormed through!!, mums holding babies that looked more ragged than the whole bunch of them put together asking for money went through, old men limping hunched over a walking stick went through begging!! ... all of this was happening in the final 10 minutes before the train departed!! It was total chaos!! But the whole scenario was totally amazing from a travellers perspective. Did this really happen on a daily basis? Truly a sight to be seen!!
The train departed. All was quiet. The human typhoon experience was over!!
We were on our way down to the tranquil beach town of Pangandaran on the southern shores of Java. A place a few years later which would be the scene of carnage and destruction as the mighty strength of mother nature's tsunami would rip apart. That story can be read on the November 2010 posting page.
cheers and happy travels :))
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