28/01/2014 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 53 - I hate having to backtrack.

Distance cycled: 89.2km from Lakey point to 10km south of Bima, Sumbawa, Indonesia.
Average speed: 20.9km/h
Moving Time: 4h16m
Elevation Ascended: 911m
Burned Calories: 2367kcal
Burned Fat: 307g
Total Distance on Current trip: 5012km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 14,738km
Money spent: $7

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Unfortunately I was told that the stretch of road from Dompu to Hu'u was a dead end and that I would have to cycle the 45km back to the main road that services the island from east to west. I honestly hate backtracking as I had seen the scenery of the area before and makes the GPS track overlap.
To make me feel better I made up a game with some of the local school children walking on the road... When they say "Hello Mister", I would try and run them down. Of course I'm pretending and I swerve at the last second just to see their reaction, it's funny and entertaining on the familiar road I was on.
Even if I wanted to stay at Lakey beach I couldn't have as I had ran out of money with the only ATM available in Dompu, but even after a short stay there I was glad to be back on my bike.
Just two more days and ill be on my way to Flores... That is if the ferries are running - they may not be due to the high winds in the rainy season, fingers crossed.

This is Nina, she cooked for me almost every meal whilst I stayed here in Lakey Beach.

The local children I encountered today

As you can see Sumbawa is a hell of a lot poorer than the other islands I have visited here in Indonesia

…but Sumbawa offers breathtaking views

Macro Photography Session 26-27 January 2014

Taken around Lakey Beach, near Hu’u, Sumbawa, Indonesia

26/01/2014 and 27/01/2014 - Lakey beach, a world renown surfing destination.

 

Lakey beach, a world renown surfing destination where many competitions have been held and considered one of the best surf spots in Southeast Asia.
Does this mean I went surfing? Hell no! I wasn't here for riding the waves although in hindsight I really should have tried it again as I was offered a free board to take out there.
Many of the western residents who stayed here for a lengthy time were semi-pro and even sponsored pros who were pretentious, their lives revolved around competing and attempting to be the best out there. It was certainly more difficult to even have a conversation without them looking out at the breaking waves in the distance than lets say your typical standard backpacker.
With many Australians here to celebrate Australia Day with I was at first very keen to have a drink or two but having seen the rowdiness and complete lack of respect towards the locals from these boligerant fuckwits I avoided drinking altogether and chilled with the tamer of the people.
The people here weren't all that bad, amongst the better peeps I met a Spanish guy named Carlos who admirably started up his own NGO and greatly helps out the locals with his girlfriend Amanda - 100% Kudos goes out to these two.
As I mentioned before I did not surf whilst here but Instead i pursued some photography ideas I wanted to capture.
One was more macro work and the other to swim my way out to the watchtower platform to shoot the surfers... By 'shoot' I mean with my camera.
Enjoy the photo's

 

Beach Views from Lakey Beach. Sumbawa, Indonesia

With friendly locals

 

Talented Surfers, Taken from from the viewing platform

25/01/2014 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 52 - Facebook access whilst cycling... Sad, no?

Distance cycled: 145km from just west of Ampang to Lakey beach (Hu'u province)
Average speed: 19.7km/h
Moving Time: 7h25m
Elevation Ascended: 1535m
Burned Calories: 3906kcal
Burned Fat: 507g
Total Distance on Current trip: 4923km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 14,827km
Money spent: $15

This is where I slept last night – but what a lovely family.

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Normally it's the case of a nearby mosques to wake me at a (apparently not so) God forsaken time in the morning but today was different; not more than two feet away from my head I had a rooster pursue its morning call again and again. I was incredibly close to grab my knife and rip the birds head off!

Ami last night and this morning was irritatingly persistent in asking for a gift or token of appreciation from this strange passerby on a bicycle. I had an idea in mind to give her something very sentimental to me, it was a small crystal that was given to me from Bernard who I met when crossing the Alps in Switzerland, he had carried it around the world when he cycled as I am doing now. When I explained that this item was very special to me and meant a hell of a lot she replied with "what am I going to do with this?". Obviously I could not give it to her after that response.
I left Ami and her family with no parting gift as they didn't even want my money when I offered them. They we're kind and happy to had met me so I suppose that is enough, I guess.
Following the coastal road I in the searing heat of the sun I often asked people how many kilometers Hu'u was from where I was, the answer is the same that I have experienced in many countries around the world, it is always greatly exaggerated.
I know how far it is that I am going as i have a GPS system but when I ask it is a social experimental to see what locals think. Just q little advice to these people: If you don't know, tell me you don't know, please oh please don't lie to me!
Speaking of this new GPS system I found out that I can purchase a SIM card and access 3G connections accessing the web and even Facebook. Of course this isn't necessary whatsoever but its a welcome addition to my gear and kit. However I am sure that my next accident, which is of course inevitable will be the result of me writing an email or googling something that I need an answer to. I'll try and restrain myself and do these aforementioned things when stationary.

Long, hilly and windy cycling south down the 43km sealed road from Dompu to Hu'u, I was exhausted and just wanted to get to the beach and relax; it seemed almost never ending with me getting slightly fed up with responding to the locals "hello mister". But I was given a second wind and pushed myself to my final destination of a surf spot called Lakey beach... Too bad I'm not a surfer.
I met some of the local surfers, Westerners and Indonesians alike before getting some food and going to bed. It's low season and not many people about, but whatever the case I'm happy to spend at least two nights here to relax after having cycled close to 400km in 3 days.

Animals and Views of the coast

Making it to the top

On my way to and arriving at Lakey Beach near Hu’u, Sumbawa

24/01/2014 – Cycling SE Asia. Day 51 - Damn! I've jinxed myself!

Distance cycled: 139km from Motong to Labuan Bontong, Sumbawa, Indonesia.
Average speed: 20.2km/h
Moving Time: 6h52m
Elevation Ascended: 914m
Burned Calories: 3446kcal
Burned Fat: 447g
Total Distance on Current trip: 4778km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 14,972km
Money spent: $12

The simple life!

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Yesterday I was saying how the roads in Indonesia have been great with little to no issues with the condition of them; but also hoping I wouldn't jinx myself by saying so. However this morning I experienced some awful, muddy and pothole riddled roads to get back to the main Australian built highway that scythes across Lombok that once in a while offers wide bicycle friendly shoulders. I am so sure that no other westerner had ever come this way before; so I suppose I'll look at that as a positive thing.. Despite the relentless rain.
One thing I did not mention in yesterday's post was the crazy storm that hit me and my tent just as I finished writing the draft for this blog, and speaking of 'drafts', what I experienced was crazy unforgiving gale force winds that ripped my tarp in half and shook my tent like there was no tomorrow interrupting what I thought would be a good nights rest; ill be now hesitant to camp on or next to the beach during the monsoon season here in SE Asia.
But today I cycled quite a long way, the last twenty kilometers of which was when the sun was setting and I was searching for a place to camp but because I was on the low flooded plains near the coast there wasn't any suitable places to pitch my tent. Thankfully though a friendly family called me into their home and I was set up for a place to sleep.
Ami, who surprisingly spoke English lived with her husband and her family in a tiny shack on a cow grazing, hilly piece of land. The family were lovely but very poor, they helped me out greatly offering me a place to sleep so tomorrow ill pay my dues and give them what I can.


On a side note I slightly changed the statistics at the beginning of every post to make it more intuitive for me to input.

Ahhhh, Sumbawa! I love this place and its people… and food!

The locals who invited me to sleep at their place… you will see in tomorrows post that they really are quite poor but willing to help a complete stranger