01/12/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 26 - An Epic Indonesian Road.

Distance cycled: 99.2km from the police station on Hwy 3 to
Average speed: 16.4km/h
Moving time: 6h02m
Total distance: 2861km
Border X'ings: 3
Money spent: $10

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I really did find the most epic road here in Indonesia, I could have stayed on highway 3 towards Yogyakarta which was half decent and much better than it was back near Bandung where the traffic let up and it became slightly more scenic.
Following my GPS into the mountains at first seemed like a terrible idea because after climbing 200meters in altitude up a progressively more ruined road I came to a point where the road just ended. Sticking around for a little while scratching my head a passing local told me that the small path would take me to a better road.... And my god was it better! Easily the most gorgeous road that I have hit up on this trip in SE Asia with sweeping views of lush green rice paddies with the added bonus of a river running though them. It really was breathtaking. This incredible winding road over the mountains became increasing better in every way even despite the rain of the wet season darkening the skies with its quick passing downpour.
600meters I climbed in altitude to a small town where the only place to access the Internet was a small shop; here I met many locals and an employee of the shop who invited me to his home to stay for the evening.
Muji and UI were a kind young couple who again like most Indonesians treated me with everything they could, I again had difficulty communicating but my time in the Internet shop was well used as I had my companion named 'Google Translate'. In Muji's house it was slightly different having to downgrade to the old school method of a two way dictionary. But you know what? My Bahasa Indonesia is actually getting pretty good for being here for less than two weeks.

A night at a police station – all smiles

Working hard

Green Day

Pleasant Stroll

Muji and Family

30/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 25 - Tonight Ill be sleeping at a Police Station?!

Distance cycled: 114km from the restaurant to a police station on Hwy 3
Average speed: 19.6km/h
Moving time: 5h48m
Total distance: 2762km
Border X'ings: 3
Money spent: $9

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It's funny how things pan out as they do, and this evening was an exceptional case of this. When looking for a place to camp off the main road a kind local man invited me to his home for a drink he also offered me a place to sleep. Again, like most small town people he nor anyone else could speak very good English if at all but I had my handy laminated Bahasa Indonesia language cheat-sheet that always helps. However somewhere between telling them my story (brokenly) and entertaining the flock of kids who came to check out the 'bule' (white person) with more magic tricks I was told that I should sleep at the police station. This came as a bit of a shock as I was initially told I could sleep there, oh well, things worked out and the police were happy to have me sleep in a spare room. Perhaps they were looking out for my safety or I said something put of line - I suppose I'll never know.
Today was mild, the terrain decent and the sun was out all day, my back right now is pretty raw because applying suncream into sweaty skin affects the sun protection factor of the lotion. I now know this for next time.

29/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 24 - Burning Rubber

Distance cycled: 98.1km from Pamoyanan to a restaurant on Hwy 3 where they let me pitch my tent beside it.
Average speed: 20.4km/h
Moving time: 4h49m
Total distance: 2648km
Border X'ings: 3
Money spent: $7

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Like I said yesterday it wouldn't have surprised me to see the local town peering through the gaps in the curtains, I wasn't wrong; dozens of curious eyes would watch me as I awoke from a glorious nights rest.
Having breakfast, quick photo session and remounting my panniers I said my farewells to Mamat and Yuyun. I had the children chase me down the street as I left; what an amazing experience! A pure example of the kindness of people here in Indonesia.
I had some pretty epic downhill runs today meeting kind and curious people. However there is one thing that the people do here but also other places I have travelled and something that should not be done and that is the way they dispose of the garbage but more specifically plastic and rubber; they burn it all, often I am finding myself inhaling this black smoke along with the exhaust from all the vehicles. Why isn't this taught in school? Littering too, I see all the time people throwing plastic out of the vehicle window. Stop it! Find a bin.

A morning of farewells.

Lia and Sasha.
Mother and daughter, met at the an Internet/Video game shop who delighted me with their generosity and adorableness.

Passing a boat filled river

28/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 23–Just Surrounded by Islamic Kindness and People

Distance cycled: 89.7km from Bandung to Pamoyanan, West Java, Indonesia.
Average speed: 19.4km/h
Moving time: 4h37m
Total distance: 2550km
Border X'ings: 3
Money spent: Roughly $6

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Thinking I had all my stuff packed up I set off southeast to get out of Bandung. I was about 3km from the hostel when I saw that one of my front panniers were open; it was the one with all my valuables. I gave the pannier a quick rummaging and thought I left my laptop at the hostel so I turned around. Arriving there I checked my pannier again it was there... This does not make for a good story but I suppose if someone was pedantic and looked closely at the map above they could ask why I turned around.
Anyways today was full of close encounters with the traffic with many wonderful rice paddies to quickly glance at because looking for too long could have resulted with me in a ditch off the side of the road.
When the skies was getting close to dark and I really needed a place to camp and sleep, I entered a mosque and asked if I could camp there and the head priest? Minister? Or whatever the Muslim equivalent is allowed me to sleep there, it would have been interesting to be woken by the racket of the prayers in the god forbidden hours of the morning however a kind follower of Islam and young local man invited me to his home.
I felt somewhat of a celebrity as pretty much all the town folk came to the house too to watch the bole (white person). I had a a few hours of fame where these locals would crowd the door and house and stare watching me do everything. Of course I entertained the crowd with the little Bahasa that I know and what was on my language cheat-sheet but magic tricks with cards went well, especially for the little ones.
Mamet and his wife Yuyun fed me food and accommodated me for the night however it was extremely hard to communicate, we managed though and because I toughed out some steep hills I was pretty nakard so I gestured that I wanted to sleep . It wouldn't surprise me tomorrow to wake and to see these locals peering through the windows to just get a glance of the 'bule'.

Monkey Business.

Local man going about his business… throwing birds to a friend…...

Some Views of the day on the road

The town of Pamoyanan coming to see the ‘bule’

26/11/2013 to 27/11/2013 - Bandung Paranoia

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3 nights in Bandung, a little more than i anticipated, it's not much of a highlight of Java with the exception of Tangkuban Parahu nearby which is an volcanic crater that many tourists, local and western alike would venture up there to see it smolder.
A French guy, Oliver, who I met a the hostel was interested as he hadn't ever seen a volcano so he joined me to go and check it out. It was impressive but too easy to get to, there was no hiking involved as buses and local transport would literally take you to the edge of it.
Leaving this national park we wanted to make our way to the hot springs nearby; obviously all the local transport would rip off everyone at the entrance to the park charging double if not triple the normal asking price so as an alternative I suggested we hitchhike. It was only a matter of minutes before we got a ride from a local man who started his own successful business selling fragrant kitty litter. I have forgotten his name but I thought highly of this man who was the same age as myself and he invited both of us to his home town to show us his second house, his factory (a shed) and a lovely lake.
When waiting around for him to see his father I could see that Oliver was getting unnerved about the situation, I honestly don't understand why because at no point did I see any indication that he or his friends were going to do something terrible to us, he was a genuinely friendly guy. Anyway after convincing him to drive us back towards Bandung and while I was asleep on the backseat I was jolted awake by Oliver saying he wanted to vomit. The man pulled over and Oliver hastily got out of the car suggesting I follow suite. As I was still half asleep I honestly didn't know what was going on but Oliver thought it would be in our best interest to find our own way back to the city.
I am very trusting in people, especially SE asians and I believe I have good initial judgement, if perhaps they had bad intentions I would feel that vibe about them. On the other hand Oliver felt quite the opposite with the situation and thought it as a necessity to get out and run. I dont know what was said in the vehicle whilst i was sleeping but I respect his decision however he was being paranoid.

Tangkuban Parahu Panoramic

 

Tangkuban Parahu – More Pictures from around the Edge of the Crater

The walk down from the crater, we saw these gibbons… apparently not often seen in this area

Tea Fields and Other pictures around or guides town including his factory where he produces scented kitty litter.

25/11/2013 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 22–Up, Up, Up and Downhill with a Smile Despite the Close Calls.

Distance cycled: 96.5km from Puncac Pass to Bandung, Indonesia
Average speed: 18.0km/h
Moving time: 5h22m
Total distance: 2446km
Border X'ings: 3
Money spent: roughly $18

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I don't know exactly what put me into such a bad state yesterday, maybe some bad food, perhaps exhausting myself having climbed 1000m up the side of a volcano, it could have been the altitude but what I think is most likely is the inhalation of all the exhaust from passing trucks, buses, cars, motorbikes and scooters.
The pollution levels of Java has to on top of the list of being the most polluted place on earth, I am finding myself even rubbing off black residue accumulating on my arms and even believing that I am decreasing my life span the more time I spend on these roads. It really is that bad.
However I don't have a choice... Well I do, I could get the train but where's the fun in that?
Having only cycled 2 days here in Indonesia the country is offering a hell of a lot more variety in terms of terrain than I had on mainland SE Asia with hard climbs, great descents and seldom have I encountered a flat road.
Now, these ascending roads I have tackled perhaps offered better views than the photos I have taken but I wouldn't know, I was too busy trying not to be hit by the traffic. Speaking of which, entering Bandung and the suburbs west of it I was enjoying the danger of swerving in and out of the condensed battling of traffic at rush hour keeping up to and even passing the petrol powered vehicles. If there is anywhere in the world I would be decapitated and my entrails being sprawled out over the road, it is here in Indonesia.
Dont worry mum and dad, I'll cycle safe.

Up and Down the Puncak Pass, Indonesia

24/11/2013 - Reset button.

It would seem last night and today my body hit the reset button, for some reason or another I could not sleep and although i expelled the contents of my stomach into a plastic bag beside my tent my head throbbed and spun like... I don't know what.
I tried covering a bit of distance between myself and my sick but I didn't want to tackle the last 500meter (in altitude) climb to the top of the pass feeling the way I did. So instead I told some locals I was Saya Sakit (I'm ill) and one security guard named Joe Harry took me in.
Joe Harry let me sleep on the floor of his security box at the entrance way of one of the homes of his boss who runs Mitsubishi in Jakarta. Joe introduced me to his friends but even with my head spinning in all directions I couldn't bare being awake conscious at the time. Instead I put my head down and slept more than I ever have in any one day, in the 24 hours I was out for at least 20 of them.
Joe fed me food,nursed me into a better state and I honestly can't thank him enough for all that he is.
Indonesians, please stay as friendly as you are.

Joe Harry and his friend, behind is where I slept for the night