CyclingDutchGirl

Five months in Indonesia has come to an end.
You might wonder why I stayed here for five months…
I’ve got many excuses; because I can… the weather in Australia wasn’t right yet… visa.. blah blah blah.
But the truth is simple… I met this guy…
I won’t trouble you with details (if you want them, buy my book when it comes out hehe). Not totally unexpected, it all ended in drama and God knows (in his case Allah) what happens next.

But it hasn’t been all Drama!

WOUTERS & WOUTERS

My cousin came over for a fortnight! We had a wonderful holiday

I like airports.
A bit unfortunate when you travel the world on a bicycle. But non the less I enjoyed picking up Willemijn and watching people hurrying around.

Since I’ve been lucky enough to sit in Bali with two bicycles and two sets of bags it didn’t seem to strange of an idea to go cycling.
But not after we spend our first night in Sanur chatting in Dutch over our Hungarian meal we enjoyed in a German owned English pub while a Balinese band played Irish music…

We set off on a glorious sunny day, peddling through the paddy fields where colourful people smiled and waved at us and we smiled and waved back: Selamat pagi! (Good morning!)
We got even more attention then usual, but weren’t the least surprised. Two gorgeous colour-coordinated Dutch chicks… what you expect
We even got our own theme song.

And so we arrived in Ubud where we planned a day of discovering the area.
Nothing ever goes as planned though.
And the first thing I did, after bragging about not losing my bicycle key for two years, was ….uhum… losing my bicycle key.
Since I left the spare in Sanur we rented a pretty pink motorbike and made a day of it.

When we finally managed to free our bikes I cycled out of town with the sound of Willemijn apologizing behind me. I hadn’t noticed the little offerings on the road and cycled right across them. Oops.

LOMBOK

We’ve been told the ferry to Lombok takes forever and is boring. That, of course, totally depends on what company you’re in… We, for example, are the funnest. So we enjoyed lounging on the deck chairs and watching dolphins jump around the boat. When it got too hot, we moved to the cabin where the captain gave us coffee and watermelon It was a great little boat trip and 5 hours on we set foot… or wheels, on Lombok.

Looking for a hotel a motorbike came screeching ’round the corner, lost control, and two man fell at our feet. That was only the start…

Our plan to cycle to Kuta was met with blank stares or wild gestures; “No possible! No possible!” But surely, a road was on our map. So why wouldn’t it?
We found out.
It’s not that it is not possible (nothing is) But it sure isn’t easy. Actually, it was one of the hardest days of cycling in the last two years. And then to think for Willemijn it was her third day, on a bicycle that’s way inferior to mine…
Well, lets say I probably cured her of the idea ever to cycle around the world….

Not only was it scalding hot, the road was in such bad condition that on the steep parts (and there were only steep parts) you couldn’t even zigzag and we had to push the bikes most of the way. With company of screaming kids who have nothing better to do then walk along and scream like we’re a km away, instead of a meter….
10,5 hours later with the sun setting and still no Kuta insight we jumped on a pick up and drove the last 15 km into town… well town, not more than a few sheds and a hotel with, bliss, a pool.
There we spend the whole next day.

A bunch of my friends from Malang were in the area and came to see us. After a Bintang and a foto shoot we decided on a BBQ the next evening in Sengigi….

There is a big fancy Sheraton Hotel in Sengigi. They’ve got a restaurant at the beach with pretty set tables, candlelight and live music… pricey.
We sat right next to that on a little platform on the beach, deliciously grilled fish, candlelight, full moon… priceless.

We had great company in Iyal, Joe, Yonk and Memet who brought the fish and the Bintang while Willemijn had arranged the vodka.
I wouldn’t have wanted to be in any other place in any other company. Our party was the best! Including funny pictures, dancing on the beach and a bastard of a hangover the next morning…

Lucky we weren’t moving far. Just across the water to Gili Air. A little relaxed paradise island with white beaches, blue waters and relaxed people.
A great place to do nothing.
Hanging in my hammock.
Reading a book.
Eating. Drinking.
Swimming.
And the great attraction there, snorkelling. It’s absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it. Fish in all the colours of the rainbow, and you can have them on your plate the same evening may you wish so
I’ve also seen sea stars, coral, snakes and turtles. Just amazing to float above a giant turtle with the dark blue backdrop and the sun reflecting on it’s back. So close you can actually touch it! Magical.

Sadly the time came for Willemijn to get back to the airport.
Joe was so nice to come and pick us up in his bright orange Volkswagen van and drive us to the ferry.

Two days later the same ferry took me back to Lombok where the same Joe with the same orange van came to meet me and we cruised around the island for a day.

As we paused to take in the views on top of a pass it started to rain. So we took shelter and while there enjoyed a glass of beer. Or just a few sips actually.
Before I knew what happened a big evil-looking monkey jumped out, stole my beer, and drank it!!! And if that wasn’t enough, he continued by taking Joe’s mizone, unscrewed the cap and drank that too. Appalling. Cheeky monkey.

RINJANI

We’ve met Kerry & Shane in Lembar. A lovely American couple who started on a backpacking trip but very wisely decided to swap their backpacks for pannier bags and zigzagged through south-east Asia till their path crossed ours in Lombok, several times…

The plan was to meet the 17th in Senaru to try and climb Indonesia’s 2nd highest peak. Rinjani (3726m)
On the 17th, no Kerry & Shane. No internet & no phone.
On the 18th, no Kerry & Shane. No internet & no phone.
But there was Dionne, another Dutch girl on tour. We spend a day together and hiked to a beautiful waterfall in the jungle. On the way back we discovered you could walk through pitch-dark caves where you needed to hold on to each other not to be swept away by the water. Which suited the local guide/hotel-boys who came along rather well

On the 19th Kerry & Shane!!!
She’d gotten ill on Gili so they were delayed a little.

Since it seems impossible to try to rent gear and hike up yourself we were forced to employ a guide and two porters. What a shame! Now we couldn’t drag all the weight up ourselves

Climbing through dense forest we were moving up slowly while around us porters and guides on flip-flops just darted up the hill like its nothing.
Matt, from England joined our party and camp was set up the 1st evening just under the volcano rim. It was chilly up here so with group hugs and farting in the tent we tried to keep each other warm…

Climbing up the crater rim and seeing the view of the lake is amazing! With a steaming volcano in the middle, you could see all the way to the Gili’s and Bali…

This volcano had the very good idea to heat up some water for us and let it sip out of the rocks next to a thundering waterfall. Forming a perfect hot spring where we all easily could’ve stayed the whole day.

But no, there was a summit to be reached so on we marched up, and up, and up. While the rain started falling and we realized, at our 2nd camp, that the equipment wasn’t totally waterproof. So in a dripping tent we shivered and sang songs to keep the spirits high.

But then the rain stopped and the clouds disappeared. I can’t imagine having dinner with a more beautiful view.

3a.m. Time to get hiking. So back in my wet clothes. Out in the cold and up. Many stars and little lights of Lombok far far below. Slowly. Most of the way up was gravel and sand so very carefully trying not to slip and plunge into the depth we climbed for three hours to make it to the summit just before sunrise.

What a feeling!

And what a view!

From here you could see the whole of Lombok, Bali and Sumbawa. WOW!

After all this activity my legs could do with a rest. So I joined Dionne to Gili Meno where, for another couple of days, we did very little before heading back to Lombok.

And now the time has come to get of my bum.
I’m ready for some serious peddling in a brand new chapter called;

AUSTRALIA

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Back in Malang I could hardly wait to try out my new bike.
But I did spend a few days acclimatizing and just lazing around with friends.

The morning of my scheduled departure I was up and bouncing around my hotel room at 3a.m. waiting for the first shimmer of sunlight so I could get going.
I was so excited to get on the road again…
When at noon I already clocked up 125 kilometers I figured that maybe, just maybe, I should be taking it a little easier.
I did after all have more then two weeks time to cover the 500 or so km to Denpasar, Bali where I should be picking up my cousin from the airport.

So I slowed down a little, took it easy. Rode parts of the same road I did last time I was here with the main difference that there wasn’t rain pouring down all day. And, not to forget I had no trouble at all what so ever with my chain jumping all over the show. That was a minor inconvenience on my old bike… And an impossibility on my new one

I treated myself at a little hut by the sea where I was accompanied by a bunch of people from Jakarta who happened to speak Dutch as well. They’d gone out fishing that day so fresh fish was the dish that evening. Later, as I sat with a cold Bintang on the pier watching the stars I figured that live isn’t too bad.

Same thought came up again when I had a break the next day and sat under a palm tree on the beach drinking out of a coconut. Of all the places I liked to be right that moment this one was definitely in the top three.

So up on the bike and peddling. It’s a bit warmer this time around, especially when you’re going up a hill around midday in the burning sun and you realized you forgot your hat. But I’m not complaining! no no no.

Just when I stopped under a tree for a drink this little red car pulled over and out jumped an Indonesian couple, about my parent’s age. Where I was going? Am I alone? You want to stay at our house tonight..? All the usual questions in broken English but very friendly all the same.
Since I’ve made it a bit of a point never to refuse an invitation I accepted happily and we switched phone nrs so I could call them when I’d arrive in their home town of Banyuwangi. So I thought. So it usually goes. Especially since I still had 60km to go.

But they had other plans. Despite me telling them there is no need, and I will find the way, I promise to call… They insisted firmly to drive right behind me the WHOLE 60 kms to town. Of witch the last 20 with thumping music on max volume… To give me that extra push… I guess. The scenery was nice.

I felt a bit guilty that I actually had to get of my bike every now and again. But what could I do. Have to eat. Or I’ll faint. And then I might damage my new bike…. can’t have that happen.

But they meant it all very well. I’m sure, and when we finally got to the house they told me; “So. Now you leave your bike and all your bags here and we go and sleep in our other house 40km away..” AAAHRG!! NO! I’m not leaving anything anywhere. For sure there wouldn’t have been a problem but I really don’t like to get separated like that. So we stayed in the first house.

I was eager to get going the next morning, I like cycling in the mornings when it’s still a bit cool. But first we drove to get breakfast somewhere. On the way back they asked me about what time I like to leave tomorrow. Tomorrow? I would like to go today… So I convinced them it was real necessary for me to leave today and we said our goodbye at the ferry (where they drove me… another 15km with a car on my heels, or wheels… actually)

I’m sure the mean it well. And they would probably be worried about me, they’ve got kids my age. And they still call and txt everyday (a few times) to see how I’m doing.
I start to feel slightly claustrophobic.

And then I was back on Bali. With lots of time on my hands.
I decided there is no need to hurry and I’ve already cycled a good few roads on this Island that is really rather small. So I started turning of the main road at every opportunity to see what’s there. Mostly sea. I’d get to a beach along small roads full of curious faces and kids shouting. And then I’d turn back. Or I try cycling on the beach for a while… but that didn’t prove overly succesful.

A girl on a scooter asked me to come and see her house. So I went and saw her house, I really liked the chairs she had! They were made of old tires and extremely comfortable.
We walked to the beach, but not along the roads I was getting used to. No, the shortest line from her house to the beach went straight across her village through other people’s houses and across their land. You wouldn’t go walking around like that yourself but it was great to catch a glimpse of daily life. Family’s preparing dinner, kids playing in the house, granddad watching TV. No one bothered much about me walking straight through their living room…

I continued my experiment of getting of the main road at every possibility just to see what’s there. There’s fields, and other people on bicycles, big factories that smell bad and roads that keep coming back to the same point (well, that happened only one’s)

I stumbled across Medewi beach. Apparently a great surf spot. I liked looking at the waves… Went in with a body board to see what that is like… I can tell you, it’s like being inside some kind of enormous washing machine with a whole lot of hard stuff around (surfboards). I was shaking when I got back on land! Needless to say I only tried that onces. Men… I rather stick to my bicycle.

So I did.

I went for a spin up the mountains while I kept my room in Medewi.
There was this big holiday coming up called NYEPI. It’s a silent day. No one works, nothing is open, no lights are on or fires burn and tourist are told to stay inside their hotel. If you don’t you get hit with sticks or have rocks thrown at you, it sounded a little steep to me but I wasn’t gonna try it out. Besides, I was perfectly happy staying at Medewi reading books… So much even that even after NYEPI I continued doing that for another week.

I rode up the hills just before NYEPI, and that was a special day too. I don’t know exactly what it all was about but a bunch of young guys on motorbikes dressed in traditional clothes explained to me that; “Everybody goes to the beach to put the God in bath. Then they go back to their villages to have big ceremony at the temple”
I saw most people while they were heading back to villages, busloads full of pretty dressed up people and a million motorbikes all happily waving at me.

You see offers along the roads everywhere and big poles made of straw my grandma would like (she’s into making stuff out of straw).
When after some hours sweating I nearly reached the top I decided to take another road down, expecting a lovely long down hill. But no. This road had wrapped itself over a few ridges with no consideration of me. Extremely steep climbs and extremely steep downhills kept following each other up with a bunch of spectacular views and some interesting temples thrown in till I reached the main road and headed back to my hut at the beach.

And there I spend a good amount of time while meeting some interesting characters. Firstly the manager of the hotel who promised me a discount if I gave him a massage (Oh, I don’t know how to do massage, but my sister does!…. got the discount anyway hehe)
Then Dorothee, the first solo-cycling woman I met on this trip! She just came all the way from Germany across Russia, Mongolia and China! A larger distance then what I’ve done, in less then half the time… She’s hardcore! Then again, I must be the laziest world-cyclist around.
And Bobby, an Australian surf dude / male model / English teacher in Thailand. Who I spend a lot of time talking about the meaning of live with while beating him at backgammon
And of course all of the Balinese surf dudes who persistently kept giving me enormous amounts of attention (I was the only girl around most of the time, when another one appeared they would be all over her before you could blink)

Had a lovely time, read 7 books, had fresh fish straight out the water and drank lakes of coffee. Until today. Really had to move on because tomorrow my cousin, Willemijn, is going to arrive!

Now we will have some great adventures together!

Big Hug
Mirjam

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I’ve covered more distance this past month than ever before in my life. Sadly hardly any of it was by bicycle.
But, great and amazing things once again have happened. And I am going to tell you all about it right now.

As you might know, I’ve gone back to Holland. Just for one month. It wasn’t planned, it just sort of happened due to visa-trouble, bad weather conditions, family matters and a reasonably priced flight. I booked the 7th and touched down less than a week later.

It was a strange journey back… At first a 22 hour bus ride (great way to have confirmed that cycling is the best way of travel) with lovely views of the full moon over a monsoonal landscape.
Followed by a 15 hour flight… So weird to see below you the countries you’ve spend so much time cycling across, …
I had my nose glued against the window as we flew over Malaysia, India, Turkmenistan…
I know exactly what it looks like down there and now I’m hanging 10km above in the air. Unreal. And a little bit sad.

40 hours of no-sleep and I stood at Schiphol airport. My head buzzing and feeling strange I waited for my parents to arrive, they would pick me up but the plane arrived 45min early and I had no luggage so I came out them doors all excited but no one there… Great. I will go away for two years again :-s

But they did come. And I met my new Niece Stella! Of course I’ve seen her on photos and webcam. But you can’t really compare that to holding this 4month old girl who smiles and makes funny little noises. She’s absolutely gorgeous. Weird to think she’ll probably be walking and talking by the time I see her again.

I spend my time in Holland running around like a mad woman visiting friends and family, sorting through my 13.000 pics of the past two years and talking with newspapers… I’m telling you, one day I’m gonna be a proper famous person

With my grandparents I traveled to The Hague to see where they grew up and pay a visit to the Indonesian embassy. Who didn’t want to give me a visa unless I had prove I’d leave the country…
I didn’t since I had no idea from where and when I wanted to head for Australia. I did have my Australian visa and a letter with what I’m doing. Not good enough, even though I rang them twice to ask and send them an email upfront.
So we ran around looking for internet, booked a random flight (to Malaysia) and then it was fine. Weird. Since it’s obvious I have no intention of going to Malaysia…

I also managed to squeeze in a few days of Ireland.
I flew to Derry where I worked for years. Steve & Kylie had a great surprise for me as they took me to Cirque du Soleil in Belfast. A surreal performance of some extremely bendy people.
Kylie made one of her great NZ roast lambs and of course I had a few pints of Guinness and danced around in Peadar O Donnells, just like in the olden days Nothing much changes in Derry. I Love it!

One weekend there happened to be the ‘fiets- en wandelbeurs’, a big convention/market-thingy, where a whole lot of hiking and cycling fanatics go to check out the latest gear and destinations.
Some people I still wanted to see were going to be there so I volunteered to be at the stand of the wereldfietser , to talk to people who are planning to go on bicycle holidays. (and to get in for free… )

While I stood there this gentleman came up to me asking if I get sponsored on my travels. This, sadly, isn’t the case and I told him so. Next thing I know I stand there with his business card and the instruction to ring him later.
A bit perplexed I told some other people. On the card it said he’s the director of ‘Multicycle’. A Dutch brand bicycle that is very VERY good, and not within my budget. (you see, I got my own bike 2nd hand from marktplaats.nl)

So when I rang him next Monday he told me they were planning to let me use a bicycle. I couldn’t believe it! I’ve been pretty much bouncing around the house screaming; ”WHOAAAARGGGHH!!!! “ ever since.

With my sister I visited the factory to pick up the bike and we got shown around. I even met the guy who actually build my bike. His name is Thijs. (Hi Thijs!)
There are all these special things… She is made of scandium. Apparently stronger and lighter than Aluminum. She also has 42 spokes, which makes the wheel stronger (I paid attention). And no derailler! Instead the gear change-stuff is inside the rear-hub, it’s called a Rohloffs hub. That means no trouble with my gears anymore! Men, it’s a fancy mega supersonic gorgeous bicycle. Check her out at http://www.multicycle.nl/ she’s the extreme.

I’m not at all worried to cycle across outback Australia now, what could possibly go wrong with a bicycle like this!

Even now, I’m looking right at her. She’s in my room. She’s the most beautiful bike I’ve ever seen….
I feel a bit sorry for my old bike. Who is still sitting on Bali, unaware that after over 30.000km together we’re going to part ways.
She will still be of good use, in three weeks time my cousin is coming over and we’ll be cycling around Bali and Lombok together.

All in all, it has been a very good trip. I did manage to catch up with most of the people I wanted too, and last thursday I made my way back to Schiphol airport.

It’s a bit of a hassle and very nerve wrecking to fly with this bicycle. Lucky she seemed to have survived.
I arrived in Jakarta with no plan and no idea where to head first.
So I rang my friend in Malang who told me if I hurry I could still make the last flight to Surabaya and he could pick me up. So I hurried.
And I’m now back in Malang. From where I pick up on my way east again soon.
And jet lag? Nah, hardly, just been sleeping ‘till 3a.m. the past two days but all is good

More tales from the road will shortly follow.
Love
M.

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I actually managed to leave Malang, Ruud & the boys. Exactly 4 weeks after I arrived I got back on the bicycle.

If only I’d known the rainy season here runs from mid November ‘till mid March, I might have considered visiting Indonesia some other time then… well, from mid November till mid March….

Not that I’m not having a good time! I am. I haven’t got too many photo’s to prove it though, don’t like to get the camera wet…

It was downhill from Malang, I followed the Northern coast passing funny sounding places like ‘Probolingo’ and ‘Bondowoso’. Easy going, flat and friendly. The kind of place where you stop for a coffee and people refuse to accept your money when you try to pay…

The coffee is alright, not as good as I would expect being on Java. In the middle of coffee plantations.

I noticed this hill on my map, a volcano with a crater lake. It seemed like a beautiful place, so instead of following the coast road I went straight across up the hills. A very big long climb, I’d asked around and was told its 30km uphill… turned out to be 70. Lucky a ‘bemo’ passed. A small van, with an even smaller driver, I doubt he was 18 yet… Full of people, groceries, animals and other things. It seemed stuffed, but somehow I managed to chuck the bike up the roof and squeeze in the front seat with a bunch of school girls.

I got dropped off in the middle of a coffee plantation with a guesthouse and a pool! All day free coffee. I cycled around to find the nearby hot spring/waterfall before retreating to my private coffee/pool party.

I started cycling at 4 the next morning. And made it to the start of the hike, 14km further, 3 hours later… And that was without luggage! A friendly group of tourists offered to carry that up in their rented jeep…
When I made it up the crater I was stunned. It was definitely well worth the climb. A turquoise lake surrounded by the steep crater walls. With a slippery path down to a Sulphur vent at the lake. Going up and down the mountain are hundreds of workers, sometimes barefoot, carrying lots of yellow smelly sulphur up to 90kg a load. On the way they offer you to buy some of the stuff… Or ask for biscuits, cigarettes or money. Later I realized why… They earn less than 2$ a day, walking up that mountain and down to the lake twice…

It was only 8a.m. but clouds were rolling in so I couldn’t see much of the view, but still enjoyed the scenery. I tried walking around the edge, but when it sort of ended in a sharp ridge and rocks falling down on both sides into depths I couldn’t see, I turned around. Down the mountain. To climb up again the next morning at 4 a.m., to see the sunrise. I didn’t see it since it was behind a 2800m mountain. Still, it was fairly clear and absolutely beautiful!

And the downhill ride to the eastern edge of Java was some experience as well. To get down I had to actually get of my bike at times to hold both brakes and slowly walk down. That has never happened before! A sign tried telling me it was a 45% descent. Not sure I believe that, but steep it sure was.

And so I got to the ferry that took me across the 1 km of water that separates Java from Bali. It’s the same country but you’ll never guess. First thing I noticed were the dogs, and there’s roadside restaurant with complete roasted pigs, you wouldn’t see that on Java much.
My road, that turned north of the main road, was nice and quiet. I cycled through lovely forest and along the coast till I was tired and stopped to ask two Dutch girls, Marlies & Anna, if they knew a good place to stay.

Turned out to be a whole lot of good places to stay because this is Bali. The standard of accommodation is high… the ‘breakfast included’ on the other hand…
Just about everywhere I’ve been so far I get Nasi or Mie Goreng (fried rice or noodles) for breakfast. Usually with an egg and some veggies thrown in. Good food. In Bali, for some reason unknown to me, they decide what I want is a ‘western breakfast’. So in the morning, hungry and ready to get going I get a plate with two pathetic slices of white bread, butter and jam. :-S I fall off the bike within 2 km if I have to survive on that. Rubbish. Lucky I always carry my emergency porridge.

There is this temple in the North of Bali. O, actually… there is a whole lot of temples, it seemed like there is more temples on Bali then in India. And ceremonies going on everywhere at all times. I’ve been stuck behind funeral processions a view times. And every time of day people walk around with plates full of little leaf-baskets with flowers and incense that they set on the road in front of the house/shop/hotel or at statues and temples everywhere. I’ve been told that the main income on Bali is from religious ceremonies… I would’ve sworn its tourism. But this one temple in the north called Pura Meduwe Karang is interesting because it has got a 1904 carving of a bicycle. It is said to be this Dutch dude, W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp, who rode his bicycle around Bali. He’s the first. I wondered the how manieth I am…. I walked into the temple but got stopped by a priest who assured me I needed to wear a Sarong. So he wrapped me up in one making me feel very frumpy but ok, no one around anyway.

I stayed two nights on the north coast at Lavina Beaches, but never actually made it to the beach.
I had this whole great route planned out on minor roads over mountains, through forests, passed lakes and rice fields. But it rained.

I set off from Lovina in the morning, cloudy and cool. Soon the road started climbing and the rain started falling. It didn’t matter that much because I was soaking wet already. That road really climbs. I was promised great views. I saw nothing. Just the road turning into one huge waterfall and a lot of startled faces behind the windows of cars trucks and busses. It seriously poured down so hard it was funny. Except when I started on the downhill and got a bit chilly. So I promised to treat myself on a hotel with hot shower. I found a lovely spot near to Lake Bratan, famous for a temple (another one) set on little islands in the lake. I walked out there for sunrise with a young Kiwi girl who I convinced cycling is the way to go. Last thing I heard, she bought a bike in Lovina and has made it to Java. Ha! Converted another soul

It was an easy ride down to Ubud (I had abandoned the overactive minor-roads-in-the-rain idea)
Ubud is famous for the cultural stuff. It’s full of art-shops and every night there are traditional dance performances. I saw none of that.

I did meet up with Marlies and Anna again, we enjoyed a bottle of Balinese rose together. And I found this brilliant little restaurant. French. Where, with my new French friend, I enjoyed dinner and wine and talk and laughter. All good.

We spend days chatting over coffee and every now and again wandering on to look at, for example, a monkey forest. Full of spoiled monkeys who not even bother doing anything ‘cause the get fed bananas and peanuts all day by passing people who are sometimes even funnier to watch then the monkeys themselves.

One morning we figured it would be a good day for the beach so we got on a motorbike, checked the map (not necessary because whatever direction you take, you’ll get to a beach… I assumed). And set off. When we finally made it, my first Bali-beach experience was slightly disappointing. It was all black sand that we reached by wading through a muddy field. It was FULL of rubbish. Big pieces of wood, plastic, old shoes… the lot. But we were there now, so we put our towels down and sat on them for about 10 minutes. Going in the water wasn’t an option, that seemed yuk too… so we headed back to our delightful little French restaurant. Where I had Tartare (raw meat). And coffee, wine & chocolate.

It was only 20km down to Denpasar, where I was gonna stay in Sanur with George and his wife. In their garden they have a guest room with a brilliant outside bathroom, where it’s glorious to have a hot bath while the rain is pouring down around you.

In the meantime Marlies & Anna had found themselves a hotel (with pool) in Kuta. Kuta is something different. Nothing like Bali and nothing at all like Indonesia. It’s a bit rude, even I was shocked… and that takes something… You can buy t-shirts and stickers with slogans I couldn’t write here. My grand parents read this as well (hoi Oma, hoi Opa! ). But it has a nice bike route along the beach (this beach looks better than the black one… It’s busier as well) but where ever you go people want you to get a massage, a manicure, buy a painting or come and eat at their restaurant. It’s mad! And expensive…

I’ve left my bike there to get back to Malang by bus to pick up some random bits and pieces and extent my visa… again…

Before I leave I want to send an enormous hug through cyberspace for Esther, my sister who turns 28 today Happy Birthday sis!!!
-xxx-

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I’ve cycled about 20km since my last update… downhill. Into town, to take the bike to a bicycle shop where I left her for nearly two weeks while I was busy…ish.

I got talking to a guy in the bike shop on the 31st of December.
His name is Ricky. And while we were waiting for my bicycle to get fixed we had lunch. He asked me to join him and a few friends to go to Sempu Island, since he was planning a trip there the next morning.
When I found out my bike needed some more time before she’s ready to hit the road again I decided to take him up on his offer.

First we had to get his mountain bike home, that’s a bit of a hassle with two people. I sat on the bar while Ricky maneuvered us through busy traffic. Trying to convince me it would only take 5 minutes. It was truly uncomfortable, but funny. As proved the many laughing and pointing people along the way… Lucky we fell over only once.
To my question if he transported people like this before he said: “yeah sure, all the time… when I was 14…” (He’s 30 now).
Around 20 minutes later we arrived at his house in the pouring rain.

Next morning, the 1st of January he came to pick me up at 6.a.m. Due to a little miscommunication I only discovered him waiting in the car in front of the house at 6.30 when I stumbled out of bed… Happy New Year!
We didn’t get going for a few hours and when we did we took a wrong turn and drove in the wrong direction for about an hour. The guy’s seemed to find this extremely hilarious, because not only did they visit the same island just the previous week, they also are map-makers. That is their job. They all know each other from college. This was the first day I met them and it turned out I was going to spent a fair bit of time with those guys; Ricky, Thomas, Andy, Yal, Hassan and Tito.

The Island was gorgeous. If only you looked through the 3million other people who had the same idea on new years and leaving behind a serious amount of rubbish.
After a strenuous hike over a trail of pure mud and slippery clay, that made it difficult to walk, we got rewarded with the sight of a beautiful lagoon where we jumped off an overhanging tree in the green waters to swim to a stunning little beach where we hang around taking photos.
Photography is a big hobby of these boys. So it happened we had 5 great cameras but no models… well, that’s what I heard them complaining about… and if they meant girls running across the beach in bikini in slow motion then they were right. There was a lack of that.

We spent the day swimming, climbing up sharp rocks, nearly getting knocked off by the water smashing through a hole from the sea into the lagoon, and laying on the beach.
And there the plan formed to take another trip the next day.

So in the morning I got picked up again and we drove up into the mountains.
To Bromo. A volcano in a crater.
The crater is said to be dug out by an ogre in love with half a coconut shell… (Not in love with the shell, but he dug with it…)

When you, unexpectedly, come up the road and are met with the view you can’t think anything else but WOW!! It’s the most beautiful view I’ve seen in Indonesia so far. The empty crater surrounded by mountains and a green valley. We drove further up to the highest view-point where it was rather cold. Lucky we had beer and coffee to keep warm. We were the only ones up there to witness the spectacular sunset.

I hadn’t planned to abuse Ruud’s hospitality like this. He is an excellent host. He keeps telling me I can stay as long as I like and doesn’t seem bothered a bit having me around. It is extremely nice and comfortable being here. And I have a good excuse to stay just a little bit longer…

At first the problem was that my bike was broken.

Now that problem is fixed but I am broken.

I’ve been cruising around the area on Ruud’s Enfield. But one day last week I discovered up close that the traffic here isn’t as organized as for example in India… When two young boys on a motorbike smashed, without warning, into my leg. Lucky I wasn’t going very fast but I did fall over and surprised myself by just picking up the bike. I was a bit sore, but lucky the Enfield didn’t even have a scratch. My phone didn’t get away so easily. It sat in my pocket and broke. The two boys (about 14 yrs old, no helmets and going way to fast) seemed fine since they disappeared very quickly…
But apart from my knee scratched I think I did something to my muscle. It’s still very sore. So it seems like a good enough excuse to stay a little longer… Australia is still too hot at the moment anyway. And here it just rains and rains…

Maybe I’ll get my visa extended (again) and just sit around, drink beers, watch movies and play Uno with the boys…

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