BvHHS: MOTORCYCLE INDONESIA/JAVA/BALI JOURNEY 2009 no.1

MC.Honda 200 cc. Sports Tiger

MC.Indonesia/Java/Bali 2009 / 2.500 km / 15 Driving Days / Yogyakarta/Sarangang/Tulungagung/Ngliyep/Lumajang/ Banyowangi/Lemondang/Berawa/Pande/Lovina Beach/ Pasir Putik/Jombang/Ngawi/Sragen/Yoyakarta/

31 Oct. - 28 Nov. 2009

Motorcycle Indonesia journey B.v.H.H.S.

Dear friends, this time it has been a more stressful to reach this point where I can quietly send thoughts back to you and tell what flows through the minds of feelings and ideas here from my new destinations Indonesia.

Why Indonesia

I have over the years heard very positive of Bali, and their peaceful Hindu culture that reflects many of the philosophical ideas in the yoga philosophy I believe in.

Bali has 3.5 million. people where 93% are Hindus. Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands. The 17,000 of them do not fill more than Bali together. The country has total 230 mill.people. 88% are Sunni Muslims, 8% Christian, 2% Hindus, Buddhists 1%, 1% other minorities.

1/3 of you there receive the report from my MC. Journey has been in Bali. Some have stayed in the island in quite some time. Perhaps Bali is one of the places the free loving people from my generation takes over and enjoying life, if not Goa or Ibiza.

I would have loved to visit Iran again, since my visit on my 12,000 km. Motorcycle-Pilgrimage to the Middle East 2003. It was too short to get a proper impression. I do not think it was the right time now because of the turmoil after the last election. South America, I have completely ruled out, because I do not think I have physics and psyche enough to look after my MC. all the time. The same applies to South Africa or Kenya, which I would have taken the challenge for about 10 to 15 years ago. It requires real physical to drive on dusty bumpy roads. Sometimes you will not meet people for hours. It requires that you really know your MC. and have brought everything extra reserve equipment and camping equipment. I've also thought about the country's culture and people, I think it could be exciting to meet. It should not be too Western characterized country.

Indonesia fits well with my psyche and physical string. It is a functioning country filled with friendly welcoming honest people mostly like in India, which is ready to help you when you have technically MC. problems. I will never stand with the problem alone.

Copenhagen - Singapore - Jakarta - Yogyarkarta

It can be incredibly stressful to be active tourism

It was a really long air trip, I was first in Yogyarkarta 24 hours later. At 11 am. I flew directly from Copenhagen to Singapore. Then to Jakarta in Indonesia and then a local flight to Yogyakarta. I had not closed an eye. I thought it were possible to take a nap at the hotel. But before I found a room, I could accept for a single night, I reached through 3 Guesthouses. I was led by a guide, who immediately showed up when the taxi pulled up in front of 'Time II' which was a narrow path into a cozy labyrinthine residential area of approx. 600x 200 m., where no cars can enter. MC. and bicycle was also banned from driving, to take account of the children playing.

I chose this old residential area, because I thought the houses and small Hotels & Guesthouses perhaps was more atmospheric and authentic. But I had forgotten to think that it probably always had been the lower class there has lived here. Therefore the maintenance and the quality of the original would probably not be the best. Next day I moved into a second Guesthouses area bruised by Lonely Planet for purely aesthetic reasons. It was also 3 times as expensive. But here I found also restaurants I thought was nice to visit.

The heat was quite unbearable, at 42 degrees cecius. It was now 4 pm. local time, so I thought I could get myself a little nap. But I was too speedy. I was lying in 10 min. and decided instead to go out and meet the city. One of the many friends of my guide on my brief visit through the hotels I had been introduced to. He asked me to go with him and see their freinds fine arts exhibition. I said that I had just arrived and I wanted to inform me in the local area. He said that it was the last exhibitions day, therefore I went with him to his friend's exhibition.

It was a so-called Art Gallery and all works hung too close and mixed among each other from floor to ceiling like a real commercial Art Gallery. Artists' works were very traditional Indonesian in their expression. The artist in the gallery told me that it was specially selected Indonesian artists in this exhibition represented Indonesia. The exhibition would be displayed in many other places. These works were for sale for a symbolic sum, because the primarily with this exhibitions was to promote Indonesian artists. At the same time. 65% of that amount would go to the artist who suffered from earthquake in Bantul 2006, close to Yogayakarta which was inhabited by many artists and farmers.

They wanted to hear my opinion on the various artists. There was actually one that was very strong in his expression and was closest to Western visual imagery. This artist doll also up and told the same story again and would very much like me to buy a work. He showed me how all the paintings can be washed. Cotton fabric was so thin that you can shine through and obtain a very powerful shadow and color effect. Some had actually also painted them up at the back so they could be mirror reversed. All the paintings were painted in the traditional batik technique, therefore, they were so durable. Visually they were as far away from my visual universe.

The next day I actually saw many of the same artist as well as copies of works in other art galleries. I had been running into a smart salesmanship.

An active tourist must really be adaptable. There are language problems, such as when one must find a way or special products. Their different direct approach to get the same attention to their product in the big city. One's physical body is now disoriented in time and space and is now in an excess of 42 cecius. Air conditioning suffered indispensable in this hot weather, making me constantly collects mucus in the throat and I have actually been half suitable pre entire week.

Hotel in Yogyakarta

I'm vegetarian. In Japan I also had a big problem with finding dishes there was without fish or meat. The problem here is that most people do not understand what the word vegetarian means. The Indonesian word is Sayuran. In a larger reataurant where the have a menu there was a good change to find a vegetarian dishes. On Sunday where I ended up by the Indian Ocean, with a very willing cook there really try to do a vegetarian meal to me. She was warned that I was vegetarian and that I did not eat any kind of meat. I tried to ask her whether there was a little meat mixed with spaghetti in this court. I drew a chicken and crossed it over. Hereby a cow and crossed it over. Then she added something else I could only perceive as a lamb or pig. I had to go with her into the kitchen and point out a cucumber and a simple tomato and some other green things she had. There came actually an excellent soup out of it.

It was the same kind of communication I had last night in the town Lumajang, which is a fairly large city. I drove around to find a normal restaurant. I found only one Mac. Donald and Chicken Restaurant. I started to explain to a some of these little street Kitchen Restaurant there are hundreds of. but had to abandon attempts to explain myself.

I have wondered many times during my journey how difficult it sometimes is to make myself understood. Just like the movie 'Out of translation'. I have on my MC. journey also been places where many people have never been directly confronted with strangers before. In addition to cultural issues in this part of the world, I also think it is because of the structure in the society and at school there do not trained the individual to think creatively and independently. Therefore, they probably somewhat had a harder time to find solutions to understand and come to a logical answer. In order to get the right answer from them it require that you ask the question in the manner they have been thought. Perhaps they just need a ordinary education to think a bit dualistic.

The Indonesian cities seem not yet to be so influenced by Western Fast Food and ordinary restaurants. However, there is obtained a mass slightly larger food change. But they have actually only different cakes and sweets and cream, etc. The products have not really anything with food to do, it is pure global luxury snacks.

Other things a tourist must adapt, hot and cold water, toilet, mattress quality and hardness, pillow soft, thick carpet, light in the room is never ideal, are there views to the outside world from the room and then the visual sensation. The sound from the local mosque, which shows up in your dream and noise from various quarters.

I have before this trip been a little more physical active to have a little extra strength to resist with. For certain distances can really pull forces out of one. My normal physical yoga program, I am forced to do every morning, in order to boost the body and get rid of tensions you get when you are sitting 5-6 hours on a MC.

Many new situations arise, such as every time I have money on my Visa card, which I actually should be able to withdraw up to 400 $. But I can only get 60 $ in some machines and in other 120 $ (it costs fee each time you raise). The most I have encountered is 260 $ It helps to bring your heart rate up in the heat.

My normal sleep rhythm, I tried to change to around 11 pm. a few hours before normal. Until now it has only resulted in the fact that I only sleep 5-6 hour. I am pressured by all these external circumstances and therefore a little stressful tourist.

My 6 year old Mac PowerBook, which recently have been working just hanging by a hinge, so I knew that the last days were soon numbered. It will turn on but there are no lights on the screen. On my MC. journey in 2003, when I was driving 140 km. per hour the Mac slide out from my bag. The brain survived this crash with the road. I had to get a new screen and holster it. The photo images from the first day in Yogyakarta and the writing had gone. So now I had to sit and write on the internet cafe where there for the most are a incredible noise music in the background.

I think it's all these new challenges, which makes me feel I live.

I was well aware that it would be quite easy to find a slightly larger MC. less than 200 cc. I finally found a 11 year old MC. Honda 200 cc. Sports Tiger. I had been through the whole city several times on the bike to find it. It seems to be the biggest they have for rent. They have most MC. there is a combination of a vespa and a normal MC.

The places where they rent out MC. are no use to rent out for longer trips. In my contract I had to add that I also was able to visit Bali. It wasn’t possible to do any insurance. I have not seen a single MC here in Yogyarkata with a luggage rack. Luckily I found a luggage rack to this old Honda. This Honda is much lighter and easier to manage because it is smaller than the Royal Enfield 500 cc I rented in India and this has an electric start. Only in emergency should I use this kick start. After 2 days I've got hold of all the practical parts of my trip. First now can I go to visit the very beautiful and famous Buddhist temple of Borobudur 20 km. from Yogyakarta.

Buddhist Temple of Borobudur

On The Road Again

Nov.5. I could finally start on my MC.Journey. I took over the Hindu counterpart Pramabanan temple and then on towards volcano top Lawu in 3265 m. hight. I could not find the temperature difference in my books, so I am a little anxious if I'm dressed up for this ride. I visited the city Sarangan. 1825 m altitude. It averaged 10 degrees colder.

Pramabanan Temple

Temple Pramabanan

Great again to feel the wind against your body. Traffic was incredibly smooth and there were very few cars compared to what I had expected. It was very smoothly to reach the Temple Pramabanan. But the heat was incredible. In the heat it is a bit of a condition in being a tourist. But I was around throughout this vast area of market stalls and a museum. In tourist seasons are there probably thousands of tourists and local visitors.

Unfortunately, I had on the way to my first stop in Sarangan, pulled a back muscle. I knew that this could very well be a very critical situation for my further MC.journey, so I asked the hotel if there where a person who could massage. There was a female masseuse. An hour later I lay on my hotel room under her firm and strong hands. I wish it had been intimate massage.

I had a very painful night with little sleep. I could only lie perfectly still on my back. The slightest movement sent pain through my body rigid. When I at night had to go to the toilet. I could not raise my body from the bed. Every time I moved just a bit it hurt my body in all muscles, there now was cold and stiff. In half a sleep I feeled the back muscle, lying and drove out of its natural level and therefore pressed into the nerves when I moved. It was a bit of a painful surealistisk experience to feel the muscle so strong. It took many attempts before it succeeded in considerable pain to roll me on to the stomach and with the arms push myself up. I slept a little more, and then came the fight again to get up to stand.

Hotel Sarangan

The massage women showed up as we had agreed the next morning and again softened my tensed body. I was now forced to take a day off and found therefore a better hotel higher up the mountain with a very fine view over a lake. I got a more visual view and perhaps that would bear my pain in a beautiful melodramatic way.

Next morning at. 7:00 I got massage before I had to go on with my Journey. I knew this pain as it also happened on my MC.Pilgrimage to the Middle East 2003. This time it is in the beginning of my journey. It was at the end of my trip that time, so I was able to rest my back, it's difficult for me now. On an MC. you use the abdominal and back muscles to keep track, so every time I drive on a bumpy road, you get painful shock up the back. It will take a take many days before I will get over the pain. My energy level is very low and I have to do everything very slowly for not to start the pain. At the same time, I have this cold there constantly collects mucus in the throat. These cough really shakes my body and give the greatest pain. Oddly enough the pain becomes a part of your everyday life.

Forward, forward.

I am now in Tulungagung d. 7 November has been driving 181 km. It should have been something of a pleasure and a challenge to be on this MC. journey. Now I more wanted just to be a tourist. I just need to rest in a beautiful surroundings by the sea on Bali. I have purchased a wide elastic belt, you probably call kidney belt. You tight it around your waist to hold together the internal organs when you drive on MC. Now it fits exactly to come up on my chest, so it ranges into the back muscles and keeps it in place so it not so easily jump out of its correct position. Tullugagung is a dreadful city.

Yamaha MC. shop with free internet

After much driving, I found this internet cafe, which is actually a Yamaha Motorbike. Across the screen I sit and write on, there is a big screen with one of those youth show on. The noise fills an incredible amount. But I do not have so many choices now that my computer is gone death, I must learn to cope with such situations in future. I'm actually the only one sitting here at the 5 screens. So it does not seem that there is so much going on in the comunikationen at a distance. They talk very little in the mobile. I have not actually seen young people stand with their mobile. Now there are coming some young on the side, they probably starts at a game shortly.