back to where I started

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I made it out of East Timor just before the attempted coup. But I didn't make it out with what I went for...a 60 day visa. I only mangaged to get 30 days, not enough to make continuing a mountain bike/surf trip practical. So to make a long story short I returned to Empang via Sumba to recover my surfboard and then bussed and ferried back to Java. I've stopped in Solo, Central Java for a few days to rest and soak up some Javanese culture.
I chose Solo because it is one of the major batik producers, which I wanted to check out, but mainly because it's not really a tourist destination so the "Hello, Misters", "Becak, becak" which can become overwhelming in most other cities are pleasantly absent here. I walk down the street and feel like a normal person. The locals are great. I went out to see some theater tonight and afterward stopped at a road stall to sit down and have some coffee with milk and ginger. Some street musicians were there playing what I can only describe as a very exotic music. A strange stringed instrument, weird drums, syncopated hand clapping and singing in Javanese. Very cool. I'm especially looking forward to a gamelan performance tomorrow night.
After tomorrow I will continue my way back to Batu Keras, near Pangandaran. This was my first stop when I first arrived in Indonesia (already 5 months ago!). It's still probably my favorite of all the places I've been too. I just hope the swell is a little bigger and more powerful now than it was last I was there. I like it there for the quality of the wave, it's not powerful but well shaped and very very long. There's also a right hand reef break down the beach but it needs to be bigger than it was when I was there for it to work. The locals are very laid back; no hassles or scams to be wary of. And I can get to Singapore in one day which will be very convenient when the visa expires again, too soon.

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