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Published: December 16th 2010
Getting to Surabaya, Java from Kuta, Bali Journey journey journey, not only a cheesily cool American band but what I seem to have done non stop for a week now. Bus, boat, bus to Surabaya in Java taking about 13 hours only to be left at a bus station 12km south of the city centre. Shrugged off the taxi drivers and found a local bus to the centre. Conductor told me when to get off and pointed me in the direction of the street I wanted. He was wrong, a theme that reoccurs in this massive city.
Now at about 6am I find myself slightly lost and so after talking to a few locals who barely speak English, I grabbed a cyclo to my planned guesthouse. Surabaya is a pain in that it's huge but not very touristy, so finding a guesthouse is difficult. First place was completely full, so I walked a couple of km to another Lonely Planet 'budget' guesthouse. Keeping with the inaccuracy of these books the place had turned into a 2 star hotel and wanted far more than I usually want to pay a night. It was coming close to 7am though and I
Surabaya Submarine
Passing a day ambling about Surabaya I found this submarine museum. Not much else to say, passed a few minutes!was being pursued down this small street by a hooker and her pimp who didn't seem to believe my rejection of 'It's far too early', so I moved in.
Was feeling very rought first day here, man-flu caused by the crappy air in Kuta Bali meant that I wasn't going to move too much (flu and combo of the monster journey I'd just done) and so all I did was wander to a mall and buy some medicine.
Second day I dragged myself up and headed to the guesthouse that had previously been full and spent a little time wandering Surabaya and checked out an old Russian submarine and the 2 big shopping centres.
Third day I made friends with a local lady whilst waiting for a bus. Oddly enough, I met her here again when I came back to Surabaya a week later. Went to the zoo and had one of those Asian days. In Surabaya, I seemingly am the attraction. I have never been called handsome so much in my life, by females and males! There really aren't many tourists or white guys here so you get treated quite special. The peak of this was
definitely at the zoo though, I honestly believe more people stared at me than the animals. At one point a large group of local school kids surrounded me to speak English and giggle huge amounts. Finally one made a deal with me that if she knew the answer to my question, then I would pay her money, unfortunately for her she was wrong - the amount I planned on paying her was a whopping nothing. All fun though and after a group photo I wandered off to find the tapirs. Turns out they were unfortunately long gone (sob) and I still haven't seen one in Asia.
This zoo was an odd one. It was half very Asian (tiny shitty pens, too many animals) and half very Western (big landscaped cages), at the very least it looked like it was moving in the right direction. Finally got to see Komodo Dragons and was slightly horrified (if not intrigued) at the tiny cages with chimpanzees in and how close you can get to them.
Laughed when a skittish kid was trying to feed a camel and focusing all his attention so that he didn't notice another had come round the
Not Healthy
I don't blame the majority of zoos in Asia for being appalling. Bristol Zoo in the UK was obnoxiously bad only until recent years. I figure going to some at least gives them a small amount of money towards trying to right their problems. side and swooped in for the food, scaring the lad.
All in all a good day. Ate pizza hut in the evening and as I was leaving I was given a message and a phone number on a napkin. Surabayan's really love the white gold.
Probolinggo to Gunung Bromo Feeling better I took a bus to Probolinggo. These locals bus journeys are hugely entertaining or a complete pain in the ass depending on your mood. Endless hawkers jump on whenever possible (the massive roads that span Java never really appear to have a break from being lined with houses) and drop items on you for your consideration before collecting them up at the end. These included sweets, shirts, vests and teddies amongst others. From Probolinggo I was left waiting for a Bemo to fill and when all of the locals jumped out to get in another one that was heading where they wanted but not me I figured fook- it I've saved some money recently so I jumped on the bag of a moped and got driven up to Cemoro Lawang which sits up on the edge of Bromo-Tengger-Semero National Park - volcano time.
Met a
South-African Dutch couple and agreed to meet them a bit later on for a beer and to sort out what time we were going to make the ascent in the morning - obviously its yet another sunrise thing!
From the guesthouse you look over the edge of the volcanic crater. It's a massive massive black sanded desert, rising from the middle are the various peaks. Bromo, the smoking one was the plan and the one most people go to see, despite not being the tallest.
At 4am we met at the edge and looked down into the basin. This place is completely pitch black at night, just the stars shining down to perfection. At least that's how it should be. Into summer holiday territory now which means shed-loads of Jakarta kids make their way over here in fantastically touristy and lazy fashion. Every single one without fail forks out a stupid amount of money for a 4x4 with a driver to take them the 3km across the desert to where you climb Bromo, or to the lookout point on the Western rim. You are left looking into the crater at 4am to witness a tremendous queue of these
vehicles, all lined up and moving in unison along 1 of the 2 routes they take. It's oddly impressive!
Anyway, torch in hand we set off and tried to cunningly avoid paying entry buy saying 'errr we have tickets already', but alas they called back after us and properly checked! By this time most of the jeeps have made their journeys and it really is dark instead the crater. We joined up with a perfect stereotypical German and Baliese girlfriend who passed a joint around en-route to the base. I mention that just because it seemed like a cool thing at the time!
On arrival at the bottom you find all of the Asians, a large number of which are hiring horses to take them the next step of the way, bout 500m slightly uphill. After this and walking pass lots of more Asians who appear to have been ruined by this tiny exercise and have decided against the next step we started to climb the 283 steps to the top of Bromo and the volcanic rim. Asians dominated the area directly at the top of the stairs, even though it isn't on sunset side. Good for us
Evolution
An elderly man gives an Orangutan some food. Amazing how similar the hands are. though because their lack of energy meant we could walk about 50m round for the perfection position with only varied groups of Westerners lurking here and there.
Hard to describe the view really. Bromo is a big grey volcano which permanently bellows out sulphur (which stinks of egg). Whenever the wind changed the smoke htis you and you have to cover your mouth. To the left of where we were was another peak which completely changed colour from grey to red to green as the sun rose. The sun rose over the rim, near another mountain. The whole inside of the massive crater is covered with black sand an large igneous rocks. The whole place looks completely surreal, stunning and very very jurrassic park. Check the pictures out, MUCH easier.
Watched the sun rise, posed with the Indonesians when they asked (they always do), laughed when I looked at my group photo with them as they clearly only have the chirpy enthusiasm when it's their photo being taken.
Left the volcano and got back by 7am, was on a mission to make it to the Ijen Plateau as soon as possible.
Hindered by public transport (more
Confused Zoo
This is what I don't understand with some of these zoos. Here is another orangutan in a huge decent pen all alone. Why are the others locked in tiny box cages?! sodding bemos having to wait to be full), I made it to Bondowoso later than day with an American girl and an Irish guy. From here it should be another 2 hours on a bemo to the plateau which is home to more stunning views and a suplhur lake. Unfortunately, bemos had stopped running for the evening so we decided to stay in a great hotel here with a great big pool. Here we admired the varied types of burkini's on display, had to be done.
Next day we were up very early for the next step, but unfortunately the bemo took over two hours to get anywhere close to full and I had to bail on the plateau. There have been only a few big disappointments whilst travelling, this was one. I was in a position where I had to make my move back towards Jakarta as not to miss my flight. If the bemo hadn't have taken so long I could've seen that plateau that day, unfortunately though by early afternoon the whole place is clouded over so I would've had to have stayed for an extra day that I couldn't afford.
Jumped on a bus
back to Surabaya, usual crazy journey. Headed straight for the station there and sorted out a train ticket for the following evening to Jakarta. Almost cried at the cost. Was approached by a tout who led me to a new guesthouse which was fantastic and infinitely better than the previous two I stayed in in Surabaya. Spent the day wandering around the shops and watching TV for a novelty. Watched the tennis accompanied by an enormous amount of fast food.
Next day I did much the same before heading off to Jakarta on the night train. Very comfy, but expensive for Asia. Didn't get anything to eat on there except a very scabby mini tray and unfortunately they decided against sleeper trains at some point. It was all very nice I guess, but give me a dirty cheap sleeper train in India for the this length of journey anyday.
Wandered to north Jakarta to a shopping mall that was mainly empty, felt like I was walking through a slum most of the way. Passed a giant phallic statue on the way. Took a good old Indian style tuk-tuk back. Next day I went south through a world that
couldn't be any more different to the north if it tried. Very modern all round. Did loads of shopping for Austalia before heading to the airport through the absolutely wretched traffic to fly to Singapore.
Here I am then. Sitting in a new shirt and jeans. My hair actually gelled and wearing deodorant for the first time since leaving home - ready for the big change. Killing time on the internet and attempting to write a CV that will get me a job in Melbourne. In the past week I moved from Surabaya to Bromo, Bromo to Bondowoso, Bondowoso to Surabaya, Surabaya to Jakarta, Jakarta to Singapore. Tonight I fly to Sydney and the following (or same day) I have to get a bus to Melbourne for this completely new beginning. I am fairly sure I'll sleep well in Melbourne when I get there.
End of Asia Have to say that I have loved all of Asia with the Thailand exception. Nepal ranks at the top thanks to the people, the amount of stuff done there and the sheer beauty of the country. I love Cambodia for the peoples optimism and the freedom to basically do
Disturbing
Did someone put lipstick on these taxidermed tiger? as you with. I love India for demonstrating pure chaos to me and for breaking me into so brutally well. Looking at Java at the end, it would've scared the crap out of me at the start (especially being chased by a pimp and hoe). Indonesia is fantastic for its sheer variation. One day I'll be back in India and Indonesia to give them both the amount of time they really deserve.
This next step of settling down into Melbourne and finding a job is actually probably more scary to me that flying to India. I have really settled into Asia and love people here, it's just so staggeringly easy going. I am optimistic though, things should work out fine in Melbourne and if they don't I'll just have to head thousands of miles north to work where it's not the middle of winter yet!
Hope everyone is having a good summer so far and I hope that someone texts me the Murray score as I won't get to see the match on the plane.
Happy Hols People!
PS: At this time I know Murray lost, bad man. In Sydney and off to catch a train to
Melbourne soon. Another overnight journey, my third in four nights - if anyone can lend me some zzzzz's please do. And some luck, definitely need that at the moment, trust me!
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