Cycling Eastern Java

---

Looking across at the volcanic range that looms over the Bali straight we had a sence of intrepidation.Leaving behind the touristic safe haven of Bali and Kuta we were heading into the unknown.A land prone to volcanic unrest and a tectonic plate that had seen alot of movement in recent months.That coupled with stories of unruly Javenese and pockets of extremisim we were wondering as we finished our beers what would happen.
But were well versed in the stories of one persons experiences against anothers.One mans nightmare and all that,we were quite looking forward to the non comercial side of Indonesia.Theres no banana pancakes over there one bloke said to us as if to wander to far from the aroma of the south east asian dish would spell certain doom.
I dont care to much for pancakes and as Tati and me had only ever eaten two each we felt that the loss of a panckae or three wouldnt get in the way of our 25 day mission across the southern side of this melting pot of people.
Java is roughly the size of my native England but has more than twice as many people,many of which live in the northen part of the island where Jakarta and Surabaya in particular are situated.This gave us plenty enough reason to head into the less populated south,although less populated is something of a misnomer.
The night before we left we met two dutch ladies in their 60s coming from Java on bikes and heading to Bali.They warned us of the traffic but gave us good advice about a couple of alternative roads to try.Great to meet them and a real inspiration to keep at it for a few more years.
Its a ferry ride across and within three km of being on Javenese soil a motorbike crash occured.The problem with the bike riders is that they just dont look when pulling out into the road.Two bikes colided ,luckily noone seriously hurt,it served as a reminder that we must be ultra vigilant and keep check in our mirrors as well as in front.
As a side note to that it was the oncoming traffic in Indonesia that was the problem and not the tail traffic.When behind they tend to wait for a clear road to pass where as if they have a clear road coming in front then they will over take and push you off the road.Third world rules apply,biggest is best.
Well the dutch ladies were right,it was busy.After a detour up the side of a volcano we found our way onto the Jember road and high tailed it along with the traffic the call of hey mister beginning to enter our lives for the forseeable future.If you dont like being called hey mister then definetly dont go to Java.I reckon it happened to us about 200 to 300 times a day.
Tati my girlfriend felt more agreived than me at times,fair enough.It just goes to show how little foreigners get to the out of the way places.We were met with genuine hospitality,suprize and warmth everywhere we went on Java and the hey mister was their way of convaying that over to us.
Day one there we managed to get off the main road for a good few km and went along a rural road inbetween rice paddies and fruit orchards.Eating at the bakso warung resturants for next to nothing we felt we'd come to a more realistic side to Indonesia.Where as many Balanese people say that Javenese people are untrustworthy and money oriented we found that the Javenese said the same about the Balanese.I thought the Javanese more honest and down to earth,unpoluted by the need for the tourist dollar.But then thats just me.
We spent our first night back on the main road in a town called Kalibaru a good 90 km along from the ferry.Tired from the heat and traffic we got stuck into some Bintang beers ,a quality lager nice and cold from the fridge.That along with an exellent reception on my radio for world service english football I was as happy as Larry.
This end of Java is fairly mountainous long the road,that coupled with the heat(a good 30 degrees c) we were sweating buckets by 9 am.As a rule on a long day we try to get off by 8 am,something we find quite difficult to do somedays.We climbed up through coffee plantations and banana groves pasing inventive locals who made a coin or two signalling the dangers for motorists on the sharper corners.An honest job deseves an honest coin,so we gave away all our change in gratitute to the most helpfull.
We decended down all the way to Jember,couldnt believe we went up so high for such a long decent,but we werent complaining.Jember was a tidy city but as hectic as it could of been.Cars,trucks becaps(three wheeled bike taxis) and endles motorbikes all vieing for room along the highway.This went on for a good few km til our turn at Rambi.Hot and thirsty we stopped for a mizone energy drink and a few moments out of the sun and away from the hey mister crew.
Much flatter here and les traffic we pushed onto the fun sounding Kencong which had a music market blaring out along the street.One thing that Indonesia is and thats loud.I d go as far as saying that for most of Asia though.Unable to find lodgings inYoswilangun we decided to head on into the darkness for Lumagang the prospects of shower and beer outweighing the thoughts of tent and pot noodles on the stove.
It was some push the last 15km especially after the 100km wed already put in,but as the bintang got closer I was able to put aside the cramping in my shoulder and we arrived in the night at a motel where bewildered truck drivers looked on with curiosity at our sweating dusty frames.
The following day acording to our map would be mountanous and so had an early one.Sure enough we climbed in the morning upto a panorama(I assisted myself by hanging onto the back of a slow moving truck to get me to the top)Works a treat!We refueled on bakso at the top and had a grand view of Semeru,standing at 3676m its Indonesias tallest peak and quite a volitile volcano.Here we practiced our Indonesian with the locals and were impressed with our progress.
The rest of the day we decended and climbed up and down through tropical rainforests,crossed bridges with huge hidden gorges passed many mosques with the mullahs calling the faithfull to prayer.Coffee,rice,bananas,papayas,timber yards all sorts of industry gong on around us.Friendly people callingout the ambiguous hey misters as we passed.Tati was well and truely chinstrapped as e wound our way downtowards the scruffy town of Dampit.An apt name for a place where we would spend the night in a dirty but cheap no frills losmen(guesthouse).
Something happened to my big left toe during the day,it froze and began to ache something terrible to the point where I couldnt walk on it.The men in our family suffer from gout and as human minds do,I feared that Id succumed to it.Turns out it was somekind of man flu in my toe and cleared up a couple of days later,still it was a reminder of not taking for granted our good health.We have no time to spare because of our 30day visa,so have no time to be ill right now.
Ashorter ride today down to the plain of Malang and a dusty busy ride into the city that our 1995 lonely planet on Java calls one of Javas finest and most atractive hill towns.Well first impressions gave us reason to differ with our outdated book although as we wandered around the town we found a few old dutch colonial buildings of interest and charm.
But we werent really here for the city we were here to visit the Tengger Massif and in particular mt Bromo
We left our digs at hotel helios at about 1am to arrive there by sunrise.Quite a drive to get there but it was worth it to see the amazing panorama of Semeru and smouldering Bromo standing tall in the vast sand sea covered in morning mist and early morning sun.
Took the trip upto the crater,Tati rode a horse and I forever using my mistrust of horses went the slower way on foot.Met with the odour of strong sulpher at the crater rim we covered our mouths and faces to walk around the narrow ledge to a higher view point.A great view back across the sand sea listening to the burps and belches of Bromos morning ritual.
Apart from the mini bus getting stuck on the way back(see youtube- mudyshox, up and away)and our driver appearing to slap himself on a regular basis to stay awake we arrived back in Malang tired but happy to of made the journey.

---

Comments

[Jonny]

nice writing!
"Theres no banana pancakes over there one bloke said to us as if to wander to far from the aroma of the south east asian dish would spell certain doom. ".... hey i love this quote! Made me laugh so much