Bike-Ride to Australia 15th-March-2012

Bike-Ride to Australia Thursday 15th-March-2012 Banyuwangi, Java to Denpasar, Bali. 88 miles. After breakfast, I cycled the mile or so back to Ketapang to catch my ferry to Bali. I’d found out last night that the ferries run day and night and every hour or so. So I wouldn’t have a problem getting on.

I arrived at the ferry terminal, and it reminded me of a European port with their big roll-on roll-off ferries. I cycled up to the booth/ticket office. I was hoping they wouldn’t charge me, as they hadn’t on the crossing from Sumatra to Java, but I wasn’t going to get away with it this time! It cost less than a pound!

Man with boats wheel in hands
The captain of the ship

The crossing only took forty-five minutes, and the sea was very calm. I got invited up to the wheelhouse to meet the captain, who let me steer the boat! Basically, I just stood there with the wheel in my hands! But it made a good photo opportunity. We arrived in Bali, and once again, the ferry seemed to take forever to dock. It was a busy port.

In Bali

Considering how calm the sea was, it was a bit of a shock when we landed, and I started pedalling. It was blowing a gale. And there were a lot more hills here than I’d been used to on Java. But this wind was a real problem. I went over one hill and had difficulty cycling in a straight line! Luckily it was on a quieter stretch of road with little other traffic. The wind was so strong there were a few trees down. One had even hit a bus! But I don’t think anybody was hurt think. It just broke the front windscreen and crumpled the front side. Another tree fell onto some power lines, making a loud bang when the transformer blew. I was glad to get off the top of that hill before a tree blew on me!

I realised two things today. First, I’ve passed through two time zones since arriving in Indonesia. And I’m now eight hours ahead of the UK. And two, I never saw a single dog on Java. But the first one I saw here decided to chase me!

I’m only in Denpasar, but it feels as if I’ve already reached Australia. All I can hear are Aussie accents.

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