Bicycle Touring Indonesia
This week’s Travelsonabike2 bicycle touring on this day post comes from Indonesia on the 14th-March-2012. Don’t believe everything you see on a postcard.
Wednesday 14th March 2012. Problinggo to Banyuwangi. 115 miles.
Mission accomplished: I reached Ketapang but cycled straight through. Although it was through choice today. There weren’t any hotels there, so I cycled a mile or so down the road to Banyuwangi. It’s been a tough few days. I’ve been on a mission to reach the Bali ferry, covering over 350 miles in three days. But I’ve made it.
I’ve been cycling along the coast for the past three days, yards from the sea. Passing through small fishing villages, with the fisherman’s boats lined up on the beach, waiting to go out on the next fish. It all sounds pretty nice, which it is until you look at the beach itself. Many aren’t the picture-postcard golden sands and blue sea dotted with the odd palm tree. Unfortunately, most of them are covered in rotting, stinking rubbish, with the sea a dirty brown colour.
At The End Of The Day
I ordered a whole fish for supper tonight and was looking forward to eating it until I remembered the pollution in the seas around here. However, as soon as the fish turned up, I forgot that and woofed it down. Mind you, it probably helped when the power went off, and I couldn’t see it too well!
No wonder it’s rained nearly every day since I’ve been in Indonesia. I found out tonight it is the rainy season. Mind you. It’s probably kept the temperature down a bit. I thought I’d better wash out my water bottles tonight. They’ve gone rather green inside.
Why do I always get a hotel next to a mosque? Mind you. I won’t have to worry about that after Sunday when I fly to Australia. And I don’t have to worry about setting an alarm clock for tomorrow morning. I think the call to prayer might wake me. My phone is still not sorted. I’ll give them another call when I get to Denpasar. I need to be calm and relaxed with them. Thanks for all the offers of help with the phone, but unfortunately, it’s me who has to ring and sort it out. I’ve been avoiding it. It stresses me out too much!
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