A TALE OF 2 CITIES

Some time around 1650 a Dutch official of the VOC in Batavia committed some sin, and as punishment he was ordered to establish a replenishment station at the Cape of Good Hope. The ships in picture are not quite the Drommedaris, Reigger, and De Goede Hoop with which Jan Van Riebeeck sailed to the present-day Cape Town (my home-town). However, the old Sunda Kelapa harbour in present-day Jakarta - once the booming centre of the spice trade - is still in operation, with rows of interesting old wooden trading ships lining the quays (of course, there is also another modern harbour). Otherwise there's not much left to see of the once prosperous Batavia, the place to which Van Riebeeck longed to return (of course there wasn't much amusement in Cape Town at that time). This historic old colonial part of Jakarta is pretty much going to the dogs, with crumbling old buildings, slummy areas, and the stinking polluted canal. Otherwise the city of Jakarta is a large, modern metropolis - the 9th largest in the world with about 17 million inhabitants. Leana and I have been here almost a week, relaxing, servicing the bicycles, repairing things, and stocking up on things which we've been unable to find elsewhere. Although the city is very spread out, there is a suburban railway station close to where we're staying, and the bus service as also quite ok. Jakarta is not quite as smooth and efficient as Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, and certainly not as clinical as Singapore. Yesterday we celebrated our 3rd anniversary on the bicycles - 3 years on the road since leaving Tableview beach on 27 March 2007. We splashed out a bit, and celebrated by enjoying a couple of the local Bintang beers at a little place around the corner - incidently on their opening night. We'll probably move on East through Java Island tomorrow, I'm not sure by which route but there are lots of volcanoes which Leana wants to see (and I see hills again in my nightmares!). In case you didn't know, Indonesia is the world's 4th most populous country, and more than 50% of those people live on Java island. Thus far we've only cycled a short distance in Java, which has been built-up all the way with lots of traffic (especially motorbikes and mini-bus taxis). So, for the next few weeks I see myself struggling up hills, while at the same time trying to survive by dodging the traffic (I won't even mention the heat and humidity!). It may sound as though I'm complaining, but after 3 years I still wouldn't swap this lifestyle for any other! Daily distances cycled since my last report from Cilegon have been:- Tangerang 91 km; and Jakarta 31 km. Total distance cycled in the past 3 years from Cape town to Jakarta is 56 816 km.

HOW MANY HILLS ON AN ISLAND?

In a moment of madness I found myself running my fingers across the map of Sumatra in Braille-like fashion (don't worry, I've recovered from the eye infection). I was trying to decypher the hills, but the map remained flat - not so in reality! Although there were a number of comfortable cycling stretches along the coastline, through many villages, rice paddies, and coconut groves, the overwhelming impression is one of many steep hills. It seems to me that the National Parks with their lush indigenous rain-forests exist simply because those slopes are too steep to accommodate the population or to allow for agriculture. Probably the toughest day which Leana and I have had so far was through such a park, and for the first time on this journey I pushed my bike on a paved road. Dragging the stubborn and heavily-laden "Saartjie" up that hill by her ears was no fun at all, and it prompted me to successfully make the extra effort to subsequently stay on the bike. From Benkunat village on the West coast we crossed the back-bone of the island again (another National Park!), where we found that the downhill section had been partially obliterated by a landslide. There were a number of exciting moments slipping through the clay in the rain, and by the time we were off the mountain our bikes must have looked like two moving ant-hills (fortunately there was a hosepipe at our overnight accommodation). Once or twice we camped in what we thought were discreet spots, but the villagers have an uncanny ability to sniff out tourists - making us the "attraction of the week" (particularly if your camp is practically on top of their water supply - which we took to be an abandoned well). We spent a couple of luxury nights in a "fancy" hotel in Bandarlampung where Leana extended her visa. Today we left Sumatra and crossed the Sunda Strait on a large ferry which also carries cars, busses and trucks. During the voyage we had views of the infamous Krakatao, still grumbling and steaming in the distance. Now we're in the town of Cilegon on Java Island (about 15 k's from the ferry port at Merak), and I'm sipping "mokka coffee" on my first day in Java. Daily distances cycled since Benkulu have been:- Seluma 61 km; Manna 83 km; Bintuhan 76 km; Pugung Tampak 85 km; Krui 37 km; Benkunat 87 km; Kotaagung 70 km; Pringsewu 60 km; Bandarlampung 38 km; Kalianda 63 km; and Cilegon 46 km. Total distance so far on this trip is 56 694 km.

DISASTER ZONE

From the higland town of Bukittinggi it was a steep downhill run to Padang city, on the West coast of Sumatra. Our route took us past volcanic peaks and lush forest, and in the traffic somehow Leana and I managed to lose each other. Once in Padang I was amazed at the devastation caused by the September earthquake, and many buildings (especially in the quaint old riverside district) had been damaged or destroyed. As a result of the earthquake there were a limited number of budget hotels still operating, and Leana and I happened to meet up again at one of these. The road South from Padang was a scenic ride along the coast at first, but the trip soon turned into a never-ending steep roller-coaster struggle through the oil palm plantations. (When first cycling amongst the oil palms about a year ago in Thailand we thought it to be a nice ride, but since then I've certainly had my fill of that "roadside wallpaper". Incidently, palm oil is not only used in the manufacture of soap and cosmetics, but is also often an ingredient in foods such as biscuits, noodles, and even ice-cream). Trucks carting the clusters of palm kernels to processing plants also damage the road - of course most of the road damage is in the dips at the bottom of the hills, preventing cyclists from building up any sort of momentum with which to tackle the uphill. The disastrous 2004 tsunami was caused by an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, and low-lying coastal towns have signs indicating evacuation routes in the event of a recurrence (photo). Another disaster during this time was the fact that I picked up a bug which caused a bad case of conjunctivitis in both my eyes. However, the "show" had to go on as we'd run out of cash and the couple of ATM's along the way were always off-line. I discovered that it is not so easy to cycle in traffic on bad roads with eyelids glued together and covered by sweat-streaked sunglasses (I would have lost Leana numerous times if she hadn't literally jumped into the road in front of me where she'd been waiting for the "invalid" to catch up). Fortunately the only mishap after 4 days of "blind cycling" was a flat tyre caused by one of the many potholes I'd been happily flying through. In Benkulu, we found a very nice affordable ground floor room where, after another 4 days, I've almost recovered from the eye ailment. At the interesting local market I've also managed to have my shoes repaired, camping chair sewn up, and tent zip replaced. I've also cleaned and serviced the bicycles (the "ass-washer" in the open-plan bathroom is very effective for spraying the bike down - although the hotel management would certainly view such activity as a disaster). We haven't spotted any other foreigners in Bengkulu, so our hotel probably doesn't know what to make of these 2 crazy cyclists who string washing lines outside the room door, and who literally "clean up" the breakfast buffet (included in the room price!). And then, 2 nights ago, the big thing happened - a 6.5 earthquake 160 km out to sea - and we didn't even know about it until the following morning (fortunately for the locals, no damage or injury). So, tomorrow we'll move on from Bengkulu, and perhaps unfortunately I'll be able to see the oil palms and the continuation of the steep hills and broken road. Daily distances cycled since Bukittinggi were:- Padang 99 km; Painan 95 km; Balai Selasa 77 km; Tapan 65 km; Pasar Bantal 125 km; Ipuh 53 km; Ketahun 82 km; and Bengkulu 91 km. Total distance cycled on this journey so far is 55 988 km.

CROSSING SUMATRA

On the 15th of this month Leana and I took the ferry from Malaysia to Sumatra, Indonesia - a two and a half hour trip from Melaka to Dumai. From Dumai the narrow busy road was in a rather poor condition, with steep ups and downs at times (the frequent heavy rain showers didn't make things any easier either). However, after we'd passed the city of Pekanbaru conditions improved, and we crossed some impressive rivers and mountains in the process. Sumatra, the 6th largest island in the world, straddles the equator which we also crossed, but unfortunately we missed the sign indicating the spot. Now I'm back cycling in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time since crossing to the North in Kenya. We also crossed from the East of Sumatra to the West, and are now in a mountainous area in the town of Bukittinggi, close to the West coast of the island. There are a number of active volcano's in the region, and the area is also prone to earthquakes, having suffered two great shakes recently. Perhaps the greatest crossing is the cultural divide, and I've found the people of Sumatra to be quite different to any of the other SE Asian countries. Perhaps a recipe for Sumatra could be as follows:- Mix generous portions of Africa and India together with daily heavy rain; Add a pinch of colonial and other Asian influence, and bake in a hot humid oven. Season with plenty of cheerfulness and friendliness towards foreigners. Wherever we've gone so far in this country we've been welcomed with "Hello Mister", "Hello Friend", "Selam", and "Welcome to Indonesia", etc. Another peculiarity is the traditional architectural style in the area - strange curved multi-pitched roofs. From here we intend to continue to the city of Padang on the West coast, and then head South from there. Daily distances cycled in Sumatra have been:- Dumai 18 km (plus ferry crossing); Duri 85 km; Minas 110 km; Bangkinan 89 km; Pangkalan 85 km; and Bukittinggi 86 km. Total distance cycled so far on this journey is 55 301 km.

THE STRAITS OF MALACCA

Since leaving Singapore Leana and I cycled North along the S-West coast of Malaysia to the former Portuguese/Dutch/British colonial territory of Malacca (now called Melaka). On our way we stayed over in Batu Pahat, where we were royally entertained by Keng and Penny who we'd met almost 2 years previously while they were backpacking in Iran (we even stayed in a luxury condo which belongs to Penny's family). In Melaka where Keng is at flying school, we were given a grand tour of the historic sights as well as being taken out for meals all the time. Then it was time to head on to Kuala Lumpur (commonly known as KL). We had to go to the Indonesian Embassy there for renewable visa's - and of course also to see the Petronas Twin Towers (until recently the tallest buildings in the world). In KL we also bumped into Joel, a cyclist from New York who we'd previously met in Bangkok where he'd started his trip. We were unsure about the route into KL, but once on the highway we found ourselves on motorcycle paths for much of the way to the city centre (of course we assumed the paths were also for bicycles). When we left the city, however, we took a different route and were twice requested by police to leave the highway - they were so polite that the second guy even apologised for having to tell us we weren't allowed. Nonetheless, we arrived back in Melaka in the midst of Chinese New Year celebrations. Not only are we staying in Chinatown, but a significant proportion of Malaysians are of Chinese origin. The streets are colourfully decorated, some areas are converted to night markets, and of course there are the obligatory fireworks. Today, 14 February, is New Year, so we're relaxing before taking the ferry across the Straits of Malacca to Sumatra Indonesia (probably tomorrow). Distances cycled since my last update from Singapore have been:- Pontian Kechil 103 km; Batu Pahat 81 km; Melaka 108 km; Port Dickson 95 km; Banting 109 km; Kuala Lumpur 67 km; Port Dickson 95 km; and Melaka 82 km. Total distance cycled on this journey is 54 828 km.

CYCLE TO SINGAPORE

After my last report from Cukai I emerged from the internet cafe to find that the rear tyre on my bike had blown (this is probably becoming boring - the 3rd consecutive report of a blow-out). After eyeing a bike shop and feeling in my pocket, I realised I'd have to improvise and sewed up the tyre with fishing line. A few days later, after spending my last cent on a kilo of rice, I turned into the town of Mersing to see if I could find a sympathetic ATM - no go. Needing a quiet moment to consider my next move I took a break at a shady spot close to the ferry jetty, and watched the ferry from Tioman Island arriving. As the passengers disembarked I recognised one of them who had a bike with her - Leana! After a month apart she took pity on me, and we booked into a room where I was fattened up with loads of tasty Malay food - I also received a new tyre for my bike. However, we couldn't leave the following morning as my feet and lower legs had swollen up beyond recognition - I'd noticed the start of this condition a few days earlier (perhaps a parasite, or malnutrition?). After elevating my feet I was well enough to leave a day later. We cycled South to "lands end", and took a small ferry boat across the Straits of Johor to Singapore Island where we arrived before we'd left (time difference). At first I was impressed by Singapore, the airport is an international hub and to many the airline is synonymous with the island state (continuous stream of aircraft landing and taking off over the ferry as we approached). At the ferry dock close to Changi airport we received a free 30-day visa, and cycled along clinically neat and clean cycle paths through the E-coast park along the coast to the city. So far so good, but then my impression of the place started to change. There was free camping at wonderful places in the park, but upon enquiry we discovered that this facility was for locals only (foreigners had to take formal accommodation). Trying to buy anything made my hair stand on end, prices were at least twice that of "expensive" Malaysia. We'd heard of some budget accommodation close to the city centre, and in our efforts to get there we ended up in an underground expressway tunnel, where the cops loaded us up and dropped us "somewhere else" in the gathering dusk. In various other countries one would literally be able to buy a bed for the price of a bunk-bed in a crowded smelly dorm room here (eventually we settled for the cheapest overpriced room we could find). My camera has been "on the blink" for some time, so while in this city once famous for cheap electronic goods I looked around at the markets but was unimpressed (many of the items were cheaper in places like Thailand, China, and Vietnam). My impression of the city centre was that this was a strange, impersonal movie set - totally opposite to a vibrant lively place like Bangkok. Things were not all doom and gloom though. "Little India", where we stayed, showed signs of life and it was good to tuck into some South-Indian food again. Chinatown is another place close to the city centre which has a pulse. The leafy suburbs as well as the city's parks and beaches are scenic and neat, without the litter found around many other places in the region. However, we couldn't afford to stay for more than 2 days, and returned to Malaysia via the causeway and ultra-modern immigration check points on both sides (the biggest, busiest, and most efficient I've seen). Daily distances cycled since my last report are:- Cukai 20 km; Kampong Perful 74 km; Kampong Hulu Tering 78 km; Padang Endau 82 km; Mersing 44 km; Kota Tinggi 94 km; Kampong Rengit 86 km; and Singapore 55 km (plus 1 hr ferry). Total distance from Cape Town to Singapore is 54 099 km.

EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS

I decided to head East from Pangkor Island, but the day didn't start well with heavy rain early AM, and broken tent poles which I had to replace. Not long after I eventually got on the road I stopped to use the toilet at a petrol station, and while inside I heard a gunshot (at first I thought it was a robbery, but then I remembered that I wasn't in SA). Gingerly emerging from the toilet I saw what I'd suspected - Old Saartjie resting on the rim, brand new front tyre blown to shreds. Fortunately things took a turn for the better after that. The following day I started the long climb up the backbone of the Malaysian peninsula, through lush indigenous forest towards Cameron Highlands. Late that PM, just when I thought there was no space on those slopes for a tent, I found a wonderful camping spot at a waterfall high above the road. From the high point I found an undulating road (not indicated on the map) via part of the Taman Negara (Nat. Park) and the shores of Lake Kenyir. During that time I camped in some wierd and wonderful places (oil palm plantations; abandoned road camp; with workers at a fairground under construction; and a perfect isolated spot on the lake). Since arriving at the East Coast I've discovered that there are many quiet beaches, so now I'm traveling at a snail's pace so I don't miss any good spots. I've also met a lot of friendly people around here, fishermen have given me fresh fish, and one morning the police brought me a t/a breakfast (I know some places where they would have told me to "move on" the pevious evening already). The other evening an old man from the nearby kampong (village) came to chat, and he gave me whatever small change he had on him (he didn't look particularly well-off, but the following am he returned and gave me more - hope he didn't rob his "piggy-bank"). Yesterday I turned down to see the beach at Kampong Kalong, close to the town of Cukai. There I met TM, who insisted that I camp in the shade on the beach opposite his "retirement cottage". The whole time I was there I received the "royal treatment". After a nice swim I could shower and do my long overdue laundry at TM's outside "bathroom". He gave me some fresh fish, and in the evening I got some rice which his wife cooked. I had a continuous supply of sweet perfumed tea, and last night a friend came around with a special type of sweet coconut which we consumed before bed-time. I could charge my camera batteries in TM's house and this morning I not only awoke to a pot of tea, but he'd been to town and brought back a whole plate full of tasty Malay food for breakfast. Here on the East Coast it is now supposed to be the rainy season, but fortunately I've had hardly any rain thus far. Incidently, last night when it started to drizzle TM's daughter came out with an umbrella for me. Daily distances cycled since Pangkor Island have been:- Teronoh 65 km; Cameron Highlands 65 km; Pos Mering 73 km; Gua Musang 64 km; Aning 60 km; Tasik Kenyir 81 km; Kuala Terrenganu 103 km; Dungun 91 km; Kemasik 50 km; and Kampong Kalong (Cukai) 27 km. Total distance cycled so far on this trip is 53 566 km. (Note - the pictures here of of sunrise, as opposed to sunset on the West coast).