Road trip to Singapore - Day 8

Continued from day 7.

Reference - exchange rates:
one pound approx Rp15,000
one US$ approx Rp10,000

Midnight, another food stop. I took on some noodles and water and had a walk around. Rp139,000 left, so I hope this ticket is genuine. When I got back to my seat, the mother had moved to another vacant seat and so lots more space. Just a pity he didn't move too, so that I could have my bed back.

Arrived at Bandar Lampung at 03:30 after a 34 hour ride. I checked with the driver, expecting to be transferred to another bus, but this bus was going on the RO-RO ferry and continuing on to Jakarta, so great news.

Food stop, so got out for a walk around. Now constipation is unheard of in Indonesia but today I really thought I was going to need a few stitches!

Bad news, remember the rip I heard from my shorts, in the angkot two days ago, well I just found it, just below my left cheek. Well, nothing I can do about that now, but as I was getting back on the bus and squeezing past another passenger in the isle, the rip caught on a seat arm rest and so the two inch mouse flap has now become a cat flap. Still, on the positive side, the ventilation is marvelous.

Arrived at bakuheni ferry port at 07:00. Drug enforcement police entered the bus and made a beeline for me. Not unusual, this has happened many times before and I was easily able to answer their twenty questions. I presented him my bag of sweaty T-shirts and mobile underpants, but he declined the generous offer. Smart guy, he knew I had been on the road for eight days. Passport returned and all was well.

This ferry had carpeted areas covered in plastic sheet for sleeping, so I puffed up my trusty pillow and caught a few more zeezz. Had a pot noodle and a cup of coffee for breakfast before boarding the bus at Merak. Oh yes, we're back in Java and that 4 egg omelet with my name on it, is beckoning.

Good progress was made, as the intercity roads are top class, but the roads become seriously jammed at the toll booths, cancelling out the advantage gained on the highways.

As we approached Jakarta, the driver called me to the front and stopped at a road junction and took me along to another bus heading for Bandung and paid the other driver my fare. Only hours to go now and feeling good, despite the cramped and tatty condition of my new mode of transport.

The bus was winding its way through a series of kampungs (villages), picking up and dropping off passengers, rather than taking the express highway. This was disappointing as it was going to add hours to the journey, but he did eventually hit the highway.

I asked if he could drop me at the Pasteur toll, but the bus was taking a different route into Bandung and it was painful to see the Pasteur turnoff pass by. This probably meant that I was going to have to pay more money to get from the bus terminal to home, but I had it covered.

As we got closer, the driver remembered my request and dropped me at a crossroads, pointing to a line of angkutan kotas (local bus service), thankyou kindly sir, more money saving potential. This was going to be the final adventure, I hadn't done angkots for many years and I didn't have a clue where I was. Bandung is a massive city with a population of three million.

The angkot driver understood my destination and I secured the front seat. This is the way to see the city and all its life. Bandung is a massive hive of activity with all the different food stalls and exhaust repairs, radiator shops, welding shops and just about anything you could imagine shops.

The driver took me from nowhere to somewhere else. I paid Rp3,000 and went to the next angkot that he pointed out to me. This one was going to Ciwaruga which was my home area but he was turning in the other direction. We emerged from a side road and bingo, I recognized my street, what a stroke of luck.

Now only a mile from home, I boarded a final angkot which dropped me at my front door. My neighbor, Benny and the security guard greeted me warmly with big smiles and hand shakes. So good to be home.

Now clean shaven and belly bursting full, lying down on my soft bed, time for a final reflection. What has the trip meant to me and did I learn anything:

Well, I have always wondered about this backpacking lark, so I guess I can cross that one off my bucket list.

I learned that you can only really appreciate the good times after you have experienced the really bad times.

I learned that rich or poor, no matter what a persons background is, they deserve your respect. If you want respect back then you have to make an effort and earn it. Doesn't have to be a big deal; be polite, hold a door, say thank you, help with a bag, offer your seat etc. just the simple stuff can make a difference. Never look down on anyone, treat everyone as your equal because they are your equal.

I learned that the things that drive western society; the new car, two holidays a year, that expensive jewelry watch, 46" plasma TV and all the rest of it, all nonsense. Be grateful for your health, your kids, the food on the table, a comfortable nights sleep, good friends and maybe someone to share your life with. These are the things that matter.

Respect to those people who go backpacking, the only true way to witness the world. I learned that I am too old for this shit and I will be flying next time.

I hope you have enjoyed taking this journey with me. Depressing at times but as real as it gets. I am sure I will be coming back to this diary many times in the future and now I will be able to re-live every moment in great detail, something that I have never been able to do before, so thank you blip world for this valuable gift.

Dave