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There was a very tragic ferry sinking on a deep volcanic lake on Sumatra this week on a passenger ferry with at least 200 people and dozens of motorcycles on a boat that is supposed to have 50 passengers only. This is probably why they are being some careful to see your ID and your vehicle registration today.
We made friends with one of the terminal agents who spoke English well. He suggested we eat at the sketchy looking kiosk inside and actually the food was pretty good. So we got some packets of rice and noodle to go for dinner. (we did not yet know that the ticket included “meals”. He also says the ferry will leave at about 7 ish. About 3 Dan went on board to see if he could get one of the crew to rent us their cabin….no luck, but they did let us have first dibs on the nonsmoking bunk room. They also let us board the ship at 4 while they were still unloading all the banana trucks. This meant we could tuck in beside the front loader at the rear. We could tie down to it and to the hold on the deck. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1826/...963582c4_b.jpgSulawesi-116 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/842/4...497e1d66_b.jpgSulawesi-117 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The bananas are being unloaded from the trucks and stacked on both sides of the deck (filling the 2 emergency exits at the rear). There was also stacks of boxes of mangos and cabbages. Then they loaded on 4 big trucks and lashed them to the ceiling. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1782/...f3d0e861_b.jpgSulawesi-108 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1781/...326fa34e_b.jpgSulawesi-109 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/914/4...25b0d70f_b.jpgSulawesi-110 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1828/...1dd9bf34_b.jpgSulawesi-111 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1829/...a9f9c1ec_b.jpgSulawesi-112 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/921/4...efb730d1_b.jpgSulawesi-113 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/847/4...2493ffa9_b.jpgSulawesi-114 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/847/4...f7bc7426_b.jpgSulawesi-115 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr There were also about 6 cars and 2 smaller trucks one filled with goat and one with cows. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/847/4...389286fe_b.jpgSulawesi-120 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1765/...221c7dc5_b.jpgSulawesi-121 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The last to load were about 20 scooters. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/842/4...412fa1c4_b.jpgSulawesi-119 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Inside the nonsmoking bunk room we got the 2 upper bunks in front of the tiny air con unit on the side the farthest from the bathroom. This saved us literally. This is a 1000 sq foot room with 44 bunks most with more than 1 person. This seemed ok when we boarded at 4 and not so much by 6 when we left. There were about 30 screaming kids, several people with blue tooth speakers (that boom boomed all night long, and several kids with gaming systems (bling bling). Ear plugs and Gravol saved me.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1810/...a145c5ac_b.jpgSulawesi-118 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/844/4...4bd7aca9_b.jpgSulawesi-122 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/834/4...28c9b819_b.jpgSulawesi-123 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/921/4...2aaa3734_b.jpg7F35282E-D8A3-482B-938F-B4AF65C9E8CF by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1767/...793d64a5_b.jpg61188F51-2AF6-41F2-BF82-5466E3BDA2EC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We finally got to sleep after 10 when most of the crying kids were asleep. We managed to get some rest on and off until just after 6 when the sun was up. Now we still have 12 hours to go. It is incredible how people can behave so badly. Let me tell you it was a challenge. It is amazing when there is such wide spread lack respect for others and the environment. They drop their garbage on the floor or throw it into the sea, play their own music at high volume day or night, and leave garbage in the bathroom drain so that the water is flooding. People are “showering” with the water from the squat toilet cistern for 10 minutes in the only toilet for 60 in our section. |
We were surprised to find out that our tickets also included meals such as they are.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1829/...5ae1046c_b.jpgSulawesi-124 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This is our last long Indonesian ferry and we are so happy. We finally could see Borneo about 3.30, but we are moving so slowly and the dock is way around the bay that we did not dock until after 6. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/919/4...89d6db40_b.jpgIMG_2997 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/915/4...dc4d1406_b.jpgSulawesi-125 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/917/4...126a75a4_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1769/...307f4cb2_b.jpgFILE8127 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We had reserved at a hotel in town about 11 km away. The cars are pretty ok, but the scooter drivers here are quite aggressive and a bit suicidal. The traffic is bumper to bumper all the way. Wow do we smell and need a shower! We checked in and did not leave the room. |
Just noticed a sticker of you guys here in Tajikistan :D
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How cool! are you going west or east?? SP |
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We unloaded and were happy to find a much more calm and orderly driving pattern here and there is very little traffic.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1766/...1983bce8_b.jpgFILE8223 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1783/...57baf365_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1762/...aa1b8663_b.jpgFILE8243 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We are trying to get 261 km (Google said 6 hr) to Mabuun, but it is already 1130 so we shall have to see. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/837/2...658bb4de_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-25 at 22.45.09 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1781/...2c043ab9_b.jpgFILE8254 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The terrain varies from curvy mountain roads to flatter and more straight roads. There is some traffic, but it is much better than we expected. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/842/4...909acf23_b.jpgFILE8268 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1825/...4fbfc96e_b.jpgFILE8279 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had an about 20 min down pour and got soaked. When it got worse we took shelter with some other riders in a roadside shelter.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1781/...f2f24009_b.jpgFILE8327 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/923/2...57e0f5e1_b.jpgFILE8411 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr When we set out again it was still sprinkling , but soon it was sunny again and then 5 min later we had another short heavy rain and hid out at a store. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/922/4...2006b299_b.jpgFILE8738 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1830/...00170a05_b.jpgFILE8756 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/921/4...7ca0c8f0_b.jpgFILE8554 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr About half way today we also got maps back since the Malaysia maps tiles overlap here! When it started to rain again we donned our suits and then it really started to pour! https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1763/...ca3fba93_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1785/...4c7613ff_b.jpgFILE0022 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Then of course 20 minute later it stopped. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1827/...49ba2e1a_b.jpgFILE0036 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1770/...b9fd1fcc_b.jpgFILE0233 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/922/4...c498a25d_b.jpgFILE0620 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The next town with services is 37 km away and so we headed for it! We were cold and tired and wet from our first soaking without the over suits. We managed to find a nice western style hotel =hot shower comfy bed 4 pillows! It is the small things in life that make us so happy. It has now stopped raining, but we elected to have a burger in the hotel. It was nice to have some food from home that tasted like it was from home! Also Sara thinks one of the sneezing coughing crying rug rats on the ferry gave her their disease as she is not feeling well. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1790/...13f68f9e_b.jpgBorneo by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Today we have a big km day for riding in Indonesia, but Goolge says we can make the 324 km in 7 hours to Palangka Raya!!
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1827/...3d07976e_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-27 at 15.24.46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Sara is feeling terrible with a head cold coming on. Setting out the sky was dark and cloudy, but they are very high clouds and for the most part today we were dry. Leaving the city the road is curvy and narrow and there is a fair amount of traffic and so slow going. It is also Durrian season and most of the villages have stalls selling the and so it smelly like stinky feet everywhere. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/920/4...e4db3938_b.jpgFILE0399 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1826/...09dda98e_b.jpgFILE0402 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We gassed up as they had Petromax (92) and were trapped there by a number of people wanting photos! It is getting a bit tiresome as they can be very demanding, want 10 different shots, and we are dying in the heat and humidity. This is a tiny taste of what famous people have to deal with and I see why they go nuts.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1766/...1de0ba1f_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1790/...31943696_b.jpgFILE0423 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Snack shop! https://farm1.staticflickr.com/927/4...4127f1a1_b.jpgFILE0446 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The first 150 hr to Buntok took us 3 hours (there is also a time change for central Kalimantan), but we got lucky with almost no other vehicles, straight good road, and very little rain for the last 172 km as we did that in 2 hours.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1783/...cfc62963_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-26 at 17.14.03 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1790/...ec51be00_b.jpgBorneo-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Good thing as Sara was barely hanging on. There are no services on the last stretch of 172 km except the occasional lean to shack selling gas in plastic pop bottles to the scooter riders and pop and chips. This road is here to serve the mining camps in the region. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/844/2...fd5ff54f_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-27 at 15.24.12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1788/...c5d769a2_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1765/...9e4f4876_b.jpgFILE0482 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1802/...0b7fac89_b.jpgFILE0488 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1804/...4117fea5_b.jpgFILE0490 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1823/...d87bc6f0_b.jpgFILE0497 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The temperature was much better today with the clouds at 26-27 until after 1300 and for the last hour it was 34.We did stop half way to check the oil and unlike yesterday the 650 still read FULL!!!! YEAH. We did get an about 3 min of a massive down pour, but this was a good soaking to keep us cool as the sun was out right after. Poor Sara was in bad shape when we found the hotel and dragged herself directly to bed. |
Today we have planned a short 222 km day (4 hours) since it is that to Sampit or do the entire 455 km ( 9 hours) to Pangkalanbuun. No way in Indonesia even on a good day.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1763/...d5bab686_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-27 at 15.25.23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Was a good thing as Sara barely made it that far. We had cloudy and sun and it was a cooler 28. There is a bit more traffic here with quite a few trucks, but the drivers are courteous and signal for you to pass. We checked the oil at the gas station in town and both were full and also when we checked 2 hours later. PHEW! There is not much traffic in town as it is a national holiday today. The hotel is just past the town on the main road going on to Pangkalanbunn and so we will have an easy exit tomorrow.…. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/835/2...59a19fa4_b.jpgFILE0510 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Well Sara did not leave the room for 36 hours and was quite ill with cough and very high fever. The hotel staff was super nice they even sent her up a fruit platter and bottles of water in the afternoon to make sure she ate something. The first night here was very rough and she was unable to get up to leave. We booked in here another night and the hotel we had booked in Pangkalanbunn moved our reservation. We had booked ahead as we wanted a place where we could leave the bikes for 3 days when we go on a houseboat trip to see the Orangutans. |
Sara finally today is a little better at least well enough to ride and we set out for the 235 km (almost 5 hour) trip to Pangkalanbunn.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1803/...62bd8b59_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-27 at 15.25.54 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We got gas and checked the oil (still good) and hit the road. It seemed like a long day with the traffic and stopping several times to put on /take off rain gear or hide out a downpour. We had to put the rain jackets back on with 50 km to go, but it only rained for about half of it. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/927/4...cd2d9b53_b.jpgBorneo-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1807/...36eccd5e_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1782/...48a783b9_b.jpgFILE0548 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Arriving at the hotel Sara hit the bed. The hotel arranged for a travel agent to come to us so we could discuss options for going into the national park to see the Orangutang. The boats leave from nearby Kumai port and usually the trips are 2-3 days. We chose a 2 night 3 day trip on a traditional wooden klotok which is about 15 metres long. The forecast is a bit dismal, but this is the rain forest right. |
We were picked up at 10 am by car and delivered to the boat launch in Kumai. The crew of 4 will take care of us including our guide Anwar, Captain Ali, his mate and the cook.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1821/...827a7d77_b.jpgBorneo-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1802/...a92c48e8_b.jpgBorneo-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The boat has a western style toilet and an on demand hot water shower. We will sleep on the deck on a queen sized bed that they set up with a mosquito net at night. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1821/...ca03f5df_b.jpgBorneo-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/923/2...3dd03c01_b.jpgIMG_3034 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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