Nusa Tenggara Barat – Sumbawa and Lombok

23 July 2012

July 18th – 22nd

As I was waiting for the sun to go down last night, I was watching an episode of “The Sopranos” on my laptop, with the window down. So within minutes, a couple of truckies stood next to the car, and watched the movie with me. But as the plot thickened, well as much as there is a plot in a TV series anyways, so as the video progressed, nudity became more and more present. And since pornography and any form of nudity are strictly forbidden in Indonesia, I thought it was best to keep the screening for myself. So, I paused the video, got out of the car, and slammed the door shut…on my finger. Ooooh f** me, Jesus f**ing Christ on a stick, that f**ing hurts. I suddenly realised, while my finger was still caught in the door, that I had locked it, not just closed it, but actually locked the door.

Quickly with my free hand I checked my pockets to find the keys then saw they were on the ignition, on the other side of the car (I was sitting in the passenger seat for more leg room). So, there I was, finger in the door, blood all over, with the door locked and no way to get to the keys. Well there’s only one thing to do in that situation: swear. In English, in French, in any language I could think of. Then I clenched my teeth, pulled really hard and the finger came free, but I left the nail in the door.

I think the fingertip is broken, it doesn’t look good anyway, but there’s nothing I can do on a broken finger, just disinfect the wound, wrap it tight, and let it heal. But fark it hurts like a bitch!

I barely slept that night, with the pain, the heat, the mosquitoes and the muezzin at 4AM. Then the sun came up and it was time to buy the ticket for the ferry, then board and hope for a nap on the way. As I disembarked in Sape, on Sumbawa, a couple of hours later, I saw a Komodo dragon cross the street. Awesome, now I’ve seen everything.

A quick refuel then I found a quiet campspot by the side of the road, near Rupe, on the southern side of the island. I shared my dinner with a dozen monkeys, and then re-dressed my wound, as it hasn’t stopped bleeding yet.
Coffee this morning is welcomed, then I hit the road. Since my visa is so short, I decided to skip Sumbawa and head to Lombok as soon as possible. The GPS says there is only five hours drive to Poto Tano, which really means seven. I can do that, it’s only 8AM. Off I went, back to the main road and straight West. By 4PM, I reached the port and boarded straight away, there is a ferry every 45 minutes so it’s pretty straightforward. Brake light is blinking on the dash, could it mean the fluid level is getting critically low ?

Four hours later, I got to Labuhan Lombok and had a quick dinner in a warung (local restaurant with basic menu such as rice or noodles or soup) managed by two elderly ladies, very kind and generous. They asked me all sorts of questions as I ate; mie goreng, ayam and telur (fried noodles, chicken and egg).

I headed South first then drove uphill, towards the volcano. It’s the second highest volcano in Indonesia, and though the trek up to the top and return takes five days, the road to it and the view is supposedly spectacular. But it’s 10PM, there isn’t much to see, and it’s not easy to find a quiet spot to park the car. I just pulled over wherever I thought would be quiet enough and went to sleep.

The next day, as I was getting ready for a shower since there was a river next to where I parked, a couple of villagers came by, to check on their crop. After all, I’d just parked next to a cabbage field, and I was standing less than 2meters from their latest production. Soon after they’d left, I had just five minutes to get my shower done, then an old man, about 300 year old, came up as well, walking with his dozen cows and driving them upstream. Close call, I’d just finished showering, talk about privacy…

The drive up to the volcano took me through a very winding road, and wow, the view from the top was just magnificent. It’s freezing up there, with the wind and the early hours of the day, but it’s well worth the drive. The volcano overlooks the whole valley, and the colourful mosques just give a superb look to the scenery. Down the other way, towards the north coast, I see the brakes light keeps coming on more and more often. Sweet, from above 2000m elevation to zero, in less than 20km, with the brake fluid level lower than ever, this is going to be an interesting drive.

Well I made it, but it’s really time I do something about the brakes this time. I’ll find some in Denpasar in Bali, it’s certainly cheaper than in Lombok.

As I stopped on the way down to Mataram on the West coast, I stopped at the Sendang Gila waterfalls, hoping to catch some great pictures. Three Canadian girls were visiting the place at the same time, and their driver came up to me asking questions about the car. We chatted for a while then he spontaneously invited me to his place, to meet his family and share lunch with him. I kindly accepted and after dropping off the three tourists he introduced me to his wife and two daughters. Agus has been to Holland a few times to work as a waiter, then came back to Indonesia with enough cash to build a house, and finance his daughters’ education, Junita, 14 and Janita, 8. He now runs a “taksi” business and drives tourists around Lombok, and is the property manager for a Dutch villa up the road. His wife, Ewan, cooks for the European family when they come on holidays.

So we spent the evening talking and sharing ideas about the world. Earlier in the afternoon, I went to get Troopy a good scrub as tomorrow, the windows are being tinted, to finally give me the privacy I was looking for since Perth (remember Pete and Andrea’s place ? come on reader, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already).

This morning, July 21st, is the first day of Ramadan. Agus and his family woke up at 4AM for the single meal of the day till sunset, and then got breakfast ready for me. I was a bit embarrassed to eat alone in front of them, but they assured me they didn’t mind. The great thing about Ramadan is that people are supposed to be as quiet as possible during the day, meaning no loud music, no horn, no shouting, just a very quiet city for a change. This is a bliss!

They are however allowed to work, so Troopy got her windows blackened. To think that I got quoted 600 dollars in Melbourne to do this, and paid just 35 dollars here, reminds me Western countries are really spoiled.

It was time to part already, so Agus and I said our goodbyes and promised each other to meet again. He’s been so kind and generous, it really shows the Indonesian hospitality isn’t a myth. Terima kasih banyak Agus.

I reached the quiet little port of Bangsal, and left Troopy for the night, as I was heading to see my friend Jessica on Gili Trawangan. The Gili island are three little islands off the North-West coast of Lombok, famous for their laid back atmosphere. Neither island have either cars or motorbike, so the small boats going in and out the shores are the only engine sounds you’ll ever hear over there. Jessica and I met in 2007, in the “Cercle des Voyageurs” where I was cheffing. Her sister was waitressing with my sister, Emilie, and we shared a few drinks about Australia where she’d just been for a few months. Later on, she moved to Indonesia and has been pretty much living on Gili Trawangan ever since. We hadn’t seen each other since that time, so it was great to meet again.

She runs a losmen and a warung (a homestay and a restaurant) while her four year old daughter runs around and plays with the customers. Luckily it’s Ramadan so we’ve got all day to catch up, as restaurants are closed for a month.
With no cars or bikes, and horse powered carts the only transportation means, the island has a “time has stopped” feel to it. There are only 300 residents, and while the majority of the thousand tourists crowd the beaches and the shores, once you go inland, behind the fuzz and the funk of the tourism industry, it’s all quiet and relaxed. Flowers, banana trees, mango trees, palm trees, the odd chicken, a couple of kids on a bicycle, and that’s it. It’s a very nice break in my driving actually.

Good luck Jessica, she actually opens the warung next week so it’s still planning and preparation days, but I’m sure she’ll do great.
Sadly it’s time to go already, it’s been really great to catch up with her, but I have to get to Bali before I get to Jawa and Sumatra.

Km to-day: 800km, total: 23208km.