Motorcycle Journeys

[Joko]

I was quite happy with the roads leading out of Purwokerto heading towards Bandung. Indonesia Highway 3 is a remarkable road for several hundred kilometers there in Central Java. Well paved. No potholes. And most impressively, very wide for a two lane highway. As I tend to be faster than most of the other vehicles, having ample room to pass is kinda nice.

Then I got to Bandung.

I've lived and driven in Bangkok and Yangon. I've driven motorbikes all over SE Asia. I drove in Jakarta just a week before getting to Bandung. But, my God, I've never experienced traffic quite like that. I think more than anything, it was the mass of motorbikes. How they took over the oncoming lane of traffic so organically. I couldn't imagine trying to drive a car in Banding. You'd never get anywhere.

 

[Jaime C]

I was quite happy with the roads leading out of Purwokerto heading towards Bandung. Indonesia Highway 3 is a remarkable road for several hundred kilometers there in Central Java. Well paved. No potholes. And most impressively, very wide for a two lane highway. As I tend to be faster than most of the other vehicles, having ample room to pass is kinda nice.

Then I got to Bandung.

I've lived and driven in Bangkok and Yangon. I've driven motorbikes all over SE Asia. I drove in Jakarta just a week before getting to Bandung. But, my God, I've never experienced traffic quite like that. I think more than anything, it was the mass of motorbikes. How they took over the oncoming lane of traffic so organically. I couldn't imagine trying to drive a car in Banding. You'd never get anywhere.

Yeah, no crap. I try not to go out on the weekends in Bandung at all. Plus they had some Olympic style games here, so traffic is worse than normal.

 

[Bad_azz]

Yeah, no crap. I try not to go out on the weekends in Bandung at all. Plus they had some Olympic style games here, so traffic is worse than normal.

And some of those games just happen to be taking part at the bottom of the road from us in one of the stadiums.
Last night coming back home from PVJ, the traffic was so bad that I went into FK U mode , and just kept going forward yelling F*ck you, F*ck You & F*ck you too!!! at everyone to get in my path- like a demon with Tourette's... but you know what- it worked- bikes coming at me head on dipped out of my way. Hubby curled up into a dithering mess behind me & we made it home in less than an hour.
& I enjoyed it !

 

[Jaime C]

And some of those games just happen to be taking part at the bottom of the road from us in one of the stadiums.
Last night coming back home from PVJ, the traffic was so bad that I went into FK U mode , and just kept going forward yelling F*ck you, F*ck You & F*ck you too!!! at everyone to get in my path- like a demon with Tourette's... but you know what- it worked- bikes coming at me head on dipped out of my way. Hubby curled up into a dithering mess behind me & we made it home in less than an hour.
& I enjoyed it !

Oh, if only you had a helmet cam with sound.

Just imagine how long it would take us in a car.

 

[Bad_azz]

Oh, if only you had a helmet cam with sound.

Just imagine how long it would take us in a car.

This is why I just don't want a car here- I love the scooter, wish I had had one years ago- I have missed out on so much fun- but not so sure I would feel safe on one in the UK, small winding roads and speeding juggernauts- the splats aren't pretty.

I'm still giggling at yesterday's exploits on the bike- and yeah, had I had a cam with sound I doubt I would have been permitted to post it on the board- maybe in The Cage

 

[Joko]

I got my stuff strapped down and was ready to head to the Casa de Bad_Azz

I was met by puppies...

And a nephew....

We struck out into the highlands surrounding Bandung...

And found ourselves on some tiny back roads

Eventually, we found a local who went out of his way to lead us to our destination (the main road was closed)

Here, have some smokes. (He refused)

Bad_Azz showed me the secret Chinese cemetery.

But we kinda got lost trying to make our way back down the hill. Eventually, another local told us "If you go that way, you'll only end up coming back this way.."

Here's the video. Please watch.

 

[Puspawarna]

Love it! For a moment I almost had a heart attack, though, because I thought I saw Bad_azz riding off without a helmet. But I think she just put it on after the camera turned away - she is wearing it later in the video.

The music you select always adds a stimulating atmosphere. Have you thought about using any Indonesian music to accompany your videos? Of course, one issue with that might be getting the style right - for those in the know, it would be a little silly to have Balinese gamelan accompanying a video from Sunda. But there's plenty of stuff out there that might go well with footage of roads going by.

 

[jstar]

In this case, the Stones made sense though...

 

[Puspawarna]

In this case, the Stones made sense though...

Oh, I approve of the musical choices in all of Joko's videos that I have watched (I haven't seen all of them, but have watched several). But as a promoter of Indonesian music, I just had to make that suggestion

 

[Bad_azz]

I should have taken Mr J to Saung Angklung Udjo- then the Indonesian music would have been very apt.As it was I dragged him off to a big Stoners gig
& yep the first bit- I did set off without a helmet- just to go up the hill I am naughty [DON'T DO THIS AT HOME , KIDS] & don't always bother- especially if I just washed my hair- I will head down the lane a bit until it is proper dry- then put on the helmet.
Sadly the views etc were a bit stiffed by the rain coming in but it was delightful to meet joko and we had a whole lot of chattering going on.

Funny listening to my rubbish bhs Indonesia with a Yorks accent- not something I notice until I hear it on tape.

The place that features most in that video is a Chinese cemetery that is MASSIVE it covers almost all of that hill- and I find it a poignant place to visit- all the graffiti and neglect of these pieces of real estate that are worth billions of IDR for each plot.
It kinda shows the dreams of the after-life versus the reality.
I also find it interesting on a socio-cultural level- Bandung is a vast majority Muslim population, most of that cemetery is Christian or other religion- and to see the graffiti and neglect when compared to the clean, tidy , graffitti-free muslim cemeteries tells its own little story.

** and to clarify- we kinda got lost because the main road up to the cemetery was closed for repairs and we had to find an alternative route out. As I said the place is massive, it has a village in the middle of it & a football field- as the guy in the video was telling us we had to head out past the football field.
The hard bit was finding the little road- one that didn't end in a "dead-end" haha made me giggle when the lil roads ended at a mausoleum(?- sorry I dunno what to call the places- not graves as apparently there are no dead bodies there- just ashes) & Joko would say "another dead-end" - in a cemetery. (I have such a simple sense of humour - the old ones are the best)

 

[Puspawarna]

I should have taken Mr J to Saung Angklung Udjo- then the Indonesian music would have been very apt.

You haven't actually visited that, have you? Actually, it's almost all western music played on anklung....

 

[Joko]

:::Have you thought about using any Indonesian music to accompany your videos?:::

JJJ Part 6: Ujung Genteng to Pangandaran featured Indonesian pop music... Bordering on dangdut.

Part Three of this journey was set to Iwan Fals' haunting tune "Okay, Tuhan"

:::Sadly the views etc were a bit stiffed by the rain coming in:::

And the fact that the restaurant had run out of beer. That sucked.

:::Funny listening to my rubbish bhs Indonesia with a Yorks accent- not something I notice until I hear it on tape.:::

Not to criticize, but I noticed the same thing... TerimaKAHsih BanYAK... heh heh.

:::all the graffiti:::

You made a point of that while we were there, and I didn't really understand. When I reviewed it on video, I can see what you mean. So much graffiti on any and every wall or pillar. Disgraceful. XTC? That was a 90's trance band.


;::I dragged him off to a big Stoners gig :::

That's the next video.

 

[Puspawarna]

^^ See, that's why I made it clear I haven't watched 100% of the videos - I thought you might have put some Indonesian music into ones I haven't watched. (It's also possible I noted approvingly at the time that there was Indonesian music, and then later forgot. All the soundtracks I remember hearing were upbeat Western pop.)

 

[Bad_azz]

Pusp- I visited... In so much as i have been inside- but not when any playing was going on. (shudder)

& Joko hahaha no offence at all makes me laugh.
& XTC - gangsters. Bad boys - tag everything- pathetic really- I have seen them in their shirts at gigs and crawling all over me for selfies and shit like that- I think Hells Angels of the '70s have little to fear in badassness from XTC.


"That's the next video."
I can't wait to see that lol- was a good night with some really nice guitar stuff going on.

 

[Bad_azz]

& HELL NOOOO, Shame on me that I take my friend to a place for a beer and they have no sodding beer, no Guinness , no alcohol of any kind at all... but the juice was nice

 

[Joko]

The blog in which details my time in Bandung is now up. I invite you to check it out.

Leaving Amerika

 

[Bad_azz]

 

[Joko]

I think Bad Azz's husband shows up somewhere in this video...

 

[Wisnu]

BA, your bahasa indonesia is not bad

 

[Bad_azz]

BA, your bahasa indonesia is not bad

Haha thanks for those kind words, it is enough to get by, but not good either.

My problem is that most people want to talk to me in English or the family /friends who lapse into Sundanese all the time- so although "immersed" I am not really immersed.
& somewhere along the way I lost the keen motivation to learn more... so I just pick things up slowly now.