Indonesia 2000, Part 6

WEDNESDAY 28 JUNE

Took the 8:15am to Bandung, arriving about 3 hours later. Arranged to meet up with North Sumatera
and East Java II outside the Asia-Africa Conference museum at about 2pm. Went to check out the
museum at noon but it was closed. So went for walk around town when I suddenly saw Mustafa coming
out of an art-deco hotel with a very English sounding Dutch guy called Martin Horstink, with whom
I loosely planned to visit some hot springs the next day.

Parting from Mr. Horstink, Mustafa and I went to pray Zuhr at one of Bandung’s oldest mosques and
then returned to the Conference museum at about 1pm when it had reopened after lunch. Mustafa went
elsewhere but was to return at 2pm. 

The museum was pretty interesting. It told the story of the Asia-Africa conference of 1955 when 29
heads of states (that is, all the independent countries, bar one, of Asia and Africa at the time)
met up to talk about their common interests. Got a free book that contained the speeches of all
the heads of states. I haven’t read it but it should be interesting, even if a little out of date!

Met up with Mustafa, North Sumatera and East Java at about 2pm and went for a bite to eat. My
“nasi goreng dengan telur” (fried rice with eggs) for some reason had pieces of meat in it! The
meat-free take two was much better.

We then went trouser shopping for me again. (After leaving the Reebok in Maninjau I only had one
to wear as the one I’d bought in Jakarta was left for special occasions.) Bought a very good but
cheap multi-pocketed fake Gap.

Just before Maghrib we parted from Mustafa who headed for Cilimus. The three of us then went to
the Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB), one of the most prestigious universities in Indonesia.
Met more students there, of course, and most of them spoke good English so there was little reason
for me to practice my rudimentary Indonesian. Went out to a cultural show with some of these
students, including North Sumatera and East Java II of course. It was very interesting to say the
least but not really my cup of tea. But I’m really glad that I went, as it was a great way to
observe the way Indonesian youth like to have fun!

North Sumatera and East Java II were staying at their ex-dorms, already occupied with other
students. So I stayed with three other students in their student flat. Fell asleep watching the
France v Portugal Euro 2000 Semi-Final. It was 1-1 at the time.


THURSDAY 29 JUNE

Despite sleeping very very late woke up at a reasonable hour, 9am. Arranged to meet up with the
Jakarta friends at an Internet place near their ex-dorms. And so I thought. But there was a
misunderstanding over the cellular phone and they thought that I was to meet them at the dorms.
And so it was very late by the time we headed for the Tangkuban Perahu (Overturned Boat), a huge
volcanic crater 30km North of Bandung. 

On the way to the area we stopped for a great lunch in Lembung. I’ve talked about the problems I’d
been having with the lack of variety in the vegetarian selection but this was totally different –
there were too many to choose from and I chose too many unfortunately! 

The main crater of the park, the dormant Kawah Ratu, was good but not spectacular by any means.
The fact that we were driven up to the top, rather than walking up, was another reason for not
fully appreciating it, I’m sure. Such sites are always more rewarding when you’ve spent time and
effort in order to reach them.

We then hiked a km downhill to the rim of an active crater, Kawah Domas. This was more impressive
and quieter – we had it all to ourselves! A few minutes later we were on our way down through the
forest again. The hike to the road wasn’t long but at times we did wonder why it was talking so
long and whether we were lost! It was getting dark; we had no food or water, shelter or warm
clothing. I was thinking of Kerinci but we soon arrived at the road.
The things I was most looking forward to about the Tangkuban Perahu area were the hot springs. But
due to our late start, we didn’t have time unfortunately. Pity, as I’d never been to a hot spring
before. 

Anyway, we returned to Bandung about 7:30pm. I hadn’t been to the cinema in months, since leaving
London in fact, and after watching MI2 I think it might be a while before I feel like going again!
For those who haven’t seen it, it’s a movie, not a film. We all agreed!

(Nothing was open after the film, so we went to McDonald’s for dinner; I’m ashamed to say.)

Fancied a good night’s sleep so booked in to a youth hostel. But of course, I wasn’t to sleep
until 4:30am. From about midnight to 3am was talking to a Canadian (the first one from Calgary
that I’d ever met) and then Mr. Horstink of Holland came in with the sad news that the Netherlands
had lost their Euro 2000 Semi-Final clash with Italy on a penalty shoot-out. Damn!

Whilst in Bali, Winnipeg was advised not to go to Java, and especially not Jakarta, by other
travellers. What gave them the right to try and deny someone the splendours of Java, the Island
where most Indonesians live? They had no right! I certainly wouldn’t advise anybody not to go
anywhere in the world and be responsible for them missing out.

A lot of travellers have an irrational fear of Java and so skip it totally. Some people are still
under the impression that the May 1998 riots are still going on, it seemed! But that is
ridiculous! It may be true that it is slightly more dangerous than the other Islands of Indonesia
but it also has the most to offer. And besides, the ‘dangerous’ Java is I’m sure safer than the
‘safe’ England. It’s just that people in Indonesia (and other Asian countries) have a different
concept of danger than in the West. In Indonesia, danger is being pick-pocketed while in England
it would be a knife through the arteries, which would be unthinkable in Indonesia (normally).

I remember an uncle of mine in Jhigly, my home village, once saying that Sylhet town is very
dangerous as in some parts one can’t even leave one’s front doors open. Wow! That really is
dangerous!