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Itchy Feet "I am going because I would have no peace if I stayed" - Donald Crowhurst.

I'm never riding a motorbike EVER AGAIN

INDONESIA | Wednesday, 28 July 2010 | Views [2194] | Comments [5]

(and with my motorcycle history, i probably shouldn't.  ahem). 

"The journey not the arrival matters" - T.S. Eliot. 

Roads in Sumatra are notoriously horrendous & travel is so slow, so for our journey from Tangkahan to Bukit Lawang, we opted for a shortcut by motorbike (2hrs) instead of 5 hours by bus.  (we'd already done one epic bus journey with 80 people on a rusty airless cushionless bus plus more people on the roof).

Our motorbike seats were ludicrous & inadequately padded.  In Medan 10 days ago, Dave & i had been giggling about the Indonesian icecream container 'helmets'.  Well, we didn't even get one of those.  Dave's driver had a beanie for a helmet & my driver's helmet was a Gilligan hat.

Dave looked so funny in front of me, bouncing along on his unregisterable Honda with palm frond mudguard and brown slush stripe up his bum due to useless palm frond mudguard.  More fool me.  I had to eat his dust, his muddy splashes AND his fumes.

We rode thru a swarm of dragonflies, over the scariest, gappiest wooden bridges & copped 3 branch whips to the face.  Had 2 oncoming trucks with a tray full of people on OUR side of the road.  then WE were on the wrong side of the road, going around a corner coz the 'road' was 'smoother' on that side.  one kilometre of patchwork bitumen to end our journey.  heaven! 

We have arrived!  It's all about the journey huh TS?  On this occasion, i do NOT concur!

Motorbikes are bad.

Motorbikes are bad.

Tags: bad roads, bukit lawang, honda, indonesia, motorbike, motorcycle, road, roads, sumatra, tangkahan

Comments

1

I beleive the dragonflies saved you. What's a few branch slashes when you are still alive and having a great adventure by the sound of it. Mind you, after all the lectures I've had from Dave I do wish you had found a way of wearing your icecream container helmets. :) Mum x

  Trudy Jul 29, 2010 6:36 AM

2

Dragonflies
Symbolisms of the Dragonfly
Maturity and a Depth of character
The dragonfly, in almost every part of the world symbolizes change and change in the perspective of self realization; and the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life. Mum x

  Trudy Jul 29, 2010 6:45 AM

3

Stay on the bus.
By the way what happened after the monkey invasion? Would have liked to be a gecko on the wall

  georgie Jul 29, 2010 3:47 PM

4

so we should't ride a motor scooter round the Cook Islands where they DO obey the rules of the road!!!!!

  graham Aug 2, 2010 6:34 AM

5

Love the dragonfly symbolism mum. Beautiful & serendipitous!
George - the monkeys fled our room once they had a good look at us. Only stole one rubberband to chew on. Then we safely took photos of them through our window, while they frolicked on our verandah. Were you that gecko with the green circle pattern?
Graham - yeah ok. When in Rome! ;)

  adventurers Aug 3, 2010 4:15 PM

 

 

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