Day 128 - I know how to make it tough - Unfinished Business

September 5, 2023

Day 128 - I know how to make it tough

Time was always going to be tight this morning. Breakfast starts at 6 am and I need to be at the ferry at 6.30. Thus. I planned to get up early enough to have a shower and pack my bike, which is outside near security, with three of four panniers left in place. I would then go to breakfast and gorge myself for 20 minutes, before a quick sprint through potholes to the ferry.

All went to plan. As expected, I woke before the alarm - 20 minutes before - and turned it off. I had a leisurely shower and then looked at my watch. It was 6.15, not 5.15! I had managed to set the wrong time on my alarm! I grabbed my things, gave the room a quick scan, bolted downstairs, checked out, loaded my bike and rode 2 km to the ferry, arriving at 6.30. I bought a ticket, wheeled my bike on board, which was manually lowered into a hold, and slumped into seat 126. I may have missed the ferry, if not for my exploratory trip to the port last night. I guess that you make your own luck.

The Batam fast ferry; it needs to be because Batam is a long way - 163 nm.

My loaded bike was lowered to this fellow, who stumbled but held the catch.

It's a gloomy tropical day, as always. I can do nothing but relax and stare across the cabin and out through a hazy window to a monochrome seascape. Black islands and a brownish sea race past below a bright grey sky.

We just made our first stop. All the vendors raced on - of course they did. I scored a nasi goreng, but it wasn't until a few minutes later that I realised I missed the prize. Others had purchased little tubs of durian. There's things that I will miss about this place; the smell of durian in a confined space is one.

More islands stuck their heads out of the gloom; more ports came and went with frightening efficiency.

I spent much of the trip getting my diary up to date using the blog and various notes. I found time also to investigate ferries to Singapore, of which there's a couple of options, with different departure and arrival points.

Apart from the highlight of catching up with Cora, a journalist and photographer from The Straits Times will be there. They suggested I get the ferry to Tanah Merah. I began the process of booking online and discovered that I needed to give 72 hours notice of my bicycle. I rushed off a message and got a quick reply; all is good for tomorrow. After my experiences of online visas in Indonesia, I feared this process and was certain that it would fail. I found, however, a seamless booking system and so, at 9.20 am tomorrow, I will jump on the final boat of my trip for the short journey from Batam to Singapore. I might add that it costs roughly the same as today’s eight hour blast.

Anything I found on the web suggested that no boats go all the way from Dumai to Batam and so I expected to change. That didn't happen, and right on 3 pm we docked at Sekupang, Batam. It took a little time to get my bike from the hold. I then grabbed some water and nasty kJ for the cycle to Batam Central, from where my boat leaves tomorrow.

I got the impression on the ride that Batam was an Indonesia-Singapore hybrid, with a strong lean towards the former. The roads are better than I'm used to, while the signage is good if you have binoculars and 180 degree vision. Later, while walking around, I realised that I was on a footpath and not about to plunge into a sewer. And now, I remember blasting downhill towards the port and setting off some red light cameras - very Singaporean. I had just enough time to wave.

So, let me continue with this Batam-Singapore contrast.

Very Indonesian; it makes me feel homesick.

Very Indonesian. Rome wasn't built in a day but this place may well have been.

Classic Indonesia. If you want WELCOME then light up the WEL. Otherwise, do away with the WEL and just have COME.

I'll leave a few for the final exam.

And from my hotel room - wallpaper.

I'm up there on the 7th if you're nearby.

But, the absolute crackers, again from my hotel room, are the power points. Unlike any I have seen in Indonesia, they have an earth. You won't be able to insert the standard two-pin Indonesian plug unless you poke something into the earth socket. They supply a suitable metal object.

I headed out for food to curb my ferocious hunger. Maccas. Burger King, Dominoes and Greasy Chicken from the South, were just around the corner and so I headed in the opposite direction. I spotted a place with no room to move and got myself a fish soup, plate of vegetables, rice and mango juice. It was all very tasty.

I then worked the streets looking for interesting images while blowing off rupiah.

I've enjoyed the street art - probably not Singaporean.

This says a lot to me - large double doors and the essential motorcycle ramp.

I've had a bit and made a bit on this trip.

Tomorrow Singapore! I'll enjoy my first drink in a long while. Have I even had one in Indonesia other than Coffee Kartika?

Today's ride: 33 km (20 miles)
Total: 9,603 km (5,963 miles)

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John GrantI was thinking that you'd mentioned "beer" a bit lately Wal. I'll make sure I've got something in the fridge.
G'day Cora !
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7 months ago

Ian DouglasWe discovered there’s a function room at the Dairy Flat brewery: Graham and I had a craft beer there while a Canberran showed a movie of his Tour Divide feat from Banff to Mexico. You can probably get AI to do in-betweening to turn a selection of stills into a motion picture.
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7 months ago

Ian WallisTo Ian DouglasIan, thanks for all of your contributions. I might turn my stills over to you and sit back over a craft beer. Ian
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7 months ago