Helmets and everything !

Thanks Graham, hope to get to Dumain in four days. That will be exciting. It seems to be that bit warmer here. I'm making no attempt to avoid the heat if the day.

Florence, yes, the natural forest has gone and, in return, there's a lot more menial work. I'm not sure that nothing lives in the plantations. A lot of epiphytes grow on the palms and it wouldn't surprise me if they provide a lot of habitat for smaller creatures. But things like orangutan and Sumatran tiger, to name just two, are all but gone. But let's be optimistic.......

Sumatra looks like it’s headed the same way as Malaysia! Nothing lives in those Palm plantations!

Well done Ian. Province by province, island by island you’ve crossed the improbable mix of cultures and regions called Indonesia.

I can't argue with much of what you say. But the issues I'm seeing all of the time - lack of cleaning, appalling painting, the most basic plumbing problems, failure to clean a/c filters, etc point to a total lack of pride in one's work. A ten year old - and I'm being conservative, would look at the painting and laugh. If you have a paintbrush in one hand and a cigarette in the other, how do you wipe up drops of paint? It seems that no one ever says, the rooms are shabby so let's scrub them and give them a coat of paint. Instead, you've got a bunch of workers, lying around smoking, who jump to attention when someone like me turns up.
The Maxone Hotel had a strong line against smoking and also had an environmental statement. It's the only place I've stayed that had floor tiles. Even so, it had a badly dripping tap.
Some countries take great pride in the way they do things. Indonesia is not one of them. That's not quite true. All over the country I have seen women being fastidious about sweeping up leaves.

Part of the reason (other than lack of trade training) for the high frequency of trade related faults, is that at any one time at least two million Indonesians are working overseas on short term contracts in many jobs, including the trades. eg the Petronas Twin Towers in KL were mostly built of Indonesia labourers and tradies. They are fearless on high rise constructions.

When Joe and I cycled around Taiwan we met many Indonesian workers and students, including an aeronautical engineer who explained why professionals such as he head OS for a while.

An interesting thing is that most Indonesian workers return home. There’s never been an Indonesian diaspora unlike those from Ireland, Scotland, India and China.

As you mention elsewhere in the blog Ian, I think you've nailed it with a combination of living hand to mouth and lack of education.

There's a bed here for you on your return Ian. I'll even organise a handful of cockroaches, if you'd like ?

I definitely prefer gastric nutrition Wal !

It does appear to have possibly been a varanid not too long ago.

John, exactly!! I just don't understand it because it suggests zero connection with the planet. Mind you, it's a common sight over much of the world. I have seen people clear garbage and then spread a picnic rug. Cora and I have watched a nun cross herself on the Mount of Olives, a dumping ground for all types of garbage. I cope by putting it on my blog.

John, thanks for your comments once again. Always enjoy them. Looking forward to catching up. Ian

John, it was ok; pleasnt cycling? No! You do have to keep your mind on the job, especially for the undertaking motorcycles. I'm sure there's a few joules in the smog.

John, no way, but people do - a bit like tips in America.