Graham, I think that you're dead right. Someone always finds another 10 % to clobber you with.

Graham, the SCABB peloton bought fuel directly from a tanker parked outside a fuel station in Uzbekistan.

Thanks Florence, I'm powering on and look forward to seeing you soon. I'm pleased that you're enjoying the blog. Ian

Keep going Ian you are nearly there and we look forward to seeing you back in Canberra soon! The food in Singapore should help makeup for the food in Indonesia! We’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading your daily posts and the pictures have been amazing! Take care and travel safely for the remainder of the trip.

“The driver of a Pertamina fuel tanker was dispensing fuel into someone's 10 L container using a plastic hose. I smelled a rat. I suspect that Pertamina do too! There may be safety issues; I didn't notice if they were smoking!”

Several years ago, from the viewpoint an Indonesian bus window I saw kids draining small amounts fuel from a traffic jammed tanker’s outlet in front of our bus. I assumed it was residual volume of fuel caught between the main valve and the end cap.

But yes, the thought of an explosive conflagration caused by a spark in petrol in a traffic jam did cross my mind.

When Jane and I travelled northern India in the mid 80s, we met French people who’d been injured (one of them badly) when an LPG cylinder exploded near them in a market place.

The first baby steps of a Made in Indonesia Schwalbe tyre.

Jackie, thanks for your encouragement; I appreciate it. As I write, three young males have sat near me. They all light up and toss their garbage on the ground. This will make me do the remaining kms pretty fast.

Ian with 800km go, and well over 8000km done, this final stretch seems to be the equivalent of the GST component of the journey.
Just that added 10% to find tucked away somewhere in the energy account.

Good job keeping the spokes and wheel together. Hopefully that glitch is past history now.

Jackie, I agree entirely. Caring about the environment, strange as it seems, is a domain of the educated. What I see in Indonsia are millions of people with a poor education. I think that everything stems from this.

Dear Ian, you are doing a magnificent job of keeping us informed on your journey and we are very grateful for your blog and your photos.

I say only 800kms to go but that in no way diminishes your achievement. Your cheer squad back in Australia is cheering you on!

Wasn't Polynesia, from Dr Dolittle an African Grey Parrot?

He's so handsome! I love reptiles and iguanas in particular. I'm a bit concerned that he is in a cage and may be destined for something other than being someone's beloved pet.

In Prymont in Sydney, many years ago before the gentrification, CSR had a factory and often driving across the Pyrmont Bay Bridge, you could smell that sweet sickly catch in the back of the throat smells that I feel may be similar to all pervading smell from casava. Together with the smog and smoke, it must be truly unpleasant at times.

Thanks Daisy, I always knew them as Mother in law's tongue - sharper than a serpent's tooth, although that quote is not quite right. An ungrateful child is sharper than a serpent's tooth, according to the Bible

I guess when you are living hand to mouth, the complexities of thinking about the environment and the future become too insubstantial. Change has to happen from the bottom up as well as the top down, especially with five layers of government. It can't be imposed externally. I am learning so much for your journey Ian and the comments by Graham and Jeff. Thank you