Graham, I'll be in Java in the next couple of hours. Contemplating the route but I want to go to Yogya. Ian

Another island crossed already?
I’m one island arrears in donations.
It’s seems as if it was only a few days since you arrived in Bali.

Ian I agree it would be true that smoking costs the state more in countries and times if/when the government adequately funded the public health system.

However if governments (and corporations) also push the costs of health care and illness back onto the individual, the economic cost vs benefits change.

“Smoke Ring. The Politics of Tobacco” (1984) by Peter Taylor is an interesting read.

I’m not suggesting that we older cycle tourists take up smoking to be more patriotic; just delving into the reasons why tobacco advertising & smoking are still so shockingly prevalent in countries like Indonesia and China.

Thanks Joel; you back in Canberra? Ian

Ian, terrific to hear all the stories. Even better to hear of your recent good food, the appearance of other cyclists and lux accommodation. The scenery is superb and, as usual, you are making interesting new friends, all well deserved.

Graham, I'm not sure that what you say is correct. For heavy smokers that may be true. But for moderate smokers, I think you might find that they miss far more work and are a burden to the health system. Robin is perhaps the person to ask.

Thatcherite era economists praised tobacco.

It has numerous positive features from an economic perspective. It’s highly addictive, generates enormous profits and easy-to-collect taxes, doesn’t affect worker’s productivity much during their peak years, but kills most of them before they become a cost to the aged care system.

We non-smokers (especially cycling non-smokers) really are freeloading, unpatriotic bludgers on the economy.

Graham, Sure, there is but it's the tourist's responsibility to have a visa. The reason for not going to an immigration office is that they take your passport for a few days. It's simpler to fly out and fly back in. But, there's no excuse for them not getting the website working - test, test and test again, in different places, different browsers, different internet speeds. Ian

Well done Cora on the visa process.

If that hadn’t worked, is there an office, consulate or border post in Denpasar which could physically issue a visa? Surely there must be numerous other tourists who lose access to phones and accounts.

When I was taking groups to Java, we’d fly from Sydney via Denpasar airport where the passport control & customs stuff was done fairly efficiently, then we’d catch a domestic flight to Jakarta.

He knocked a scooter over which almost cost the rider his foot. Fortunately medical care averted that and cash and a Sumatran ceremony atoned.

My Scottish friend swears by hot stune massages.

Yes, wading through motorcycles is one thing, but cars vastly magnify congestion.

More likely queuing for the Gili Is.

I remember the queue to dock from my ferry trip from north Bali to East Java. The other part of our party diverted when their ferry captain chased a whale.

My only Indonesian ferry experience was on the Java to Lampung (southern Sumatra) ferry; the first time I took a group of 30 people to Bandar Lampung. In about 2016. I only did it once. Never again. All subsequent Java-Sumatra crossings were on Garuda.

By contrast, I found the Javanese rail service to be very good. Especially from Jakarta to Yogya. The same service runs through to Surabaya.