September 20, 2006
To Kalibaru: Noise increases
We decide to leave just a little later this morning so we can take advantage of the included breakfast. The coffee is very good, not as sludgy as in Bali. It turns out it is still only 6am, Java is one hour behind Bali time.
The road to Banyuwangi (means aromatic water) is busy yet the traffic flows smoothly. Trucks and buses pass everywhere, but they give us enough room on the edge of the road. We do a lot of gradual climbing today; our goal is the small town of Kalibaru that is higher on the slopes of Mt. Ruang. We don't get any view of the volcano though; clouds keep it obscured all day. The cloud cover makes riding more pleasant, it doesn't get as hot. We have a nice tailwind for a while, the road winds around and keeps climbing.
We see coffee plantations and all kinds of crops drying on tarps by the side of the road. Patrick stops frequently to take pictures of unusual sights: an ice cream man dressed in yellow on a bike with coolers and loudspeakers; bikes and mopeds piled high with grasses or large leaves; three wheeled bicycle rickshaws; men cutting logs by the side of the road; and school children. We see "Tambal" on tires as signs which mean "mend or patch". This reminds Rachel of Tambala, our kitty that was killed just a few weeks before we left on the trip.
We see several mosques under construction. It's not quite clear to us if this is during Ramadan. We can still buy food and most restaurants are open, but it seems to be more discreet. Four kilometers past Kalibaru, we stay at the hotel recommended in the LP. We don't get much of a discount (10%) but at about $16 the bungalow with a hot shower and TV is a great deal. We watch BBC world on TV: there was a coup in Thailand today, and take a swim in the nice pool, it is actually cold in the water. After riding and being immersed in Asian noise, it's nice to coup up in a comfortable room and relax. We can only deal with Asia for a part of the time.
The noise level in Java seems higher. The rickshaw bicycles are new from Bali and the scooters and bicycles are used more to transport goods than seen in Bali. The Muslim women wear tops and pants and only the head scarf covering their hair indicate that they are Muslim--they also drive scooters. Rachel thinks the traffic flows as it does because people actually pay attention to driving--unlike in America where people eat, put on make-up or talk on the cell phones while driving.
Patrick spotted a "modern Bakery" in one of the towns and stopped and bought 1/2 dozen donuts (which we enjoyed after checking into the hotel--along with a box of pasteurized milk). Each small town seems to specialize in some one thing--one was all motor scooters and bike parts; another metal pots, pans, woks and coffeepots.
One thing though it's good to find refuge from all the sounds--roaring motors, call to prayer, "Hallo", "What is your name?" "I love you", "How are you?" and be able to retreat to a hotel room.
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Today's ride: 74 km (46 miles)
Total: 358 km (222 miles)
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