"We will help you," the lady at the front desk that speaks some English said. We make the decision to get to Jakarta and take a Pelnai Boat to Padang Sumatra, to skip southern Sumatra. She called and found the schedule for boats, one leaves Oct 12th and we need to be in Jakarta to buy the ticket. There are six First class openings left.

When you are on a holiday, one expects and hope to have all good days. When a traveler, one learns there will be good days and bad days. The past week or so have been bad only because we don't feel well. Today would have been one of the good days if we were feeling strong. We need a few good days of cycling.

The roads are quieter, as we are on smaller back roads seeing the countryside. We get to Serang and check into the hotel around 09:00am. We wash then rest. Rachel is better, yesterday was tough on Patrick and has taken its toll on him today.

Now, we need to arrange transport to Jakarta. We take a rental car with a driver (who would want to drive in Indonesia?) for tomorrow at 0800. Our hopes that a week in Jakarta we will recover. We both have coughs and still no appetites. The highlands of Northern Sumatra will be cooler and hopefully our appetites will return. Rachel is ready to be done with Indonesia, we've even discussed going home but will give it to Bangkok for the final decision. Like Rachel's rule when she was cycling alone in New Zealand. When wanting to call it quits, wait a week and if she still felt that way, then it would be time to go home. That rule never evoked. 

We are cyclists touring who are unable to cycle.