East Kalimantan

On the  tough days the camera often gets neglected so the good days get priority. It creates a biased view to a certain extent. There have been moments where this seems impossible. Have I bitten off more  than I can chew? That’s why every  great moment needs to be celebrated and the negative  thoughts quashed.

Arriving at the Java Sea Coast was one such moment. I felt a connection with the sea  where I have spent so much of my life. A  beautiful tropical coast palm trees and endless sandy beach. The only thing stopping me jumping in was the murky brown water for kilometres out. Indonesian fishing boats crammed every river, hauled up on rich red mud flats.

The sea coast gave way to flat rice paddies, then a climb back into hill country. 3000 kilometres clicked over on the  odometer. I arrived at Sungai Kupang looking for the only guest house. A helpful local guided me a few doors down, arranged a room and helped me with my bags then departed leaving me with a gristly kiss on each cheek.

My status as the only foreign traveller was broken when Chris, an Australian archeologist interrupted my durian icecream slurping to introduce himself. I discovered that the surrounding hills were riddled with natural (caves) and he was about to start digging  with an Indonesian research team.

For the next couple of days I was winding my way through a fairy land of pinnacles cloaked in deep jungle which spread its fronds to shade my path. Unfortunately the pinnacles started joining up to provide some grunty climbs.  A day of hard climbing extended when my target Google maps guesthouse didn’t exist. However that did land me in the interesting town  of  Tanah Grogot where I was able  to vary  my  diet  with  a burger.​

The hills I had been riding through contain massive  coal deposits. Although  I had glimpses  of huge mining operations,  it wasn’t until I was crossing on the Balikpapan ferry that the hundreds of huge  coal barges revealed the vast extent. I am now preparing  for my northern equator crossing with a rest day  in Samarinda.

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Two delightful “kelapa jus” (coconut juice) sellers above and below managed a lot of Indo/English fun banter and I ended up with 2 free juices

My days banana supplier insisted on showing me his collection of Dayak and ancient Borneo artifacs

Huge coal mining pit turned into a lake

Passing ferry as my ferry arrives at Balikpapan

Java Sea coast

Followed by rice paddies

Through the cave riddled pinnacle country

Leaving Panajam on the ferry across to Balikpapan