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Jakarta to Dieng Plateau Central Java
Dieng plateau on Central Java to Bali

INDONESIA

Mar
2004-09-14 16:42:50

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in between two small villages and on the flat lands of Central Java. No big touristy attraction because it is rather of the road for bus-tourists. I can see the fume already from a distance. “There it is, look”. As we get closer we can actually see where the fumes are coming from. We keep a distance of about a hundred meters (that’s where the pavement stops abruptly) but can clearly spot a bubble as big as two meters that builds up and explodes every minute. Never seen anything more fascinating than this funny mud bubble coming straight from earth.
The reds, oranges, whites and non-existents

On my map I have four types of roads, the red ones (main roads), orange (minor roads), white (other) and the ones that are in reality non-existent. The last two categories of roads are similar, either you will find yourself on a smooth asphalted road with nice scenery, surrounded by forests or rice paddies, or you will find yourself on a stony dirt track. Big possibility also that you find yourself looking for the road that was never there. Still we choose as many white roads as possible to avoid the hectic of the reds and oranges. The reds and oranges are two-lanes big and are used by all variations of transport at all sorts of speed. Public transport over these roads is a phenomenon itself, either from within the bus or from your bicycle. Somebody is using the claxon heavily behind me and from the sound I conclude it is a larger type of bus. Since I am cycling in the middle of the lane and there’s a lot of traffic on the other side, the bus has to wait to pass me. I cross my fingers knowing that a lot of accidents happen on the Javanese roads caused by busses. On the other lane I can see that a minibus is on his way to pass a motorcycle. The minibus is already halfway using my lane. I cross my fingers again, the touring bus behind me is now even more irritated and let me know by using the claxon again and again. I don’t dare looking behind me. The ...