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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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were offered first, we are on the road again at 6:30.

Today we really start to get into the mountains south of Bandung. The road climbs to 1000 meters and curves between beautiful tea estates where harvesting is in full process.

Halfway we have to make a decision about our route. The idea was to turn of here and head east. But again clouds are rolling in from the north-west and we imagine that on the south coast we will find less monsoon (the rain might start later in the day) and the chance of getting stuck during a steep climb just when the water basin is opened, will be smaller. We are not making enough progress if we are stopped by rain everyday, we have another 1500 kilometres to go until Bali in four and a half weeks and we are in the peak of the monsoon. Great. Planning is out of the question, we just see how far we get everyday. We cycle on to the south coast and will follow the coast halfway, heading for the Dieng Plateau in Central java.

Tidak Jalan? (No road?)

(10/2/2004) One of our road maps shows very clear the terrain we are about to cycle (Nelles), the other shows more villages and roads (Periplus).

There is a nice road heading along the coast and we hope to reach Paneumpeuk in a day. The road is tarred, potholed, has some small steep climbs and beautiful scenery of rice fields along the coast. At 8:00 we have our first meal since breakfast existed out of cookies with coffee. Fresh fish and fried chicken with rice is a good filling for steep climbs.
Just after Cidaun we miss the turn off, or in other words, the main roads leads into the mountains rather than heading along the coast. It doesn't really matter because this road will head back to the coastal road in the end. If only this road wasn't so steep... after two kilometres we have to push the bicycles.

Java has 30 volcanoes (most of them active) which shape the countryside. ...