Monday 30th October

During breakfast I noticed a huge number of motorbikes zipping along the main road carrying massive long tapered bamboo poles, and when I say massive we’re talking like 10m massive!! Yesterday we also saw a lot of similar such poles being erected at the front of many entrances. Turns out that tomorrow is the start of a ten-day Hindu festival called Galungan, where the locals celebrate the return of Balinese gods and ancestors, who bring victory of good (dharma) over evil (adharma).  

Locals place a tall bamboo pole, called a penjor, on the right hand side of their entrance and decorate it with palm leaves and flowers.  Every Hindu in Bali must make and put this in front of their houses during Galungan. Elaborate penjors are usually a sign of wealth. They are incredibly intricate looking, simply stunning. Roughly halfway down the pole a knitted bamboo leaf box (sanggah cucuk) is attached, this is used to place offerings in. These structures are an expression of gratitude for the bliss and prosperity granted to the homeowners by the gods.

We checked out of Tri Jaya and waved goodbye to Amy and Jess; although as it happens we may cross paths again very soon, in Ubud next week. For now though they are heading off to Lovina and we are going to Java.  Jumped into our minibus and made our way to the ferry at Gilimanuk. I loved all the penjors we spotted along the way. One had incredible detail at the top of the penjor of a bamboo stickman family, two adults and two children and a steam engine train. Very impressive!!!

The 30 minute ferry ride crossing the Bali Strait to Ketapang ferry port in East Java cost us 40c! They run every 15 minutes 24 hours a day. The upstairs deck was seated and had lots of little stalls around the sides that were selling knick knack items like t-shirts, hats, plastic toys, sweets and jewellery. Robin and Jenny spent a bit of time perusing each stall; making small purchases to the delight of the vendors.

As soon as we left the ferry terminal via the pedestrian exit Tony and Geoff were approached by a tout trying to get us to take his bemo (small minibus) to our accommodation. We were easy targets, had no idea how much to demand for the 3km journey. 20,000 IDR each I hear you said sir, that equates to about €1.25. So you are getting €8.75 for a 7 minute drive (was a bit longer because of traffic). That’s daylight robbery, we’re being fleeced, but it’s €1.25 each people! €1.25!! So we didn’t quibble or haggle and demand a better rate. Utter soft touches.

Anyway, the driver led us towards his rickety bemo which already contained three local ladies in the back and an elderly lady in the passenger seat. The driver gestured expressively and attempted to eject the ladies from the minibus. He actually shooed them out of it like!!! They argued with him emphatically, their exasperated sighs were deafening, but the driver was having none of it. Oh. My. God. I was mortified!! We all just stood stock still and gaped at the situation. Meanwhile the driver acted like nothing was out of the ordinary and beckoned us to ‘come on, come on, get in’. We all stayed rooted to the spot looking embarrassed and horrified. We actually started to look around to see if there was another option. “No, no” we said, gesturing towards the ladies, trying to let him know we didn’t want to jump the queue. Again, he was having none of it, he was not going to lose this fine fare. So the locals gathered their shopping bags and left the bus. The disapproving glares were only unreal. I mean honestly if looks could kill, the grandmother would have me buried ten feet under (alive). We all shuffled awkwardly on our feet, looked downcast, apologising profusely to the women, but they simply passed us with an annoyed resignation that that was the way it worked over there. I have never felt so uncomfortable in all my travels. Rich Westerners booting poor locals outta their transport. Just recounting it now has me shaking my head at the treatment.

It was too early to check-in, our rooms were not yet ready, so we grabbed lunch and drank in the stunning surroundings. We are staying at the Ketapang Indah hotel and it is very plush. Tri Jaya was lovely, a basic guesthouse with 9 rooms, but this is a different beast altogether. There are 101 rooms, landscaped gardens, a pool on the grounds (finally!), buffet breakfast, massage rooms. To say it’s a wee bit more upscale is a bit of an understatement. We are staying here for two nights, then off to Sukamade Beach in search of turtles.

I’m staying in a deluxe room and it is very pretty. The bathroom again has an open air section, however at least this one is covered in a fine mesh, so no insects should be able to penetrate it. Went for a quick dip in the pool, delicious way to curb the heat of the day. At 4:30pm I made my way back to the room to get a bit of sleep. We are climbing Ijen Volcano tonight and being picked up at midnight.    

Dinner was had at 8:30pm. Fettuccine Carbonara – fuelling up on the old carbs. Tony told us of how after just falling asleep at 5:30pm he got a phone call from reception saying that our tour guide was in the foyer to deliver a safety briefing. Tony asked if he could come to the room. On opening the door, the guide realised that a rough Tony had been sleeping (or at least trying to), and became profusely apologetic. “No matter.” said Tony “Hit me with the briefing so I can get back to sleep”. Cue a wee bit of cringe as the guide simply said “Masks and flashlight are provided”. Mic drop!

I would have loved to have seen Tony’s face at that moment. I bet it was quite the picture. I mean there was no need for the poor lad to call around personally to deliver that message. A quick email would have conveyed it – and it’s not like that was new information, the reason we booked with this particular crowd was because they were the only ones to offer masks and flashlights... (facepalm!!!!) So funny! I can only imagine that the young guide did have a big rigmarole speech that he usually gives, but condensed it down dramatically on seeing an impatient Tony.

After dinner went back to the room to rest for an hour and prep my walking bag. Water. Bug spray. Water. Buff. Water. Hoodie.   Met in the hotel foyer at 23:40 and was introduced to our guide, Rian. We would be travelling to Ijen in two Cheverlot 4WD jeeps.  Let’s go...