John’s Jakarta

It was a very full week.
 
 

I got into Jakarta late and tired Saturday night (2/4/2023), delighted to see Google tick over to the last 50km left to my destination.  Almost there!  So I thought.  I paid no attention to the 3 hour time Google quoted – clearly that was just a quirk, an error.  And even if that’s the typical time to navigate Jakarta, I’m on a bike and can weave through the traffic.  Right?  Wrong!  3 hours is exactly what it took to get 50km through Jakarta’s Saturday evening traffic.  “Parking lot” doesn’t do it justice.  It would have been ok if I was fresh with few kilometres on the day’s odometer.  But I’d been riding a long while already, so this was hard going.  My clutch and brake were in constant use; so much so that I was a bit concerned my fingers would run out of oomph at just the wrong time and cause a tumble.

But it was all ok.  A bit stressful.  Hard work.  But uneventful.  John met me to escort the last kilometre or so to his home.  I was very glad to get my bike gear off and my feet up.  I was too focused on the traffic to take photos through Jakarta, but the ride from the south coast had some beautiful moments:

I am very grateful for John’s hospitality and help through the week.  He’s trundled all over West Jakarta to show me some of the history and interesting sites, to help me with a Visa extension, to purchase trip accessories like the absolutely essential water bladder to replace the broken original, to find the best repair shop for the bike and transport me to and from it several times.  And on it goes.  John’s family have been so generous with their home.  And stuffed me so full of food I won’t need to eat again until June.
I I took a “Grab” scooter taxi to collect my bike from the repair shop.  When all was sorted, I gave a friendly “beep” of a goodbye.  Except nothing happened.  Hmmm.  No horn?  That’s a worry in Asian traffic.  Arvin’s team pulled the bike apart again and spent another hour trying to work it out.  No joy.  We ruled out a whole bunch of stuff, but didn’t rule in anything helpful.  In the end Arvin declared we’d need the tech that reads the bike’s computer to understand the error and problem.  Arvin doesn’t have that tech.  Several of his friends said perhaps they could help… on Saturday.  One said they could provide the reader the next day.
 

That all still left me with quite a problem, as my timing is now tight to get to the Malaysia ferry before the Muslim New Year shuts the port down for 10 days.  So further delays in Jakarta are not on my Christmas wish list.

 

Arvin very graciously kept at the problem when I left last night.  And even found a friend who said he had the computer reader and would work through the night to find and fix the problem.  Wow.  That’s amazing.

 

I texted 7am, but I think that might have been a touch early and didn’t get a response.  (Apologies, Arvin!)  I tried again at 9am, and only learned that Arvin didn’t yet have an update himself.  By around 11am John, Arvin and I were discussing what “plan b” might look like.  I didn’t much like the idea of bypassing the original horn and circuitry and building a secondary system with a separate switch.  Felt a bit hodge-podge.  But what alternative did I have?  A day further delay here could spell a fortnight delay into Malaysia, just when I’m hoping to pick up the pace.

 
Anyway I was just contemplating these scenarios when word came through.  And it was a good word.  Bike fixed!  Ready.  It’s kinda funny in the end.  Simply dirt in the horn connector.  Just needed a bit of a clean.  I’m not sure how the pull-it-apart-and-put-it-back-together approach didn’t resolve that the day before, but a clean got it all working again today.  Very grateful.
I got back to John’s (after somehow getting lost on the way) early afternoon today.  I packed, showered, and took off towards Sumatra.  John kindly led me through some of Jakarta’s traffic.  Although following Google feels like it might have been easier, as keeping up with John felt like it needed the skill of Anakin Skywalker.  I lost him just as he was going to leave me to it.  Thanks to WhatsApp’s location tracker, Google Maps, and a bit of patience, we got that sorted.  And then it was a prompt goodbye and I chased my Turn-By-Turn directions rather than John’s Honda “Africa Twin”.
 
 
John’s helpful kindness hasn’t ended yet.  He reached out across the biker network, and has organised Azis to meet me here in Merak on Java’s west coast.  Azis organised the ferry ticket, joined me for a quick local bite of dinner, and escorted me until I was on the boat.
 
I’m now expecting to meet another John acquaintance, Juli, when I roll off this ferry.  He has found me a hotel and promised to escort me there.  I’m sure I’d be fine with my own web search and map navigation, but it is nice to be looked after.  The whole route through to the Malaysia ferry has been mapped out for me in much more detail than I normally chart my own course.
 
Once again the “brotherhood of adventure riders” has welcomed a stranger, and showered with help and care.  It really is overwhelming.
 
Thank you John and family!  Thank you Azis, Juli, and the others who have invested so much in making my trip safe, fun and successful.  I can’t really thank you properly, but I can promise to pay it forward.  For the next adventure rider that crosses my path.
 
Now… for Sumatra, and the last of the Indonesian islands on my ride.  John’s schedule says I need to be up at 6 tomorrow, so I’ll hit the sack as soon as I get to my accomodation tonight.  Catch you on the other side!

2 Comments

  • Lindsay McMillan

    You have certainly found some amazing friends

    • Yes! While the stunning scenery has been a joy, it has been people every day of the week that has been the highlight of the trip. I hope I have left behind a small fraction of the blessing they have been to me.

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