Off to East Java
Today we take the train from Yogyarta to Surabaya. We have booked executive class, because with a 5 hour drive and a rather exhausting tour, which awaits us on East Java, we still need some comfort. The ride is quiet and relaxed and we indulge in our favourite activity, the nap. At the window stations, rice fields and small villages pass and in between there are also places where one sees nothing but dense greenery, the beautiful side of Indonesia.
At the station in Surabaya we meet Alfan, with whom I booked the Bromo and Ijen tour. He briefly explains some important things for our Bromo tour and then releases us with our new driver Adi. Unfortunately we can only half understand, because in the background the Big Ben song keeps ringing to announce an arriving or departing train and it seems that trains are arriving or departing all the time. What I do understand, however, is that the entrance fee for Bromo is quite expensive. But if we don’t want official tickets, there’s someone who knows somebody who can get us unofficial tickets for less money. That’s all right with me, we’ve had that before. Since he has other customers to take care of himself, he has sent us his best driver. Well, that wasn’t the plan. But anyway, we’ll get in the car and get acquainted with Adi.
Adi is a cute guy, but unfortunately she doesn’t speak English at all, which doesn’t necessarily simplify our communication with each other. To break the ice he speaks to us in sign language, with both hands and of course while driving. Then he shows us some pictures of his family trip to Bromo, besides, he almost runs over a moped driver and then honks annoyingly. What allows this savage to overtake us while we are discussing the family history.
Then he has some Whats App messages to answer on his private mobile phone and he can answer calls on the business phone at the same time. A true all-rounder. Maybe Mirko should start showing him his own family snapshots at the same time.
In the next hour Mirko makes it his task to entertain our driver in Indonesian and so a mobile phone is always handed back and forth to ensure the communication via google translate. Maybe not the smartest idea Mirko ever had, but at least we can talk now. When we are about 1 hour on the way we get into an unbelievably long traffic jam. Nothing moves anymore unless you just drive past the trucks on the left and then ride in again further ahead. Even if it doesn’t really help us, we do it anyway. Finally, I would like to remind you of rule no. 1 in road traffic: it is always overtaken, no matter when, no matter how and especially in traffic jams.
After so much driving we all need a break and at least the Europeans are hungry again. What a strange coincidence. Our understanding with Adi is getting better and better. On the one hand because google Translate is running hot and on the other hand because Adi and I are now Facebook friends and we can send each other funny smileys. Who knew Facebook would be so useful in my life? Adi’s really funny. Even if we can’t really talk to each other, his broad grin makes me laugh. At each break he sits crossways in a chair, dangles both legs over the backrest and his smile reaches from one ear to the other. That’s what I call true international understanding.
After 6 hours driving it gets dark and we still haven’t reached our destination. We drive for another hour along the unlit serpentine road. If we were very tired just a second ago, everyone in the safari car is now wide awake and ready to wake our driver when he should fall asleep. Maybe it is a good thing that it is already dark, so we don’t even have to see if we are still on the road or already driving down the slope. An hour later we finally reach our hostel in the mountains and I can’t wait to get to bed. Up here it is quite cool and Adi is almost freezing to death, wrapped in a thick jacket and Sarong he stands clattering at 19 degrees in front of the hostel and I somehow dawn that he won’t get much sleep tonight. Of course, with a view of an 8‑hour drive the following day, this is not necessarily the best insight of the day.
As it turns out later I should be right with my assumption, because Adi has no room, but sleeps in the car. Uh, what? I would like to have a well-rested driver who takes me to my destination as safely as possible and not one who has to spend the night in the car because his boss does not pay for a room. I’ll change this circumstance very quickly, that’s for sure.
Continue: Volcano Bromo