Never underestimate Indonesia or 35kms.
We left Banda Aceh for the promise of a tropical island, with beaches and amazing snokelling. We got both however it wasn't the easiest of journeys.
All terminals in Indonesia are great places. We had 4hours at the port where we enjoyed great cheap food, conversations with the locals, cool drinks and laying in the cool breeze. Once refreshed we took the ferry to Puleh Weh.
Once at Puleh Weh we estimated 30kms of cycling with a few big (?) hills in the mix. If you did this 30kms on a nice evening or morning you would think it was probably one of the best rides ever - the roads were windy, brand new, smooth, technical and hilly. This is Indonesia and we didn't plan for being attacked by monkeys, crazy jungle heat, missing turnoffs and things that go bang in the night.
Monkey Punks - As we rode/walked up a massive climb we had to pass a tribe of monkeys. Similar to a group of hoodies in London they had not much better to do than try to mug us. One chased me teeth bared but retired as I kicked at it, this left Nancy to come past. Some Indonesian boys on motorbikes came past and volunteered their help by laughing. The monkey then attacked Nancy who responded by yelling at it and throwing her bike at it, needless to say, it quickly ran looking for easy prey!
Crazy Jungle Heat - The roads were perfect but they were also through the jungle, where the air doesn't move and it is hot. In a very short time I was dripping with sweat.
Missing Turnoffs - The 'towns' on this island are by the beach so you have to make obscure turns to find them. We didn't make any of them as the sign had been flattened (probably by monkeys).We ended up cycling to the end of Indonesia through the national park. At this point, due to the lack of hotels, we were starting to worry.
Things that Go Bang (scream, howl and scurry) in the Night - we ride a lot at night in the UK but it pales in comparison to riding at the night through the jungle. In 30 minutes we saw 4 wild boar (one massive, one dead, one running across my path), bats the size of buzzards and heard so many 'wild' sounds that I was truly scared. Luckily some Indonesian boys on a motor rode with us back to civilisation.
We fell into a guest house on an isolated tropical beach with snorkeling and swimming outside our room door. The only minor issue is that all the coral has been bleached so it is pretty grey in the ocean, though the fish are still very colour and plentiful.
We left Banda Aceh for the promise of a tropical island, with beaches and amazing snokelling. We got both however it wasn't the easiest of journeys.
All terminals in Indonesia are great places. We had 4hours at the port where we enjoyed great cheap food, conversations with the locals, cool drinks and laying in the cool breeze. Once refreshed we took the ferry to Puleh Weh.
Once at Puleh Weh we estimated 30kms of cycling with a few big (?) hills in the mix. If you did this 30kms on a nice evening or morning you would think it was probably one of the best rides ever - the roads were windy, brand new, smooth, technical and hilly. This is Indonesia and we didn't plan for being attacked by monkeys, crazy jungle heat, missing turnoffs and things that go bang in the night.
Monkey Punks - As we rode/walked up a massive climb we had to pass a tribe of monkeys. Similar to a group of hoodies in London they had not much better to do than try to mug us. One chased me teeth bared but retired as I kicked at it, this left Nancy to come past. Some Indonesian boys on motorbikes came past and volunteered their help by laughing. The monkey then attacked Nancy who responded by yelling at it and throwing her bike at it, needless to say, it quickly ran looking for easy prey!
Crazy Jungle Heat - The roads were perfect but they were also through the jungle, where the air doesn't move and it is hot. In a very short time I was dripping with sweat.
Missing Turnoffs - The 'towns' on this island are by the beach so you have to make obscure turns to find them. We didn't make any of them as the sign had been flattened (probably by monkeys).We ended up cycling to the end of Indonesia through the national park. At this point, due to the lack of hotels, we were starting to worry.
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| This picture doesn't convey anything of what we went through but you get the idea, Jungle, Hills, heat, Monkeys and hard work (but amazing quiet roads)... |
Things that Go Bang (scream, howl and scurry) in the Night - we ride a lot at night in the UK but it pales in comparison to riding at the night through the jungle. In 30 minutes we saw 4 wild boar (one massive, one dead, one running across my path), bats the size of buzzards and heard so many 'wild' sounds that I was truly scared. Luckily some Indonesian boys on a motor rode with us back to civilisation.
We fell into a guest house on an isolated tropical beach with snorkeling and swimming outside our room door. The only minor issue is that all the coral has been bleached so it is pretty grey in the ocean, though the fish are still very colour and plentiful.
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| Kindle time between swims. |
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| A 'make you jealous of our tropical island picture' |
If only the energy of monkey could be harnessed for propulsion, like a dog sled for the tropics.
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