Unforgettable JAVA – Mafia Games & Chuck Norris!

Today I was not going to be a pawn in their game of corruption! I had a strategy; avoid eye contact at all cost, best to look busy whilst walking off the ferry, do not stop to engage!  Remember to look confident, not like a newbie backpacker!  

We had learnt on the traveller’s grapevine that the taxi mafia at Ketapang was aggressive. There was no escaping it, we were going to be hustled the moment we stepped off the ferry. The more naive we looked the greater the cost.  Travelling to Java by ferry was a long established rite of passage for many backpackers, the more convenient journey was by plane.  This was not an option for us, flying did not fit into our budget.  If taking the ferry was our rite of passage then so be it.  I wanted my badge of honour!

Little did we know, it wasn’t the ferry journey across the Bali Strait or the taxi mafia that required nerves of steel, it was the Bemos ride from Pemuteran to the ferry terminal in Gilimanuk. It was by sheer miracle we arrived safely, how those steel death traps on wheels stay on the road is beyond me. Overcrowded and with no windows, broken seats and torn upholstery – thankfully minus the chickens today – we tried to convince each other this was what adventure was all about.  Speeding down the road the driver appeared oblivious to the knocks and clunks coming from the undercarriage.  Locals hopped on and off glancing towards us without an offer of a friendly smile or greeting.  Whilst the journey was insanely risky by Western standards, this is how the locals travel in Bali. Wanting an authentic experience we took the risk and once again we felt really proud that we had given it a go – another little victory!

A quick google search on Java and we discovered we were on our way to the most populated island on Earth.  Not our usual choice of destination, in fact the opposite, we usually try and avoid people!

My strategy paid off; from out of nowhere an assertive and confident woman appeared, she surprised the heck of me, she walked off that ferry and straight through the crowd on a mission.  Nobody was going to get in her way, she wasn’t going to be hustled today.  I hardly recognized myself!

Instantly we felt the vibe in Java to be different to Bali.  Everything that had become familiar and predictable had vanished; we were in the deep end once again.

Your first wake up at 4:30 am in the morning from the ‘call to pray’ is a shocking experience and more shocking is the realization that this is a daily ritual. Pre-dawn every day the call to prayer is pumped through loud speakers at the local mosque, it’s a brutal wake up for the inexperienced traveller.

Jami Great Mosque Malang

As a couple of casually dressed Aussies with fair complexions in a predominately Muslim population, we stood out like a sore thumb.  The attention we received was totally unexpected.  The stares were deliberate and persistent. Not in an aggressive manner, more a curious and inquiring way.  The dress code was obviously different here for women and I found myself suddenly under dressed.   No more shorts and sleeveless tops, some forward planning and research may have helped us on this occasion.

Our train trip to Malang served the purpose of traveling cheaply and safely in the direction of Yogyakarta.  I wasn’t prepared to risk my life twice in one week by jumping on another local bus.  Arriving in Malang we made a deliberate b-line away from the Mosque in the centre of town hopeful of a better night sleep.

It’s a eureka moment when you find accommodation that ticks all the boxes;  a welcoming host, squeaky clean rooms, big comfortable bed and a hot shower.  The moments of total bliss – feeling completely safe and comfortable have been few and far between. Some time to soothe our brittle nerves was much-needed, I was not leaving my room in a hurry!

With a new enthusiasm we took to the streets of Malang, we had been told about the water gardens in the city square (Alun-Alun) and the imposing Mosque nearby was a welcomed sight in the light of day.  We noticed many women in the square were wearing a burka. We had become use to Indonesian women wearing head scarfs or a Hijab but the burka was something new.  It made me feel uneasy, my ignorance was shamefully showing, I was sure you could see fear all over my face.

Breaking the mood in an instant a young guy bounded up to us, in the distance I could see his friends giggling and staring.  With the biggest smile and geeky grin the young man walked up to Richard and in perfect English said, ‘Chuck Norris, can I have a photo with you’.  We burst into laughter and after some overly enthusiastic handshaking and the obligatory photo we sat down together and chatted.  We spoke about Australia’s snakes and spiders, his family, our family and politics.  Then he dropped the bomb shell question ‘are you scared of Terrorists here in this country’?  Suddenly I felt agitated and nervous, I did not want to be drawn into a conversation about Terrorism. We wrapped that conversation up quickly, said our goodbyes and moved on.

Chuck Norris

Not sure what happened but it was almost as though the word had spread through Java, ‘Chuck Norris was in town’!  The attention came at us from everywhere; people driving by honking their horns and waving, shouts from across the street, passers-by smiling and pointing, and groups of school children giggling.  Chuck Norris made quite the impression, the hysteria was comforting, it made us feel strangely welcome.

Arriving at Yogyakarta train station, with butterflies in my stomach, unsure about our next adventure, we disembark the train and aimlessly followed the crowd. Distracted and struggling with our fully laden backpacks we unknowingly stumble into Maliboro St – that was a mistake!  We must have looked every bit the Newbie Backpackers that we felt.  Maliboro St is a famous shopping precinct with hordes of tenacious vendors crammed up both sides of the street.  The road is over crowded with cars, rickshaws and horse-drawn carts, there is very little space for pedestrians.  As a couple of Westerners carrying backpacks and looking hopelessly lost we were the perfect target for scammers. I’m pretty sure we met most of them that day and their acting skills were first class.  The best we have come across so far. Well dressed and with perfect English, scammers have made a solid living out of unsuspecting tourists like us.

Hook, line and sinker we took the bait and wandered off with the nice person to see a batik exhibition that was closing today, we didn’t want to miss out as this was the last opportunity to see it.  Down a dark alleyway we followed him, up a narrow staircase into a smelly and cluttered room. We trustingly accepted a weird brew of herbal tea, whilst sipping our drinks our new friend disappeared from the room.  Left alone we inspected the room and started to feel uneasy – what were we thinking – what would our kids say!  Suddenly from behind a curtain someone new appeared and a long winded spiel on batik began, it was a hard sell that included a demonstration on how batik is created.  We politely explained we didn’t have money to buy art, he worked hard on us but eventually gave up and angrily walked away leaving us there.  Quickly we gathered up our things and left.

Rickshaw Driver

We learn something new about ourselves every day on this adventure.  I love the thrill and trepidation of arriving in a new place and absorbing the hundreds of details surrounding us that elevate our consciousness!

Highlights of Malang

Mount Bromo – East of Malang and boarded by Savanna grasslands and a stunning black Sea of Sand.  Mt Bromo is an impressive active volcano that last erupted in 2011.  We walked to the crater rim and peered into the murky depths.  The sulphur gases were chocking and quickly forced us back.  Our jeep tour to this region also included a visit to Pelangi Waterfall and surrounding market gardens.  Helios Transport

Mount Bromo

Highlights of Yogyakarta

Two of the world’s most revered ancient monuments from the 9^th century are not to be missed when visiting Yogyakarta. In fact Prambanan and Borobudur are both so extraordinary, every traveller to Indonesia should make the journey.  We were not prepared for the enormity or antiquity of these temples.  Visiting these sites were WOW moments, with Goosebumps, that we will never forget.

Prambanan  UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 8th & 9th Century – Prambanan is the largest complex of Hindu Temples in Indonesia. Extensive restoration works have been ongoing since the early 1900’s.

Prambanan Temple Complex

Borobudur UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 9th century. Borobudur Complex is one of the world’s largest Buddhist temple sites. Comprising of 3 monuments and situated in a beautiful valley, the view from the top tier is breathtaking.

Borobudur Temple Complex

Much of the damage at both sites has been from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Great care has been taken in maintaining authenticity in the restoration and we were in awe of the pain staking work that is ongoing.