Hitchhiking Java..
On 2nd September I arrived in Ketapang, the ferry from Gilimanuk took 45 min or so and cost me around 60 cents. Happy to be in Java i start to walk out of the city. Lots of motorbikes. Hitchhiking went slow in the beginning but it didnt really matter, walking in the sun, talking to people on the way, smiling, laughing! I get a couple of rides, I were heading to Jember to meet up with the hitchhiker Taylor. I get one long ride with a man who has a small ice-milk factory in his home, i get a plastic bag full of ice-milk (yeah ice-milk, tasting funny and icey-milkey) I get snacks from another driver and I must refuse another one. I've eaten to much sweets in one day. Finally making it to Jember i meet up with Taylor at the central square(we were lucky there was a central square) We sleep in the park that night.

Taylor and wood

Volcanic adventures and sketchy car accident

Going down in a car from the beautiful Mt. Bromo the breaks of the car stop working. The road is narrow, steep and curvy. Its me and Taylor, 4 indonesian guys heading for a hiking trip. Our driver try to use the handbrake when both breaks fails but we're going to fast for the handbrake to work.. Slaloming a bit, keeping the car on the road(not to go down the steep hill on the right side) Our driver has no choice but to crash into the mud-wall on our left side. Despite no seatbelts all of us were allright, the car is a bit smashed but not to seriously. We get help from a passing car, changing tyre and a lift down the mountain. No hiking on Mt.Bromo that night.. After a long day of walking and hitching we sleep well outside a shop(or was it a house) in a small village.Perhaps 2/3 from top of Merapi

We continue hitching west.. many nice rides, sometimes in cars sometimes going in small trucks filled with bricks, wood and plants. Some drivers spoke a bit English some didn't. Over cold mountains, beautiful scenery's meeting with good people everywhere. Finally we make it to Merapi, an active volcano(not close to as boiling as Mt.Yasur in Vanuatu thou) close to Yogyakarta. We arrive in the evening to Selo, starting point for hiking Merapi. Asking to set up a tent in a front yard of a house we are invited to sleep on a carpet in the house. Next morning we head out to reach the top of Merapi, takes us a few hours(we take special, extra exciting path involving climpbing and losing the path) The last bit, summit, is the hardest, steep and lots of rocks and ash. Finally up we enjoy a gorgeous view and noodles with a special tomato relish made by an Australian real man(inside joke).Taylor n clouds n top Merapi
Taylor n Henrik on top (photo taylor)

That day hitchhiking is slow down the mountain and we end up in a city with the funny name Blablak. There we find shelter and sleep in an indoor badminton court. Next day Taylor head north to hitch to Bogor for a wedding and i south towards Yogyakarta. Few hours walking before getting a ride(overlapping villages, loads of buses,minibuses). Finally arrive in Yogya and arrive to a couchsurfer Taylor were supposed to surf with(im substitute) Here im in the middle of extending my visa for 30 more days.

Some weeks in Java perhaps then finding a way to Kalimantan!

Iketut, my host in Lumbung village (Tabanan)

With the catamaran "Tarahumara" we arrived in Serengan(close to Benoa, Bali) on the 21th of August. The 23rd I packed my bag(got rid of a few heavy things like my stove and some clothes) Captain gave me a ride to Kuta and the first idea i got when arriving was to get out of there. I Started walking on the beach to get aay from the busy streets, find a place to hitchhike north. I enjoyed the walk, especially as the expensive resorts and sun umbrellas were behind me. Walked for a few hours and realized i was far out of Kuta. Got this idea, why not walk all the way to Gilimanuk(western tip of Bali)

So i did. First day i made it to Tanah Lot, after hours of empty beaches i peek around the corner of some cliffs and see what looks like a tourist invasion! I walk around for a short bit amongst the souvenir salesmen and then leave Tanah lot. Walking over the rice terraces i find the way back to the beach. The first night i spend in my tent, worrying slightly that the tide and the waves will reach up and give me a wet wake up!

Next day is a long day.. On the map Soka looks close, but its not.. Empty beaches, fishermen struggling to get their boats out of the breaking waves. A few resorts where people seem to enjoy their vacation. In the afternoon i reach Soka, not really what i expected and i continue walking, this time along the road. A guy on a motorcycle stops and we talk a bit. He offers me to come to his house for the night. A good meal(rice and green beans) and a good nights sleep. He takes me a few km to the next beach in the morning. A long day of walking, somewhere outside Pekuatan i stop at a surf village to get some water. A surf-shop-guy offers me to sleep on a bench outside his shop. First i plan to continue, but after sitting down i become to lazy to get going again.

Many temples along the beaches. Many beautiful things and friendly people. Between Pekuatan and Perancak I get pain in my left foot, for every step it gets worse. I sit down under a coconutpalm, pinch a green coconut for cold fresh coconut juice and think over my situation hardly being able to walk far from roads and people(and water). Suddently i remember i have my boots in my backpack(been carying them for 1.5 years hardly used them) I put them on and i can walk again(until they give me blisters and i switch to barefoot again)Patterns in the sand hypnotized me for days

Reaching Perancak in the evening i meet a friendly man who hosts me in his family home. In the morning he gives me a ride around a river i cannot cross by foot. Walking from Pengambengan on a not so nice beach for a change, filled with dead fish and smelly birds. The fishermen say there will be a river ahead but i continue. I reach the river and attempt to cross but it gets deep fast. Trying to find another way but i cant. Almost preparing to go back, but there's nothing worse than going back(especially if its along a dirty beach filled with dead smelly fish) A second try, I walk with my backpack over my head, the water gets deep but as it reaches my breast its getting shallow again and i manage to cross. I walk on, stop in the villages for little bit food once in a while. I realize i can make it to Gilimanuk this day, the fifth day. So i continue and in the late afternoon i see ferries going across to Java, strong wind from the south blowing through the strait of Bali. Happily i reach Gilimanuk, get some food and rest.. That evening i met a man who were happy to host me and im still staying there today, resting a bit before heading to Java tomorrow morning.

Seems like im going to Kalimantan after Java!