When I was a kid, my father brought my whole family to a long trip twice. The first one was to around Java, Madura, and Bali. And the other one, it took 3-4 years later, he brought us to travel to Sumatera. These 2 trips greatly have influenced my adventurous spirit which makes me think about planning the same trip but in solo.
Years passed by but works and duties prevent me to do that wish, even I got 2 kids it seemed impossible to do such a thing. But in late 2014, my wife was pregnant for the third and I suddenly felt "now or never" to travel a long trip in solo. Because I worried that after the birth of my third child, it would have never done forever.
It was a sudden planning then, I prepared just for a little, mainly for my motorcycle, a Kawasaki ZX-130. I made dots on the map to be my shelters, some were friends of mine. And honestly, I was short of money at the time.
Alhamdulillah, I made it, my first epic journey, a solo round trip Jambi-Bali-Jambi by motorcycle. It took a month and 2 days, from Jan 19, 2015, to Feb 21, 2015.
Started the trip by lying to my wife -I did not tell her about my plan to travel to Bali to make her not worrying me while I am traveling- that I just wanted to go to Jakarta, I downed the road to Palembang at night (22.00 WIB).
Unfortunately, I lost my travel diary on the way home. I guess it was left behind when I was at a gas station near Pangkalan Balai, the capital of Banyuasin, a district in South Sumatra Province. But thankfully, I still had my camera and all the pictures I take on my trip remain safe there.
I divided my trip into 6 chapters related to shelters I get while I am travelling.
Chapter 1: Jambi-Jakarta.
Jambi-Palembang-Kayu Agung-Tulang Bawang-Bandar Lampung-Serang-Jakarta (Cipadu Jaya).
Started travelling by lying to my wife
Missed that travel diary
Provincial border gate, Jambi and Sumatera Selatan
First stop was at a minimarket in Sungai Lilin, Sumatera Selatan
Had a morning coffee break in Banyuasin Government Offices
Provincial border pillars, Sumatera Selatan and Lampung
Fellow travelers
A Java-Sumatera ferry boat
Finally, arrived at parent's house after 35 hours of trip from Jambi
Generally, this chapter was a warming up. I am so familiar with this route since I have taken the route to travel to Jakarta several times. Lintas Timur is the only one "map line" we can take if travelling by vehicle to Jakarta from Jambi. In Menggala District, Tulang Bawang, a regency in Province of Lampung, there is an intersection to choose which both roads will end to same place, Port of Bakauheni in Lampung Selatan Regency. We may continue the trip to take Lintas Tengah and the road will bring you to Bandar Lampung, the capital of Province of Lampung, or we can turn left to Lintas Pantai Timur that will lead you to Sukadana, the capital of Lampung Timur Regency.
It was about at 16.00, a while before reaching the intersection rain began to fall and fortunately a gas station was close to me to be my shelter. At the gas station I met a group of young men who were travelling to Lombok by motorcycle. After making small talk and knowing me on the way to Jakarta, then those 4 young men on 2 motorbikes asked me to accompany them to Jakarta. We then agreed to pick the route Lintas Tengah to reach Bakauheni Port and depart immediately after the rain stops.
We reached Port of Bakauheni after the dawn and in the morning we were already in a ferry crossing the Sunda Strait that took us to Java. In ferry boat was a chance to take a rest and I took the whole time to do it, after about 30 hours on the way it felt like I need to get a massage.
We arrived at Port of Merak around 09.00, and we continued the trip to Jakarta. Had a rest for almost an hour in Tangerang we then took separate roads in Kalideres, Jakarta Barat. They had a friend waiting there for them while I picked other direction to go to my parent's house in Cipadu Jaya on January 21 2015.
Route of Part 1 on Google Map
You may see full pics on my Facebook.
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