30 November 1991, Saturday.

Woke up at around 10:30am, followed my usual routine, had some breakfast. I finished my letter to my friend Ian, and took this and other letters that I had written, down to the post office. I casually walked back, rolled up my sleeping bag, and had a little tidy, because I had agreed to spend the weekend with Aman at his home, he's very friendly, and speaks English very well, but he doesn't understand simple politeness.
Asep and Aman turned up, and with there usual rude, "let's go now"(the rudness is really getting to me).
So we left to Aman's house in Garut, firstly we got a bechak, and then a couple of bus's. He paid for everything, but I kind of expected him to, he can be so rude and annoying that it's not a problem, he's not that bad really.
We got to his house in Garut at around 6:30pm, there are millions of lakes surrounding his village, teaming with fish. We dropped our bags at his house, said hello, and then left straight away, caught another bus, to a hot swimming pool, heated by a volcano, it was like a hot bath.
I was lazing around in the hot water, really enjoying myself, when Aman came over and said in his usual way, "we'll go now".
We made our way back to his house, and then we had some lovely food, I sat in the lounge talking to Aman's eighteen year old sister-in-law, she is very sweet. Aman walked into the room and said to me, "sleep now, yes", then walked me into a room, showed me a bed, and blanket, and then showed me how to turn the light on and off, he was deadly serious. He must think I'm completely stupid, maybe that's why he's so rude to me all the time.
I lay on my bed, wrote up today's journal, and turned my light off, and went to sleep.

29 November 1991, Friday.

Last night, I dreamt that I was with a bloke I new back in England, and together we were saving the name of some cowboy, in a Western. Weird.

I woke up at 9:30am and had my usual mandi, then slowly ate my breakfast, lazed around and picked a huge peice of skin off of my foot. Asep came round, and I showed him a little boxing. He then left and I went up on the roof and meditated. The sun was beaming down on me, it was really hot today, after around an hour, I came down and had some more food.

At about 4pm, the sun was covered with clouds, and I went out for a walk, and started watching the girls playing volleyball. I ended up staying for around an hour, then noticing that the sky looked very dark, I went back to the house.
It didn't rain, but just went dark. I helped some people that came round with there English, they were friends of Agus or something. After, I went with Asep back to the martial art mystic teachers place, we spoke for a while, and I've said that I want to learn, and now that I have a job in Tasikmalaya, I could start my lessons. Nothing was agreed, it does feel strange, and I don't know whether I want them powers.
We returned to the house, and I went into my room, I wrote this up, and started writing a letter to my friend Ian, back in England.
I've written the letter to Ian, it's nearly 3am now, I'm very tired and confused. Goodnight.

28 November 1991, Thursday.

Last night's dream ; I was flying around the streets that I lived back in England, but all the road's had become canals, then I saw the Dutch guy Eric, and stopped and helped him build a mosquito net, I can't really remember anything else about it.

I waved goodbye to my sleeping hours, and welcomed my awoken one's. It was 10am, I had some breakfast, and then my usual morning mandi. Sat around for a bit, mostly writing and drawing.
Then the principle of the pre-pat school came round with the contract. I read it through, said that I thought it was ok, and then with Agus, followed the principle back to the school.
I took another class, in which they asked me to explain my principles, I wasn't completely sure what they meant, so I confidently spoke about my take on the whole meaning of life, they must have been so bored. I finished the lesson, everyone seemed happy enough, and then went into the principles office and then signed the contract, and my next three months, hmmm.

Went back to the house by bechak, in as it turned out to be, the biggest thunder and lightning storm I had ever witnessed, it was incredible.
Back at the house, its already dark and only 6pm, I was sure I was going to take my first private group lesson today, but it obviously appears not, well I hope not, I really tired now, I'm just writing a letter to my friend Lee back in England.

Asep and Aman came around, I soon woke up, and decided to go and post the letters that I have written, it was around 8:30pm, but they both assured me that the post office would still be open. They were wrong as it turned out, so we just went out for a walk, but coming back, they took me to the house of the teacher of the local style and mystic force.
They were very welcoming, and asked me to watch there training session, where the teacher had to young pupils performing a walking kator(set of movements) up and down the yard, while the teacher apparently moved them, with the power of his mind or something, it was like a wave hitting the children, and at one time they were dragged along the floor.
I kept thinking that it was some kind of hoax, and was trying to figure out how it was being done, but as I questioned what I was seeing, I couldn't find an answer. The teacher was moving his hand and they were getting pushed that way, the children were walking away from the teacher and could not see him. I was very curious and asked to feel his power, but he said that I couldn't take it, and it would hurt me. He did though, agree to a little contest, to see whether his style could challenge my boxing abilities.

We started, his face changed, his eye's became bigger and bulged out, his tongue kept flicking out and he moved around, and very close to the floor, it was very strange, like not fighting a man at all. Then quick as a flash, he moved in close to me and stood up and grabbed by pectoral muscal(one side of the chest), and twisted it. It was agony, and I stepped back, it was no contest, I couldn't touch him.
He said he could cure the pain in my chest, and wiped his hand over the area, which done absolutely nothing to help the still burning pain, but soon after it did go.
He showed me something else, he gave me a bottle of fanta drink, and told me to slap the cap of the bottle with my palm, I did and nothing happened. He then gave me a pebble that he had been gripping all the time he was explaining. He told me to grip it hard for a while and then repeat the exercise with the bottle, and sure enough, when I did, the bottom of the bottle fell off. Whether I was duped or not, I can never tell, but everyone here believes it.
I asked if I could learn, and they smiled and said yes, and then asked me to offer a price I would be willing to pay. I don't bloody know! I didn't say that, but thought it, said that I'd see them again and goodbye.

Went back to the house, very tired, and headed straight for my bed, but as I put my hand down on it, I realised it was soaking wet, my pillow was drenched as well.
So I pulled out my sleeping bag, which is completely water proof, laid that on the bed, climbed in and went to sleep, no problem.

27 November 1991, Wednesday.

I was awoken by Endang, the oldest brother at around 7am. I got up and had a mandi, then sat down to a lovely breakfast of gado gado, then had to rush to the pre-pat school to teach again.
I thought that I was going to sign the contract today, but they said it wasn't finished.
So I took the morning class, went through much that I spoke about yesterday really, but these were different pupils, so they didn't know.
After taking the class, I took a walk around the town, and went to the 'Asia' department store, which was the place that I bought my shirt, and the place I came with Agus and Dodo the other day. I went up to the cafeteria and watched the fish for a while, and then went back to the house and had some more food.
At around 2:30pm, I went back to the pre-pat school with Agus and Dodo, and took another lesson. I had to teach a lot more students this time, the youngest was 16 and the oldest was over 40, it all seemed to go well enough.
After I'd finished taking the class, Agus and me went and spoke to the school head, about the hours he wanted me to work, and what days. As he was explaining, I looked at the sweet Dodo, and she looked at me, and went to the toilet in his office, Agus took her into the toilet and cleaned her up. It kind of ended our discussion.
We left the school, and returned home in the pouring rain, by bechak. We ate again, and then sat around.
Then this Dutch guy turned up at the house, his name was Eric, and was going to stay here for the night, and was going to Bandung in the morning. I went up on the roof again and meditated for around 20 minutes, came down and mandied again, then with Eric and Agus, we took another walk to the 'Asia' department store, where Eric had wanted to see the big fish in the cafe area that I had told him about, we had a good walk around, then returned to the house, sat and chatted about different experiences, it was great to get another western perspective here at the moment.
I sat and wrote a letter to my old folks (parents) and then started drawing a picture of the railway carriage that I lived in back in England, so that I could explain more easily to Eric and Agus, but as I drew, and continued to draw, after they both had gone to bed, the picture made me feel close to home, and somehow better.
I put down my pen and book and went to bed, it was around 1am.

26 November 1991, Tuesday.

My eyes gave birth to a new day, it was around 10am, and I am the laziest of cad's, rather, hip, hip, ho ra, the king isn't dead long live the shrimp.
Sometimes, I read back these entries and wonder why I would ever be such a fool, as to waste his time writing such stupid sentences, I have not answered this question yet.

Anyway, on with the day, I had some breakfast, which in this house, is the same meal I have for lunch and dinner, but actually I really like it. I then lazed around, and then went up onto the flat roof of the house and meditated alone.
I had a great time, I cut myself off from reality and thought, and assumed only space. I came down after an hour or so, had some more food, and then wrote this, while listening to Sade, being played in the background.
We then left for the pre-pat school, and talked to the lecturers again, and then I took a class for an hour, I taught them mostly pronouciation, it went very well, and seemed to cause the desired effect.
Tomorrow, I will sign a contract for 3 months, with a monthly salary in advance of 150 000rp, that is about £50, but that is a massive amount here, and more than enough to live on.
I walked home very proud of myself, had some more food, and a mandi, and then started talking to Agus and Esep about a local form of matial art that I could learn while I'm here. Esep told me that he practices the style and challenged me to match, so we'll see which is more effective, seeing as I have boxed a little back at home.
It's around 9pm, but I'm quite tired again, and I've got to be up early tomorrow for my first proper lesson, and the start of a new time for me here. So, I'm off to bed.
Salamat tidur.

25 November 1991, Monday.

I woke up at around 10am, slowly I worked through my morning schedule, of a mandi(wash), and then some breakfast and chatting to the family. Then Agus with Dodo, the lovely little girl, who get's away with murder, and me all went shopping, we went to the big shop that I went to before(the one where I bought the shirt), and looked around. There were loads of girls in there, and they were all smiling at me, I'm some kind of idol here. We went to the cafeteria, there was this huge aquarium in there, filled by huge great fish, Agus was talking to some girls and I took Dodo to watch the fish. It was sweet, she wanted me to pick her up, so she could get a better view, I think she's warming to me, or becoming less shy.
We then went to the pre-pat school, Agus and Dodo went backt to the house and I stayed and talked to the principle, and he offered to put me up at the school if I had any problems at Agus's house. He has also invited me to his house on saturday, then another lecturer invited me to his house, I didn't have much luck explaining to him, that it would be inpolite to accept his offer, as I had just accepted another offer, which was on the same day.
At about 3:30pm, I caught a bus back to Agus's, and on my return, went and played volley ball just up the road.
I gave it my everything, and lauching myself to get a wide ball, I fell to the ground and cut my arm and grazed my knee. Result, that didn't hurt enough. I'd had enough, and returned to the house, for some reason I'm really homesick at the moment. When I got back, I had some food(makan), and then talked to the guy that had been in the lounge last night, he turn's out to be the eldest brother, who everyone had completely forgotten to mention existed, funny.
His name is Endang, he seem's like a nice bloke, we chatted for ages, then I got tired and decided to have an early night, I still feel a bit strange.

24 November 1991, Sunday.

Well, it's one month exactly today, great. I awoke at 1pm after our late night. I got up and had some breakfast. Heny and her friend have been waiting for me to wake up since 9am this morning. So I took a quick mandi and we headed out to somewhere, I didn't really know at the time. One thing I should point out, is Heny is not the sister of Agus and Tantan, they have a sister but I can't remember her name.
We went to Heny's grandmother's house, it was a lovely place, we had some coffee and then some tea, and then some rice and fried fish(looked like the fish I would buy in the tropical fish shop back home), and carp and part of a huge eel, that they had caught just as I got there. We had some shrimps as well, but while I was eating the eel, I kept seeing the image of them chopping its head off, which was lovely, but I'm actually glad I saw it. All of the food was gorgeous, the rice was on big banana leaves, and we all ate on the floor with our hands, or actually with just the right one, the left hand is saved for the other end.
We left at around 5pm, and got the bus back to Tasikmalaya, and then a bechak back to the house.
Sat around and played with Dodo, or is it Dede, hmmm can't be sure, anyway she's the three year old daughter of Yeyet. Living in Tasikmalaya, and looked after by the family here, he's the eldest brother I think, back in Pangandaran.
Tantan and Agus went around to Asep's to watch the football on television, I didn't want to go, and decided on an early night instead.
Well its about midnight, and as I walked out of my room to have a wee, I noticed there was a guy sitting in the lounge, there were no lights on, and he was just sitting eating nuts. I presumed that this was not the behaviour of a criminal, and he was just unknown to me. This is the reason that I didn't beat the rufous out of him, good word that, isn't it, I think it's actually a name, oh well, I didn't want to use the nastier word alternative, so rufous will do for now.
So I nodded to the gentleman in the chair, smiled and continued towards the bathroom, smiled again on the way back and went to bed.
Today's been a funny day, I really enjoyed myself, but it's the first day I think that I've been home sick, I made myself quite upset at the thought that I wouldn't see the faces of my newphew's and neices when they opened there presents on Christmas day. Also, I haven't been cuddled since I got here, not a proper loving hug anyway. I'm a bit sad.

23 November 1991, Saturday.

I woke up at 9am this morning, I had some breakfast and then left for the high street to buy a belt. I was given simple instructions how to get there, although I didn't buy a belt, I bought a lovely shirt, that cost 19000rp, its hand printed 'batik'.
After I got back from shopping, I went to the pre-pat school with Agus and Tantan, where I talked to the principle and a couple of lecturers, they asked me some really hard questions, I didn't really understand, so I started making words up, and speaking really fast, and then said, that's the answer.
My gambit paid off, none of the teachers wanted to admit that they didn't understand me, well they couldn't of done, I completely made words up.
I then took a class for 15 minutes, as another test, it all seemed to go ok. The principle is going to come round and speak to me tomorrow, at Agus's house.
Agus, Tantan and me all got a bechak(rik-shaw) back to the house, it was pouring with rain.
We got back and had something to eat, and after food, Tantan and his mother were trying to teach me some Sunda. I don't quite know what happened, but it seemed Tantan got a little annoyed with me, I don't know why, something about the way I spoke to him.
But instead of telling me that I had upset him or annoyed him, he's just ignoring me, how annoying.
Later on, Tantan asked me to accompany him to his room, I did, and he explained that he had heard aggression in my voice, and although he did not like it, he had put it down to my age. Well thanks a bloody lot Tantan, I liked that, as you can imagine, it wasn't the type of person I was, no, it was just my age, never mind the fact that Tantan was the same age as me.
He also said that he couldn't teach me the language anymore, and that was ok with me, so I done my best to forget about it.
Later we went to an Artist's house near by, he wasn't in, but I saw some of his work, and it was really good. We left there and just went wandering around town, I don't know why, but there seem's to be alot of pressure on me to get a lady friend, well actually more than one they said.
There were some really amazing girls around though, and I couldn't resist flirting with them.
We then walked back home, and then on to Esep's house. He's a singer that they call Mick Jagger, he seem's really nice, we watched football and then some 'Rolling Stones' video's and a film with, oh I've forgotten his name, oh well. Anyway, that finished at about 3am, we left, I was really tired.
We got back, Tantan went straight to sleep and me and Agus had some noodles with egg and rice, lovely. I finished my food and went straight to bed, climbing in the security of my big blue mosquito net, ahhhh. Salamat malam(goodnight).

22 November 1991, Friday.

Got up at around 11:30am, still a little tired, haven't really got any plans for today, so I'm just going to relax and settle in to my new home. So staying here, in this house, are Tantan, Agus, and then someones daughter, a young child, and a sister called Heny, and the mother, I haven't heard anything about there father though.
I had gadu-gadu (vegatables in peanut sauce) for breakfast this morning, it was very nice indeed. Much of the day was spent sitting around and talking, I took a quick walk up and down the road, to see what was about, but didn't fancy venturing any further today, there is much to see here. Spent a large portion of the day drawing a new doodle, kept spinning it around and working on it from different angles, I quite like it. Agus also gave me a couple of nice shirts today as well, he said that they were too big for him.

As it was getting dark, I helped Tantan and Agus to move a metal framed bunk bed from one room to another, then built another bed in Tantan's room, and put up my mosquito net over it, this was my bed for now.
I then took my first private English lesson, well, it was just talking and helping Heny to write a letter, my first student.
We finished at about 9pm, I went out to the local warung and bought some tempa(soya bean curd) and egg(tolor) and brought them back to the house to have with some rice. I know it's pretty soon, but I suppose I can call this place my home now, well for the mean time. This is were I will be living.
Sat in the lounge area, talking to Agus about our program tomorrow, we are going to the pre-pat school( a kind of private school), and talking to the director about getting me a job, and then in the afternoon, we've organized a game of volley ball. Then a big disco in the night(only joking).
But that's all tomorrow, Agus turned in, and I stayed in the lounge talking to Tantan.

We went to bed, but being so tired after doing nothing all, I didn't finish this entry until tomorrow, if that makes any sense, well it doesn't matter anyway.
I'm one day away from one whole month away, so here chronicles of the lonely traveller, destination life and its living, also maybe the unknown, not quite sure about that yet, the future, and maybe something else.

21 November 1991, Thursday.

Woke up to Irvan banging on my window, it was about 9:30am, he walked round the front and came in, we had arranged to have breakfast together, but it was only at this time that I remembered that the guest house provided me with a lovely breakfast. I couldn't see the point in paying again for breakfast, so I explained this to him. He looked a bit annoyed I think, but its no problem.
He left and I ate my breakfast, after finishing that I went to the post office and sent my used camera films and a letter home, that cost me 15000rp. I then ran back to the losmen to get some celotape for the package, I forgot to mention that I had gone out this morning without any shoe's on, and running back to the losmen, and then again back to the post office has really hurt my feet. I walked back to the losmen and went to Sympathy's cafe for some food with a Dutch guy and Patsi and Tantan.
I had decided to take Tatan up on his offer, to visit his home in Tasikmalaya. He is going there today, so I said I'd join him. We both left the losmen at around 3:30pm, and caught the bus to Banjar, and then another to Tasikmalaya.
After getting off the bus, we stopped in a little warung and got some rice pudding, that was very tasty. Then we went to Tantan's home in Tasikmalaya, where I met Agus, another one of Tantan's brothers, he is 21 and expained to me, that it would be possible for me to work here as a teacher of English, and would recieve a very hansome reward, or he said about 300 000rp a month for speaking English for one hour a day, and also if I wanted too, I could charge 5000rp a session for private classes. He said that I could also get a visa, and the living exspences were much lower in Tasikmalaya.
Well, Agus has asked me to stay, so I've put my mosquito net up, and I'll think I'll stay and teach English for a couple of months, that means going to Singapore and renewing my visa.
I'm in no rush to get back to England, I could even rent a room here very cheaply, the foods very cheap and there are no tourists. It seems like a good situation for me to paint, everythings coming together.
I'm lying in bed now, Tantan's sharing the same room with me, neither of us are sleepy, its about 3am, and I'm just dropping off.
I forgot to mention it before, but I've got some real hideous mouth ulcers, about 30 of them, covering the inside of my mouth, must of been due to the snorkel mouth peice, and gripping it in my teeth so hard.

20 November 1991, Wednesday.

Awoke this morning at around 9:30am, had a wash and then some breakfast. Sat around for a while, then went and hired a diving mask and snorkel for 2500rp. I then went to the gate of the special beach, and a bloke there asked me for another 500rp, I had no money on me, because I was going snorkelling, not shopping.
So I had to walk back to the Rawamangun losmen, but after searching around, I realised I didn't have any change, just big stuff. I then remembered lending Budi (one of the brothers who ran the guest house) 800rp, and he had not yet returned it, so I had a look around for him, but could not find him anywhere.
I'm sitting in my room at the moment, the fan blowing in my face, watching the beautiful day disolve into heavy rain. I turned away from the window, and walked out of my room and into the hall, and there was Budi, holding the money I had lent him. I thanked him, and left again.

I got to the gate again, and paid the 500rp's, and headed for the 'white beach', supposedly the best snorkelling area in Pangandaran. The rainforest came right down to the edge of the white sandy beach, the water was crystal clear and as warm as a bath, the fish and coral and invertabrates were incredible, beyond anything I could have expected. I stayed pretty shallow to start, but then got more intrepid, and soon I was chasing a box fish, he swam backwards just fast enough for me to think I had a chance, then turned and was gone, he left me staring into the blue.
I looked down, and couldn't see the bottom, somehow I had swam out of the reef. Its at this point that I should mention that I'm not the best swimmer, and get a little anxious when out of my depth. Calm down I thought, I raised my head from the water to check the direction of the beach. It was about 200 meters away, and that really scared me, calm down I thought to myself, I put my head down and started swimming back, the water seemed rougher now, and water kept going in my air pipe. After what seemed like an eternity, the walls of the reef appeared in front of me, but I couldn't see a way through, I was becoming scared but kept looking.
There it was, a narrow passage through the columns of coral, but as I tried to swim through the gap, the tide pushed me straight back out, as a wave came in, I was washed toward the coral and rocks, then as the wave washed out, it took me with it, no matter how hard I tried. I was getting really tired and water kept filling up my breathing pipe, I lifted my head out of the water and took a huge breath of air, and went back in towards the coral with the wave. Once at the coral, I clung on with all my strength, the rock cut my skin, but I held on, as I felt the wave come back in again, I let go and moved further in the passage, and held onto another lump of coral, I continued until I could swim to the beach. Once my chest was on dry land again, my head dropped to the sand, and I fell asleep.
I don't know how long I lay there, I awoke to hear the little monkeys in the tree's infront of me. I sat down for a while and then headed back, a little embarassed. I got back to the guest house at around 4pm, the clouds had started to cover the sky, I'm now back at the losmen, drinking sweet tea, and writing this all up.
I went out to eat, then went for a walk around the town, and ended up watching two surfers out in the waves from the beach. A couple of Indonesian guys came up and started talking to me, they invited me out with them, and I agreed.
I went back to the guest house when it got dark, its about 6pm, and my old friend Diarrhoea has just been to visit. I'm always so pleased when it can stop by.
Sitting talking to a German girl also staying at the guest house, and one of the guys from the beach turns up. His name is Irvan, and we go out for a drink, then for something to eat. Whilst we were out, he pulled a picture out of his wallet and showed it to me. It was of two men getting it on, totally naked, in the throw's of passion. I then realised what was going on, and felt quite uncomfortable and had to explain that although I had nothing against homosexuals, I was not one, and didn't enjoy his picture. I smiled, finished my drink and was off.

Got back to the losmen at around 10pm, and took some Diarrhoea tablets, given to me by one of the brothers. The brothers sung songs on the verander again, and I spoke with Iwan, he is probably the nicest of the brothers.
Then I went to bed, glad to be alive.

19 November 1991, Tuesday.

Rose up at 8am (that was probably my best opening line yet), but it was pouring with rain. The tour guide has said that we will go when the rain has stopped. Sorry for any mistakes yesterday, it was very late when I wrote up my journal.

I'm just waking up now, and I want to write up my dream from last night.
Well, it was the same old dream I've had many times since I've been here, I'd gone home, but different to all the other dreams I'd had, this time, everyone I know at home had grown really old, and they all felt cold somehow to me. My parents had moved to a new house, and when I went to the house, there was nobody there except a 'Pit-bull terrier (dangerous dog) snarling at me from behind a fence. I opened the front door, and tried to calm the dog as I walked into the house, but my words enraged the dog, and it ripped through the fence and barged its way through the door that I was trying to close behind me. I had a massive fight with the dog, he was chewing my hands at one point. All of a sudden, my whole family appeared and the ferocious dog ran away. Also, in the same dream, I couldn't completely work out whether I was in England or Indonesia, it was really strange, I'd normally only consider where I was after the dream, when I woke up, but this time, it was in the actual dream.
Then, another dream took over, there was a beautiful German girl stroking and caressing my back, lovely. It was then that I awoke, with the most intense pain in my neck, its probably down to the pillows here, being like sand-bags.

Just checking my reflection in the morning mirror, and I've realised that I haven't got a tan at all, weird.
I had some breakfast, and then went to the tour guides office at around 9am, the rain had stopped and we set out for the jungle. I was not alone, there were three Germans accompanying me on the journey.
The jungle treck was completely amazing, I saw huge millipedes, a massive monitor lizard that scaled a vertical rock face in its escape from us, the football size new shoot's of the Raffle's flower, the largest flower in the world, monkeys and hornbills high in the trees, deer, bats and porcupines in a cave, along with thousands of stuff that I just can't remember right now. Swung on a vine like Tarzan, had a cool dip in a pool on a cliff side, and just walked for hours through thick rainforest, it was truly amazing. I had the best time.
Got back to the losmen (guest house) at around 3pm, I was very tired and hungry, so I went out and got something to eat at a nearby warung. When I got back, Tantan invited me upstairs to see some of his artwork, he also showed me his sixth finger, just like another little finger on his little finger, he used to hold his cigarette in it. We spoke for a while, and then got some food.
Then for the first time, since arriving in Indonesia, I found myself sinking into a really bad mood. I don't know why, it just came over me. It was very late and I suppose I was very tired, so I decided to turn in and go to sleep.
I have no smile as I write up my journal, but everything to smile at. I suppose I'm having a break from being super happy, you can't be happy all the time, which I almost have been since getting here. Goodnight (salamat malam).

18 November 1991, Monday.

Sprung from the vast infinite realm of sleep at around 10am this morning and got some tea(teh), the rain was hammering on the ground outside, I sat and played with the fan in my room and read up on 'Pangandaran' in my guide book.
Had some coffee(coppi) and breakfast, which came in the shape of another omlette, minus the tropical mushrooms. After breakfast I went to go and see the local aquarium, as advised by my handy guide book. Hang on, the aquarium was completely derelict! Handy up to date guide book, I thought.
But putting my guide book away, I had a walk around, I found a fish market and thousands of losmen(cafe's). I've stopped for something to eat now, it's about 7pm. I'm in a place called 'the sympathy cafe', and have had a very nice nasi goreng(fried rice), it was very nice and cheap at 800rp.
I returned to the losmen(guest house), full and content, sat on the verander, smoked some fags and had a bit of a sing song, they asked me to sing a song that I had wrote, so I sang a song I wrote called 'In Retrospect, you bitch', they didn't understand, which would have probably been a good thing, because when I explained the reason for writing the bitter song, the oldest brother gave me a forest hermit crab, he had found in the front garden. It was a beautiful little thing, I let him go.
Then one of the other brothers brought in a small rat catching cage, with a small brown rat in it, he was actually a lovely little thing, but I understood they had to kill him. But there method of tipping the rat from the cage into a plastic bag, and then stamping on the bag, was floored, in fact, the rat got away, and ran free again, I was strangely happy.
Then with all the brothers, we went into another room and watched 'Baywatch' on a tiny television. By 10:30pm, I was falling asleep, so I went back to my room.
I have to be up early tomorrow, because whilst I was out today, I organised a tour guide to take me round the nature reserve, that's going to cost me 7500rp, but I only spent around 6000rp today, so my budget hasn't been damaged too much.
Also today, just remembered, I had a ride on a tandem bicycle up to the market, met a Dutch guy that I had met already in Bogor, and gost in pagi before market, I going to sleep now.

(Obviously feel asleep before I had finished writing, 'gost in pagi',I really don't know what I was going on about.)

17 November 1991, Sunday.

Got up at 9am and packed all my things away, even though my ti-shirts were still wet. Me and Oman had some breakfast, and at around 11am, I left. I said my goodbyes to Oman and Dani, who had both accompanied me to the bus station on another bus. Such brief great friendship, I thanked Oman again, and got on a bus that took me from Bandung all the way to Pangandaran.

Pangandaran is a small penisula on the south coast of Java, there's a nature reserve right at the end of the penisula. As I got on the bus, I asked the driver in my best Indonesian, who long it would take to get to Pangandaran, he told me it would take around 6 hours. We'll see, I was told two and a half hours from Jakarta to Labuhan, and that took six hours, so who know's.

The bus left Bandung at 1pm, and from this point on, I had no track of time. We stopped, had some food, I sat next to an old couple first, then they got off and Mrs. Fishy got on and sat next to me, she had a big basket of fish on her lap and absolutely stunk! Then Miss. Perfume sat next to her on the other side, the two smells battled in out for the remainder of the journey.
The only trouble with these buses is, well I think that the seat were designed for smaller than average Indonesian dwarf's, you may understand how comfatable I am, especially after five hours of not being able to stretch my legs.

I got to Pangandaran at 7pm, so the bus driver was spot on with the time. When I got off the bus, I didn't know where I was, so I jumped on a bechak(rik-shaw peddle powered taxi thingy) and headed for the 'Minus 2', the guide book said it was a good place to stay, but obviously everyone had the same guide book as me, and it was completely full. I asked the bechak driver if he knew of any cheap places around, and he took me up the road to the 'Rawamangun' a very clean, friendly run place(run by four brothers). The youngest of the brothers is 19, he is called Tan tan and is a painter, just like me.

The brothers are so friendly that I didn't mind that the bed felt like a sack of potato's. They asked if I wanted a special omlette, made from mushroom's from the jungle. I excepted, and sat on the varander, there were several people there already, the Newcastle couple that I met in Carita were there, and another couple. One of the brothers played the guitar, so we all spent the night singing and laughing, I had a great time, although at one point, it felt like I was at the end of a big tube, I can't really explain.

After everyone had gone to bed, I sat up with Tantan, he showed me this great trick with matches. We talked for ages about art and a place called Tasikmalaya, where Tantan came from, and of course, the one thing that doesn't change around the whole world, 'Girls'.
Well, I could feel my eye's closing, I thanked Tantan, said salamat malam, and headed off to my 'sack of potatoes' bed.
Salamat tidur (good sleep).

16 November 1991, Saturday.

This morning I awoke at 10am, alone again. I was dying for a poo, but there was no water left in the reservoir, so I had to hold it. Some children where playing outside Oman's house, I went out and took some photo's of the three boys and waited for Oman to come back.
Oman returned holding some bags, he had got up early and done my washing, which wasn't lovely enough of him, apparently.

We went out for breakfast, bought some cake thingy's and returned to Oman's. We sat around for a bit, then Eka and Toto turned up, at around 2pm we all went to the supermarket. I bought some pencils, paper, coffee, sugar and a craft knife. The coffee and sugar I gave to Oman, as a thankyou for letting me stay and treating me well.
We then went to a different warung(cafe) and had some lunch, lovely, and then all returned to Oman's. Toto left us on the way back to Oman's, I said my goodbye's, he has been very friendly, Eka came back with me and Oman, we sat around talking, and I drew a picture of Eka, got the foot all wrong, but otherwise a good representation.

It was around 5:30pm, I was reading by guide book and realised that I had to book my ticket for Singapore well in advance, I told the others, and they said they could sort it out. So, we all headed off into the centre of Bandung, to find a tour opperator, or booking agent.
No luck, there seemed to be nothing of the kind there, although we did have a really good time walking around and going in all the shops, apparently, that's what they do here on a saturday night.
We returned on a small bus, had a sit down and then went and got dinner in the local warung(cafe) at around 9pm. Returned to Oman's after the evening meal, and as a treat for me I suppose, we listened to the BBC world news on the radio, weird to hear English voices again. I wrote this all up, and pulled on my sleeping bag.
Salamat malam(Goodnight).

15 November 1991, Friday.

I woke up this morning alone, Oman had gone to his class, and told me yesterday that he wouldn't be back until 10am, I must have awoken at about 9:30am, just enough time for me to write some letters and have a poo.
Eka, Toto, Andreas and Dani turned up at 10am, we all talked, played cards and before long, Oman had arrived, and we all went to breakfast together. After breakfast at the warung(cafe), we returned to Oman's place, sat and sung and talked all day.

At 4pm we all went to the college campus, I wasn't allowed to sit in on the class, shame, so I just waited about, I started talking to some people, and then wrote another letter, and before I knew it the hour and a bit was over. Everyone came out of class and we all went for a walk, we walked up a road famous for jean shops, also the shop fronts, were massive great sculptures, or huge displays, one was a huge batman, that came almost flying out of the shop front, I got a picture, it was brilliant.
We then returned to Oman's, where I took a mandi(wash) and then went to eat at the warung(cafe) with the television. We had some great food, and then stayed and watched television. I made some drawings of 'Teenage Munant Ninja Turtles' for the two boys that lived there, in Indonesia, they call them'Kuru Kuru Ninja'.

Then at about 10pm, we went to Oman's, I feel very sleepy, and yet I've done very little today, also slept really well last night, that's probably why actually, although I've had a very happy day here. Talking is the order of the day here, along with singing and laughing.
I've noticed that my diary entries are getting much shorter, I wonder why?
I don't really, that just made me feel better by filling up an additional line in this journal.
Salamat malam(goodnight).

14 November 1991, Thursday.

Had a really good nights sleep in my sleeping bag for the first time here. Its a lot cooler in Bandung, so it was possible to sleep well in my sleeping bag.
We went out and got some breakfast at a warung, and then Yusuf had to leave for college, I spent time with Oman's friend Iman, he sat and played guitar and sang around his place, then we went back to Oman's house and met a bloke called Reif, Mr Tonny's (the artist I met last night) son, also a painter, he gave me his address in Bali, and asked me to stay if I ever got there.
Oman has asked me to stay around his for the next couple of days, I excepted, Panandaran(the place I'm planning on going next) can wait.
We went to the warung and got some lunch, then on to Oman's college. Oman went to class, and Eka and Toto showed me around Bandung, we visited some art galleries and loads of shops. At around 6pm, we went back to the college and met Oman, we all went back to Oman's, Reif turned up only to leave as quickly as he'd arrived. We all talked, they all spoke English, and I tried my Indonesian, no contest, they all speak really good English.
Oman and I went out and got some dinner at the warung, although the warung was more like somebodies front room, they had a television, and we ate, then sat and watched a cheap American horror film. They loved it, the whole family of the warung owner's, I paid for the food and we left to return to Oman's.
We sat and listened to Phil Collins, one of Oman's favorites, and I wrote my journal. I'm really glad I brought my sleeping bag, I was begining to think that I shouldn't have bought it, because I haven't been able to get in it until now, because of the intense heat.
Oh, I forgot to say, before we had dinner, we went to the local baths, which was actually a pipe sticking out of a water tank, people washed two at a time, having to kneel down because the pipe only came out at 3ft high. There was a cork with some string through it, so that water wasn't wasted, the system seemed to work, I really enjoyed my Bandung bath.
I think that my Indonesian is getting better.
Goodnight(salamat malam).

13 November 1991, Wednesday.

Got up early, knew that I was leaving today, looked in my pouch, and realised that I had no money. So I got dressed and shot up to the bank, walking about 2 km, then I realised that I hadn't brought my travellers cheques, so I caught a bus that seemed to be going the right direction, back to the guest house.
I then caught another bus, realising where it was going. Changed up $100 travellers cheque's, into a massive bundle of notes, and then caught another bus back to Ibu Pension, I didn't get enough bus's already.
Paid my bill at reception, and caught a bus to the bus terminal with two Dutch girls, from there we all caught a bus to Bandung. I sat near the front, and they sat at the back, I must have made a good impression.
I got talking to the bloke sitting next to me, his name was Yusuf.
We got to Bandung at 3pm, and I hadn't eaten all day, Yusuf invited me to stay at his friends house in Bandung, I excepted and followed his lead, into the suburbs, and met his friends.
They were all studying English at college, and used the oppotunity to try out there best English.

We went to a warung and I stuffed myself, after a fag, we went to a local artist's studio and gallery, his work was amazing, such ability, and even better, was interested in my opinion of his work, he even asked if I wanted to come and paint in his studio, I am very flattered.
We all left, and went back to this guy's room, we all talked for a while, and I explained the world according to Mikey.
They all smiled politely, and me and Yusuf went to another room and stayed there, we listened to some music, talked, exchanged address's, like I must say, like nearly everyone I've met has given me there address.
Anyway, I'm tired, rolled out my sleeping bag and got in, I'm sleeping on the floor.
Salamat malam.

12 November 1991, Tuesday.

Today I awoke at around 8:30am, had a freezing shower and then got dressed and met Juniver at reception. We had some breakfast together and he elected himself my tour guide for today, I agreed, so we headed off to the Zooalogical Museum, saw millions of badly stuffed animals, a stuffed Kamodo dragon, and the Flores rat, the biggest rat in the world. We left there and went to the Bogor botanical gardens, founded by thingy Raffles, we walked about the beautiful gardens, there was a (what do you call a big group of) big fruit bats, and huge hardwood trees. We met some flirty girls from Jakarta, and then got caught in a heavy rain storm, I was totally soaked, so by about 3pm we walked back to the losmen, on the way back, I bought a ti-shirt, I got changed in the dorm and came back out to the lobby, where I had coffee with Juniver, at 5:30pm he said goodbye.
I started talking to a very friendly French couple, staying in my dorm. They gave me some really good information about travelling to Jogya. After about an hour, I went out with three Dutch guys for food, very nice blokes, not at all like the Dutch blokes in Labuhan. One of the Dutch guys was absolutely massive, not quite big enough apparently, but I shouldn't go in to them tall stories (what a comeadian).
We all ate well, talked then returned to the guest house, where we met up with some English, and some more Dutch. The two blokes and a girl from England were from Brighton, and had arrived in Jakarta that week, and couldn't sleep for the mosquito's biting them, they where all covered from head to foot in big bites, it was evil, they looked like they had leprosey or something. I was so lucky that I got out of Jakarta when I did, there were no mosy's there really when I was there.
Everyone talked about there experiences here, until about 11pm, when one by one, like sheep, everyone went to the dorm to bed, I followed along, like the sheep I am, and knocked off for a sleep in my mosquito net, luxury.

11 November 1991, Monday.

I opened my eyes and got up at about 8am, I had my usual morning poo and mandi then went and had some coffee with the guest house owner, packed all my gear up and paid my bill at the Raitha losmen. Then walked back down the road where I met Yunis, he then accompanied me to Labuhan, and made sure I caught the right bus and wished me salamat tingle.
The bus's are jam packed, more like coaches, but designed for small Indonesian people. This bus took me to Bintang, and from there, I caught another bus, where I sat right at the front, and was able to stretch my legs right out. The only problem with sitting at the front was, you can see how completely mental and dangerous the driver is, all the drivers, its like its some kind of race.
I'm well on my way to Bogor now, writing on the bus, it's very hot and sunny, which makes sitting on a bus all day much nicer, obviously.
After several hours of traumatic driving and intense heat, we arrived at Bogor, as you can imagine, I felt completely fit and well after my ordeal.
A boy showed me to Ibu Pension, a guest house I read about in my lonely planet book. I've booked in, and are staying in a dorm bed(shared dorm) for 4500rp per night.
I'm sitting drinking tea(teh) on a large marble verander, everyone's very friendly here, well, what I've seen so far, but I get the feeling, that I'm a complete stranger, it's funny I'm thinking this, because I am. Hmmmm, Mikey how about you spend a little more time thinking and writing about the complete obvious. Yeah ok.
I've nearly been in Indonesia for three weeks now, its not that funny, but it feels like that.
I had a real shower, got dressed and went out to go shopping for a new shirt and trousers. Successful shopping trip, I got both, and also bought some spot creme, because apparently my spots haven't come up enough, thanks for that.
I've met a guy called Juniver, he helped me with my Indonesian, he lives in a place called Depok, north of Bogor, we had some food and then he accompanied me back to Abu Pension, he speaks excellent English.
I got to bed early at around 11pm, I was completely exhausted, and decided just to get in bed, because people had told me that there were very few mosquito's in Bogor. As I lay there drifting off, I heard the distinct buzz of a moquito (nymuk) around my ear. So, up I shot, and out came the mosy net.
Once in my protective cell, I slept like, someone who slept without being harassed by hungry nymuks(mosquito's).

10 November 1991, Sunday.

Obviously, my conscience isn't laidened enough, that probably isn't even a word, but who cares. Problems, problems, Ahhhhhhh, its not good. I sit in my room, thinking about everything, and anything, home, girls, Indonesia and a pathetic dream that's slipping through my fingers, like the water falling all around me.
I went back to sleep until 1pm, when Yunis woke me up. We went for a walk around the market and then walked along the beach, met some people, chatted, then met Sandy, and treated myself to a massage with her tender hands, then we went and got a drink.
I met some Dutch people, and they weren't quite rude enough to me, I found that I was imeadiately disliking them. So we left there, and went to the Krakatu warung, and met a couple from Newcastle, very nice, and a German bloke, who was also very nice.
I'd been putting it off, but I couldn't wait any longer, we went to Asna's, so that I could say goodbye.
It was very hard, and painful, she cried and I could hardly speak. Yunis said that I was a real gentleman, he said there were no gentlemen in Indonesia, which I believed. We walked to Yunis's place, where I wrote a song about this time.

Blind Fool.
I had to say goodbye, to the love I'd never really known,
The night was warm, and as I looked into her eyes,
I recognised a tear that was all alone,
On the way back, I stared at the sky for something more,
And three stars shone bright, orions belt pointing the way out,
I knew then, whilst not understanding,
What life was all about,
Sweet Indonesian girl, hair like the night rain,
Didn't understand what I said, but her eyes said it all, and I walked away,
The stars cut up the sky, and her eyes embedded on my soul,
And from this life, I took flight.

After writing the song, I tried to explain to Yunis, just how I'd tried to explain to Asna, that men and women were equal. It was a bit of a slog. He found this very hard to believe.
He has turned out to be a very good friend, and I'm sad to be leaving Carita, annoying Hendra, beautiful Asna, and my good friend Yunis (even if he doesn't think men and women are equal), the guys with there guitar, Mr Amir, Sandy, Robin and his friend, Anass, everyone I've met.
I will move on tomorrow morning to Bogor and make new friends. I know now that I will return to Carita, and see everyone again, before I return to England, saying goodbye once just isn't enough.
I'm in bed now, its around 2am, and my eyes are closing.
Salamat malam(goodnight).

9 November 1991, Saturday.

I got up at, don't know what time really, checked on Anass, she's fine, buried in the ground asleep, where I left her. I just sitting, writing outside my room, watching the chi-jacks and the ants. I'll eat and then mandi, then I'll go and release Anass in the forest.
Just went into the toilet, and saw the biggest spider on the wall, I tried to splat him with the broom handle, but he's mentally quick, and was the other side of the room. Not scary enough.
I ate with the man at the losmen, came back to the losmen, picked Anass up, and left for the forest in the rain. I've got a really good cagool, that breaths. The rain got really hard, but I continued walking, further and further along a track up the mountain, and just when I thought there was no chance of people around, I stopped and took the rope off, but I couldn't quite get the nail out of his tail, I let him go, but he got caught up on some vine, it was horrible, I got him back and was just holding him in the rain.
All of a sudden, three Indonesian men with massive bales of sticks on there backs appeared from knowhere. I don't know how I explained my trouble, but he understood, and pulled out a huge machete, I thought he was going to cut Anass's poor little tail off, but he freed the nail and pulled it out. Anass walked off into the forest, I thanked the men, they disappeared as quick as they arrived.
The rain ruined my hat, I walked back down the muddy paths and towards Asna's, got to the village and played football with the local kids, went a saw Asna, told her that I was leaving to Bogor very soon, she completely understood, I gave her my only precious thing, my watch, which my Dad bought me when I was sixteen.
Yunis turned up, and as it got dark, we walked out of the village and got some food at the warung. Yunis told me that I shouldn't have given my watch away.
Returned to the raitha losmen, had a mandi and changed my clothes. Met Asna and her friend, we all went to the pictures again. All again on my pocket, I'm feeling like a bit of a fool, have I been so blind, and is my money the most hansom part of me. We all travel back and I leave Assna on the roadside at about 11:30pm, I'm very disappointed, the dismay hung on my face like old age.
I went and met Yunis, he was at Mr Amir's house, we all talked, had coffee and smoked kreteks(fags) and I felt a little happier. We left at about 1am, and Yunis walked me back to the losmen, I tried to explain that I was highly strung, and things were just annoying me, I was going to bed, which would have been the best thing for me to do, but instead, I went for a drink with Yunis up at the prostitutes shack/warung.
I bought a big bottle of rice wine and some bintang beers, chasing the rice wine with big bottles of bintang beer. Basically, I got very drunk indeed, and landed myself in trouble, its all abit blurey, but I was so drunk, I tried to kiss the big spider that I had seen in the bathroom earlier, which was on my bedroom wall when I got back from the warung, the spider was gone before my lips hit the wall, thank heavens.
Trouble!
But well, tida masala(no problem) I'm going to go to Bogor tomorrow, I'll say goodbye to everyone, and never return, even though I love the place.