Bintang Boys
I emerged from Le Pirate restaurant on to the main drag in Labuan Bajo and immediately found myself surrounded. It was a gang of bikers. Horrible looking lot too they were. A few dodgy looking tattoos and dubious Sun tans. My pulse quickened...strangely though I envied them with their carefree lifestyle, their cameraderie and their ability to get around. How I longed to be like them.
Fortunately, for the princely sum of £4 a day, I too could have a moped and could go where the rest of the Windy gang could go. The freedom of the highroad was mine ! No more taxis for me for today.
The highroads of Labuan Bajo are a bit like the town, in a poor state of repair. In fact, large sections are just gravel and stones. The rules of the road are also a mystery. It’s sort of left hand driving but not always and junctions are just a free for all. Challenging for a bunch of novice bikers and not conducive to speed. With Lucas on the back of mine, wrapped up in long trousers and long sleeved shirt and Jo and Kath following, we explored a bit but ultimately only really used the bikes for going to and from the resort and it’s beach and in to town. Much to arrange, such as collecting 28 million Rupiah together for the trip tomorrow. Oh, and some Bintang. You can just about squeeze one box of beer in the footwell of a moped. Two is more of a challenge. Sean managed it without falling off.
So, by the evening I had sorted the finance. Kath had had her maiden ride on a moped, shaking with fear as she did so. The sun had set and we still had 2 mopeds at the resort to get to town. Rick was given emergency instruction on how to operate one as he was also a complete novice and we were off. I only realised a little way in to the journey that I had no contact lenses in and I didn’t know where full beam was. We made it somehow....
Tomorrow we were off by boat for two days to go wildlife spotting in the Komodo National Park.
Fortunately, for the princely sum of £4 a day, I too could have a moped and could go where the rest of the Windy gang could go. The freedom of the highroad was mine ! No more taxis for me for today.
The highroads of Labuan Bajo are a bit like the town, in a poor state of repair. In fact, large sections are just gravel and stones. The rules of the road are also a mystery. It’s sort of left hand driving but not always and junctions are just a free for all. Challenging for a bunch of novice bikers and not conducive to speed. With Lucas on the back of mine, wrapped up in long trousers and long sleeved shirt and Jo and Kath following, we explored a bit but ultimately only really used the bikes for going to and from the resort and it’s beach and in to town. Much to arrange, such as collecting 28 million Rupiah together for the trip tomorrow. Oh, and some Bintang. You can just about squeeze one box of beer in the footwell of a moped. Two is more of a challenge. Sean managed it without falling off.
So, by the evening I had sorted the finance. Kath had had her maiden ride on a moped, shaking with fear as she did so. The sun had set and we still had 2 mopeds at the resort to get to town. Rick was given emergency instruction on how to operate one as he was also a complete novice and we were off. I only realised a little way in to the journey that I had no contact lenses in and I didn’t know where full beam was. We made it somehow....
Tomorrow we were off by boat for two days to go wildlife spotting in the Komodo National Park.
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