This ride was gonna be special because it will probably be my last "bike adventure" with Zi Kai. It took me great effort to get this ride approved on my side, hence I greatly treasured it. For this, I had to sacrifice a number of things, much to the displeasure of my family but such an opportunity was rare and I am glad I took it.
On 1 Dec 08, a Monday, Zi Kai came over to my place and we set off for Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, hoping to catch the 12.30p.m Penguin ferry to Tanjung Pinang. The jouney from the north coast to the south-eastern coast took us 1hr 45min and covered a good 36.6km.
On 1 Dec 08, a Monday, Zi Kai came over to my place and we set off for Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, hoping to catch the 12.30p.m Penguin ferry to Tanjung Pinang. The jouney from the north coast to the south-eastern coast took us 1hr 45min and covered a good 36.6km.
Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (left); Tanjung Pinang (right)
We managed to secure our return tickets on the 12.30p.m ferry to Bintan. It cost us $69 each, including the passenger departure fee, fuel surcharge, bicycle handling fee and Indonesia Terminal & Insurance. The good thing was that the return tickets were open and we could take any ferry back, be it IndoFalcon or Berlian's WaveMaster.
TMFT (left) and Hotel Panorama (right)
Bintan's time is 1hr behind ours and we reached Tanjung Pinang in the early afternoon. The porters were ever so ready to receive the arrival passengers but we insisted on carrying our bikes off the ferry and up the jetty ourselves. Clearing the Indonesian customs, we were approached by two friendly men who offered to guide us around the island and to good hotels. One offered the east coast while the other suggested a nearby hotel. The east coast was out of question as we preferred to stay in Tanjong Pinang. The man offered to carry our bikes in his car but we declined his offer politely. Then the other man suggested Hotel Panorama, about a kilometre away. I had come across the hotel on the web and it had good reviews hence we gave the go ahead and cycled behind the two men on their scooter to the hotel.
At S$21 or 120000IDR per night, it was a reasonable deal. Since the exchange rate stood at S$1 : 8100IDR, we opted to pay in rupiah for one room. The two men were surprised we just wanted one room but we did not give it too much a thought. Unpacking our stuff, we took along only the bare essentials to town. Zi Kai had to leave his passport behind with the hotel staff hence we had to change our local currency to rupiah and pay off the bill before "redeeming" it. Giving the two men a tip, we got our bikes outside the hotel. The two men also left and they asked if we required special services. Now, we fully understood it all and once again, declined firmly. We were in Bintan with the sole purpose of cycling and checking the Indonesian island out.
There were many money changers around, hence we changed our cash at one before proceeding to check the town out and have a late lunch. To my surprise, there were so many streets and roads in and around the city area. Our maps did not indicate these roads, nor were any street names shown. Most of the streets we came across did not have names too; only the major routes had some signs reflecting names foreign to us. As much as I hate to admit, we were lost. I just headed in a more "likely" direction.
We were hungry. I saw "Hot Steak" and we decided to give the restaurant a shot. It was probably expensive to the locals but reasonable enough for us. Hence, we settled for a set meal at around 15500IDR (S$1.90). The girl serving us was friendly enough and given our "famished" condition, it was a pleasant dining experience.
Zi Kai bought a local SIM card next door and we proceeded on our journey to check the town out. I was delighted when we found our way back to the ferry terminal. The locals were willing to help us when we asked for directions. Of course, the communication barrier was evident =P After reaching our hotel, we went in another direction, getting lost in our attempt to find the airport. We never reached the airport but managed to find the route out of town. This came at the expense of time as we pushed further, racing against the fall of dusk. At last, we decided that enough was enough and stopped at a junction. My GPS confirmed our location and we raced back to our hotel. By then, dusk had fallen. I think we covered about 30km on our first day in Bintan.
At S$21 or 120000IDR per night, it was a reasonable deal. Since the exchange rate stood at S$1 : 8100IDR, we opted to pay in rupiah for one room. The two men were surprised we just wanted one room but we did not give it too much a thought. Unpacking our stuff, we took along only the bare essentials to town. Zi Kai had to leave his passport behind with the hotel staff hence we had to change our local currency to rupiah and pay off the bill before "redeeming" it. Giving the two men a tip, we got our bikes outside the hotel. The two men also left and they asked if we required special services. Now, we fully understood it all and once again, declined firmly. We were in Bintan with the sole purpose of cycling and checking the Indonesian island out.
There were many money changers around, hence we changed our cash at one before proceeding to check the town out and have a late lunch. To my surprise, there were so many streets and roads in and around the city area. Our maps did not indicate these roads, nor were any street names shown. Most of the streets we came across did not have names too; only the major routes had some signs reflecting names foreign to us. As much as I hate to admit, we were lost. I just headed in a more "likely" direction.
We were hungry. I saw "Hot Steak" and we decided to give the restaurant a shot. It was probably expensive to the locals but reasonable enough for us. Hence, we settled for a set meal at around 15500IDR (S$1.90). The girl serving us was friendly enough and given our "famished" condition, it was a pleasant dining experience.
Zi Kai bought a local SIM card next door and we proceeded on our journey to check the town out. I was delighted when we found our way back to the ferry terminal. The locals were willing to help us when we asked for directions. Of course, the communication barrier was evident =P After reaching our hotel, we went in another direction, getting lost in our attempt to find the airport. We never reached the airport but managed to find the route out of town. This came at the expense of time as we pushed further, racing against the fall of dusk. At last, we decided that enough was enough and stopped at a junction. My GPS confirmed our location and we raced back to our hotel. By then, dusk had fallen. I think we covered about 30km on our first day in Bintan.
Bikes in our room (left); Z.K. exhausted (right)
While we had agreed to leave the bikes in the lobby, we managed to ask nicely and get approval to bring them up to our room =) It was dinner time and we left to check out Tanjung Pinang for its famed seafood. By then, it was around 8p.m Singapore time and the area was basically pitch black. The streets were not lit. While I feel Bintan is generally safe, I will not recommend anyone unfamiliar with the area to wander around alone at night.
We found our seafood! It was chilli crab (50000IDR for 2), BBQ fish (25000IDR), chillikangkong (10000IDR) and tea-O ice (3000IDR) for dinner. Do your Math and you will realise why our dinner was really delightfully wonderful! =) Otah and satay were also available for 1000IDR per stick but we were too full and left it for the next dinner. Thinking about the food, I am drooling again...
We walked around the area before retiring to our room to catch the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre on Mediacorp's Channel 8. The "drink" we bought at a super reasonable price turned out to be concentrated syrup. Zi Kai took a mouthful of guava "juice" and spat it out! It was terrible. Orange was slightly better but we still abandoned the two bottles when we left Bintan. Fortunately, we had to use a can opener to pry the bottle cap open and did not drink it when we were having ice cream.
We found our seafood! It was chilli crab (50000IDR for 2), BBQ fish (25000IDR), chillikangkong (10000IDR) and tea-O ice (3000IDR) for dinner. Do your Math and you will realise why our dinner was really delightfully wonderful! =) Otah and satay were also available for 1000IDR per stick but we were too full and left it for the next dinner. Thinking about the food, I am drooling again...
We walked around the area before retiring to our room to catch the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre on Mediacorp's Channel 8. The "drink" we bought at a super reasonable price turned out to be concentrated syrup. Zi Kai took a mouthful of guava "juice" and spat it out! It was terrible. Orange was slightly better but we still abandoned the two bottles when we left Bintan. Fortunately, we had to use a can opener to pry the bottle cap open and did not drink it when we were having ice cream.
Wonderful terrain (left); pose on the bridge (left)
The next morning, we had breakfast free, complimentary of the hotel hence I am not complaining. The ageing Chinese men with their Indonesian partners sure look out of place when sitting together and it was damn obvious. Our stomachs filled, we set off for Trikora beach. Bintan may look flat on the map but in reality, the terrain is very harsh. The roads were definitely steep, winding and narrow most of the times. I managed to max out the speed on my bike, something that I had never done before. This probably meant that I had hit close to or surpassed the 60km/h mark.
I think Zi Kai will never forget the ride on 2 Dec 08. The maps we obtained were inaccurate to an extent such that we could not determine our coordinates and exact position. Worse, distances were not stated and streets not shown. We would have no idea where we were if we were incompetent at reading off from our compasses and studying the terrain. The map I had obtained online had a scale. According to it, we would have covered a total of 170km. Using the map the hotel provided, we had to assume the distance from the ferry terminal to the junction at Sidojadi was 10km. going by this estimation, the total distance covered for the day would be 120km. The discrepancy was incredibly large. Going by our speed and time taken, I would say 150km would be a decent estimation.
I think Zi Kai will never forget the ride on 2 Dec 08. The maps we obtained were inaccurate to an extent such that we could not determine our coordinates and exact position. Worse, distances were not stated and streets not shown. We would have no idea where we were if we were incompetent at reading off from our compasses and studying the terrain. The map I had obtained online had a scale. According to it, we would have covered a total of 170km. Using the map the hotel provided, we had to assume the distance from the ferry terminal to the junction at Sidojadi was 10km. going by this estimation, the total distance covered for the day would be 120km. The discrepancy was incredibly large. Going by our speed and time taken, I would say 150km would be a decent estimation.
Someone's wonderful shots
The hot weather did not make our going easy. But I was glad it did not rain. Somehow, the weather was less humid than Singapore and our sweat dried off more easily when we rested. We passed Trikora One beach at lunch time. Stopping at a fishing village, Zi Kai and I had mee goreng and nasi goreng for lunch respectively. A bottle of Pocari Sweat each complimented the meal! At 18000IDR per person, I never ever regretted stopping at this ulu village in the middle of nowhere! The family had whipped up a tasty "delicacy" in generous portion for us and I was very grateful for such a meal.
After lunch, we pushed on to the Bintan Beach International Resort. It was another arduous journey. Sea, sand, lalang, coconut trees and a never ending road. There was no civilisation in sight for kilometres. Serene yet one can't help but feel desperate. The waves were very strong. I got my feet wet as I stooped low to take a picture, only to get caught by an incoming wave. Just my luck =(
As we cycled on, more beautiful sights greeted us. Some of the memorable sights included children playing by the side of the road, a bridge across a river, floating kelongs and fishermen plying their trade in waist-deep waters.
The people of Bintan are generally very friendly. The girls will laugh in delight as you pass them on their mini-buses and if you acknowledge their presence, they giggle louder. The kids are always welcoming and a delight as they shout excitedly when you pass. In Bintan, sounding the vehicle horn seems to be part and parcel of life. They do not blare the horns but do it in an audible yet pleasant manner as a form of greeting and alert to fellow motorists. As many vehicles passed us, most of them would horn their presence and the drivers would stick a "thumbs-up" out of the window. It was very encouraging as we battled the elements. A smile or wave was good enough to make our day and keep our optimism high =)
After lunch, we pushed on to the Bintan Beach International Resort. It was another arduous journey. Sea, sand, lalang, coconut trees and a never ending road. There was no civilisation in sight for kilometres. Serene yet one can't help but feel desperate. The waves were very strong. I got my feet wet as I stooped low to take a picture, only to get caught by an incoming wave. Just my luck =(
As we cycled on, more beautiful sights greeted us. Some of the memorable sights included children playing by the side of the road, a bridge across a river, floating kelongs and fishermen plying their trade in waist-deep waters.
The people of Bintan are generally very friendly. The girls will laugh in delight as you pass them on their mini-buses and if you acknowledge their presence, they giggle louder. The kids are always welcoming and a delight as they shout excitedly when you pass. In Bintan, sounding the vehicle horn seems to be part and parcel of life. They do not blare the horns but do it in an audible yet pleasant manner as a form of greeting and alert to fellow motorists. As many vehicles passed us, most of them would horn their presence and the drivers would stick a "thumbs-up" out of the window. It was very encouraging as we battled the elements. A smile or wave was good enough to make our day and keep our optimism high =)
Floating kelong (left); Z.K. simply elated at the sign (right)
We did not make it to the ferry terminal at Teluk Sebong. Somewhere along Teluk Sebong, we turned into a road we called "Km. 46" which led to Lome. At that spot, my GPS placed us off our actual postion but once pass Lome, we were back on track. By then, we were certain that we were on the correct route back. The Gardenia buns purchased back in Singapore gave us some energy to continue.
Late in the afternoon, we hit Gesik. At around 18km from Tanjung Pinang, we stopped at a Chinese grocer to get some water and isotonic drinks. Then it was non-stop all the way back. We found ourselves in an ever-growing stream of traffic and to our relief, the familiar landmarks soon appeared. We reached Hotel Panorama at around 6.30p.m, locked the bikes in our room and headed out for another seafood dinner =)
This time round, we checked out more stalls but since none of them seemed to offer fresher seafood than the one we purchased yesterday, we returned, much to the delight of the owner. It resulted in sambal squids (12000IDR), BBQ chicken (13000IDR), steamed pomfret (30000IDR) and stir-fried kailan (12000IDR) for dinner, as well as satay kachang (10000IDR - ten sticks and rice) and our usual iced tea-O. After dinner, a short walk around town was interrupted by a downpour which forced most roadside vendors to close shop and head home. We returned to our hotel where I had a long, good shower which helped relieve my aches a little =) Then it was tapioca and HSDS before my drowiness took over.
We woke up only at 8.45a.m the next day. Breakfast was good and we started to pack up. After checking out, we cycled to the ferry terminal. As the agent had not arrived for work, we bought some finger food in town for an amazingly reasonable price of 1500IDR apiece if I am not mistaken. At 9.30a.m (Indon time), we went back to the terminal to pay the seaport taxes and get our tickets on the 10.10a.m IndoFalcon confirmed.
We had a hell of a time getting our bikes onto the top deck of the IndoFalcon but once that was done, we could just chill and awaiting the daunting task of unloading it. The ferry left late but I was just glad to get going. The Singapore "rain" curse struck again when we arrived back at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. It was dry when we unloaded the bikes but once we stepped into the terminal, it poured. We cleared customs and headed for home.
The rain stopped once we hit Simei. We took almost the same route back, stopping by at Kovan for some delicious wanton noodles and sugar cane juice. Then it was hard work once again as we pedalled home to Sembawang.
Total distance: 1 Dec 08 (67.6km), 2 Dec 08(150km), 3 Dec 08(38.6km)
Money spent: S$106
Participants: LSH, Zi Kai
Late in the afternoon, we hit Gesik. At around 18km from Tanjung Pinang, we stopped at a Chinese grocer to get some water and isotonic drinks. Then it was non-stop all the way back. We found ourselves in an ever-growing stream of traffic and to our relief, the familiar landmarks soon appeared. We reached Hotel Panorama at around 6.30p.m, locked the bikes in our room and headed out for another seafood dinner =)
This time round, we checked out more stalls but since none of them seemed to offer fresher seafood than the one we purchased yesterday, we returned, much to the delight of the owner. It resulted in sambal squids (12000IDR), BBQ chicken (13000IDR), steamed pomfret (30000IDR) and stir-fried kailan (12000IDR) for dinner, as well as satay kachang (10000IDR - ten sticks and rice) and our usual iced tea-O. After dinner, a short walk around town was interrupted by a downpour which forced most roadside vendors to close shop and head home. We returned to our hotel where I had a long, good shower which helped relieve my aches a little =) Then it was tapioca and HSDS before my drowiness took over.
We woke up only at 8.45a.m the next day. Breakfast was good and we started to pack up. After checking out, we cycled to the ferry terminal. As the agent had not arrived for work, we bought some finger food in town for an amazingly reasonable price of 1500IDR apiece if I am not mistaken. At 9.30a.m (Indon time), we went back to the terminal to pay the seaport taxes and get our tickets on the 10.10a.m IndoFalcon confirmed.
We had a hell of a time getting our bikes onto the top deck of the IndoFalcon but once that was done, we could just chill and awaiting the daunting task of unloading it. The ferry left late but I was just glad to get going. The Singapore "rain" curse struck again when we arrived back at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. It was dry when we unloaded the bikes but once we stepped into the terminal, it poured. We cleared customs and headed for home.
The rain stopped once we hit Simei. We took almost the same route back, stopping by at Kovan for some delicious wanton noodles and sugar cane juice. Then it was hard work once again as we pedalled home to Sembawang.
Total distance: 1 Dec 08 (67.6km), 2 Dec 08(150km), 3 Dec 08(38.6km)
Money spent: S$106
Participants: LSH, Zi Kai
1 comment:
nice read of your time there. Thanks for all the heads up and advise!
Post a Comment