Christopher has dropped his phone in the back of his taxi, so he and Rob wait for the taxi to return, and they'll catch up with us later.
We're not quite at the port, so end up winding our way northward through narrow alleys that get narrower as we go.
It's a populated area with tiny shops and workshops tucked away to the side, and bare living room floors open to the street, people lying down under their fans only an arms length away. It's a whole community condensed into a small space.
Like most of the developing countries we've visited there's plenty of rubbish strewn around. Plastic dominates; it's mankind's curse that scars environments globally, but so much more so in places like these.
The noon call to prayer guides our way past a local mosque and there's now space for cars and bikes. It's 1130 so seems early, but the Indonesian timezone seems weirdly out of sync with Jakarta's location.
We seem to be in Jakarta's rubbish central and that unmistakable putrid rotting smell permiates the air. We reach the edge of Waduk Plait a local lake with a very narrow channel opening to the sea. It's essentially an open dump and plastic lines the shores.
What has mankind done to this planet, and where did society go so wrong in regard to treating the environment?... In developing countries, they're so busy trying to survive until the next day, that the environment becomes secondary. But I fear in the west, with unchecked fly tipping, we are heading that same way.
Steve spots a monitor lizard gliding into the water and there's another creeping through the detritus that I eventually see too.
We decide this area, not the Old Port apparently, doesn't warrant further exploration so we pick up three tuk tuks and head for the actual Old Port.
But even that turns out to be an anticlimax; yes, the old ships are there, lined up, but that's it, there's nothing else in the area. Five minutes of photos and we scoot.
We now head for the jetski cafe, but the tuk tuk drivers don't have a clue how to get there, confidently driving in the opposite direction. So we bail, and Grab two cars which know the way.
A pleasant lunch there on the edge of the harbour, sitting inside in front of a massive A/C machine. I enjoy fresh coconut from a fresh jetski cafe branded coconut. I scrape out the moist lining with a spoon, but need a plastic straw to drink the liquid. I feel uneasy about using this and wonder if it will end up in the sea.
Grab back to the hotel. We regroup there and then head out to collect the bikes, which we ride about 500m back to the hotel in minimal gear, but maximal traffic, so top out at about 15 kmph. Mine is a Kawasaki Versus 250cc. Feels comfortable and should be fine for the mild trails and tarmac we'll be mostly riding.
Out to dinner in two cars at a swanky resto in the Financial District. It's far nicer here and more like a modern city should be. One wonders if the people that live and work here spent some time in the rubbish strewn areas, out of their air conditioned cars, whether the "Kampung" areas would be so unpleasant.
I end the evening with Charlie, Tom and Shane. Riders who I'm meeting for the first time, but I'm sure will get to know well.
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