Indonesia from the train

After a week of wondering what are people seeing in Java, I finally get to see that too. Indonesian trains are so slow, one would have thought they are being pulled by a pair of Komodo dragons, but they have an advantage of breathtaking, hilly landscapes, shaped with juicy green rice paddies and other plantations behind the window. Above all that- volcanos, under - little straw and clay huts with red tiled roofs, yes tiled, not tin! 

It immediately changed my mood, that was rather grim after the whole morning spent in the buses on dusty roads. Roads! Always jammed, with no sidewalks, not even even side of the road to walk on, there is no walking in Indonesia, unless you want to risk your life. Airspace seems so much safer so we set off and done some paragliding. From above, where there is no noise and all the trash is not visible, everything looks so much better. Tea plantations with some sparse trees covering the hillsides, rice paddies in the valleys. Never thought people would be so happy to find me crushing (actually landing nicely but smashing some plants on the way) into their rice field. "Hello Mister! Come my home! Welcome!" Eh, falling from the sky... :) 

But apart from that Puncak fell a victim of its own beauty. Hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and ugly shacks quickly built up along the road to accommodate and facilitate the masses of Javanese and Arabic tourists are of bad style and obstruct the views, masses of waste left along the street or simply thrown in the stream pollute and stink. Prices are through the roof and quality disputable. Nights are still loud with traffic or morons who find it funny to shout out loud and ride motorbikes up and down the street with a great speed. 

Speed... Street... Few days ago, 500m from our hotel a bus with bad breaks smashed into the house on the bend of the road and took it with it into the stream several meters below. 20 dead, some more injured. Road jammed with spectators taking pics with phones etc, ambulances rushing up and down the road between the site and little hospital. 

Down the hill drama, above fun goes on. People keep flying, tandem business flourishes (6000 flights a year for one pilot!), there is joy, children playing. The Universe is a balanced place after all.