Opa Johan’s Trip To Sadeng Jamboe
Perhaps there never was a passenger who ever asked him, the ojek driver who takes someone on his motor-cycle to carry him from Sadeng Jamboe to Gobang. I my self have never been through this country road. How much should I pay him? After haggling it was agreed on Rp 40.000.-, that’s a lot for some one as me as I paid for my train fare just Rp.2.500.- (that’s about 25 US cents) Jakarta – Bogor some 60 Km.
It was fine, the country road was OK. Then we came on a not asphalted road with a lot of stones and holes, uphill, downhill. I almost was thrown off backwards as he suddenly increased his speed uphill on the stony road. I promised myself that next time will I learn how to position my feet, my hands to keep myself safe and take my helmet. And it suddenly rained, showered. We sheltered beneath a tree and the wind was blowing very hard. So we rode again to find another shelter and found a farmers hut. Halfway we came to the main road but Gobang was still far away.
I said to him “which way would you take on your return road. The same road would be awfully far and bad. What about going to Leuwiliang on the main road, I will take an angkot carrying passengers to Bogor station and you could return. That’s not so far off Sadeng Jamboe. I’ll add Rp. 10.000.-.” Rather than staying helplessly on the lonely road, I said to myself. He nodded.
I’m certainly happy as I remember this adventure on the heavy road, the beautiful view of mountains and rice fields, just for Rp. 50.000.- and I think he too must be happy with his unexpected earning and remember the strange request.
In the angkot to Bogor, there was a woman who could be my daughter. As when I asked the driver to stop she said. “Don’t leave here, it’s still far away to the train station. – she didn’t know that I’m a fairly good old walker - This angkot will be going past the station.” I kept my thump up in appreciation, gratitude.
As I left at the station, I turned, looked at her and nodded good bye. What a happy unexpected meeting just in an angkot.
And in the overcrowded train was a young woman who was sitting beside me as though needing “’someone to watch over her’, instead of you, why then have you a hurting leg?” Opa Johan whispered, “Am I not a good husband?”
“Oh, I’m a very rich man. And every day adding to my riches, imagine, just during a trip to Jamboe without the huge costs, difficulties, troubles if ever visiting the Niagara Falls. I deserve a kiss. Ha, ha, ha.”
September 2008
Perhaps there never was a passenger who ever asked him, the ojek driver who takes someone on his motor-cycle to carry him from Sadeng Jamboe to Gobang. I my self have never been through this country road. How much should I pay him? After haggling it was agreed on Rp 40.000.-, that’s a lot for some one as me as I paid for my train fare just Rp.2.500.- (that’s about 25 US cents) Jakarta – Bogor some 60 Km.
It was fine, the country road was OK. Then we came on a not asphalted road with a lot of stones and holes, uphill, downhill. I almost was thrown off backwards as he suddenly increased his speed uphill on the stony road. I promised myself that next time will I learn how to position my feet, my hands to keep myself safe and take my helmet. And it suddenly rained, showered. We sheltered beneath a tree and the wind was blowing very hard. So we rode again to find another shelter and found a farmers hut. Halfway we came to the main road but Gobang was still far away.
I said to him “which way would you take on your return road. The same road would be awfully far and bad. What about going to Leuwiliang on the main road, I will take an angkot carrying passengers to Bogor station and you could return. That’s not so far off Sadeng Jamboe. I’ll add Rp. 10.000.-.” Rather than staying helplessly on the lonely road, I said to myself. He nodded.
I’m certainly happy as I remember this adventure on the heavy road, the beautiful view of mountains and rice fields, just for Rp. 50.000.- and I think he too must be happy with his unexpected earning and remember the strange request.
In the angkot to Bogor, there was a woman who could be my daughter. As when I asked the driver to stop she said. “Don’t leave here, it’s still far away to the train station. – she didn’t know that I’m a fairly good old walker - This angkot will be going past the station.” I kept my thump up in appreciation, gratitude.
As I left at the station, I turned, looked at her and nodded good bye. What a happy unexpected meeting just in an angkot.
And in the overcrowded train was a young woman who was sitting beside me as though needing “’someone to watch over her’, instead of you, why then have you a hurting leg?” Opa Johan whispered, “Am I not a good husband?”
“Oh, I’m a very rich man. And every day adding to my riches, imagine, just during a trip to Jamboe without the huge costs, difficulties, troubles if ever visiting the Niagara Falls. I deserve a kiss. Ha, ha, ha.”
September 2008
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