After a morning when everyone sorted out their baggages and last minute shopping we left the hotel at midday taking the MRT to the Ferry port. Everyone checked in their main bag (most were around the free 20 kg limit, but a few incurred a small charge). After taking lunch waiting for boarding and changing our remaining Singapore Dollars we then travelled on the short (45 min) ferry ride to Batam. 
Getting into Indonesia was straight forward (Visa cost US$25), however we then learned that the ferry we were due to catch the following morning to Jakarta was in repair and would not run for 2 weeks. We decided that the next morning we would take the ferry to Sumatra then pick up a coach though Sumatra and then a ferry to Jakarta. All last minute stuff, but could not be avoided.
We left the Batam hotel at 06:30 and we caught a ferry to Dumai (Sumatra) at 0800. Later on the 16th we boarded a 12 hr coach leaving from Dumai at 19:00 to Padang where we arrived at about 10:00 the next day. The coach was crowded and we only just got on with all our bags (we shared the bus with a scooter) – it stopped 3 times and there was constant loud music on board. Sometime during the night we crossed the Equator.17th November
Arrived at Padang fairly shattered, so after a shave and shower I walked into the centre of Dumai for lunch (at KFC), then along the beach front (Dumai is on the Western Sumatra coast) and then caught up with some sleep. Leaving on the 18th for a 24 hr bus trip to Bonderlamping on the East coast before the final hop to Jakarta.
18th & 19th November
Eamon decided to fly to Jakarta (instead of joining with the rest of us on the long bus drive) and subsequently decided to fly directly to Bali where we should meet up with him on Thursday.
Nothing seems straightforward in Indonesia. First we are back to the 3rd world in Sumatra – quite a shock from the affluent Singapore just a couple of days ago. Second understanding the transport options was a nightmare. We thought we were leaving on a 24 hr. bus trip, stay overnight then catch a different bus to Jakarta. However we actually caught a “direct” bus to Jakarta which took about 38 hrs. including a 2 hr. ferry crossing – so we spent a second night on a bus and a third night (well most of it) on a ferry and a bus. We actually arrived in Jakarta at 03:00 and then Lu managed to get a hotel for us all for the rest of that night and well as the next night!! The bus broke down during the journey (they had to change a drive belt) and then some of us were then questioned (quite aggressively) at the ferry port when leaving for Java. In addition street sellers got on the bus at every opportunity to sell food and drink (or play the guitar or sing to us) and we made infrequent toilet and refreshment stops. The quality of the toilets were some of the worst we had encountered during the entire trip. 
However when we got to Java it was chalk and cheese – modern motorways and skyscrapers in downtown – a complete contrast to Sumatra where we had just left.20th November
We are only in Jakarta for 1 day (20 Nov) and we will spend most of that walking locally to the hotel and catching up on our sleep and emails etc. I did do a little local sightseeing and the contrast between the modern malls and the older more run down parts a feww hundred yards away was striking.
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