JALAN JALAN

Thursday Talk - Everytime I’m in Bima I go jalan jalan. Jalan means street. And jalan jalan has more than one meaning.

The most rich people go to drive a little bit with their cars, but the most people from Bima means that they go to drive a little bit around the city with their motorcycle. And me, I just go by feet across the neighbourhood.

That’s difficult to understand for them. Walking? In this heat? It’s difficult to understand that Europeans so eager to go on foot. The locals would almost take public transportation or their motorcycle to three neighbours further.

One of the less buildings in Raba what's left from the Dutch people who colonized Indonesia in the past

View over the roof tops and the valley at Kumbe village

​Because I really can enjoy from hiking, I can recommend it to anyone who passes through Bima and takes the time to stay longer than a few hours or one day. Because the most backpackers don’t stay longer out of ignorance. Very pitty. Go with the bemo (local transport) definitely to Raba of Kumbe, just outside the city and further into the valley.

View over the fields at Raba

Me jalan jalan

​Just walking through the streets – jalan jalan – and let yourself be carried away by the flew of the local people. You will immediately notice how friendly everyone is. Everywhere people call ‘Hey Mister’ or ‘Hey Miss’ and they greet you friendly. Very often they ask in the little English they know where are you going to. Than I always answer ‘jalan jalan’. They are also always looking forward to hear your name ‘What’s your name?’. Those are the standard phrases that they learn in school. If I then answer in the little Indonesian that I know, are they always surprised. They are already surprised to see a foreigner, because they rarely come here. You don’t know what your are missing.

Ular besar (big snake), a phyton what they just catch next to the street

One of the many streets at Raba

​I often get the question of the locals if I also greet every foreigner in Belgium. With a smile on my face I explain them that you can find in some Belgian cities more foreigners than Belgium people. Very strange for them.

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Text & picture: T. Hanan S.

More about: Indonesia, Thursday Talk, travel, backpacking

Thierry Hanan loves to travel without something to plan in advance and let everything just be what it is. Thierry Hanan has no fears to leave just on foot or by hitchhiking. Destination? Somewhere, nowhere and everywhere.