FAQ

Tom, will you ever come back to Belgium?

I will! 1st of november somewhere around midnight I will arrive in Gent again.

How long will you stay in Belgium?

Not long, thats all I can say. Few months or so. Many things to sorten out first. I will celebrate new year in Belgium…after things depend on visa, paperworks and tickets.

Will you sell anything?

Thing is, I wanna have as less as possible, so yea, I’ll probably have a sort of an outsale.
Musicians and gearfreaks: keep it in mind! I will sell a lot! Transfering it to Asia would cost me too much, so I better buy again whatever I would miss.

My tannoy active monitors, soundcard, bassguitar, electric guitar,… still thinking about my technics turntables and Ecler HAK320 mixingpanel.

Also my furniture will be sold…some nice new hardly used ikea sofas, a funky desk,etc etc.

My records & (comic)books not however.

That’s all for now. Friday back off to the Philippines, where I will spend my last month.

Looking forward to taste the Belgian beer (triples!), some good old cheese with fine bread and get in touch with my friends again while enjoying these goodies!

Thou shalt not leave Indonesia

Another immigration to pass, another story to tell.

I left Jakarta’s Kelapa Gading around 6am, a beautiful hour to spin on the highway. A less beautiful hour after 3 days Bintang (read as verb).
I thought I had enough money to spend for the taxi and airport tax. And most probably I would still have enough left to enjoy a delicious indo mochacino in the airport. Though… I didn’t see near future coming.

I waited at the counter to receive the stamp on my passport and the officer looked a bit dubious at me, followed by a: “Mister, you overstayed.” Shrruugg. No, can’t be, I counted the days, I thought I stayed exactly 60 days. “Mister, the computer don’t lie”. After going through all days one by one together I forfeited. He was right, that computer..and that officer. I stayed 62 days instead of 60. Big Oops! But no worries, it’s just a fine you need to pay…Another ATM (moneymachine) to milk. Ok, off I went, searching for my Meastro sign. There were a few…First one no worky. Second one no worky…Third one NO WORKY! Shit! Not enough time to go out of the airport, coz boarding time was nearby!
I went back to the immigration officer. “Sir, the ATM isn’t working. Normally it does, but today it seems down. No communication with my bank.” “hahaha” in chorus. They (yes, few more officers joined) almost started to sing a song…”The ATM is not working lalala, lalala” You can’t go out sir. You must pay the fine.
Fuck, i’m fucked…And more of those charming words I thought.
“But..but sir, the ATM is really not working! Come and join me.” They showed me another one, which had maestro and mastercard (which also works for my card). From a distance they kept an eye on me, how I was getting completely hopeless. I saw myself driving back with a taxi, which I couldn’t pay, and say hi to my friends again. “Hello, I didn’t made it. I couldn’t pay them 50 dollar.” What a joke…no no no.
I even started trying all other ATM’s. Funny sight that must have been. OMG, that guy must be loaded, he’s milking all ATM’s. Let’s rob him! I wish…

I went back to them and said: “OK, I have tried them all, I need to go, is there any other way to get money? Maybe someone from the airport can give me a sum and I pay back from Kuala Lumpur airport.” Sure. “The ATM is not working lalalala…lalala…You can’t go sir.”

I lost it (time pressure) and I started to bother passengers waiting in line for immigration. “Sir, could you give me 50 dollars or 400.000 rupia? I have a problem. I can pay you back in Kuala Lumpur”. How many would do that? 1 dollar ok, but 50… I found a guy however who gave me 100.000 rupiah. With this I went back to my officers. “Satu ratus!”…waahahaha Nonono, not enough. empat ratus!” They called me inside the office.  Boarding started already. “Sir, what do you have, other then money? Any valuables? Mobile maybe” I had to laugh, my mobile isn’t even worth 20 dollar, but then again, can’t miss it for anything. No way. Then I did something smart it seemed.
“Here, I give you my guitar Sir. Make your son happy, sell it, but I need to go. I think this is enough for the fine”
“But sir, you give your guitar? That’s music, is your life, to valuable!” (I was laughing inside, this piece of crap wood wouldn’t even sell anymore to a retarded monkey, and I’m not that attached to it)
“Yes sir, that’s how much I’m serious. I’m not joking about ATM, I need to go, you can have the guitar.” 2 mins silence. He let me follow him…back towards the counter…With my guitar! HE STAMPED. No fine! I’m out. Wooohoo!

Another moviemoment. Airasia plane for the second time fully boarded and this bloke running second time towards it. Last passenger boarded. With guitar. Ready for take off, captain!.

The two countries that I love the most were the two craziest exits. That’s how they let me never forget them. I do like it. Now, when typing this. I feel they want me back. Another story to tell.

A roadtrip from Jakarta to Pangandaran & back

This weekend I went for a roadtrip to Pangandaran. Going on friday late midday, with the charming Volkswagen oldtimer from Ash & Nancy. It’s roughly 8 – 10 hours driving, as you need to cross Java in the height. Once there, Ash & me killed about 40 cans of Bintang, waiting for the arrival of the others, who departed later in the evening and as such, would arrive around 5am. Hey, it was his 50th birthday, it should have been 50 cans. Anyway, It was a pleasant meeting, right guys? *grin*

After merely 4 hours sleeping and starting the day with a huge hangover, we went for a hike into the National park. Nothing special, dry season, not much waterfalls, few monkies,…I’ve seen much better.

The second day however was the best. We drove towards the Green Canyon, a lush canyon about 30mins driving from Pangandaran. Peaceful boatride and awesome swimming (and cliffjumping) in a beautiful natural setting. After we went to beach nearby, Batu Karas, where me & Ferry tried to master the big waves. As I didn’t had a surfboard, I played being a surfboard. If you catch the wave right, it’s an awesome feeling! Careful though with this stuff if you’re not a good swimmer. The power of the water is extremely strong. Sometimes I wasn’t able to walk against the current and got dragged away for a bit.

We followed a slight different (but longer) route back to Jakarta, following the South Javanese coastline for a 60 km or so and then going up north to Tasikmalaya, where we catched the main road to Bandung. Very deserted beaches, big strong waves, nice & ideal for surfing.

Pictures! (more will come later from my companions, as I was often busy in the water I didn’t use my cam that much)

On the way, stop at a Warung/kopi (resto/coffee) place, which they shorten to ‘warkop’…Funny for the Belgians.

one of the monkies I saw in the national park. It’s a specie I didn’t see before though. I forgot the name.

One of the nicer views in the park

macro’s at the beach

On the way to the green canyon…

almost there…

coming closer…

ah yes!

Ari

Me jumping of a cliff…couldn’t stop it

Me climbing for another dive & Tiara found some peephole there

Tiara enjoying a watermassage

Me & Ferry, taking a break from all the jumping and swimming

an awesome threesome: Sara(who’s trying out a new boobfilling), Anne & Tiara.

Ferry & me going for the massage

One of the deserted beaches along the South Javanese coastline.

Ferry selling his wife

The massive waves

well well, this was probably one of my last trips in Indonesia as I leave next week.
Wish I could do a lot more here, but yea, as you know…work…and there’s always another time.

Thanks for a great weekend Tiara, Anne, Sara, Nancy, Ash, Ari, Ferry, etc etc!