Quite what has inspired Indonesia’s love affair with small wheels will probably remain a mystery but it seems as though the country has embraced the modest wheeled vehicle like no other. Many countries have their iconic forms of transport: jeepneys in the Philipines; decorated trucks in Pakistan and the London Bus, just to name a few, but Indonesia has adapted bicycles and motor bikes to perform a whole range of functions.
Come rain or shine the food will come to you
You won’t get very far, anywhere in the country before you find someone selling food in the street from some kind of wheeled device. Some are powered by motor or pedals and others are simply pushed but all have honed the efficiency of food production in a microscopic area down to a fine art. Usually concentrating on doing just one dish, maybe with slight variations, you can be pretty sure they do it well and with low overheads and bulk buying ingredients they can often sell it for less than you could cook it yourself. Being mobile they can move to where the business is throughout the day or night. Street food is such an institution that the president has even ordered government officials to use these little local vendors to avoid the lavish spending we all associate our politicians with.
Style!
Indonesia’s take on the rickshaw is the becak (pronounced bechak), which comes in motor and bicycle forms but has the seats at the front to give you a better view of the vehicles hurtling towards you as becaks are unconstrained by the usual rules of lane usage. Statistics for the mortality rates are not available. Cycle becak operators are characterised by their lack of understanding of supply and demand economics, hence can often be seen sleeping whilst waiting for some customers to appear because there are far too many of them in the area.
This pose means they are ready, willing and able to take you wherever you wish to go
The pinnacle of moto-becak style can be found in northern Sulawesi, where boy racers must have to spend economically unviable amounts of money to make them look cool: spoilers, flares and wings are in but the most important feature is a monstrous sound system, with the bass speakers in the seat to give the passengers an audio massage as they ride.
Cool!
The most surprising niche in the mobile business market has to be children’s entertainment. Often hanging around night markets in some parts of Indonesia are kids rides, decked out in flashing lights with fairground music squeaking out of tinny speakers. Some of the larger ones are powered and towed to where they are needed but my favourites are totally human-powered. One man pedalling furiously keeps the kids in their seats moving, while the lights and music send them into that reverie that only three-year olds can know. The operators had no need for gym membership as they got a serious workout each night.
Totally human-powered entertainment
Others, such as the ones below combined pedal power with a small motor when needed. No need to go to the fairground as it comes to you.
This ride was pretty wild so mum had to be on her guard
Thomas the tank engine and Spongebob Squarepants – two of the world’s great iconic figures that don’t get enough credit
A well deserved rest
Yes, these are some of the staples of transportation in Indonesia. You missed a few, of course, but this is coming from someone who spent a year traveling the country — I had plenty of time to witness all the offbeat forms of wheeled devices scattered around the country, many of which are regional and can be found only in one particular city or island. Shame I can’t upload photos into this comment, to add on to what you’ve written. However I must say my favorite of all time is the small four-person children’s Ferris wheel which was itself on wheeled-pedaled cart, much like some of the last couple photos you posted. They also have their own form of tuk-tuks or rickshaws known as bajaj, but these can only be found in Jakarta. Oh I could ramble on here forever but I won’t…my only point is once again, well done my friend! It is always a joy reading your posts 🙂
Many thanks Derek. I knew i could only give a flavour of things and also as usual i didn’t always take pictures of things when i should have. I often get an idea for a blog part way through a country and then am franticly looking for photo ops i need for it.
I find myself in similar situations all the time. Sometimes inspiration just strikes you on a whim. And other times you have to wait until you are safely out of the country to truly speak your mind 😉
Absolutely. As I’ve got a little post on indonesian toilets coming up i ought to ask on the off chance if you have got any photos of any suitable examples. I know most decent people dont photo toilets but i thought it was worth asking
Reblogged this on theHoliDaze.com and commented:
A look at some or the unique and wonderful forms of transportation around Indonesia
I guess I should take it as a compliment that you consider me a decent person but I’m going to shatter that perception right now by saying yes, I do take toilet shots all the time — both lavish and appalling. However I don’t do the exterior ones as you have in the past but rather full on money shots. Will dig them out off the hard drive and email you some of the more, shall we just say ‘intriguing’ ones within the next couple days.
In my book decent people spend a bit too long hanging round strange foreign toilets and take photos of them so you’re cool. Interiors are good, its more a question of having something to comment on. Looking fwd to the intriguing ones, thanks