The PAN-ASEAN TOURING "IT'S EXCITING!" convoy started out in Bandar Lampung at 8:00 in the morning and, after an hour of touring their JUPITER MX (T135) machines through the city, set out toward Baturaja in South Sumatra province. After traversing Java, the riders now have to get used to the hillier terrain and sometimes rougher road conditions on Sumatra. We could see the riders changing their riding positions to adapt to the changing road conditions and maintain their balance. The weather is also changing constantly, from cloudy to rain and then clearing to sunny skies. The burden on the riders is considerable as they work constantly to control their machines well in these changing conditions. Until now, once the JUPITER MX (T135) tour got going, they would ride for two or three hours non-stop, but today the riders stopped to rest regularly every hour or hour and a half.
At shortly past 11:00 a.m. the tour arrived in Kota Bumi. By the way, Kota means town in Indonesian. What awaited us at lunch was Sumatra's famous Padang dishes, said to be one of the hottest cuisines in the world. It is served in a style where many different meat, fish and vegetable dishes are placed on the table in small plates and you pay only for the plates you eat. And what all the dishes have in common is their spicy, hot flavoring. This was the tour's first encounter with Padang style food and when the meal was over there was virtually nothing left uneaten on the tables.
After our good Padang meal, the JUPITER MX (T135) tour pushed on along winding roads toward Baturaja. Although the roads are not really narrow, there are frequent depressions and potholes that keep the riders alert and tense in the saddle. But if you let up a bit on the throttle and enjoy the scenery for a moment, Sumatra's expanses of grasslands and forests are a rich and verdant sight for the eyes.
The tour arrived at today's destination, Baturaja, at 4:40 in the afternoon. Despite the unwelcome drizzle of rain, the riders were refreshed to see a welcoming party in front of the hotel performing the traditional dance of Baturaja.
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