Day 22

After grabbing a traditional Batal shirt from the local shop, we set off to meet our driver. Up strolled a modern day, indonesian Che Guavara. Rocking a pair of camo trousers, a vest top, aviators and a military style flat cap, we clambered aboard and chugged off down the bumpy road to Tangkahan.

Our friends Tobi and Karla had met a guy called Wong who had a coconut farm on route. We stopped at the farm and was treated to coconut juice and flesh in the cool shade of the trees, surrounded by local kids and pigs.

3 hours of travelling through endless palm oil plantation, with a soundtrack by Nicholas Jaar, finally brought us to Tangkahan. This place is really great. Its the most remote place we've visited by far, no cars in sight, just a few motorbikes and the 4x4 that dropped us off. The small village is compiled along the river bank, seemingly dominated by guest houses for tourists. We spot a dark elephant crossing the river with passengers on its back. We take a boat across the riverr and are shown to our respetable room on the far side, paying 75,000rp per night (about £5).

We take a short walk along the river to see what we can find. Huge monitor lizards line the sun heated riverside rocks, they must have been a metre in length, Sarah had jumped at first thinking they were crocodiles. There's few locals by the river washing their clothes, we spot some lazy white faces lounging and bathing in the river.

Sidenote: There's huge geckos here that sound like chickens. I'm still not entirely convinced they're not chickens, as I've yet to see one, a local man insists they're not.

Me having swing fun

Our temporary house

Keeping cool at the river

Goats

River boat