Picturesque Pontianak Port

Another not great night bus journey. It was actually too cold with cold air blowing on our heads and the seats, although comfortable to sit on, when you recline you kind of slip down towards the footwell! Fred manages to curl up in a ball with knees up against the centre arm rest to avoid slipping and gets a few fitful naps. Andy struggles even more and to top it off we are dropped off in Pontianak an hour early at 4am!

It's all go here at this time of the morning with a busy food market in full swing and cars and motorbikes everywhere. We wander a little then find somewhere for a coffee. We wonder what time we'll be able to check into a hotel without being charged for last night. Just after 6am we begin to check places out. They are either way too expensive or not very nice so we head back to My Home where we stayed before. We're not sure they're exactly happy to see us but we get a room. Andy is completely dead on his feet and after a quick shower he sleeps .... non stop till just before midday. Fred reads and has a little nap then heads off to the bakery for breakfast and orders room service coffee to wake Andy up.

We do a bit of internet research and then finally head out mid afternoon. We're heading towards the port to find out about a boat to Sukadana tomorrow. Enter route we go to the ATM ... Andy's card is swallowed! Luckily it's in a bank and the guy is just emptying the other machines. He phones someone so we wait. There is no security as such with the money - although it's in sealed units they just take them out and put them in the back of a transit. No protective clothing or armoured vehicles here. Eventually the card is recovered and we manage to get some money. Off to the port and its the usual back and forth with directions from the locals. It really seems no one who lives and works down here actually knows where the boat goes from. Eventually one guy says to show up at 7am and he'll show us where to go. He seems to know what he's talking about but we're not sure ... perhaps get the hotel to call us a taxi in the morning.

Back at the hotel we phone Reza again - we've been trying all day - and finally get through. He's the contact in Sukadana Dewi gave us. He's been expecting our call and says he'll sort the ferry. A few minutes later he calls back - the Pontianak - Sukadana boat is full tomorrow but there's another option from nearby Rasaujaya - Teluk Milano and he can pick us up there ... sorted ... we need to arrive at Rasaujaya at 8.30am so book a taxi through reception.

We head to the beer restaurant for dinner.