The driver at the hotel had offered to take me to the border, albeit at a price, and not a good one at that - about CDN$50. I found this rather high, and also found it rather surprising that there was no regular public transport to get to the border. And so, mulling over this, I headed to the Indonesian consulate one hundred metres away from the hotel and sought an entry visa.

I was greeted by a friendly Papuan fellow, who invited me inside the consulate grounds, although the consulate was closed for the morning as it was a Papuan holiday - National Cleanup Day or something to that effect. I chatted for awhile with the fellow, who told me the consulate would open at 11am, and I could get my visa then.

Some friends of his stopped by as well, to get their visas, and they were heading for the border. He said they might take me along - indeed they would, as the price was still considerable at CDN$30, and yet significantly less than the fellow at the hotel was offering - although he seemed to be preoccupied with other things in town and was delaying his promise to get me to the border. I headed over to the hotel and told a security guard that I wouldn't need the driver there, and thanked him for his help. Heading back over to the consulate, I waited for my visa. A Special Entry Permit, as required, to cross into Indonesia by land. The Papuan had told me rumours of the two European tourists heading to the border today as well, yet there was no sign of them by the time we were ready to head west, into Irian Jaya. And with that, along with a half dozen other Papuans who I would get to know rather well, we went on our way.


The full story has been accounted by me on the online edition of Sobaka, and will be published in issue 10 of their print edition, for release on September 30 2002. I highly recommend picking it up. In addition to this article, you can view photos by continuing with our narrative.....

Jayapura



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