Life as a Turtle

Life as a turtle must be very liberating but also very difficult.  Imagine having your house on your back.  No matter where you go, you have everything you need; however, that means you also need to carry everything you have everyplace you go.  I had a glimpse of what it must feel like being a turtle this week.  I arrived from Pontianak to Jakarta on Wednesday night.  I had left 48 kilos (about my body weight) of gear in Pontianak (that is a different story)... but in Jakarta I was reunited with the items I have decided that I need for the next two months (plus things that are of too much value to leave somewhere).  I imagined that it would be a quick trip into Jakarta to obtain my permit to enter national parks, so I only booked two nights in a hotel.  Well, between my permits not being ready and the evacuation of my next location, I was stuck in Jakarta.  I went looking for a new hotel, and was drawn to the sign that said "24 Hour Pancakes" and realized this must be the hotel for me.  Advice... do not pick a hotel because it might have 24 hour pancakes (by the way, they didn't even serve pancakes at breakfast).  I blew the power in the hotel and just didn't feel like it was a good place (plus it cost $50 a night).  If I was going to stay at a sub-par hotel, I wanted to pay sub-par prices (remember, none of my grants have gone through yet, so my bank accounts are pretty much empty at this point).  Therefore, I walked down the street and found a hotel for $26 a night.  It was what you would expect for $26, a bit dirty, a bit loud, a bit shady.  However, the next day, I was trying to figure out where my friend was staying (the motorcycle driver took me to the wrong hotel the night before), and I realized I could stay at a nice hotel for only $27 dollar a night.  Sold. I moved again.  Now 4 hotels in 5 days might not seem that bad; however, when you have to carry all your stuff around (hotel 2 made me walk the 4 blocks to the next hotel- a many of the hotels do not have elevators or carts) it gets to be a bit much.  Since I do not have a picture of my turtle life, let me try to explain 'my house'.  I have my 70 liter backpack stuffed to the gills on my back (it probably weighs 65 lbs), then I have my 36 liter backpack on my belly (it weighs 40 lbs), I have my Timbuk2 bag over my shoulder (I try to make that one light) and then have my big Pelican briefcase in my hand (35lbs).  Now, I can walk with all this stuff, but it is very very difficult.  I laughed when someone asked me if I wanted to take a motorcycle with my stuff.  I now understand why turtles move so slowly, one must have very slow and calculated movements with that much weight on your back.  I just got word that I will be moving again on Thursday to Bandung.  Hopefully, I will be staying in one place for a bit (I am suppose to finally start language school).  I will be happy when I am no longer a turtle for awhile.