No Great Fish Come Easy

by | Nov 23, 2023 | fly fishing in Indonesia | 4 comments

flyfishingI thought my next post would come from the rainforest in Borneo but unfortunately as I was leaving Amsterdam Tuesday evening I met travel challenges.  First was a 90 minute delay on KLM departing Amsterdam for Singapore.  A departure interruption on what was already a 12 hour flight was a drag, but also added stress because in Singapore I had a connecting flight for Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

SingaporeMy late arrival to Singapore and shortened transit wasn’t smooth.  Though only scheduled to be there for three hours in which I didn’t leave the airport, I was required to fill out a “Singapore Arrival Card”.  Of course I didn’t learn this until spending 20 minutes in line then reached the immigration counter.  I was sent back to find the “Entry Kiosks” to do some pain in the butt paperwork.

 

 

flyfishingEventually I immigrated, collected my luggage, went through customs, took a train from Terminal 2 to 3, rechecked my bag with Batik Airlines for Jakarta then emigrated out of Singapore.  Somehow I kept my cool through the whole thing and I caught my next flight.  I even had some time to kill near my gate and was amazed at a store that might sell every single type of coffee on the planet!

 

flyfishingAs I was boarding for Jakarta I received an email from Fajar (my guide and host once to Borneo) offering bad news.  Fajar announced a two day delay for Borneo.  Instead of flying there today (Thursday) we now leave Saturday.  The reason is that one of our boatmen where we will fish had a family emergency that involved his wife, broken legs and a motorcycle.  It sounds horrible and hopefully everyone’s ok.

 

JakartaI boarded my flight from Singapore for Jakarta at 9 pm and the flight took about 90 minutes.  Time doesn’t really matter at this point.  The human body enters a time warp after 30 hours on a plane and over 8,000 miles traveled.  It’s a bizarre almost out of body feeling, however a great way to start any fishing trip.  It means I’m going somewhere incredible every time.

 

IndonesiaArrival to Indonesia was relatively easy.  I got my VISA at immigration for $35 (I didn’t pass any kiosks this time).  Next I did some modern-day QR code scan with my phone and filled out more crap with fat fingertips on my phone.  Often I miss the old days.

 

flyfishingOnce through customs I made my way by taxi to a nearby hotel called FM7 where travel mate on this trip, Austin Kane, is staying.  Austin arrived earlier yesterday so I didn’t disturb him upon my midnight arrival.  I have my own room and went to bed.  You can’t imagine how a bed feels after 36 hours of flying that involved a few hiccups!

 

flyfishing

Today turned into lounge around day.  The FM7 is pretty upscale for me.  And it’s less than $60.  The resort-like hotel included a kick butt breakfast in which I indulged on at 7 am.  Then I had another breakfast/lunch with Austin around 9 followed by a stroll around the neighborhood looking for birds and enjoying colorful rainforest flowers.

 

flyfishingInternet is excellent so I worked until 1 pm then hit the hotel gym.  Treadmills are a true friend after sitting for nearly two solid days.  After the workout I chilled and did everything except take a nap.  When you’re faced with a 12 hour time change you want sleep, but it’s best to fight it and get the body clock on schedule.

 

fish-decalsI’ve mentioned it before on the blog and I preach it in my travel presentations, when you leave the good ole USA, pack your patience.  It’s a different world when you exit our border.  Luckily when Fajar gave Austin and I an option for six days of fishing or nine, we wisely took nine.  Even with the shortened trip we should be able to get the job done of catching a red kaloi on the fly.

 

In the meantime, please visit my webstore for “Christmas Gifts for the Angler that has Everything” and stuff those stockings with my fish decals from “Pescador on the Fly”.

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing

4 Comments

  1. Brian I

    Good luck and have a blast! I’m going to have to pick your brain about this one in January – this trip really intrigues me!

  2. Jeff

    Looking forward to connecting in January! This should be fun. And we need to talk Atlantic sheepshead!

  3. Brian I

    Yes we do! Get this red kaloi on the list and then we’ll turn our attention to the sheepie. Maybe over a beer – on me!

  4. Jeff

    Deal!

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Contact Jeff

I started fly fishing at age 7 in the lakes and ponds of New England cutting my teeth on various sunfish, bass, crappie and stocked trout. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I graduated with a Naturalist Degree while I discovered new fishing opportunities for pike, muskellunge, walleyes and various salmonids found in Lake Superior and its tributaries.

From there I headed west to work a few years in the Yellowstone region to simply work as much as most people fish and fish as much as most people work. I did just that, only it lasted over 20 years working at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop in Jackson, WY where I departed in 2009. Now it’s time to work for "The Man", working for myself that is.

I pursue my love to paint fish, lecture on every aspect of fly fishing you can imagine and host a few trips to some of the most exotic places you can think of. My ultimate goal is to catch as many species of fish on fly possible from freshwater to saltwater, throughout the world. I presently have taken over 440 species from over 60 countries!

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