Into the unknown (but stuck in Jakarta)

I've just arrived in Jakarta after a frantic few days in and around London trying to meet sponsors, pick up kit and make last-minute prepaprations for the expedition. Unfortunately, this was complicated by the late call-off from the two other team members that were supposed to join me on Carstensz. The impact of this is two-fold: I've taken a hit financially as the local agent would not run the expedition unless I could confirm a team of three. Therefore I have had to piggy back on another expedition that is organised from the Czech Republic with a corresponding cost increase amounting to $5,000, which is coming from my own pocket. The second impact is on my relationships with sponsors, since several sponsors had provided clothing and kit based on a team of two or three. It's hugely disappointing to have to explain to sponsors who believe in the expedition objectives that plans will change at the last minute, but it gives me the opportunity to focus only on myself for a while, which is not a bad thing after a tough year and a half working in humanitarian aid in Sudan.

Due to the last-minute plan changes, I've flown to Jakarta with the aim of organising things on the hoof, which is ironic given that the planning process started in October 2009! There are no flights out of Jakarta to Jayapura (the administrative capital of Papua Province on the north coast of New Guinea) until 23rd so I may have a few days in Jakarts to kill. This may have an impact on the rest of my schedule for Puncak Mandala as I have to be back in Jayapura on 6th December to meet the international Carstensz expedition that I'll join. I'm trying to be as flexible as possible to give myself the best chance of success. I need to bear in mind that Carstensz Pyramid must be my priority, not only because it has swallowed about 70% of the expedition budget, but also because that is where all of the verified existing glaciers on the island are located. In order to achieve the second expedition objective to create a photographic record of the glaciers, I need to get to them first! I do have some flexibility after Carstensz becasue although my flight back to the UK is booked for 4th January 2011 (the day before my 34th birthday), I have no commitments until 17th January. That's when I will fly out to Berlin to be briefed on my new job as Finance Delegate for the German Red Cross in Bangladesh, which I 'm really looking foprward to. But first, I have to get myself and all my kit (47 kgs) to Papua to see if it really is possible for me to achieve my objectives.

I was lucky at the airport that the Emirates ground staff were kind enough to let me proceed with my overweight baggage. Then, after I checked in, I was able to buy a digital camera and camcorder at Duty Free (part-funded by the Alpine Club of Canada Environment Fund), which was a nagging task that I wasn't able to complete while in London. I really want this expedition to be a success in every sense because I feel like I'm a priveleged position where I had the time and funding to make it happen and it's unlikley that I'll have another opportunity to visit these mountains in the future. It has been difficult to organise things from Sudan and I've certainly learned a lesson that I probably need at least three clear weeks before any big expedition to make sure all the boxes have been ticked.

Tomorrow, I plan to visit three airlines that fly in to Jayapura to see if there is any chance of flying out before 23rd. My stress levels are fluctuating but it feels good to have made it back onto Indonesian soil for the first time since 1994, when I joined my first expedition to Kalimantan. Although I don't recognise the sights of the city, my hotel is very close to Jalan Jaksa, where I stayed last time so I might find some time tomorrow to wander there and eat some nasi goreng.

Over and out, Ricky.