Palembang - The Facility
While I sit here in my hotel room, the GP paddock just a two-minute walk away, a purposely built motocross in eyesight, and the air condition blowing out a nice 20 degrees, I have to admit, this is motocross at its best. A handful of hotels circle the track, a massive mall, with a good selection of places to eat, or have a beer are at hand. Yes, welcome to the Grand Prix of Indonesia.
Indonesia has again greeted us with open arms, the people of Palembang all happy, smiling faces, interested in us and looking at us like we have just landed from the moon. A track built by Greg Atkins that has attracted good comments from riders, Tim Gajser saying it will be good for racing, free flowing and good lines for passing.
As always, the GP paddock are all close together, some sitting in the team tents, some inside the hotel foyer, and some walking the track. Temperatures are not ridiculous, although when the cloud is completely gone, and the sun is at its harshest, its DAMN hot.
For the media, the four-star hotel makes for the media room, again with 100% viewing of the circuit, air conditioning, a KFC shop, and a bunch of other luxuries. In fact, if we like we could go for a swim in the swimming pool between motos. This new level motocross and I am loving it.
A night the GP paddock people can sit in the luxurious bar area and take in a Bintang beer (the local drop), which is said to just be Heineken, just in a different bottle, which really ruined my day, as I liked it until somebody told me that.
Tonight a visit to the private home of the Palembang Governor, a traditional dance, a meal and then back to the hotel for some “Heinekens”……Tomorrow of course, qualification, 30 or so National races, with adults and children involved, which is great for development of the Indonesian motocross scene. Its pretty cool watching these young locals marvelling at the GP stars and maybe one day hoping to be a MX2 or MXGP rider.
Sunday, again the main events, and then off to Bali for most of the GP paddock and a few days rest and relaxing, before we hit Semarang on the Island of Java. Motocross continues to go Worldwide, and it is a pleasure to be involved.