Indonesian Youths' Global Cycling Adventure with Rp 50 Ends in Unexpected Fate

In 1955, two Indonesian youths, Saleh Kamah and Darmadjati, set out with the ambitious mission of cycling around the world to introduce Indonesia to various countries. Their journey began smoothly as they successfully traversed Malaysia, Pakistan, India, and Burma. However, upon arriving in Rangoon, Myanmar, they faced a major crisis when their money ran out and their plan to find casual work to fund the trip failed to materialise. Without jobs or sufficient provisions, their journey nearly ended in Burma, forcing them to survive on the assistance of various parties intrigued by the tale of the two young Indonesian adventurers. Fortunately, this aid allowed Saleh and Darmadjati to continue their travels from Burma to the Middle East and Europe, before crossing by ship to the United States and then proceeding to Japan and the Philippines. Their story was part of a larger adventure involving five Indonesian youths who, in 1955, resolved to circumnavigate the globe. The group also included Rudolf Lawalata, Abdullah Balbed, and Sujono. Remarkably, the five young men did not initially know each other but were united by a shared dream of exploring the world and promoting Indonesia internationally. Before departing, they met with President Soekarno at the State Palace on 8 January 1955. In the memoir ‘Rp.50 Keliling Dunia’ (2009), Sujono recounted that Soekarno proudly endorsed their plan and urged them to uphold Indonesia’s good name throughout their journey. Soekarno not only gave his blessing but also provided assistance in the form of Rp 50, a camera, rucksacks, and batik clothing as initial provisions. While Saleh and Darmadjati opted to use bicycles, their three colleagues—Rudolf Lawalata, Abdullah Balbed, and Sujono—explored the world on foot, crossing Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Russia. Their adventure eventually attracted international media attention. On 2 August 1956, the United Press news agency in the United States reported the arrival of Sujono and Abdullah Balbed in New York after a long journey from Europe. Overall, the adventure lasted about six years, but not all members of the group returned to Indonesia. Only Sujono and Saleh Kamah came back to their homeland; Abdullah Balbed settled in the United States, Rudolf Lawalata resided in Germany, while Darmadjati’s trail subsequently vanished from historical records.