Kei II

Kei 19^th of March 2011

It’s eight o’clock and I just woke up. It’s been a long time since I slept this long. I’m now recovered from the food poisoning, which was a rather mild one, so I guess I was lucky.

Fisherman Jesus

Yesterday we headed for the most famous beach of Kei, the Pasir Panjang. Sven hopped off Pelni in Tanimbar, so our group consisted of the French-German couple, the Yankee naturalist, the Dutch historian/roommate and me. We decided to walk, for the day was beautiful and the trips estimated duration was about one hour. Our takeoff got somehow delayed, and we finally left at 11:00 (as you’re supposed to do when on the equator).  My homesickness was somewhat relieved by the sauna-like conditions of the surrounding jungle, and after a while the sight of the pristine white beach was truly welcomed by all of us. The water was crystal blue; the sand seemed bleached white and here and there was palm trees that provided the much-needed shelter from the scorching sun.

Hammock

Koen enjoying the sun

As I lay in my hammock without a single thought in my head I heard some “Hello misters’” coming from a nearby bamboo-built shelter. I decided to face the slightly annoying curiosity of the onlookers and went over to talk to them. With my slowly improving Indonesian I learned that:

David is 30 years old. He and his two times older friend Moses live in the local village of about 320 residents. He has a wife and two kids, as does Moses. David wants to collect us some coconuts. Coconut in is kelapa (head is kepala). Young coconut milk tastes like water – old tastes like Sprite. Moses thinks it’s good we want to stay the night camping at the beach. He thinks we must eat. His wife can cook us dinner if we buy him the noodles and vegetables. If we don’t know what to buy he can buy them for us. The meal is ready at six o’clock. The price for five people is 25 000. Coconuts are free.

As always the guys ended up being really friendly. However Koen remembered we already promised Gearson (the guest house owner) that we’d dine there. So we said our farewells to the guys and hiked back. After a splendid dinner Gearson played Triominoes with Koen and me – a version of dominoes where the game is played with triangles that less surprisingly have three numbers instead of two. A few beers and some sopi accompanied the game, which complicated waking up this morning.

Today we’ll rent scooters, drive to the south and camp there. On Monday we’ll fly to Manado with Koen, and from there we plan to head for the Togean-islands. One week there, one week in Tana Toraja and then I must get to Kuala Lumpur to apply for a one-month visa to Vietnam. I’m planning to rent a motorbike and spend three weeks discovering the areas northwest of Hanoi.

I’ve noticed I haven’t actually done any thinking while here. It’s really easy to immerse one self in the beauty and curiosities of the surroundings and disregard questioning the reasons of being here. However one important part of happiness is said to be meditation: evaluating and judging ones thoughts and emotions.

I know I’m happy, but my joy is shadowed by the memories of people that I miss. My shallow knowledge of psychological studies tells me its just one face of a cultural shock.  Disregarding that, I feel I left behind people really valuable to me, and I’m skeptical of ever finding us in settings equally enjoyable like the ones we were in before. At this point a layman-philosopher would throw in the cliché “Life goes on”, but the thing is it doesn’t. The life I left home is not the life I live here. In my thoughts and feelings that life is on pause; its slowly fading and losing detail, but no new material is added.

Conclusion: Friends and family – send me emails (lauri.pynnonen(at)tut.fi). I need new material concerning your lives, for you form the life I still have there.

That’s enough meditation to ensure happiness for the time being. Now breakfast.

Coconut drinking contest

David getting lunch

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Sunday 20^th March

It’s now midday. I’ve just returned from a trip to the southern parts of the island of Kei Kecil. We rented a bike yesterday and drove to a beach in the south. I forgot my hammock and had to sleep on the beach. It didn't rain, so everything worked out perfectly. I've got to run now, so this post is going to consist of fotos. Suggestion for the details of the story are accepted!

My accommodation on the beach

Another view

Stevie finding snacks

Sunset

Sunset 2

Night and bonfire

Night and bonfire 2

Me after a good night sleep

-Lauri

Kei

Kei 16th of March 2011

We bought economy tickets to a Pelni boat called Kalimutu. The German explorer known as Sven who arrived late to the harbor was driven to the boat with a tiny fishing vessel and he climbed aboard while the boat was already on its way.

The ship was to take us to Tual, the capital of the Kei-islands, in 36 hours. The economy class is the cheapest of classes (1st class was 900 000 IDR, 2nd 750 000 and economy 242 000), but you travel without a cabin, basically sleeping at the corridors of the boat or on the deck. This would not be a problem if the boats weren’t immensely overbooked, but luckily I had a hammock with me that I hung on the deck and actually managed to enjoy the trip, slowly swaying over the filthy floors of the boat, glaring at the endless sea decorated with flying fish.

The boat lost one of its engines during the trip, and we arrived 8 hours late to Tual.  I somewhat disregarded my hand hygiene during the cruise, and was rewarded by a food poisoning that bound me to my bed for the next day.

It’s Thursday 17th today and I’m back on my feet. We’re residing at a guesthouse called Savana Cottages. Gearson owns the place, a blond haired dark skinned man who left Holland due to some drug-related problem and arrived here to try again from a fresh start.  I haven’t really explored the place yet because yesterday was a bit hazy, but it seems really quiet and beautiful. Last night I forced myself to eat a bit of rice and coconut, and now I’m slowly regaining my strength.

The next stop from here might be surprisingly Manado in North Sulawesi. I was thinking of conquering Sulawesi during this trip, but wasn't so keen on rushing away from Kei. However I've come to the conclusion that one week is enough here. Coen happens to be going to Manado, and he seems like a really cool guy, so I guess I'll join him on his quest.

I guess that's it. My head is still functioning with 50% efficiency, and writing seems a bit difficult. I'll get back with pictures, this place seems amazingly picturesque.

Best wishes!
-Me