Author Archives: yachtcamomile
On to Vang Viang
As our coach rolled out of Vientiane across the huge flat floodplain of the Mekong we soon realised that this would be a very different country in the wet season. Right now the ever present paddy fields were dry, brown and looking abandoned but everywhere there was evidence of irrigation systems to regulate the flow of water and all the houses and out buildings were constructed on small raised plinths of land to keep them dry. The three hour coach journey was easy and included stops for food, water and toilets so we arrived in good shape.
The resort shuttle was called for us and we soon found ourselves admiring the fantastic sheer limestone mountains across the river from the balcony of the hotel restaurant while we checked in.
After settling in we took a stroll around this very backpacker friendly town,ending up across a rickety bridge at Smile Beach.
Cold beer in hand
Cold beer in one hand, a comfy seat and breathtakingsuch view. I did smile.
After a good, though chilly, sleep we joined a tour which took us some miles upstream to a cave where one of the rivers tributaries emerged from under the mountain.
We stripped off to swimmers and were sat in large inner tubes so we could haul ourselves upstream and into the cave on a nylon rope. I have never been in an underground river before and found it quite difficult to forget that there was about 1km of rock above us. I have also not been so cold in quite a while though when we had gone in around 300 metres it did seem to warm slightly.
Lunch out in the warm sun put things to rights.
We walked across a field to view the elephant cave, obviously there were more Buddhas to view but also a stalagmite in the shape of an elephant to see before we tramped back across the field.
We were soon back in our opensided truck again to find the launching point for the kayaks to start our 15 km paddle back to the resort.
Once we had launched the double seater our Vanuatu experience soon came back to us which was just as well because it looked like it was the first time for quite a few of them as we swerved and weaved our way past vessels NUC (not under control). We felt quite cocky as we trolled off, paddles in sync and riding the occasional shallow rapids.
For the most part the ride was serene and the view just fabulous with jungle and occasional villages to our left but mountain towering over us on the right, a really lovely experience. We were confident enough now to go ahead of the guides after a stop at a riverside bar.
Pride comes before a fall and though we were handling the gentle rapids with ease we slewed against a submerged rock and found ourselves suddenly capsized. Sue handled herself fantastically well and was more concerned about her hat being swept off downstream than bumping her head on the rock as she went down. Anyway there was no real damage to the rock and we were soon remounted, pleased to discover that the drybags had kept the camera and other kit from harm.
I, on the other hand, had failed to put my wallet back in the drybag after the last stop but luckily it did stay in my pocket during my dip and the last of the day’s sunshine was employed to dry the notes out so we could buy dinner that evening.
We watched a ballon drift by that evening a little too close we felt.
The Thavonsouk resort had been a good choice and we would recommend it.
The view from the restaurant at breakfast was stunning if not a little chilly, we’ll be more prepared next time.
After 2 nights in Vang Vieng our next stop was Luang Prabang but first we had to make the grueling 7 hour coach journey to the north through mountainous terrain.
The superb views of the town turned out to be just a foretaste of the scenery to come as our coach wheezed and squealed it’s way up the steep gradients and into the midst of the bluff sided mountains. (Passing their one cone!)
Reaching for clear blue sky the limestone monsters looked like groups of green shrouded monks deep in lofty conversation, their feet far below in the quilt of paddy fields at the valley floor. This spectacle evocative of the drama of New Zealand and the mystery of the Marquesers.
I was captivated by the little dusty villages straddling ridges, huddled up to the comfort of the tarmac and overhead power lines their backs precariously clutching the near vertical slopes below.
The houses are an improbable and eclectic mix of whickerwork and thatch through to reinforced concrete. Ancient and modern cheek by jowel. The old, tilled and harvested from the slopes of the land below, and the new, dug from the gut of the limestone hillside in the quarries and processed in the massive cement plants which stand guard at the entrance to Vang Vieng’s road to the pass.
Our ride though, with its seatbelts and emergency exits disabled, was driven by a man on a mission, overtaking anything and everything on the road regardless of blind corners and hairpins. And so it was with some relief that we arrived in Luang Prabang convinced that, despite the fine views, we would fly back south!
Shore Expeditions to Laos starting with Vientiane
Local boats on Pangkor Island
We got back to Camomile on 2nd January heavily jet lagged and both with heavy colds so plans changed (as they do) and we decided to postpone our trip. We spent 5 days in the hotel going back and forth to the boat scrubbing the hull, cleaning the prop, servicing the seacocks and antifouling the keel. I took the sewing machine back to our room and re sewed, again, the mainsail stack pack and repaired the sun canopy, it was great working in the air conditioning. Camomile was launced on the 7th January in time for James to arrive on the 8th. Between the three of us we spent another 2 weeks mending all the things that had broken in our last few weeks before our trip to the UK, fitting all the parts Bill had brought back with him, scrubbing the decks, re attaching sails and generally getting her ready for sailing again. It wasn’t all work, the marina is next to the ferry port for Pangkor Island so we jumped on the ferry and had a day on the island.
James flew to Vietnam on the same day.
Finally we were ready for our holiday (don’t say it!) and on Monday 20th January we flew to Vientiane the capital city of Laos. James flew to Vietnam at the same time. I had managed to get a good deal on Air Asia with 2 one way flights costing only £45 each. I had booked us in to the Day inn hotel for 3 days.
The Day Inn hotel
We had an early flight so by lunchtime we were out exploring. We found a lovely cafe just around the corner from the hotel called Joma which sold lovely french baguettes, quite unexpected. The Lao National Museum was located just a short walk from where we were so we headed there first. It was founded to highlight the revolution of the 1970s and is located in a French colonial building built in 1925 as the French Governor’s residence. In 2007, the United States donated a grant to help develop the museum. The museum presents the history of Laos, highlighting the Laotian people’s struggle to free the country from foreign occupiers and imperialist forces but has a slight overtone of propaganda.
Wat Si Saket
We contined on to find our first Wat. Wat Si Saket was built in 1818 on the orders of King Anouvong. Si is derived from the Sanskrit title of veneration Sri, prefixed to the name of Wat Saket in Bangkok, which was renamed by Anouvong’s contemporary, King Rama I. Wat Si Saket was built in the Siamese style of Buddhist architecture, with a surrounding terrace and an ornate five-tiered roof, rather than in the Lao style. This may have kept it safe as the armies of Siam that sacked Vientiane in 1827 used the compound as their Headquarters and lodging place. It may now be the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. The French restored Wat Si Saket in 1924 and again in 1930.
A line of beautiful Buddas
The cloister walls surrounding it houses more than 2000 ceramic and silver Buddha images. The temple in the middle houses a museum and features some very old murals on the walls. We spent about an hour marvelling at our surroundings.
More Buddha in the garden.
Haw Phra Kaew.
Across the road is Haw Phra Kaew, a former temple. The interior now houses a museum and a small shop. Haw Phra Kaew was built between 1565 and 1556, on the orders of King Setthathirath. When Vientiane was seized by Siam (now Thailand) in 1778, the temple was destroyed. When it was rebuilt by King Annouvong of Vientiane in 19th century it was again destroyed by Siamese forces when he rebelled against Siam to attempt to regain full independence of the kingdom.The temple was rebuilt for a third time by the French in the 1920’s during colonization of French Indochina which is the building that exists today. We couldn’t help thinking with all these rebuilds whether we were looking at ‘the original broom’ theory.
More Buddha’s.
Young monks
The carving around the walls and doors was exquisite and again the walls were lined with buddas. As we walked around some young monks appeared and allowed me to take their photo.
Busy streets
We walked back to the hotel passing the palatial presidential palace built for the president of Laos, who is also the general secretary of the Laos People’s Revolutionary party, although it’s only for receiving foreign dignatories because he chooses not to live there.
After our early start we were tired so we enjoyed a meal in the hotel then an early night.
Bill takes up the story.
Breakfast in the hotel
After the hot and humid climate of Malaysia it was pleasant to wake up feeling chilly for once. We breakfasted in the hotel and decided to make it another walking tour day of some more prominent city sights so we headed off north east past Dum Stupa (don’t ask) to Lane Xang Avenue the main drag of government buildings passing Patuxai, a triumphal arch to commemorate kicking the French out and built with materials donated by the USA for the purpose of laying a new airstrip thus earning it the nickname of the vertical runway.
Beautiful golden That Louang
As it was still hazy at 9.30 when we got there we decided to climb it later and carry on with a fork right along Avenue 23 Singha to reach Pha That Luang the iconic golden Buddhist stupa. Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century, the stupa has undergone several reconstructions as recently as the 1930s due to foreign invasions of the area. It is generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol.
Little shrine
The squat yet delicately minareted groundscraper has a charming and powerful if slightly weathered presence which held us captive for a circuit of its cloistered quadrangle and,while Sue laid an orange flowered posy for her mum at the shrine, I watched the coach tours frogmarched around this treasure and realised how lucky we are to have that little extra time to savour these precious places.
This gate was opposite the shrine
..which led out to the town where we spotted the reclining Buddha.
To the compounds south east lies a temple not mentioned in the guide books but which for it’s delicate decoration and elegance stole the show with beautiful freshly painted ceiling frescoes sheltering small groups of chanting orange robed monks called to prayer by an ancient bell. Nearby a massive golden reclining Buddha is incongruously crowded by everyday life just beyond the gates. Market stalls, kids playing with their pet kittens and beating each other up while their mothers try to sell souvenirs.
Beautiful temple
with beautiful ceilings
Stunning reclining Buddha
Patouxai, the Laos Arc de Triomphe
The ceiling of the Pataxay
Fantastic view from the top
Looking back towards the town
Back to the Patuxai via a nice cafe and a climb through several levels of tourist shopping was finally rewarded by a lovely view of the city in all directions.
8 kilometers since we set off that morning got us to the Scandinavian Bakery in time for a very late lunch followed by a short pause back at the hotel before the next installment.
Night market
Those of you who know me will also know that markets are not really my thing. Make it a night market by a river and I start thinking mosquitos pickpockets and muggings. The Vientiane one is located in the city’s southerly park which lies along the banks of the mighty Mekong river. The road along the top of the levee is closed to traffic in the early evening and the whole area becomes a social event with families and individuals promenading the length of this city centre green space whose figurehead monument of Chao Anouvong gazes across the river to Thailand with a hand of friendship extended while, unsurprisingly bearing in mind the history of this place, keeping his sword in his left. The whole area buzzes and nowhere more than among the dozens of stalls nestled down behind the embankment. There was the normal tat on many of the benches but also real gems including some fine displays of local artwork, stunning fabrics and a selection of various cheap gadgets that even got my hand in my pocket. Other than that, if you are a dress size 6 or under you could get fitted out for about £3. Great value particularly if you barter and shop around.
No caption needed!
After a short walk to the fountain in the European quarter for a tasty curry we made our way back to the hotel and I finished off the day with a nice soak in a hot bath. What would have felt like madness just 48 hours before soothed away the aches of the day’s walk before snuggling down to bed under the extra blanket Sue thoughtfully ordered from reception that morning.
The Buddha park
Having covered the main sights we decided to take the tourist office’s recommendation and visit the Buddha Park some 27 kilometers to the east of the city and about 7 beyond where the road becomes a dirt track by the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong to Thailand.
We had been warned that a public bus would only take us as far as the bridge because the road beyond is so bad and we would then need to hire a tuktuk to take us the rest of the way.
Undeterred we walked the couple of kilometers to the bus station to be met by a cross between a junk yard and a human cattle market. We went in search of the number 14 bus but never made it because, no sooner had we entered the seething mass of shoulder height humanity, than we were latched onto by enthusiastic taxi drivers explaining to us in broken English why we should not take the bus.”the road iss velly bad” it was like running for the touchline and being dragged to a standstill. In the end we succumbed and agreed to pay for a taxi which made quick work of the 20k stretch but then took the same time to complete the tooth rattling, bone jarring, spine compressing 7ks. We had paid an exorbitant £15 for the return trip but I have a feeling that the drivers suspension mechanic would be the ultimate winner here.
It was difficult climbing up inside
Never mind, the park entry was a mere 40p each and we entered the site of about an acre to view a bizarre collection of Buddhaesque statues focusing on a sort of giant pumpkin shaped object with a tree shaped spire protruding from its top. Sue gamely entered through its mouth to ascend for a photo. When she had been missing for some length of time I realised that the climb might not be all that straightforward so followed her in. The interior was labyrinthine and full of strange statues and figures regarding you with their blind grey eyes. A bit spooky even in daylight but worth the scramble for the view of the park and the Mekong beyond. Not a bad trip out but not really a must see I think.
Good view from the top
That evening we ate a lovely Japanese meal at Sabaidee Sushi just around the corner from the hotel who’s own menu was limited and a bit pricy for the offer. We had also decided to take breakfast the following morning at the Scandinavian Bakery nearby the Namphu fountain in the European quarter for the same reason plus we could buy some fresh bagguets to eat on the bus trip to Vang Vieng that day. We had booked this leg with a local agent S&M Airbooking, also near the fountain, for the same price as the public bus but including pickup from the hotel and presumably excluding being wrestled to the ground by taxi drivers as we got on.
Local transport
At the appointed hour though all that turned up was a four wheeled tuktuk and I seriously thought I might be spending the next three hours clinging on for dear life to avoid being gratuitously flicked out of the back. Happily it soon took us to a full size coach with recliners whose only drawback so far, other than the average age of the other backpackers on board being about thirteen, is its icy airco. Our coach rolled out of Vientiane across the huge flat floodplain of the Mekong towards Vang Viang for more adventures.
Home again home again jiggerty jig!
Chatting with James up The Shard
We are back in Malaysia after a wonderful 2 months in the UK. I can’t believe how quickly the time went.
We arrived in the UK on the afternoon of 26th October. It was cold but at least it wasn’t raining.
The Tower of London
We had a lovely day with James for his 30th birthday on 1st November, starting off with breakfast at a posh London café, moving on or rather up The Shard – what a fantastic view.
St Pauls
Canary Wharf
Lots of famous monuments on view.
Hair nets compulsory
We continued onto Sandown racecourse to watch the boys become little boys again playing on the big boys go-carts. Hair nets compulsory.
Big boys being little boys being big boys.
James
Thomas
After a birthday lunch at Thomas’s flat the four of us joined a Thames river cruise for a delicious dinner to end the special day.
I spent the next 2 weeks sorting and clearing my Mum’s bungalow with my sisters. A difficult job but good that we could do it together.
The weekend of 15th/16th November was the Blue Water Rally reunion where we met up with so many of our wonderful cruising friends and talked about our adventures together. The old gang of ‘Enchantress’, ‘Lucy Alice’, and half of ‘Fai Tira’ were there. It was great to see everyone. Sadly I forgot to take my camera.
We continued to Pitton, Wiltshire to spend a few days with Bill’s Uncle John and Auntie Lary, it was great to see them looking so well. Thanks for taking us on the lovely guided walk around the beautiful Wiltshire countryside in the last of the Autumn, and that lovely pub lunch.
Thursday 21st November would have been Mum’s birthday so my sister’s and I decided it would be a fitting date to lay her ashes to rest. Sleep tight Mum, God Bless.
One of our difficulties was meeting up with our younger son Thomas and his new partner Sonal as they live in a lovely one bedroom flat but it’s in London, way out of our budget for a hotel let alone the train fares to get there! So my sister-in-law and Thomas’s godmother Claire stepped in and invited us all to spend a weekend with her and her husband Gordon at their home in Sussex. We had a great time with them including a fantastic walk along the beach at Church Norton, Pagham to Selsey revisiting and showing Thomas and Sonal some of Bill’s favourite childhood haunts.
Also during November we were kindly given a bed for the night by some past (I won’t say old!) cruising friends. Liz and Julian of ‘Golden Dawn’ WOA members and John and Pam of ‘Cosi’, great to see you guys.
Bill, Norman, Sara and Sue
At the end of November we drove to Wales to spend almost a week (and several bottles of wine!) with our cruising buddies Norman and Sara of ‘Norsa’. The weather was kind to us and we went for some great walks including 886M up Pen Y Fan, around the Gower coastline and the Cardiff barrage. Thank you to them for having us and hopefully we’ll meet again on the high seas soon.
The view from our bedroom in Pete and Judy’s home.
We left Wales and drove south to Dartmouth to meet half of ‘Fai Tira’ otherwise known as Petey Poppet who proceeded to take us on a pub-crawl of Dartmouth. Even in the winter Dartmouth looked very pretty and Pete and Judy live in one of the quirky but beautiful houses that has stunning harbour views. Judy cooked a beautiful meal and Pete thought up some new jokes of the usual standard, so we had an excellent evening.
Pete couldn’t resist a nap
Pete even managed to stay awake most of the evening but, as those of you that know what Pete’s like, he eventually dozed off.
The next day we headed east again stopping for a terrific evening with Ian and Glenda of ‘Lucy Alice’ at their new home in Christchurch before heading to Kent the next morning. We spent a wonderful long weekend with our friends Gill and Nigel who live opposite our old house in Teston giving us a chance to meet some of our old neighbours. It also gave us another opportunity to meet Thomas and Sonal and her family. We had a delicious meal with Meena, Sonal’s Mum and Amit and Jen, her brother and sister-in-law.
During our time in the UK we heard that Bill’s Auntie Jean had died. Fortunately all four of us had visited her together when we first arrived in the UK before she became ill. So before we headed to Scotland we attended her funeral. Although a sad occasion it gave us the opportunity to meet family members that we wouldn’t have had the chance to see. Thank you Maggie and Wendie for inviting us and we’re sorry for your loss.
The Christmas tree surrounded with presents
We flew to Scotland on 16th December after a pre Christmas dinner with my youngest sister Amanda on the 15th. Scotland was another few degrees colder but James had the heating on ready for our arrival. I started to feel really Christmassy but then James decided he and his Dad had time to replace his bath and decorate the bathroom!
David, Susan, Sue and Bill
The weekend before Christmas James drove us to Aberdeen for a weekend with David and Susan of ‘Enchantress’. As it was David’s birthday it was a double celebration. Again the weather was kind to us and Susan took us on some cold but beautiful walks along the Buchan coastline.
Slain castle ruins
Sue and Susan on the beautiful Buchan coast
This is the ruin of Slain castle, it looked wonderful set up on the cliff top. It was great spending time together again and having a wee dram or three!!
Thomas, Sonal and James
Monday 23rd Thomas arrived in Scotland for Christmas. We spent the first day shopping together but on Christmas eve we decided to go and find some snow. We drove to Aviemore and did indeed find some snow and very cold it was too.
Bill and Sue, the coldest they’ve been in 5 years!!
Thomas proceeded to make a snowman so we could all have our picture taken with it. After hot cocktails in a lovely old pub we drove back to James’s house to prepare for Christmas.
Bill with his Christmas stocking
The Christmas tree was surrounded by presents by the morning and we spent several hours opening them all while drinking Bucks Fizz through comedy straws.
Thomas cooked a delicious dinner, aptly helped by James and Sonal, while I sat and relaxed. Bill did all the washing up.
A Christmas cook and his little helper
Driving through the snowy highlands
Boxing day we all went for a lovely walk up into the surrounding forest behind James’s house before James drove Thomas and Sonal back to the airport. We stayed another few days and then we too flew back south.
A last coffee together
Sunday 29th Angela cooked us another lovely Christmas dinner before we had a mammoth packing session to pack all the items Bill has bought for the boat in the UK. We had 65kgs in 4 bags although our allowance was 60kgs but fortunately we got away without paying any excess baggage.
Our plane home back to the boat.
We flew out of the UK on the 31st after sad goodbyes to Thomas and Sonal and my sister Angela. I walked through customs control in tears.
I want to say a really big thank you to my sister Angela who let us base ourselves at her place, took in numerous parcels and drove us around. We’ll see you in April. XX
Our hotel room, home for 5 days
We checked into the Best Western for 5 days while we sort Camomile out to relaunch her. We can keep an eye on her from our room.
So I just want to wish everyone around the world a Happy New Year.
Love from Bill and Sue xx
Camomile is having a rest
Camomile being lifted
Camomile’s position is 04º12.6 north 100º36.1 east she is up on the side at Pangkor marina, Malaysia with Norsa by her side so she won’t be lonely. Norman, Sara, Bill and I are in the UK where the temperature is 20C less than Malaysia!
Bill inspecting the hull after Camomile was lifted
Bill and I have come back to the Uk to celebrate James’s 30th birthday with him and Thomas on 1st November. We hope to go to the WOA SCG AGM on 9th November. The BWR reunion is on 15th/16th November and then we will be heading to Scotland mid December for Christmas with James and back to Malaysia early January. Hopefully we’ll get to see many of our friends and family in between.
Bill is in France with the boys (or should I say young men) for a few days and I’ve been helping my sister’s Angela and Amanda sort out Mum’s bungalow
My UK mobile is 07968 351920 look forward to seeing many of you.
Camomile and Norsa
We’ve crossed the equator
Our position is 00º03.2 NORTH 104º45.6 east, we are anchored at the island of Kentar having an equator party having crossed the equator back into the northern hemisphere. We were alongside Norsa and will post photos once we get to Nongsa Point marina in a few days. We hope to check out of Indonesia in a few days time and head to Pangkor marina in Malaysia to put Camomile to bed for a few months while we fly back to the UK. Can’t wait!!
Our mini break in Ubud
Casa Ganesha
18th September we left Camomile in the safe hands of Medana bay marina and headed to the ferry port in Lombok for the fastcat to Padang Bai on Bali. It was a lumpy crossing which took almost 2 hours. The price included transfer to the hotel so we were loaded into buses and whisked off to Ubud, a further hour and a half down the road. We arrived at the Casa Ganesha a friendly little hotel on the edge of town, mid afternoon. It only had 48 rooms but each one had air-conditioning, hot showers and a really big bed – heaven!
The hotel pool
There was a nice little pool but I don’t think we’ll have time to use it. We walked up into the centre of the town for a nice Italian meal that evening. It felt like we were on holiday, although I know most of you think we are on one long holiday!!
Inside the Ubud Palace
The next day we used the hotel’s free shuttle bus to get back into the town. Cappucino cafes, craft shops and the central crowded marketplace make up the centre of town but once you start exploring you start to come across the many temples. The first one we entered was the Ubud palace. Rebuilt after the 1917 earthquake it has many ornate corners and you can wander around the traditional buildings built around the compound.
Beautiful carved roofs
Ubud Palace
The carvings, especially the roofs, were exquisite. Note the buildings don’t have any walls because it’s so hot and therefore unnecessary.
What an entrance gate
Just north is the Pura Marajan Agung which has one of the finest gates and is the private temple for the royal family.
More temples
The stone carvings on this entrance was all done by hand, amazing.
The stone work was all hand carved
This is Pura Desa Ubud the main temple for the Ubud community and a backdrop for one of the many performances that Ubud is famous for.
Offerings
Unlike the Indonesian islands we’ve visited so far, Bali is Hindu and we noticed lots of little offerings around the place. We were told that once a year the whole of Bali ‘stops’, planes don’t fly, shops shut and everyone stays in their houses. Why? because the spirits move around to different places on that day and then stay there for the next year. If anyone makes a noise it attracts bad spirits. Indeed if you’re found on the streets on that particular day you will be arrested for your own good! For the following year offerings are placed by the spirits new home. Most of the offering is biodegradable being made of flowers, rice and biscuits and some even have a few sweets in them.
The water palace
We made our way to the very picturesque Pura Taman Sarawati or the Water Palace. Waters from the temple at the rear of the site feed the pond in the front, which overflows with pretty lotus blossoms.
Lotus blossom
Pura Taman Saraswati
The temple behind was equally beautiful.
Lunch with Carol in the Cafe Lotus
We heard that morning that one of our friends from the Blue Water rally was in town. We arranged to meet her in the Cafe Lotus overlooking the Water Palace. We reserved a nice table with a lovely view of the garden and had a great time catching up.
The monkey started climbing up me.
After lunch we walked around the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary which is inhabited by a band of grey-haired, long tailed, Balinese macaques. They are very greedy and always on the lookout for food. One of them decided to climb up me onto my back. After all the warnings that they are dangerous I was quite worried but it soon jumped off when someone held out a peanut for it.
The babies were sweet
Pura Dalem Agung (Temple of the Dead)
Further in the forest were more temples covered in foliage and more monkeys giving it a real Indiana Jones feel to it.
Goa Gajah
The beautiful gardens
About a mile outside Ubud is Goa Gajah (Elephant cave) which Carol took us to. The origins of the cave are uncertain but it probably dates back to the 11th century. It was rediscovered by Dutch archaeologists in 1923 but the fountains and pools were not found until 1954. The cave is carved into a rock face and you enter through the cavernous mouth of a demon. Inside the t-shaped cave are various statues but it felt very oppressive inside and we hurried out. The surrounding gardens were very attractive.
Bill and Sue in sarongs.
As it was a temple Bill and I had to wear sarongs around our shorts.
The Kecak dance
That evening we saw our first dance performance. It was a kecak or Monkey chant dance which we were told was a classic Balinese dance. The performance was in one of the temples adding to the atmosphere. The costumes were beautiful.
Colourful costumes
Afterwards we had a wonderful dinner with Carol at her friends restaurant, Waroeng Bernadette. We enjoyed a delicious Rendang, slow cooked beef in a spicy sauce.
To be continued
2nd Week in Indonesia
Mum in July 2011
After hearing the sad news about Mum we sat for a day wondering what to do. I had already told my sisters if Mum passed away while I was in Indonesia I wouldn’t be able to get home but now it had actually happened I wasn’t sure it was the right decision. Our only options were motor to Bali and I could fly home from there, but I wouldn’t be able to get back into the country for a month and it would probably take quite a few days to get there, or continue with our cruise and go home end of October as planned. After a long struggle I decided on the latter. I had flown home for a short visit while we were in Darwin when Mum first became ill and we all feared the worse but she had seemed to be recovering so I returned to Aus but the infection in her heart was too much for her body to cope with. I console myself with knowing I had seen her one last time. I think she would have liked me to continue; she always enjoyed getting our postcards to see where we were. This photo was taken when I went home briefly in 2011 before her heart troubles started.
Bill on the back of the motorbike
Tuesday 6th August we left Kupang with our friends Norman and Sara to head south to the island of Roti. We had a couple of lovely overnight stops before arriving in the town of Ba’a. We landed in the dinghy and were met on shore by a bunch of lads from Sail Indonesia on motorbikes offering us a lift into town. Our first thought was no but life is very slow here and the roads are so bad you can’t go fast if you wanted to so we jumped on. I’m sure our boys would be horrified after I’ve told them so many times not to do the same thing.
Shopping in the market
They took us to the local market where we were able to buy some fresh veggies. The fascination continued with us and everyone wanted their photos taken with us.
Sara with our interpreter
It was useful having an interpreter although I’m sure the prices went up but when you’re only paying a dollar or two we certainly didn’t question them.
The turtle was gone so fast
While walking through the market we noticed a turtle laying on the ground in the sun, at first we thought it was dead but then we realised it was alive. Norman asked what they were going to do with it to which they replied ‘Eat it’. They keep animals alive so they remain fresh but this poor turtle was clearly suffering so Norman asked them how much did they want for it. After some bartering rp200,000 about £14 was agreed. It was carried to the beach and put down onto the sand, as soon as it realised it was free it was scrabbling to get into the sea. A wave picked it up and it was gone so quickly I could only get this photo with it’s little shell just showing in the middle of the picture. Hopefully it will remain free.
Back on the bikes
We jumped back on the bikes and were taken back to the dinghy further down the beach.
Delicious bananas
These are the bananas I bought in the market for rp20,000 about £1.40, they taste so sweet here having only been picked a few days ago. I also managed to get some beans, carrots, spring onions and tomatoes, but no other salad and no apples. I don’t think we’ll see apples for a while.
Norsa being ‘rescued’
Saturday 10th we decided to leave Ba’a and sail around the corner of the island to Nemberala. Unfortunately Norman’s anchor got hooked around a bommie (coral head) and was jammed. We asked our motorbike friends if there were any divers that could come and help. They sent out the local dive rescue, which consisted of a couple of guys in a canoe with a snorkel mask between them! With a lot of shouting forwards and backing after several hours Norsa was free although Bill thinks Norman probably freed her himself but the boys were trying to be very helpful. We arrived at Nemberala just as it was getting dark, which was a bit tricky as we had to pass through a reef but all were safely in by 6.30.
Lots of boats in anchorage
Pretty church
There were quite a few rally boats in the anchorage and the next day we all headed into the village to look around. I found this pretty little church tucked away and this…..
Local petrol station
…is the local petrol station. All of these bottles hold a litre of petrol, just enough for a motorbike tank. It’s decanted from a large drum of petrol usually with the use of funnels and tubes and sometimes while the guy is puffing on a cigarette! I kid you not. These ones have proper lids but we’ve seen them with little bits of rags stuffed into the top. Words like cocktail and Molotov come to mind!
Hut on the beach
We walked along the beach and saw several huts like this that have people living in them. Can’t imagine what it’s like in the rainy season, maybe they live somewhere else then.
Sue having a pedicure
We walked right to the end of the beach and found a lovely resort with a spa, Sara and I treated ourselves to Pedicures.
Happy Hour
We found it was serving cold beers, something of a rarity in these parts as many people don’t have fridges let alone the electricity to power them. As you might expect the other cruisers had also found the place and it became our favourite spot for Happy Hour.
Cheers!
Our first week in Indonesia – Kupang
Rally yachts in the early morning mist
Thursday 1st August we finally got checked into Indonesia. There were 70+ boats to check in over 3 days so it took a while but the Sail Indonesia people were brilliant. They organised for the customs to board each boat in turn to do the quarantine inspection, which entailed filling in forms and stamping them with our ships stamp that we had bought before leaving the UK. It hadn’t been used very much but when the Indonesians saw it they all wanted a stamp on their forms. We jumped in the dinghies to go ashore and complete the formalities. There were a fleet of boat boys on the beach ready to pull the dinghy up the beach as soon as we landed. The Sail Indonesia people had arranged for all the government officials to be in one room so it was just a matter of going from table to table to fill in and stamp yet more forms and hand over countless copies of our passports, C.A.I.T., ships papers, etc. Indonesia is very bureaucratic.
Fish in the night market waiting to be cooked
Once we checked in we went for a walk around the town. Kupang reminded us of Honiara in the Solomons. There were lots of shops but all selling the same thing, none of which we wanted to buy. Every thing seems very cheap. In the evening we went to look at the night market. There were lots of stalls selling food but we decided not to eat there. This fresh fish looked ok but the oil they were frying it in had seen better days.
This lady is doing the washing up.
Also the washing up didn’t look very hygienic! Some of the cruisers did eat there and sadly several of them were poorly the following day. We still have western stomachs.
One of the workers in the sewing rooms
Alongside the market were lots of sewing rooms with very old singer sewing machines making quite nice clothes. This is one of the workers. They were sewing into the night. The flash on my camera made it look quite light in there but it wasn’t.
These ladies provided the musical accompaniment.
The next day Friday 2nd August about 50 or 60 of us went ashore early and got into 3 buses. The air conditioning was the open windows! We were taken about 100 miles or so north into the Timor countryside. The driving was madness! Bill and I sat in the front seat behind the driver and Gary and Jackie of Inspiration Lady sat on the other side. We had ringside seats to the overtaking on bends, motorbikes overtaking, many without crash helmets on, and general chaos. How there aren’t more accidents I don’t know.
These children greeted us with a traditional dance, note the military statue behind them
After 2 1/2 hours we arrived at our first destination. It appeared to be some sort of military square which had been prepared for our arrival. All the way along the route we had been greeted with waves and smiles and now, as we got out of the buses, cameras were clicking from all directions. It felt like we were celebrities. Everyone was shouting ‘Hello Mr, Hello Mrs’ and wanting to have their photo taken with us, it was bizarre. These children welcomed us with a dance and gradually moved backwards as we advanced forward. Note the military statue behind them.
Elders dressed in traditional costume
There were speeches from these elders dressed in traditional costume and also from the formal looking gentlemen in uniform. We weren’t sure what was going on because it was all in Indonesian but finally we were presented with beautiful hand made scarves and invited to watch more dancing.
I joined in with the dancing
Afterwards the children came and asked us all to join in which we did.
This is Bill with one of the lovely scarves that was presented to us. His hat is from Australia and is made of real kangaroo skin.
Paddy fields growing rice
View from the top of the hill
We continued on our journey through rice paddy fields and started going uphill.
Our bus
The midwife
We turned down a dirt track and drove until we came to a traditional village. The first hut we came to was the midwife’s house. Babies are born here and don’t come out until they are 4 days old. I asked what the infant mortality rate was and they said none but I don’t believe that. It was very dark inside and the open fire had blackened the inside of the roof. It was very hot and oppressive. I don’t think I would like to have a baby in there.
Inside the midwives house
Modern house
These are the type of houses the government are encouraging them to build but the people said they were too hot inside and prefer to stick to their traditional houses.
Traditional house
Outside kitchen
This is the kitchen.
Bill and Norman drinking from the coconuts
A young man was sent up to get coconuts; he made it look so easy.
Bill and I with the elders of the village
The children are always so happy
We had a wonderful time looking around the village and seeing into their world. I don’t think they dress like this all the time but I certainly believe they live there permanately. They were such happy people. Time came for us to leave and the children as usual were laughing and singing.
The royal family of the province of Soa
Inside their sitting room
We continued on our journey to the home of the regional royal family. They seem to have lots of local kings, queens, princes and princesses. We had a wonderful lunch in their grounds and were then invited to see inside their home. It seemed very grand compared to the village but compared to a western king their home was very modest.
Chinese dragon dancing
Interesting hats!
Saturday 3rd August we had a relaxing day until we went ashore in the evening for the Gala dinner, the highlight of our visit to Kupang. As we arrived in the dinghies the throng of people were there to take our photos. I’m beginning to understand how the celebrities feel now. We were bused out to the outside of town to an open air venue. As we arrived they had Chinese dragons dancing. Wonderful food was served and then they had lots of local dancing, these young ladies had very interesting head dresses on.
Sunday we spent the day planning our trip through Indonesia and trying to decide which route to take.
During the evening I had a call to say that Mum had lost her fight for life and had sadly passed away. While we had been in Darwin I had flown home to see her in hospital and had hoped she would recover but sadly she hadn’t.
Arriving safely in Kupang
Our position at 9.00 Tuesday 30th July
10º 09.6 south
123º 34.2 east
Kupang harbour
A rickety Indonesian fishing boat
Our 4th day at sea had seen some wind and we sailed with the twizzle rig up all day. Now we had a dilemma because as the passage had been slow our predicted time of arrival was going to be after dark. We could motor, but probably still wouldn’t get there in time, or we could slow the boat down. We opted for the latter. I hate doing that, it seemed crazy to slow ourselves down but the approach to Kupang is through a fairly narrow channel and travelling through after dark would be difficult. We were 20 miles from the entrance at 22.00 with 5 other boats around us. After communicating on the vhf radio we all decided to hove-to for the night. We didn’t have the main up so we just winced the gennies in and let the boat drift. We were still travelling at 1½ kts towards the entrance. Bill had 4 hours sleep then let a bit more sail out. At 6am we proceeded into the channel. There were lots of fishing boats on their way back in with their catch plus lobster pot buoys everywhere so I think we had made a wise decision.
Our first sight of Indonesians was in a fishing boat coming towards us on its way out of the channel to go fishing. It looked very rickety with a tatty sail; I don’t think I would have liked to sail in it.
The Kupang fishing fleet
This is the local fishing fleet a little way away from Kupang.
Bill hoisting the Indonesian courtesy flag plus the ‘Q’ flag
When we arrived Bill hoisted our Indonesian courtesy flag along with our yellow ‘Q’ flag to await the customs. During the day the last of the fleet arrived, mostly under their own steam.
Tiare Tiporo III being brought in by the dinghies
This boat’s engine had broken down on the third day and they had sailed with whatever wind they could find. When they arrived at the anchorage I put a call out on the net to ask for dinghies to help tow them in the last bit. The camaraderie of the rally is starting to show.
Another 48 hours at Sea
Our position at 10.00 Tuesday 30th July
10 degrees 42.1 south
124 degrees 40.3 East
Day 2 122 miles in 24 hours
Day 3 129 miles in 24 hours
Early morning sunrise under the twizzle – one of the true joys of sailing the oceans
So far we are having a wonderfully boring but SAFE passage out here, long may it last. Sunday we had a light south easterly wind blowing so we managed to get the twizzle up and either sail or motor sail most of the day. At about 18.30 the wind veered to the south so we put the twizzle away and hoisted the main and a single genny and sailed most of Monday. Last night was a bit concerning because the boats ahead of us (this is when it pays not to be in the lead) were reporting groups of fishing nets with strobes on them. We have been warned about Indonesian fishing nets but we weren’t expecting them yet. I think it was because we passed the Dillon shoals last night where the sea bed goes from 500 meters to 13 meters, at it’s shallowest point, and it’s probably good fishing ground. The wind died over night and we’re motoring again.
I’ve got about 50 yachts reporting into my SSB radio net in the morning and all is well although this morning one boat reported loss of power in their engine and will have to sail the rest of the way, which will be difficult without any wind. When they get nearer one of us can take them in tow.
So we’ll motor on today unless the wind picks up and should be in Kupang first thing in the morning. Soooooooooooooo excited at the thought of arriving in Indonesia. Take care
Sue x
PS STILL no fish! Now have 2 lines out 24 hours.
Camomile 