The trip started very promising, with a bunch of boys surrounding me in Jakarta airport, in turns taking photo either of me or with me; following by a bus driv
er feeding me some exotic fruit on the way to my first hotel in the vicinity of the airport (I had a 5am flight next day) and me running embarrassed to the hotel room, not being able to withstand everyone on the street from young to old turning to stare at me and starting "Hello Mister" conversations. Never thought I could get too much attention, that was the first of my many presumptions shuttered by Indonesia(ns).
The feeling of being an
international celebrity got mixed with a feeling of being a millionaire (which technically I was considering $100 = 1 million rupiahs), after I chartered a private boat to go to the island Bunaken off the Island Sulawesi.
There I swam in the healthiest coral surrounded by all kinds of fish for 2 days straight. Some sunburns still remind me (mainly while I am sitting) of that most meditative experience. Favorite memory from Bunaken though is a group of teenager boys soulfully singing "I am a big big girl in the big big world".
Next stop was a tiny village back in Sulawesi by the active volcano with a beautiful lake inside of its crater.
The hotel's guide Franki offered to accompany me to hot springs on the day of my arrival, since "he liked them anyway" and kept me company, driving me around showing very cool remote attractions on a motorcycle for the other 3 days. This behavior appeared to be a pattern, with me not being able to be alone for more than 8 hours (during which I slept) at a time during my entire trip. Once people found out where I was going, they were going with me - from what I observed single male travelers didn't enjoy the same attention. I am planning on writing a book about advantages and joys of traveling as a single woman to balance the sections about danger and annoyance encountered in every travel guide book.
On a climb to the volcano crater Franki got bit worried since the clouds of gases coming out of the volcano seemed to be bigger than usual, me and an accompanying dutchman got more than mildly concirned, but stubbornly continued the climbed up the lava road and were rewarded with stunning views and a taste of Sulphur in our throats .
Following the hike, we went to the infamous Tomohon market (see the photos, if you dare) where we bought a python, which Frankie made a delicious curry out of it.
Inspired by gases and the exotic meat, I attempted riding a motorcycle on the broken windy minahasan roads, that's when I learned from scared exclamations of Frankie how to say "careful" and "slowly" in Indonesian. I didn't want to leave, but more amazing secluded black beaches, coral, groups of monkeys, lizards and beautiful tiny tarsiers were awaiting in a remote NP.
er feeding me some exotic fruit on the way to my first hotel in the vicinity of the airport (I had a 5am flight next day) and me running embarrassed to the hotel room, not being able to withstand everyone on the street from young to old turning to stare at me and starting "Hello Mister" conversations. Never thought I could get too much attention, that was the first of my many presumptions shuttered by Indonesia(ns).
international celebrity got mixed with a feeling of being a millionaire (which technically I was considering $100 = 1 million rupiahs), after I chartered a private boat to go to the island Bunaken off the Island Sulawesi.
Your trip sounds so amazing!!! ... and the pictures are beautiful!!!!
ReplyDelete