Dance Dance Dance

These ladies in Ujung Kulon know how to celebrate any events: make some noise and dance carefree. The music is produced by banging rhythmically the rice hull remover (lesung). I still wonder, however, why only few do the dance. Moi, I'm amazed

A Curious Thing

Wanted to observe this creature closer but the drift carried me away....
Nusa Lembongan, Bali.

Ke Danau dan ke Air Terjun Itu

Weekending with siblings and jim

Big Time DJ-ing

Think I should give DJ-ing a try. Last weekend with Let’s Freedive (LFD) fellows, I went camping at Pulau Perak at Kepulauan Seribu. At the first night, I discovered my talent of DJ-ing thanks to portable Creative speakers Rian brought. So here’s the list:

1. Everybody Loves Me – One Republic (and I know they do! Ha!)
2. Secrets – One Republic (as a homage to LFD’s ‘underwater concert’ in Youtube)
3. Good Life – One Republic (Life’s good at the beach of P Perak, anyway)
4. Crazy – Alanis Morrissette (“We never ever survive unless we got a little bit crazy”)
5. Mysterious Ways – U2 (Indeed he moves in mysterious ways!)
6. My Friends – Red Hot Chili Peppers (“She got 7 years for being sad”)
7. Just Like Heaven – The Watson Twins (Never underestimate the power of cover version)
8. Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2 (and who…)
9. Stuck in A Moment – U2 (“This time will pass”)
10. Windows in the Skies – U2 (“Oh oh oh oh...”)
11. Breath Your Name – Sixpence None The Richer (“I can only breath your name”)
12. Stranger in a Strange Land - Leon Russell (and moi as a stranger)
13. Perfect Day – Lou Reed (“I’m glad I spend it with you”. I am)
14. Mirando – Ratatat (Pra-da!)

How True!

It's another way to say, being nice won't hurt. Aint it? (photos taken from blackeiffel.blogspot.com)

I Am Free (Diving)!

Ever since I saw Hola, Rian, Ricka, Phie, Sena, Romulo (?) “ducking”, I thought, I wanted to do that. Even more, how Chok retrieved my sunken snorkel in the pool was a surprising sight. I wanted to duck dive. It turned out to be not easy as it might look. Found it difficult, especially the equalizing part.

As often, the excitement was soon forgotten. But when buddies started free diving, I lazily said, I’ll give it a try.

Two months or six sessions in pool later, here I was: free diving at sea! I joined the ever famous Jason Hakim aka JJ, Azam, Andrian, Pak Bayu, and Agus to free dive at the waters of Pulau Air, Pulau Bandeng, and the pier of Pulau Pramuka. 

There at Pulau Air, I, unfortunately, had to bid farewell to my goggle. I accidentally dropped it into the black water. Sad. It had accompanied me for two years of diving, snorkeling, and free diving. Well well now I am not that sad. I am looking forward to wearing new goggle. I thanked Pak Bayu for bringing extra goggle, I could free dived last weekend! 

It is true that one may never freedive alone. I was exhausted at the water of P. Air. Buddies were ever helpful and supportive. they waved to call the boatman to pick us up.

Photo by the famous Agus Hong

I had a big time free diving eventhough equalization was difficult to do. It was fun to watch buddies descending to the black and whence ascending, like dolphins.

Ze Test, Ze Spearfishing, Z’Uiske!

K: This crimson mug is full of spirit

S: Are you drinking again?

K: Uhm, uhm…

S: So what’s the story?

K: Like about 15 years ago

S: Wow, long ago, eh?

K: Don’t cut me! …. Like 15 yrs ago I went to Bukit and by chance, I stayed at Pondok Bento.

S: At whose?

K: A student whose name I can’t recall

S: How come?

K: I was invited by a Kak Yer or Mas Totok. He often had fellowship with Christian students at Unud. I met one student from Papua and he agreed to let me stay at his room.

S: you should’ve said “by the Grace of God” instead of “by chance”!

K: Indeed, my friend. So a day before the D-Day, the Nasution (?) girl studying at FH Unud offered a ride that I couldn’t refuse. From there I walked to Bento and find the room. It was smallish but furnished with bed, small desk and I don’t remember if it got any bathroom. It should have. I met him and we chatted a bit and perhaps he went to campus. It was like 14.00 in the afternoon.

S: Yes?

K: I was left alone. So in the dim-lit room, I studied a bit of math, language, etc.

S: For the test?

K: Ze test! In the evening still he din returned. The room was hot so, I lurked outside. I saw, across the room there stood a boy with long, Bob Marleylike, bridled hair.

S: Who?

K: I don’t remember his face or name. Or how we talked. I only remember he inquired many things about me. And me being alone and lonely, told him anything he wished to know.

S: That’s so you

K: Shut up. I inquired a lot about him too! We chatted a lot. About anything until he whispered, “Don’t talk like that (about that). He has ears!”

S: Hmmm

K: I wish I could remember the details but I do remember that he went to his room to fetch two glasses of curious drink.

S: what was that?

K: Whiskey cola

S: Cool!!

K: My first time ever.

S: How was it?

K: Sweet and light. More cola than whiskey perhaps. But it was fun.

S: You yessed his offer? Cheap!

K: That was a nice gesture

S: A drink a night before ze horrible tests! I cant believe!

K: Yeah. Uhm, what were I thinking? Well anyway, we talked a bit more. He asked how I came to know my host. I forgot to ask whether this student of law faculty (perhaps he was) knew my host. and then we parted and he wished me success.

S: Very neighborly! But what about your host?

K: I fell asleep on the bed. At night, I heard him coming. I woke up to find I have weeted the mattress. The heat of the room made me sweat a river. He said, “It’s ok. It’s very hot here. I’ve told you. I’ll sleep on the floor. Never mind.”

S: Wow

K: So we talked a bit. Where have you been that you should come home late? He said, he met friends from Irian (known today as Papua) and we hunted fish at Benoa.

S: Hunted fish?

K: He said, they swam and speared fish and grilled them.

S: Wow!

K: And I was like, oh my God, you’re so primitive.

S: How rude!

K: It was unthinkable but then he was my host and that was so nice of him to take me in.

S: Yes he was.

K: The morning after, I asked him to join me for breakfast. I felt I was obliged to repay his kindness.

S: You should.

K: Back then a plate of rice with stir friend vegetable and a piece of friend ikan gabus was Rp5.000. can you imagine?

S: Expensive, eh?

K: Yes, but I was and am glad my host joined me. 

 

S: So how was ze test?

K: it went well.

S: And so, the second night?

K: I studied again. My host gone to his friends and the guy who gave me whiskey cola was not there. Well, the day after, I finished the tests and went home. I can’t recall how I returned the key or how we parted.

S: Sad!

K: Then weeks later I got received at the uni. I shopped some cookies for my host and I brought it to the student center where they had fellowship together. He wasn’t there. I asked a long haired girl there to give it to him when he appeared. Oh, oh, let me say this: perhaps I met my host for the first time when there was two Australians (husband and wife) who stayed at Canggu. Uhm, not sure….

S: Don’t be sad. I am sure his kindness had been rewarded.

K: I hope so…