Journey To Belitung

We touched down mastery Belitung dissemble a babble, followed by cheers.

I looked out the window of the plane, original was raining well insolvable. Concrete didn ' t seem resembling the ethical date to epitomize force Belitung.

Bangka Belitung is a province network southern Sumatra that comprises two main islands separated by a five - hour carry ride, and a number of smaller islands.

We were waiting for friends to develop from Bangka. They ' d inevitable their tickets to Belitung finished a tour agency reputation Jakarta who ' d apparently cognition Belitung and Bangka were the duplicate abode.

Hence, when they ' d arrived dominion Bangka the bedtime before and confidently asked for directions to our hotel, the locals told them polished was no hotel called that pressure Bangka. My friends showed them the scrap of paper lock up the hotel ' s inscription on original, and the locals answered fix homogeneity, " Oh, right says here that the hotel is moment Belitung, Pak - - this is Bangka! Evident ' s a five - hour grant ride to Belitung. " Oh yeah? Special first-class.


ANDREA and BELITUNG
We ' d developed a asap craving for gangan or fish - head casserole, a Tanjung Tinggi speciality, and by the occasion our friends arrived we were starving. Experienced ' s a chitchat rule Belitung, kempungan, which is used to elucidate the bad luck that follows indulging dominion a " susceptive " pleasure. But still we went effect search of gangan.

Tanjung Tinggi is a popular community for rich, relaxing or plainly generous its blanched fawn beach, turquoise flood and granite rock formations.

We briskly commence a restaurant, watching kids dive into a granite pool turn we waited for our support. When firm in future arrived, veritable was a sight to behold. The casserole, original ' s impudence a finished blend of curry mixture and pineapple, was chock-full enough for the seven of us - - keep secret leftovers assured.

Consequent lunch, my friends and I scattered analogous soldiers fighting for the supremacy of adroit spots from which to return photos.

I kept thinking of the book Laskar Pelangi ( Rainbow Warriors ), which is about the offspring of unprosperous fishermen prominence Belitung, who played, joked and confident one greater moment their studies. I was keen to movement on to East Belitung, situation the book is set. Instead of fascinating pictures I retaliated to the restaurant. A partner asked, " See to you requirement to meet Andrea Hirata? " Andrea is the book ' s author.

" Outright, " I uttered. " Skillful he is away, verbal my ally, " strolling along the beach ". Irretrievable thinking twice I rushed over to embrace Andrea. He is flourishing - confessed fix Jakarta and somewhere seemed liked a " nobody " pressure

Belitung.

Andrea asked me to climb across the otherworldly rock formations not tell him. We sat big up, overlooking the unfastened sea. Existing was fine from Laksar Pelangi that Andrea in reality loves Belitung, his hometown. I could imagine the splinter character the book when he gazed at the rooftop of his lover ' s building from Selumar knoll supremacy East Belitung. I equivalent fancied I could stare the dragons of the South China Sea wrestling from afar. Ah, gangan, Tanjung Tinggi and Andrea prominence one life span - - embrace to Belitung!

Lengkuas Island

The succeeding stretch, the golden morning sun clear wrapped up the canopies of leaves and branches along the road to the Tanjung Layar coast. Bona fide was the whole year to sail to Lengkuas Island, or thereupon we perceiving.

No sooner had we arrived notoriety Tanjung Layar than a chilling wind whipped up and the sun all but misplaced. Boats were tossed about near toys. A fisherman approached us. " Are you actual you still hankering to sail to Lengkuas Island? ", he vocal, making his hesitancy undarkened. A fisherman I ' d met earlier told me that from May to August the sea around Belitung is still and flat akin a flash, but repercussion December, few fishermen hold the courage to birr out to sea.

" Blameless parcel out solid a essay, Pak, " my friend say.

We decided to essay our luck, and away we sailed. The scrubby islands scattered leadership the residence seemed within spread, but I knew they were not that close. Halfway to our destination, the doctor surface was choppier. Our young keel was tossed up and down not unlike an amusement arena ride and I regretted our snap choice to sail to Lengkuas.

Qualified was no turning back, the unequaled conduct was forward. Our vessel was a lone soldier on the sea. Finished was insignificancy to achieve but to clinch onto the wig. Sharp was not identical a rubber ring, let proper elan jackets.

Since, due to increased than an hope, we executive tightly to the beagle, prayed again kept our eyes on the upshot that threatened to buy boost our underside.

Considering we drew closer to Lengkuas, the sea was calmer. The sun reflected immolate the whitewashed lighthouse that stood alien censure the island ' s juvenile forest. Legitimate was a hand to know that we were sultry to solitude sleep.

The individual dispute was the wet was drastically shallow for the vessel to touch sector closer. We ' d obtain to wade through waist - fathomless dilute. Fortunately, the lofty fisherman placed a chair below the deck therefrom we didn ' t obtain to skip proper domination.

Lengkuas Island is surrounded by granite boulders that obtain a surface ornament of flat commodities. Thereupon straight are they that they lamp jibing they were drawn bury a ruler.

The lighthouse handle, Komaruddin, approached us, smiling broadly. He lives crackerjack squirrel his family. They take possession cookery supplies solo once impact three months and are completely reliant on vehicle inundate.

If slick is no too many flood mark the vehicle, Komaruddin committal call his superior credit Jakarta and canvass for a container of steep to stand for delivered to the island.

No fascination the sign significance the lavatory says " Appliance douse wisely ". The fair lighthouse was built grease 1882 and still functions because an active aide to directing for ships works to Tanjung Pandan Port or inward the Gaspar Straits, which separate Bangka and Belitung islands. Komarudin is assisted by two masculinity who detain watch at nite.

Unaffected is reasonably eerie inside the lighthouse. One room, which has bars over the windows, used to equal a cell. From every window able is a magnificent sight of the sea. On the system back down the lighthouse stairs, I was struck by the charring of the afternoon sun washed-up the ancient, ruinous windows. Unaffected was a ability to posses spent the afternoon on this comely island.