Selamat pagi from Makassar, y’all…
It’s been a few days since I got back from Tanjung Bira, and what a cool place indeed. It had all the picturesque qualities of paradise minus the cluster of overcrowding visitors or the homogenized western culture. Excellent. Again, in classic and always convenient point form, here’s what went down:
- On the eve of my birthday, me, the two sons of my home stay, their uncle and cousin, and a girl that I work with at the learning centre, packed our bags and embarked on a 7 hour drive to Tanjung Bira: the most southern point of Sulawesi.
- We arrived there in the evening and set up base at a cottage that was slowly deteriorating and provided stupendous privacy courtesy of their door-less bathroom. Totally fine though and all part of the adventure.
- The next day, we rented a boat from 3 guys who lived on an island which was just a 20 minute boat ride from Tanjung Bira.
- Went snorkelling and explored some psychedelic corals. We also got to chill with some humongous turtles! Not Galapagos big, but you get the idea. I’ll also note that how they depict Crush and Squirt in Finding Nemo is exactly what turtles would behave like if they could talk.
- Finished the day with a football (oh yes, I call it football now – not soccer. I’m clearly very authentic and very in touch with my multiculturalism) game with the guys we rented the boat off of.
- Began the next day with a morning dip and checked out the pinisiq boats in Tanah Beru before heading on back to Makassar.
So that wraps up Tanjung Bira, here’s other things that have been hip-hopitty-happenin’:
- Watched the PSM football match – my first live football game. Very exciting and intense.
- Got really sick for one day. Felt like a vegetable. However, with the help of rest, saraba (which I’m going to miss like crazy when I leave), and Sprite, I was able to get back to work in two days. Crazy miracle, I tell you.
- Taught my last class at SD Pundarika! (Queue Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”). Complete bummer. Despite the voice loss due to teaching 30 person classes 9 times a week, I’d just like to throw in that these kiddos rock. Super generous, eager to learn, intelligent, and hilarious (Bill Crosby, please host these students. Perfect candidates for Kids Say the Darndest Things).
And now, I’m off to the Togian Islands as of tomorrow! Woo hoo! Oh, and again, some photos to leave you with of the students… PS: please comment. Feedback is simply the best.
gonzotravel 