Greetings everyone!! We had a great boat ride to Sukadana and a very interesting and tasty lunch on the way. It took us a little while to figure out the process, which meant that we didn't get it all finished but we enjoyed every bite. It was like a smorgasbord and you were charged by what you chose. The river/sea was calm and the boatman whom we sat beside in the very front was skilled and we were thankful that he waited to start chain smoking until after the gas stopped leaking right below my feet. Something must have been tightened because it stopped.
We passed many small villages on the way along the water edge and many of the homes/businesses were built on stilts into the water. We saw an incredible variety of boats going up and down and unfortunately a number were hauling cut lumber. Our luggage was tied to the top of the boat and covered with a tarp and it arrived all in tact.
I do not know that I can do just in describing where we are but here goes. I think I will start with yesterday's recap.
We are staying in one of the clinic rental houses right across from the clinic. It is a gross understatement to say that it is basic. No running water, squat toilet, dishes are washed in a basin which is emptied through the boards in a wash area etc. But we do have a fan and a good bed net. We are sharing the house with two other men who are nurse and a driver for the clinic. Our eating area is where the entire clinic staff eats lunch each clinic day. Today it was great!
So, we slept quite well under the bed net until the moslum call to prayers about 4 AM followed by the contest between a number of roosters for the loudest call. Regardless of who won, we were up at 6 and made coffee (glad we brought our camping French Press) and sitting outside watching the town wake up. Motor bikes every where with entire families going past. Chickens in the yard etc. After breakfast of cornflakes! we headed out for a walk. We had a basic map and made our way to the beach which we will love frequenting. On the way back into town we were treated some rhombuton (fruit like lieche fruit) which is red, spiny,size of kiwi and rafter being pealed. We then walked past mosques, temples, stores etc, and arrived at a surprisingly new hotel. There we had a delightful interaction with the manager and a family. I think they were impressed with my 10 words of Indonesian. It was there that we had our first taste of a jungle fruit called Durian. It is beige about the size of a small pineapple and spiky. Oh yes, it stinks, stinks, stinks. In fact the hotel in Singapore told us that we were not allowed to have one of them in our room. At that time we didn't even know what it was. The on the way to our hotel in Pontianak, there was a street lined with sellers of this fruit and it smelled incredibly bad. But we had been told it was tasty. So, at the hotel one was cut for us and we managed to get past the smell and theb managed to get it down. The inside is a series of big seeds covered with a custard substance. I'm not sure I need a second taste.
On the way back we basically got lost and only got back to our house through the goodness of two men on motor bikes. They realized we were lost when we asked both of them directions and they pointed in different directions. So we got a ride. Seems everyone knows where the clinic is so it is great source of reference.
Last night we biked to the hotel for a sunset viewing which was spectacular. Also...imbibing in the local beer which isn't bad, but not up to Jim and Kyle's standards. The bikes we have been provided are basically in the worst shape possible. Jim's doesn't have brakes and mine self shifts constantly and the seat is at the height where my knees hit the handle bars. We will see it this can be changed. Riding back in the dark was tricky especially since driving/riding is on the left side of the road. I almost caused major mayham at the first intersection we came to.
The people are gracious in welcoming us and smile and wave and the kids call out "Mister" or "Miss". One little boy was quite intrigued with Jim's IPad as we sat outside in the afternoon. He lives next door and may be a frequent visitor.
Oh yes, there was a rousing game of badminton before we went to the hotel Evidently badminton is a game the Indonesians did well in at the Olympics. Jim and I weren't at that level, but a couple of the Indonesian MDs were great. Talk about spiking a shuttle cock!
Today the clinic is open and Jim is busily seeing the kinds of diseases he hasn't seen in years. There was a young woman who came in dead on arrival this AM to form a distant village Evidently people come from far away because of the reputation of ASRI. There are about 34 staff between the conservation staff and the clinic staff. I will write more about the conservation end of their work, but will just let you know that it is impressive.
I am not sure what I will be doing...but am putting all kinds of feelers out. So far Friday I'm teaching English to the pharmacy staff. That should prove very interesting...I'm hoping to travel to some of the distant villages, visit the schools where they do conservation and health education, and visit the conservation sites. More on this later.
It is hotter and more humid than Ecuador and we are struggling a bit with the living accommodations and questions about how busy we will be, but the people are absolutely wonderful. By the end of clinic time (about 60 patients today and then it drops off for the rest of the week) we will have whatever our "helper" has made for our dinner and sit on the bench outside the front door and listen to the call to prayers. Perhaps we will see the tall young man in a white long coat and distinctive white hat walk slowly by. Then before long it is time for our mandi.....a shower taken by pouring water over our head (it is not warm water :>) some reading and then crawl under our mosquito net. The tent will be used later!
Love to all. We love hearing your words.
lauri and Jim
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