Indonesia Trip – Day 5
18 January 2014 8:00PMWhat a fun day! I feel like I start off each post like that, but I'm having such a blast here. Every day lots of new things to discover, new people to meet, and new memories made. Today we slept in a bit until 8:00, and Clive came down to pick us up right after breakfast to take us up to his place. He's involved in a great school that teaches English, leadership, computer skills, and lots more to Papuans, and is deeply involved in the community. Today's plan was to hike with him and some of the students up to the waterfall on the mountain (called Cyclops) behind Sentani.
We set off around 9:00 with our little group, headed up the trail toward the mountain. Besides Naomi and Clive and myself, we were also joined by Agustinus, Agumina, Enera, Mira, Nirman, Peter, and Yosofat. Some of the guys brought along some sweet potatoes to roast for a snack. The trip up was quite pleasant and relaxing, and not too strenuous at all. The path started in forest, wound around through some grassy areas for a bit, then back into the jungle up the side of the mountain. One of the best things about this corner of the world is that there's absolutely no rush to do anything. We were just out to enjoy God's creation both in the natural world and in the company of others. I can't really say how long it took to get to the top, since I didn't bring a watch and didn't particularly care what time we started or arrived. It seemed to be somewhere around an hour, give or take. We arrived at a wonderful little pool at the bottom of the waterfall and were greeted by a dozen or so boys who were already there jumping off rocks into the water and splashing around. Our little group caused a bit of consternation and a rapid search for everyone's shorts.
Some of the guys with us started collecting wood for a fire, and Naomi and I started snapping a ton of photos, as per the usual. I was a bit warm from the hike up and quickly decided pictures could wait; I joined the group of boys jumping off into the pool. The water was nice and cold, but not so much as to be uncomfortable. Just the thing after a nice walk up the mountain. We had brought Naomi's iPhone with its waterproof, shockproof case, so I tried a video while jumping in, and then handed it off to a couple of the boys there to try out. It seemed to be a hit. (Due to lack of video editing capabilities on this trip, those will come separately, at a later date. Sorry!)
It seemed like no time at all until the potatoes were roasted and had cooled enough to eat. Sitting on the rocks, slowly, carefully picking the skins off and eating the delicious insides was the best meal I could imagine. We sat around for a while after, chatting and laughing. It seemed too soon when we had to head back down the mountain.
The walk back was even more leisurely, and Clive and I walked ahead a bit and talked some about his work here, and the challenges that Indonesia is facing, and the exciting future ahead. He has a great story, and I look forward to learning more from him and seeing how it shapes our future plans. Life is exciting, and it's incredibly neat to see the way that things work out.
We said our goodbyes back at Clive's house, and walked down to the main road for a taxi ride back. We've got that part figured out, now, at least. It costs 3000 rupiah for the taxi, no matter how far it takes you up (or down) the road. Makes it a bit easier to determine if it's worth it to take the taxi over walking, knowing that it's a flat rate like that. Either way, we usually don't mind the walking, but we wanted enough time for a quick nap before heading out for the evening.
We awoke from our nap at 5:00PM to discover that the power had gone off again. Not a big deal, and not much of a surprise. We got ready to head out, and walked out the door just in time as Kars drove up to pick us up. He and his wife Missy were both MK's, and Kars went to school here with Naomi. They're back in country now, and Kars is a pilot with YAJASI. We shared a pleasant dinner in their house, by candlelight, with their two sons. It was nice to be able to catch up with them, and discover new connections that we had. Kars and Missy went to college with quite a few people I knew from Ukarumpa, and Kars was actually hired by my dad as a flight instructor at LeTourneau for a while before they came to Indo.
The power came back on between dinner and dessert, and after a cup of coffee and a bit more conversation, it was time for us to head back home. Kars had graciously offered to let us borrow his motorcycle while we're here, and we took him up on it for the last couple of days we have. We borrowed a couple of helmets as well and headed off into the night. Driving a motorcycle here is even crazier than a Kijang. The rule of the road is just don't hit anything. Other than that, about anything goes. Lane splitting here is an art form, and weaving in and out of traffic is the norm. After a few minutes of settling in to driving, I felt at home and had a blast. As long as I can find the horn and the brakes, everything is good.
We're winding down another long and tiring, but rewarding and fulfilling day here. Time to get this posted for you all to enjoy, and settle down to a TV show that we've saved on the laptop, and then a nice early bed. Tomorrow is church and seeing some more sights.
Indonesia Trip Days
