Let's festival!

Or at least almost. There's a big culture festival at the Togeans every year. This time the location was Wakai, the main village. Of course I wanted to check out the happenings but at the end I spent only around 2 hours there mainly eating. Sometimes it's good to be a “bule” as you get offered stuff to eat what's not really meant for visitors.

During the festival the tourism office of Central Sulawesi organized a two days tour for photographers around the islands. Lucky me I had the chance to join them and to visit some spots I haven't been to before. First day we left at 3 am to Kabalutan, a bajo village in the north. We arrived by sunrise, what a view! Afterwards we visited a few other bajo villages and had a swim and sunset at Karina beach. Fantastic day without any sleep.

Next day we did a similar tour to the south, with the exception that we let around 8 am. After the tour the jury was presented the best photos and they chose a winner in human interest and landscape categories. I was feeling a bit sick so I had to go to sleep before the announced the winner so I still don't know who won. But surely not me, I think so much I would know by now. No matter what happened with the competition, I had two really fantastic days with a bunch of funny crazy photographers mainly from Palu. And on the way we catched a pretty big tuna, which I claimed for me :) Food for Hulopi family for a few days :)

Yes, there's my name inside the tuna!

Ok keep that one.

Pulau Papan. Preeeettyyy!

A stop over in Jakarta and too many days in Palu

After about a month back in Togeans we left to Jakarta to check out some dive gear as we want to start exploring new dive spots around Bomba as soon as possible. I got into contact with a few companies and ended up doing business with Divemasters, who supplies f.ex. Aqua Lung. Good choice, the staff was extremely helpful and we got a good deal for a bunch of stuff. Also a compressor is now on the way to Sulawesi.

Otherwise now I know I don't have to visit Jakarta any time soon, there's not really anything to do except to breathe pollution and hoping you don't get stuck anywhere in the traffic. Not a nice big city, but when are big cities in Asia actually nice?

We flew back with some extra luggage to Palu, where I wanted to extend my visa. Easier thought than done. Last time my good friend and sponsor could do it alone, I just had to sign a few papers and leave him my passport. Now there are new regulations, they want to take your fingerprints and a photo. Well ok, no problem, so let's take them and I'll get on my way and my friend picks up the passport when everything is ready. Just one obstacle: the boss has to give his signature before they can take my photo. Excuse me? Just take the photo, save it and add it later? Nope, cannot do that.

So I sat in the office for a few days waiting that the boss mercifully comes down back to earth and signs one f'***n paper. Oh yes and they also still kept the old system, so I also had to provide two normal passport photos. But this time with red background. Surprises, surprises, let's make the life of tourist as difficult as possible and make them feel we don't want to have them here. It would be so much easier to stay in Malaysia, Thailand, or basically any other Asian country. Or maybe next time I just should add some rupias between the passport but then again corruption is really not something I want to support.

I got the passport back after hearing “sabar, Pia, sabar” for a few days. We almost run to the afternoon bus and were on our way to Ampana and back to Togean. Or not quite yet... The ride from Palu to Ampana usually takes around 10 hours. And sometimes, like this time, 17 hours... Nope, the road was fine and we had to wait only around 1 hour at one bridge. The drives decided to stop at a coffee shop (or a hooker joint) for a few hours chat and then take another “customer” to the car. And then to have a nap for 5 hours. Take a guess who missed the ferry back to the islands. Yes, I was happy and also let the driver to feel that. Mitra touna, next time I'll choose some other company.

I think I took one photo in Jakarta and none in Palu, so I'll just add a few photos of Sami here, he's more interesting than cities anyways.

Racing :)

  

High season - Tempat munta tamu

Back in Sulawesi! My plan to stay in Finland from June until end of August got changed quite quickly and I came back already end of July. In the middle of high season here. Originally I wanted to avoid this time of the year coz all places are full and prices a bit higher. But I also don't have to stay in a resort if I don't want to.

The trip back took me 3 days. Flight to Frankfurt, wait there 12 h, then to Jakarta with a stop over in Kuala Lumpur, forward with Garuda to Luwuk via Makassar. After 2 nights in planes I was too tired and didn't wanna wait for the bus so I chartered a car to Ampana. Good choice, at least I got into town in decent hour and had finally a good sleep. Next day we found a boat passing Bomba so I could already get back to Togean and relax at Poya Lisa. Luckily the highest high of high season hadn't started yet.

Fantastic to be back in Poya Lisa, and especially to play with Sami! My doggie! Who is huge already for a ”puppy” only 3 months old. He's a monster, anjing gila play-biting everything: books, sarongs, wood, shells and now also toys I brought him from Finland. When I'm not in Poya I really miss that crazy creature. Photos will be added here later…

Picnic at the beach...

End of July was also the end of Ramadan and we went to celebrate it in Wakai with the Hulopi clan. It was all about food, meeting people, doing day trips, having chats and well, sure of course some arak and drinks I brought back from Finland. It was kind of like a mix of our christmas and new year, just a bit more louder and crazier with fireworks and motorbike parades. And this is a small village I'm speaking about. Idil Fitri lasted about 3 days and afterwards we left back to Poya Lisa. Which was starting to get crowded. 14 bungalows and over 30 people. When we arrived all the bungalows were taken so we had to sleep in the boat for the first night. Doable, not comfortable.

Boat = bed.

After a few days we took a few spanish girls to Malenge and stayed also there at Malenge Indah for a night. We slept in the boat again, as that place was also more than full full full. The 4 girls had to share one small room next to the restaurant as all bungalow were taken. Next day we went to check out the newest place in Malenge: Sera. Which is very similar to Malenge Indah, similar cottages, similar food, similar beach. Both great places.

On the way back to Wakai we stopped at Katupat for a chat with friends and ended up staying also one night. This time we had the option between boat and losmen in the village as also Fadhila Cottages were almost having a waiting list for free bungalows. Really, next year at high season I hope I have an own place to stay at or I'll spend it out of the country. Every place is just a bit too full for my taste. But also, this is still very little and very far away from what's happening in the actually touristy places.

Now I'm in Ampana for a few days for internet and also to enjoy some western luxury (= A/C & good shower) in the new Lawaka hotel. Highly recommended, the best value for money in this small town. Located near the evening market and still this is the most quiet hotel I've been in in Ampana. I did sleep well :)

And of course I didn't take my camera with me so this blog update will be without decent photos, just with the few I had in my phone. More will be added later.