Salamat pagi, good morning family and friends
We leave behind this beautiful island Belitong it's surrounding turquoise waters decorated with multi-coloured granite mini-islands. This island now holds special significance for Colin and I forever. There is one little island that in the distance looks for all the world like a peacefully sleeping spaniel.
We have seen some incredible and sometimes disturbing performances here - one young sailor goes away with broken skin and welts on his back from participating in the fighting sticks performance.
The men from Java riding rattan horses who are induced into trances by various means and then have the evil drawn out of them are quite scary. Can't be good for their health and the locals move to the back stalls to make sure they aren't In their path as they start to fit. We were told by guide Madi that they were unconscious and we were seeing their souls. Animism at work! Meanwhile one of our yachtie companions had her camera almost in their faces! Sigh. Other performances are so beautiful and they put their heart and soul in to give us a special experience.
We are treated like movie stars everyone greeting us as we move along and wanting photos with us and to talk to us. Few westerners get here. It's only a 45 minute flight from Jakarta and in our view a must-do.
So many Australians have only seen Bali and only certain parts of that island or nearby Lombok. The down sides such as the incessant selling and the ugly tourist do not exist elsewhere in Indonesia that we have seen.
A highlight of our guided tour here was a visit to a senior high school where we were let loose to join students in their classrooms and teach some English, talk about our country and family, answer varied questions and share photos.
We talk of the importance for their job chances of speaking English and discuss the issues facing their country and ours. Environment and climate is foremost in their minds. Effective rubbish disposal and protecting native forests being their concerns. Our day started with release of 500 baby Turtles on the beach.
The Gala dinner here was fantastic with a lovely buffet meal, a very good band and singers who sang western songs as well as local, and some really amazing costumes. This was a professional, well organised event in a beautiful amphitheatre. 
We experienced our first really heavy rain yesterday sitting in a warung in town waiting for the shops to open at 1.00 as it was a Muslim holiday. The people we were with were somewhat concerned, justifiably, as they had left their boat with hatches up. We got excited as our driver Rosa was going to take us to an Italian delicatessen. Mouths were watering with thoughts of salami, cheese and bread. Alas it was closed for the holiday. Oh well the thought was nearly as good as the reality. Back to soto Ayam (chicken soup), Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng, Ikan (fish) ulung (prawn), cumi (calamari), pisan (banana), Bakso (noodle soup), etc etc.
Can you guess what this is? It's, called Du Dul.
Speaking of chicken soup we were asked to sing into the microphone at a dance on stage and we didn't know the words so we sang " I do do do like soto Ayam " which caused hysterics. Later we found out we were being propositioned by our respective partners and were meant to reply in kind :))))
Back at the beach we met 16 year old Sara whose parents have a tin mining corporation. She later brings and introduces her 21 year old sister Ega who has graduated from uni in politics majoring in international relations. She works for a human rights organisation and had some distressing stories to tell of news brought by visitors from N Korea of people in jail for decades with insufficient food and being invited to eat their children. And of atrocities she heard of in Aceh in the time of occupation there. She has a passion for forensic science and wants to study at Sydney University. She will visit us in Melbourne. When Cec and John return here next April they are invited to fly in the girls parents plane to see the tin mine. I am jealous already :)
It will take an Olympic Games in Indonesia for Australians to begin to appreciate the cultural diversity and character and personality of Indonesia and the way people of different religions live very happily together. Our view of Muslim people and customs has changed completely. Meanwhile we are happy to be ambassadors and relationship builders.
Salamat Malam, good evening
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