The Power of Giving

the kids we met

Tiga hari menjelang puncak, di alam tanpa pepohonan, hanya ada semak kering berduri, binatang yak, glacier, badai salju, dan sisanya... gunung-gunung es. "Even birds cannot fly this high..." kata pujangga Inggris yang pernah singgah disini, menggambarkan betapa terasingnya tempat ini.

Dalam peradaban yang amat ekstrem ini, dari balik semak kering berduri, tiga anak Nepal berlarian kecil, tertawa... mereka akan pergi ke sekolah...

Setiap hari, 3.5 hingga 4 jam mereka berjalan kaki menuruni gunung untuk bersekolah di satu-satunya SD di lereng Langtang Range, Himalaya. Sekolah ini bernama Mandala, donasi seorang mahasiswi kaya dari Jepang, yang amat tersentuh hatinya melihat semangat anak-anak kecil seperti mereka.

"Namaste..." sapa mereka kepada kami, sembari mengatupkan kedua telapak tangan, layaknya orang menyembah... mereka hanya menggendong tas kecil, berisi buku tulis lusuh berlogo lembaga donasi asal Jepang, dan di tas mereka ada sekilas emblem mirip bendera Jerman.

Secara intuisi saya suruh Sherpa saya untuk memberi mereka coklat dan biskuit bekal kami... tak apalah, small token untuk semangat anak-anak kecil itu yang begitu menginspirasi. Lagi pula masih ada beberapa army biscuit untuk bekal sampai di puncak. Dan begitulah pertemuan kami dengan anak-anak itu berakhir...

Ooppsss... ternyata, salah perhitungan!

Rumah penduduk (tea house) tempat kami akan singgah dan makan di atas ternyata tinggal puing-puing. Terpaksa, satu hari lagi berjalan menuju 'pitstop' makanan selanjutnya... dan bekal kami sudah habis... Kami berdua tertawa... tidak ada sesal sama sekali telah memberi bekal coklat dan biskuit kami pada anak-anak itu...

Dengan bekal air minum dari sungai glacier, satu buah apel sisa dari Kathmandu, dan satu bungkus 'mi gelas' dari Jakarta, kami lanjutkan perjalanan... pelan... pelan... dan mulai terpengaruh 'severe altitude syndrome'... pusing, mual dan 'hangovered'.

Rupanya Tuhan tak ingin kami mati disana.

Dari atas kami lihat seorang pendaki Korea, seorang fotografer, dan Sherpa nya sedang turun... tanpa berkenalan dia langsung membongkar carier raksasanya... 'beban kami terlalu berat' katanya... 'kalian ambil saja sisa makanan kami...pasti kalian lebih perlu buat di atas nanti, siapa tahu terjebak badai dan tidak bisa turun cepat... kami sudah tidak perlu lagi bekal ini'... kira-kira begitu omongannya dalam bahasa Inggris yang terbata.

Dan tiba-tiba 4 pack cokelat besar, 12 bungkus sosis dan satu kantong plastik buak kering diberikannya kepada kami. Alhamdulilah, bungkus sosis Korea itu semuanya pake bahasa kriting, sehingga tidak perlu tahu itu babi atau sapi :) dijamin halal...!

Setelah itu barulah kami berkenalan. Hwang Im Hoo, namanya. Sang utusan dewa penolong kami.

It's too good to be true. But miracles do happen. And I was the lucky one!

enjoy the chocolate, kid...

take a shot before bidding farewell. Me, Hwang and our Sherpas.

Hwang, my hero!

Himalaya 2009 : Maoist Lovism and AK-47

"Sebelum trekking ke Nepal harus banyak treadmill dan berenang, untuk latihan pernafasan, agar nafas lebih ritmis di saat oksigen tipis dan yg paling penting, tidak kena serangan jantung ketika ditodong M-16 nya pemberontak Maoist..." kata teman di sebuah blog minggu lalu.

Rupanya dia baru turun dari Jiri, jalan darat menuju Everest base camp, dan saat pulang dihadang pemberontak Maoist di jalan. Hahaha.. senasib dong sama gue. Bedanya, gue dapet AK-47 nya, bukan M-16, yah biarpun sama-sama senjata otomatis yg bisa muntah puluhan peluru sekali tekan.

Bedanya lagi, dia ditodong di Jiri (Nepal Timur), saya ditodong di Dunche (Utara). Yah biarpun sama-sama di Nepal dan sama-sama ditodong sama Maoist. Sama nya lagi, kita sama-sama hidup, seperti kata Bob Marley, "everything just gonna be alright".

Deg-degan pasti dong... tapi dengan kepedean bahwa mereka tidak akan membunuh turis asing (kecuali pemberontaknya ada yg latah... eh salah pencet 'bo...!) then, we're just gonna be alright. Cukup siapkan Rs.2000 setiap kali ditodong, dan kita akan bebas. Dan karena paling tidak akan ada 3 kali penodongan, maka siapkan Rs.6000! and you'll be set free...

Dan karena di Nepal tidak ada kedutaan Indonesia, maka semua risiko perjalanan adalah tanggung jawab traveler sendiri, termasuk urusan diplomatik. Tidak akan ada yg tau kalau turis Indonesia ada yg ditembak, dikarungin trus diceburin ke jurang... tidak akan ada yg peduli juga kalo kita dipenjara trus dipasung atau diasingkan ke hutan... (hmm..berlebihan!). Poin nya adalah : beli asuransi perjalanan extreme sport dengan coverage minimal US$ 1 juta include medical and emergency evacuation. Nah itu baru ada yg peduli...

Pemberontak Maoist dengan jargon Lovism (Pathways to Heaven) yg disimbolkan dengan garis melingkar2 sebagau ilustrasi hidung Buddha ternyata cukup unik dalam mengekspresikan "lovism" nya... yaitu dengan menodongkan senjata kepada kami. Mungkin sebenernya mereka mau bilang : welcome to my country. we love you brother... but love comes with a price.... and now gimme your damn bucks!

But this place is too nice to be missed. Once in a lifetime experience. And I was a lucky one :)

PS : DON'T TELL THIS TO MY MOM

Himalaya 2009 : Syabrubesi (1430m)

Syabrubesi, the last village reachable by vehicle on the Langtang Himal region, is settled at 1,430m altitude. A small village that provides basic lodging for the trekkers before the get 'lost' out of civilization.

This village has approximately 20 hostel and lodging, ranging from NR30 (Rp.5,000) to NR200 (Rp.30,000) per night room only. For food, the Daal Bhat, a local diet, cost you about NR100 (Rp.15,000) to NR150 (Rp.22,500). Hot ice lemon tea costs NR100 (Rp.15,000) and a mineral water bottle tagged at NR30 (Rp.4,500). An internet cafe using dial-up radio telephone is also available and charge you NR125 (Rp.18,750) per hour.

Syabrubesi can be reached by public bus (operating daily from Kathmandu central bus station, departing every 7:00AM) costs NR240 (Rp.36,000) or using a private jeep which costs normally NR4,000 (Rp.600,000). The drive will take normally 8h30 until 10hrs for 168km distance, depending on the weather.

The terrain is an off-road environment. The paved road from Kathmandu reached up to Trishuli Bazaar, the first 68km of the journey, the rest is just so called 'road' with occasional waterfall cuts the way, and landslides!

I stayed at Buddha Hotel. The room was basic but it has a nice shared toilet and hot shower! and electricity to charge my camera's batteries, before the great trek begins. In the first floor, there's a restaurant where all the guests are served meals for breakfast and dinner. This village is the last place with electricity, so I have to be really wise to deal with it.

Rhododendron flowers

My bus

Afternoon time, before 4pm the bus arrived (thank God!) after some severe ordeals have to be encountered along the way. The temperature shows 10C, and the drizzle begins to moist the valley.

I spent the afternoon walking around the valley, talking with the villagers and admired the Rhododendron flowers over the sunset. A plate of Daal Bhat and hot Nepali tea wrapped up my day. A good sleep is required before the great journey begins, tomorrow morning to Pairo (Landslide Village - 1,800m) and Lama Hotel (2,300m), where I spotted a small place called the Shangri-la.

The river on my narrow sidewalk to Shangri-la

Hanoi 2008 : O Donna Donna

Hanoi - oh Donna Donna When I first hit the road of Hanoi, one thing I remember is the Donna Donna song, my mom's favorite. Written by Joan Baez popular in the mid 60's. Hanoi is pretty much alike with what the song tells. Packed with bicycles, the Hanoi road is distinguished from any other world capital cities. ]

Women wearing colorful traditional costume and Vietnamese corn-hat while cycling down the road gives a strong nuance and identity to the city. As well, sign of a strong Communist influence, as Baez implicitly portrayed in his lyrics. Another identity of this city is sports. Everyone loves sports. Every morning elderly people gather in the public park doing exercise (a kind of Indonesia's SKJ in the early 90's). The younger people do badminton or soccer games, or just run for jogging. At another corner of the park near a lake, grandies do Chinese tai chi exercise, beautifully performed with red fans danced in their hands.

Also at night, people gather at the street banks for dinner with their families and relatives. Outside their house. Basil's fragrance is another identity; soups, shrimp rolls, pho (noodles) and beef alike are in flavor of those basils. This street's smell distinguished it from Delhi (incense) and Jakarta (cigarette). O Hanoi Donna Donna. People are so friendly, like my mom's story of those in the seventies. Eventhough they don't speak English but their smiles saying that we are welcomed as a family. In the night market, we sit together with the street vendors, talking about education and children, food and tourism and their hopes of the future Viet nations.

I was overwhelmed with their sincerity and life spirit. Jomima took some bracelets made of stones which was decorated with colorful characters and painting. They made it special for her. I myself prefer to enjoy the talks and eyeing on the crowds... and sometimes take a few shots.

The night market has turned its function from a mere exchange place into a system to interact and show-off their communality. Vietnam has shown the world that Communist could co-mingle with prosperity. And they portray it beautifully.

Himalaya 2009 : Into the Thin Air

Who says fantasy never comes to reality? Last year this was my fantasy, The Great Himal.

What will you do if you breathe but no oxygen is inhaled? Scary huh. I felt that moment, when I was reaching 4,000m high at the basecamp to Langtang Glacier. That night I could not sleep, symptom of a high altitude sickness. I got no appetite either. And somewhat vomitting.

Until over midnight, when silence was the only presence, I could finally close my eyes but not for that long. I was pretty scared, honestly. I got to be accustomed to breathe with only one third oxygen intake into my lungs.

Theoretically, I have to climb higher, say 4,500 m first then go down at least 500 m to the altitude of 4,000 m for overnight stay and acclimatising. But this time, there's no time to climb higher, the weather and time just did not favorable to do that. The result was, whenever I reached the 4,000 m basecamp, I had to stop the trek and stayed overnight. My lungs were not yet adapting to this new environment and demanding more oxygen, which was not available!

Fortunately, I could manage the acclimatising process within a few hours. I shortened my heart beats and totaly did relaxing all my bodies to save the oxygen. A few hours later, my body could finally adapt to this new altitude and I could feel my blood circulating as normal. No more headache and vomitting.

In the morning, I was okay. The same story applies to the extreme cold acclimatising process. Spending the rest of my life in the equator weather of 30-35C, I had to push myself to the limit dealing with sub zero temperature, which once reached -16C. How's that feel? It's damn cold! Twice as much colder than your freezer box. But I survived. How?


I learned that it is not the extreme temperature that makes you cold, but your body itself. When you get into an extreme cold environment, one thing to note is to prevent your body heat leaking outside, meaning that you have to keep your body warmth inside your inner clothing. That's why you need thermal clothes. A material that could retain heat and prevent it from evaporating. At once it should be able to 'breathe' your sweat.

No matter how cold it may be, when we are climbing, as our calories are burnt, we produce heat and sweat. Good thermal clothes will retain the heat but releasing the sweat for evaporation, it keeps your body dry. If sweat cannot be released, it could turn to be very cold and absorb your body heat. A fatal mistake.

Amazingly, our body is a supermachine. It can adapt very quickly to the environment. Its versatility provides you with comfort out of an extreme temperature. When I reached 3,500m in a mid-day, the temperature was nearly zero because of the breeze from the surrounding ice mountains. I put on my cloves and thermal cap, and down jacket for sure. However after a few hours, under the same temperature, I could simply wear light jacket without cloves and cap. I was then feel comfortable with that cold.

It happened when I went higher and higher. I believe that's why they suggest acclimatising one night every 1,000m above 3,000m altitude, to let your body find its pattern adapting the extreme environment.

What an experience! Thanks Himalaya.

Lao Airlines and Luang Prabang

Mon belle Jomima

Luang Prabang, a tranquil town in the deep valley of Laos, where two giant rivers of Mekong and Kham are merged. The delta land is then named Luang Prabang, a town with thousands of temples.

The night was falling as we approached the Luang Prabang airport. We (I and Jomima) were on board Lao Airlines from our departure point of Hanoi after spent a week in that lovely capital city of Vietnam.

We hardly saw any lights as the plan approached the runway, indeed Laos is surrounded by undeveloped forests. The roaming engine of MA60 China-made 58-seaters aircraft indicated that we were about to land. What we saw then was a humble terminal building with 4 or 5 officers (two of them were immigration officers). I learned lesson number one : they trust people. Even you can easily walked out the airport thru an open gate without anyone noticing.

MA60 safety card

There was one funny thing about this airline, they have a beautiful yet silent stewardess. Later I noticed she was the model at the back cover page of the Lao Airline inflight magazine. She said nothing during the flight, but smiling. No safety instructions, no emergency procedure briefing (only one mentioned in the safety card : "in case of water landing take off bottom cushion and use it for flotation" and picture showing a lady grabbing the cushion and hug it to float on the water.

View from my balcony

We stayed at Thongbay Guest house, right besides the Sisavangvong bridge. From the balcony of my room, I could see Phousi temple at the top of Phousi hill. The host was so friendly. She has one kid named Emily. She's a lovable silent little girl. Her father is a Swiss national.

Emily

As I mentioned earlier, they trust people. We did not need any deposit or guarantee, just stay and eat, pay later if we are checking out. When we arrived at Luang Prabang airport, they picked us up with a tuk-tuk. In fact this was the only way to go around the town. Most tuk-tuk drivers speak fair English, and it cost only US$1 to get to the town from our guest house. And they were on call anytime we need transport.


Our stay for three days in Luang Prabang was very much an amusing experience. We went to a spa, where I had a shoulder massage. It was the best massage I ever had! So relaxing that I fell asleep just a few minutes after starting. I learned that I have just visited one of the most popular spa destination in Asia.

In terms of tourist spots, Luang Prabang has many to visit. On the first day we decided to go cruising the river Mekong, into an ancient cave at the river bank, known for its Buddhist statue inside. It was Pak Ou cave. The trip took about three hours I guess, we started shortly after having breakfast at "Croissant d'Or" and arrived at the cave just before lunch time.

While everyone on boat was asleep as the breeze touched their faces, I let my hands down to the water, and taste the touch of the golden glowing Great Mekong stream. Mekong history has brought us here, from Hainan in China, Hanoi in Vietnam and now Luang Prabang (Laos). Still, we have to continue the journey to Cambodia and Thailand, where the Great Mekong meets its eternity with Indian Ocean.

On the second day, we decided to go to the forest and see the Quang Xi waterfall, said to be the tallest in the country. Bound with a van of 9 other people, we talked a lot with a New Yorker. He's traveling alone, spending two weeks in Luang Prabang before leaving back to NYC through Vientiane and Bangkok.

Quang Xi was not so much special. We need to climb uphill for about one hour before getting into the site. The waterfall itself was less interesting compared to the road trip journey where we saw wild elephants and stop by in a handicraft village. Here I captured a poor families and their kids running across to greet and tout the tourist selling their local products.

But the journey must continue. On board Vietnam Airlines Fokker-70, we left Luang Prabang to Siem Reap.Bye bye Luang Prabang.

Hibiscus with its dew drops that early morning when we left Thongbay Guest House

Sisavangvong - The Heart of Luang Prabang

Sisavangvong road

Sisavangvong, the heart of Luang Prabang... One of a kind place that reserves some space in my mind and call me for returning.

Sisavangvong is the name of an outcasted King of Luang Prabang. He fled the country when people toppled him down in 1945. He is a life-time supporter of French colonial in Laos until 1945. However according to the history script. in 1946 French ruler install him once again to become a king, even for the entire kingdom of Laos. This reign ended when communist took over the country in 1974, as the red wind blew from the neighboring Vietnam.

French-styled shop house

Nowadays, Sisavangvong is represented as a name of the main road in Luang Prabang. Some 500m long boulevard decorated with French-colonial style architecture which now functioned as shop houses and restaurants. In the North, it joins the Sakkarine road and Chao Fa Ngum road in the South.

Sisavangvong, the heart of Luang Prabang. Tourist will pack this road during dinner time, after their spending the whole day trekking or cruising the Great River Mekong. French pastries, Asian food or European alike are available here, all along the restaurants with terrace facing the quiet street.

One of the pavilions at Royal Palace, now a National Museum

Every 6 until 9PM, there's a night market at the North side of the street, right in front of the Royal Palace which now become a museum, after King Sisavangvong left the country. Souvenirs, t-shirts and foods, even books and herbs are here for sale.

I never know, but this place is one of a kind. I always miss to return. In fact, Sisavangvong is just a street with its French-touch old 2-storeyed buildings. Not many people come visiting, not many things to see, not many activities to do either. But I insist that I will return.

Maybe because of its history... maybe because of the people I met. Great people, the New Yorker, the Aussie Family and the Emily's.

Sisavangvong, the Heart of Luang Prabang.


Travel Fact :

How to get there : flight from Hanoi (Vietnam Airliner, Lao Airlines)
US$180/one way - 1.45 hours.
flight from Bangkok (Bangkok Air, Siem Reap Airlines)
US$215/one way - 2.30 hours.
flight from Siem Reap - Cambodia (Siem Reap Air, Khmer Air)
US$115/one way - 1.0 hour.
Hotel : US$30/night
Currency : US$ and Laotian Kip (1US$ = 8,000 kip)

BarceLoners

Having a cup of cappuccino at overcrowding La Rambla. On an afternoon, while understanding why I am here alone, in Barcelona.

Conundrum

Tangled Hierarchy : Cinta, Matematika dan Paradox Antara Keduanya

by Aria for The Knight of Columbus Journal – Waxahachie, Texas (Oct 2006)

images from: http://www.pebblesfromparadise.com

Tangled Hierarchy: a phenomenon in which, whenever movement is made upwards or downwards through the levels of some hierarchical system, the system unexpectedly arrives back where it started. Hofstadter (1987) uses the strange loop as a paradigm in which to interpret paradoxes in logic (such as Grelling's paradox and Russell's paradox) and calls a system in which a strange loop appears a tangled hierarchy.

Cinta menginspirasi para pujangga untuk mengalami trance dalam keindahan lirik dan prosa. Cinta menjadi sumbu yang mengalirkan hasrat manusia hingga mencapai chaos. Cinta adalah interpretasi manusia terliar atas keadaan yang dia sama sekali buta dan tak tahu harus bagaimana menguasainya. Namun, adakalanya cinta datang begitu sederhananya, tanpa interpretasi, tanpa chaos, tanpa lirik maupun prosa, apalagi matematika. Just the way it is.

Kenapa matematika? Karena matematika ditakdirkan sebagai quantifying knowledge. Melahirkan sebuah premise yang definite dari sebuah proses pengukuran. Dan kenapa cinta harus bersanding dengan matematika? Karena keduanya terlibat dalam sebuah paradox yang serupa, tangled hierarchy.

***

Tangled hierarchy adalah perfection, kesempurnaan, jaring laba-laba sekaligus lubang hitam yang bisa menyedot habis setiap remah eksistensi manusia.

Tapi kesempurnaan jugalah satu-satunya hal yang membakar jiwa manusia menuju perubahan, yang menjadikan hari ini lebih baik dari hari kemarin. Seperti mata pedang dalam tempaan bara. Kesempurnaan fisik, religius maupun materi adalah tujuan akhir sebuah perjalanan yang kadang amat sakit dan meletihkan; namun kesempurnaan itu pula oasis di antaranya, laksana pil sakti untuk segala mala.

Bintang jatuh, meteorit, adalah kesempurnaan yang kasat dari mata manusia, jatuh terbakar dan habis namun memberi keindahan teramat sempurna, walau sebentar saja, kadang hanya sedetik ditambah satu.

Seperti pula lilin yang menerangi para cendekia di kapel-kapel mahzab akademia, melalui cahaya ia mengantarkan ilmu pengetahuan penyingkap rahasia alam, namun setelahnya ia punah dan lebur, dan ia terlupakan begitu saja.

Demikianlah. Namun semesta raya bukanlah dunianya ahli matematika, bukan pula para pujangga cinta, para penghuninya hanyalah manusia biasa. Sehingga manusia biasa memaknainya dengan konteks yang lebih sederhana; tangled hierarchy adalah sesuatu yang berbelit dan, tanpa tahu sebabnya, membingungkan. Ya membingungkan, itulah definisi sederhana tentang tangled hierarchy, end of discussion.

Kabar dari Lukla

"backpack abu-abu itu...... "

Sebulan yang lalu, gue rencananya mau cuti, trekking ke Himalaya (Nepal). Harusnya mulai minggu ini, habis lebaran, 4 Oct – 11 Oct.

Gue udah buking travel di Nepal, akomodasi, guide, hostel sampai pesawat yg bakal nganter ke basecamp Everest. I booked Yeti Air, pesawat kecil yang bisa sampe ke pegunungan tinggi dan mendarat di landing strip pendek, semacam bandara-bandara kecil di pedalaman Papua.

Scheduled to depart 8 Oct 2008. 09:00AM-10:00AM Kathmandu – Tenzing-Hillary Airport (orang lokal menyebutnya Lukla, terletak di pegunungan Everest). Tenzing & Hillary sendiri adalah trekker yang tewas dalam kecelakaan pesawat di airport yang sama, beberapa dekade silam.

Seneng banget deh, udah cerita-cerita ke temen-temen…especially Jomima, my travel buddy.

Yang belum OK tinggal pesawat dari Singapura – Kathmandu (Silk Air). Gue dapet harga murah banget deh, less than SIN$ 600/one way.

Somehow, pas booking online, internet gue putus. Dan pas gue re-book seat nya udah ngga ada. Jadi terpaksa gue cancel deh semua itinerary di Nepal.

Baru dapat trekking visa lagi tahun depan. Padahal udah bayar US$700 cuman buat permit nya doang.

Pagi ini, 9 Oct, gue dapat e-mail dari agent gue di Nepal. Hari Prasai namanya, dari Rhino Adventure Trek yang mengurusi perjalanan gue.

“Sir, the flight you have previously scheduled to board, Twin Otter Yeti Air has crashed in Lukla.The plane was caught in fire while trying to land amidst poor visibility due to fog and iffy weather. All 18 passengers and crew reported dead, including Evan, your team member along with 2 other Australian trekkers.”

I WAS regretting my 8-million-gone-money. Complaining to God why all this stupid things happened and why me. Now I THANK that my life was rescued by invisible scenario, which I had not known, until it happened, now.

"sesaat setelah crash"

VOA News link :
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-10-08-voa8.cfm
Bangkok Post link :
http://www.axilltv.com/bkpost-2.php?newsid=346067

(untungnya di berita tersebut tidak ditulis : "there were two empty seats previously booked for Mr. ... & Ms.... from Indonesia who canceled their trip due to broken flight itinerary."

"airport Lukla...keindahan yang mematikan"

Nanggu Island (4) : Pantai dan Damai

Pantai Barat
Pantai Barat adalah spot paling romantis di pulau ini, kata Nando, seorang pelancong dari Swiss yang baru menikah. Masih muda dan pergi bersama isteri nya, Caroline. Ya iyalah.... Bagi saya yang nggak ngerti makna kata "romatis" dalam konteks ini akan menerjemahkannya sebagai "yeah, it's where I chase the sunset and lay down waiting naked without anybody notice". I did.

Tapi benar juga sih kata Nando dan Caroline, buat mereka ngapain jauh-jauh datang dari Swiss kalau tidak ada yang istimewa di pulau ini. Apalagi bagi para backpackers dari Belarus itu, ngomong Inggris aja susah, kalau ngga ada yang special di sini it's a mere waste of time and energy.

Bagi saya, seorang pemburu senja, memang di sinilah tempatnya. Nanti sore pasti saya akan melewatkan setidaknya dua jam rebahan di pasir sambil memandangi horizon yang bersiap menangkap sang surya, tanda usainya muhibah keliling langit selama satu hari.

Pantai Tenggara
Pantai Tenggara menghadap ke ujung barat daya pulau Lombok. Melalui selat inilah jukung-jukung nelayan biasanya berlalu-lalang. Sesekali terlihat perahu motor Dream Divers yang membawa para peselam-peselam asing (saya tidak pernah melihat rombongan peselam lokal, padahal terumbu karang di daerah ini sungguh amat memesona). Well, anyway selain pegawai penginapan, saya juga satu-satunya penghuni lokal di pulau ini. Hmm.... bangsa yang aneh.... Jadi teringat traveling bareng Jo di Kamboja dan Laos.

Nah, ke pantai inilah arah silo saya menghadap. Keren kan.... makannya sebelum sarapan pagi, saya selalu nangkring di jendela, menghadap pantai. Mendengarkan riak-riak ombak yang menjilati bibir pantai, dan sesekali melihat layar jukung yang berwarna-warni melambai di kejauhan. Mandi pagi? Forget it lah. Di sini tidak ada air tawar untuk mandi. Jadi tinggal nyebur aja ke laut, pipis dan lap lap pakai handuk. Done!

Pantai Timur
Pantai Timur adalah pantai teduh. Tempat bermeditasi. Panjangnya tak lebih dari 150 an meter, melengkung seperti bumerang Australia. Di sini terdapat signboard "Welcome to Nanggu Island" karena perahu-perahu pasti melewati pantai ini. Di tepiannya terdapat balai-balai, tempat orang bermeditasi, dan tempat penjaga di waktu malam hari.

Saya paling suka ber-snorkeling di daerah sini. Lima meter dari bibir pantai sudah terdapat cekungan dalam yang berisi terumbu karang dan ikan Napoleon yang lucu itu. Sesekali lewat kumpulan ikan berwarna belang kuning dan hitam, persis harimau Sumatera. Ada juga tumbuh-tumbuhan berwarna ungu. Rumput-rumput lautnya berwana kehitaman, amat licin. Sayangnya menjelang siang, arus laut menjadi makin kencang, sehingga snorkle saya sering kemasukan air. Waktunya berbilas lalu berjemur lagi...

Pantai Utara
Pantai Utara berpasir kasar, berkerikil warna cokelat muda. Banyak sisa-sisa terumbu karang dan kerang yang terdampar di pantai ini. Sepertinya disini biasa dipakai buat bakar-bakaran di malam hari, terlihat dari sisa-sisa arang campfire yang tersisa.

Di belakang pantai ini terdapat hutan, yang dibelah oleh jalan setapak untuk mencapai Pantai Barat. Tidak seperti hutan-hutan biasa yang berisik suara serangga, hutan disini amat sunyi, dan kering. Pohon-pohon meranggas dan tak satupun binatang yang terlihat (mudah2 an tidak ada dino yg mucul tiba2 dari balik semak seperti di film Jurassic II, hii....)

Di ujung sebelah kiri pantai, terdapat bongkahan batu besar yang terlihat menyandar ke tebing, reclining rocks. Betapa dahsyat gelombang yang mengempaskannya ke pantai, mungkin ribuan tahun lalu.
Pantai Selatan

Pantai Selatan adalah dermaga, tempat bersauhnya sampan-sampan dan tempat dari mana semua kehidupan di pulau ini bermula. Tidak ada yang istimewa dari pantai ini, hanya saja ujung sebelah kirinya yang menyambung dengan Pantai Tenggara memang tempat snorkeling yang menarik. Saya suka berjemur disini juga, sambil memandangi lalu lalang perahu yang mengangkut makanan dan air ke Nanggu.

Nanggu Island (3) : Meditating

Pergi ke Nanggu adalah untuk menyendiri. Walaupun datang beramai-ramai, tetap saja ada momen-momen dimana kita pasti ingin menyendiri di pulau ini.

Setelah berjalan-jalan mengelilingi pulau, saya ingin kembali ke penginapan, sebuah silo berbentuk panggung, rumah tradisional orang Sasak. Di depan jendela saya adalah pantai Tenggara, pulau Lombok terlihat jelas dari sudut ini. Juga pulau Suda yang hanya beberapa ratus meter saja dipisahkan oleh selat.

Di depan silo nomor 6 tempat saya menginap ada balai-balai tempat orang memandang laut. Nah, disitulah si David rupanya nongkrong dari tadi. Dia adalah seorang backpacker dari Belarus, katanya negara nya itu dekat dengan Rusia, antara Ukraina dan Latvia. Well, simply somewhere in eastern Europe deh... dan dia berbahasa Rusia. Dia datang berempat dengan teman-teman kampus nya, mereka semua sedang diving. David menyendiri, seperti saya.
Kembali ke kamar, rasanya sayang, hari masih sore dan sebentar lagi senja. Akhirnya saya ambil tripod dan berjalan lagi ke pantai Barat. Menunggu senja.

Pasir pantai Barat ini sangar lembut, lebih empuk dari spring bed di kosan saya. Warnanya putih, seperti gula pasir yang diberi pemutih di supermarket. Tiduran dulu ah.....

Banyak sekali potongan terumbu karang dan kerang-kerang yang terhempas ke pantai, saya paling suka dengan teripang merah, warnanya eksotis. Sayangnya warna merahnya hanya akan menyala jika dibasahi dengan air laut, jadi kalau di bawa pulang warnanya akan pudar menjadi kecoklatan. Memang, seperti kata ayah saya dulu, jika pergi ke pulau terpencil janganlah membawa sesuatu kecuali kenangan, dan janganlah meninggalkan sesuatu kecuali jejak. Alright, Dad. You're right.

Nanggu Island (2) : Sampai di Pulau

Lamat-lamat mulai terlihat daratan, dengan deretan perdu dan pokok-pokok randu memagari pantai berpasir putih dan berkerikil warna kuning muda, reruntukkan terumbu karang yang terhempas ke pantai. Itulah Naggu.

Agak lega rasanya melihat daratan, paling tidak kalau terjadi apa-apa saya mampu berenang ke tepian. Amit-amit deh. Mendekati Nanggu, warna laut yang tadinya biru kehitaman berubah menjadi tosca, seperti warna batu amethyst kakak saya. Lalu mendekat ke daratan warnanya tergradasi menjadi biru muda, pucat. Mungkin tidak sepucat muka saya di tengah laut tadi....ssst ngga ada yang liat ini hehehe.

Dermaga di Naggu hanya berupa papan bersusun selebar satu meter yang menjuntai ke arah keramba terapung tempat menambatkan sampan. Di pagi hari sesekali jukung nelayan (perahu berlayar segitiga) singgah di sini, mereka mengantar ikan segar untuk dijual ke penginapan. Itulah menu kami hari itu, fresh seafood langsung dari laut. Semua supply kehidupan di pulau berawal dari sini. Air, makanan, dan semua kebutuhan hidup dibawa dengan sampan melalui dermaga ini dari Lombok. Kalau misalnya tiba-tiba ada yang sakit malam-malam gimana ya? Kalau ada badai atau high tide? .... tiba-tiba semua yang seram-seram muncul di benak. Tapi terlanjurlah saya mendarat di sini. This is the point of no return. Lagi pula terlalu sayang semua keindahan di pulau ini dilewatkan hanya gara-gara khayalan konyol ini. This gonna be my paradise!
Dengan panjang tak lebih dari 300 meter, mengelilingi Nanggu hanya perlu setengah jam berjalan. Dan Nanggu adalah sorga bagi para penyendiri, seperti saya. Ketika para penghuni lain sedang diving atau snorkeling di laut, saya memilih berjalan-jalan saja di pantai, lalu masuk ke hutan, terlihat tandus dengan ranting-ranting kering yang berserak. Tak ada unggas di pulau ini, hanya kadal dan kura-kura serta ular dan kepiting. Sesekali burung bangau putih singgah bergerombol saat musim migrasi, kata seorang penjaga. Setelah "berbelanja" ikan di pantai mereka melanjutkan perjalanan ke utara, untuk kembali ke benua Australia saat musim panas nanti. Para burung musafir, betapa bahagianya mereka di alam kebebasan.

Nanggu Island (1) : Menuju Pulau

Nanggu Island para backpackers menyebutnya. Orang lokal menamainya Gili Nangu atau Pulau Nangu. Letaknya di selatan pulau Lombok. Untuk bisa sampai ke pulau mungil ini, para traveler biasanya mengusung backpack karena harus berganti-ganti sampan dan perahu. Kalau para madam ingin bawa koper segede kulkas....well, forget it lah. Sampan bercadik yang panjangnya ngga lebih dari dua setengah meter kayaknya bakal ngambek ngangkut mereka, belum lagi hempasan air riak-riak selat yang selalu membasahi pakain kita dalam perjalanan satu jam menyeberangi selat. Ya, satu jam--kadang dua jam bila ada gelombang tinggi--terkatung-katung di atas sampan mini di tengah selat dalam yang lautnya berwarna biru kehitaman bukanlah suatu liburan yang extravagant. Sorry madam, bye bye for now.

Eniwei,...untuk ke Nanggu kita bisa berangkat dari pelabuhan Padang Bai Bali. Naik Ferry tujuan pelabuhan Lembar di Lombok. Kira-kira empat jam perjalanan. Saya sampai di Lembar pukul dua sore. Setelah turun dari ferry saya pergi ke kampung nelayan untuk mencari boatman karena saya tidak minta dijemput sama pengelola penginapan di Nanggu nya. Masuk ke gang, tanya ke warung, masuk ke dapur rumah orang, keluar gang lagi dan akhirnya ketemu deh seorang bapak tua yang mau mengantar saya ke Nanggu. Dia punya sampan bercadik yang sebenarnya sih saya ngga terlalu percaya bisa mengapung apalagi menyeberangi selat yang lagi lumayan beriak-riak tinggi. Tapi mau gimana lagi. I surrender my soul to this old boatman.

Satu jam lebih terombang-ambing dan basah kuyup di laut membuat saya mengerti mengapa ada istilah "swallowed by the sea" alias ditelan lautan. Ya, gelombang laut itu memang seperti mulut raksasa yang kelaparan, siap mengembat siapa saja yang lengah. Saya bisa berenang tapi kalau melihat gelombang laut biru kehitaman seperti itu....hii....jiper juga loh...apalagi sampan ini ngga ada life jacketnya, boro-boro life raft. Pray hard itu saja safety instructions nya.

Selaparang

Selaparang dulunya adalah nama kerajaan kuno di Nusa Tenggara. Sekarang nama ini dipakai buat nama bandara di Lombok. Ruang check in dan ruang tunggunya amat kecil, mirip banget sama airport Luang Prabang di Laos. Dalam beberapa hal sih Selaparang lebih modern, antara lain soal security system nya.

Saat boarding kita menuju pesawat dengan berjalan kaki, melalui tarmac dan area taxiing pesawat. Saat itu schedule take off saya adalah jam 6.15 pagi. Jadi saat berjalan di landasan itu bisa terlihat pemandangan sunrise yang surprisingly gorgeous. Di sebelah utara runway berjajar bukit-bukit yang bergelombang, dan di ujung kaki bukit sebelah kiri itulah matahari muncul dengan segannya. Seperti layaknya para backpackers yang enggan meninggalkan pantai-pantai indah di pulau ini. But the journey must continue. Saya harus berjalan lagi. Bye bye Selaparang.....

Git Git and the Calon Arang

Arul took me to the waterfall, it was a 20 minute-uphill climb. It was not the fountain that makes me impressed, but the fact Arul told be along the way up there. It's about the Git Git tribe, the magic surrounding it, the Sanur's Leak, the Calon Arang story, and of course all about surfing world and Mr. Taguchi, the Hawaiian Japanese.

Git Git was an outcast. Despite the bustling tourism boom in Bali, Git Git stays as it is. Surmounted by magic. I spent two days with them, enough to feel the spirit of their outcasting life. Kindhearted, helpful yet mysterious. I never heard any visitors stays with Git Git. But I did.

On another evening, Arul took me to an ancient cemetery. Damn! Villagers have gathered, and they invited as well the Bupati. But all the lights were turned off, throughout the villages. No electricity, just some torchlight lit of jarak oil lighted the pathways to the cemetery.

"Calon Arang" Arul whispered me. Another damn! It was just a mystical folklore, right? Not even exist nowadays.

No, this was a special evening, and they are now inviting the Calon Arang, ancient spirit to show off their existence and power. Another damn! And I am trapped here with all those supernatural creatures! Another damn!

But I cannot see ghost. So, everything is gonna be alright, I thought. They shall go beyond my sight and logic. I am a logical thinker.

But.... another damn!

I start seeing a flashing shadows of fire, jumping a 5m wall or so. And another one is coming. They seemed to fight each other. Blinded by the light-less night, I could see they were man-like creatures, but seemed taller and so scary that I could dare not to describe. They are the Calon Arang. The spirits of ancient hero which were invited back to life-world for amusement. They are spirits of the dead who cannot rest in peace because of their mystical powers still embedded to their souls. Some of them must have sold their lives to devils, I guess.

No, I've just seen spirits of the dead bodies. Where's my ghost-filtered eyes?? Another damn!

When we wrapped up the day at Jimbaran that late evening, Arul offered me smoked corn. No appetite, and I guarantee three-days sleepless night afterwards.

Last day of staying with Git Git, Arul asked me to see a Leak, the people inherited by a black devilish power as a result of curse in the past. They are red-eyed, and they eat babies. Oh no.... another damn!

No, enough! These mystical experience have had enough to haunt me for weeks. I am going back to the city!

Chapitier 26 : Commence

24 July 2008

Chapitier 25

23 July 2008

One chapter of me is wrapped up today. Another yet to come is arriving. Chapitier 25 is one of a kind, bookmarked out of many boring ones.

Some verses are those you have written.

PS: I love you

If we're all alone, we're all together on that too.
It helps me sometimes.

You made my life, but I'm just one chapter in yours.
There will be more...

--------------
PS: I love you

It's Sunday morning...

13 April 2008
"It's Sunday morning......" Dewi chanted. It was the beginning of continuous chanting ngga jelas for the next three days and a half.

Yea, it's Sunday morning now. Hari minggu terpanas di Bangkok, 41 derajat di malam sebelumnya, and getting hotter this afternoon, for sure. The news said it's gonna be 43!

And we hit the town right away, boating along the Chao Phraya river, Temple of Dawn Arun Wat and the Grand Palace. And, excuse me.... it sounds like "it's sunday morning..." yeah madam, it's sunday morning now. Would you stop that plii......

Anyway...

The heat makes me tired. Back to the hotel, Astera Sathorn, collecting scattered energy for another days to come. In the evening still I heard "it's sunday morning......." oh no no... it's almost midnight madam, plii.....

Wake up in the morning another day and it heard like "it's sunday morning......"
Oh it's a definite NO. It's Wednesday and we're on Phi Phi Island. It's ain't Sunday morning no more madam, plii.......