Beware the Jackfruit Curry, or The Angry Hungarians and How I Got To Timor

I was off of Papua (my home for these ten months) from Dec 18 until last week. And whatever you might think about Indonesia, it's actually not too hard to find an internet cafe just about anywhere, but I took a break from all the e-communication. I spent my vacation like a vacation -no computer, no guitar.

On Bali, motorbiking around north of Ubud - this volcano erupted not too long ago. As we headed out there, the mist was just coming in. Behind the trees, there is a beautiful lake at the foot of the mountain, and a little town around the lake. The land is rich for farming, and the countryside is beautiful. 
The next morning, went back to Denpasar to fly from Bali to Maumere, Flores. I have tried really hard to put myself inside their culture, and think of all sorts of creativ possibilities, but I cannot understand why my plane took off two hours early and stranded eleven expats and a handful of Indonesians. There were the two happy Spanish priests who wanted to film a documentary and their Indonesian interpreter, the friendly Australians traveling with an Italian guy (maybe the only friendly australians I've met since I got here), the crazy Australian, Indonesian nuns, and the very angry couple - the lady had a diamond on her tooth- that turned out to be from Hungary.
The next flight to Maumere was 3 days away, so the airline sent up to Timor that afternoon,and the next day they'd fly us from Timor to Maumere. There go 2 1/2 days off a 5 day trip... but traveling in Indonesia I've come to expect these things, we just rolled with - like hey I've never been to Timor before.
So Timor... it's ok. I just saw this one city, and it reminded me of the things I don't like about Timika (the city near where I live) - no tourist infrastructure, it was dirty, something of it felt unfriendly, and I wished I wasn't a white woman traveling without my husband.
But at sunset we were on a beach, drinking young coconut and watching some boys play soccer in the sand... and I was reminded that beautiful things show up when you least expect it.


Finally made it to Flores. With our time cut in half, adjusted the plans a bit... but that's no problem. There was one place I really wanted to make it to - Kelimutu. It's these three lakes formed in a crater and each one is a different color because of the mineral deposits... and they change colors every few years. When I saw them they were dark green, bright turquoisy green/blue and black. wow. maybe the most amazing place I've ever been.


The night before we had risked our lives on the insane trans-Flores highway for five hours to get to Moni, the town near Kelimutu. On that trip, we stopped along the way and I ate some very suspect jackfruit curry and apparently I had too much sambal (chili sauce)... and so my trip to Kelimutu was not all beautiousness.

Flores... fresh grapefruit off the tree from an old Moni Ibu (moni=tribe in Flores, ibu=lady) who carries on Moni traditions and raises money/awareness for local schoolkids. Motorbiking on the trans-Flores highway - some of the most beautiful views I've ever seen. Flores is the most beautiful place I've ever been. The hospitality of the people matches the beauty of the place. After Kelimutu we went back to Maumere. The accommodations in town are simple but people are very helpful and kind.

Let's rewind for a minute. Before accidentally Timor and then Flores. On my way off Papua, adventures in East Kalimantan on my way to Java for the holidays. Christmas My first time away from home. I was in Jogjakarta -center of Javanese culture in Central Java. What a great place - cool markets, gamelan and wayang (trad Javanese music and puppets) and fun shopping, amazing temples from the Hindu Buddhist dynasties and most of my ETA friends all in one place. Good but nothing's like being home. I just tried to forget that it was Christmas. It was easy as soon as I got to Java - warm weather, no Christmas decorations and so I just tried to pretend that Christmas wasn't happening. That worked until Christmas Eve - English language mass- Christmas carols in English. That was hard, I'll be home next year. Sometimes when you miss what you love, you remember why you love it.