Hati – hati (be careful)

March 16th

Today we must return to Makassar, because we have booked flights to Jakarta the day after. The travel distance is a bit less than 400km and the estimated driving time (as advised by motel employees) is around 7 hours. So the plan is relatively simple. However Sulawesi still has some obstacles in store for us.

We had spent the night in Wisma Surya motel in Palopo. The Wisma Surya motel is of a low standard. Facilities are dirty and poorly maintained (for example some of the door locks do not work properly). Travelers also need to share their rooms with cockroaches. On the other hand, the rooms have air conditioning (probably one of the most important things here), the price is low and the staff is friendly.

Last evening we had a small car accident and one of the cars lost a wing mirror. During the morning preparations we fix the problem ourselves (we decide not to waste time in search for a car repair service). The lost mirror is replaced with two makeup mirrors, fixed side by side with some duct tape. As the result, each of the two mirrors has a bit different view angle. Anders finds this convenient and perhaps even better than the original design. We also discover that the same car has a flat tire. Rūdolfs is very quick to replace it with the spare wheel and we are ready to leave (the time is around 7am).

The traffic in populated areas of Sulawesi can get really heavy. When we leave the motel the streets are densely packed with small motorbikes (maybe people are rushing to the work or school). After only few minutes we experience another accident – one of our cars gently touches a motorbike next to it [or the other way round]. As a result the motorbike loses its balance and the riders fall down. We stop the car to see if anyone is injured and how to deal with the situation. One of the motorbike riders is a young girl who seems to be a bit shocked by the accident. She is offered a seat next to a small kiosk on the side of the road. Here we wait the police to arrive. The happening attracts some local people. Several policemen arrive one by one, but the situation is a bit confusing as the police don’t seem to have a specific and quick procedure to go through. There is a man in the crowd who speaks English and he is prepared to help us to communicate with the police. Finally someone takes the girl to a hospital (probably someone from the family) to check her physical condition. I believe, it would be fair to say that this situation is nobody’s fault. In this chaotic (by European standards) driving culture things like these are meant to happen time to time. However our group is not in the position to waste the time and we are prepared to take the responsibility by paying a small compensation to the girl. The girl is examined in the hospital and no injuries are found, but there is some minor damage to the motorbike. Finally we have to agree to pay 2million IDR (approx. 140 eur) to the girl to be allowed to continue our trip without the administrative procedures.

During the two hours while dealing with the situation, the other car has obtained a new wing mirror and we are all set to go. The route takes us South along the ocean coast, and later West to Parepare. In this way we avoid going through the mountain areas. It seems that the fruits sold on the side of the road are specific for different areas in Sulawesi. We decide to taste Srikaya – a fruit which looks like a large pine cone. We find it sweet and very tasty. We also try Salak, which we are not so keen on.

Shortly after Parepare we get on highway. Now, for more than an hour, we can drive faster than in any other place during the trip. But little do we know that soon we’ll be slowed down to our lowest speed. The traffic in Sulawesi can get very heavy (it can’t be said enough). We enter Makassar from north in late afternoon and this requires a lot of mental strength. The road gets more and more packed until it is almost entirely clogged with cars and motorbikes of different sizes. Here we spend about 2 hours to drive 2 km. Ilgonis, who is driving one of the cars, leaves the drivers seat and manages to find a place to relieve himself from the liquids accumulated in his body. The car line has not moved a single mm by the time he is back.

The traffic jam ends on the large road junction, where one of the roads leads to the airport. We still must pass two toll roads (8500 IDR and 3500 IDR) before we reach Miko Hotel in the northern part of Makassar. Miko hotel is the same place we spent the first two nights in Sulawesi. Here we have also agreed to return the rented cars. We have arrived to the hotel before 8pm (11 hours after we have left Palopo). We have a lot of leftover food – instant noodles, rice, tin cans with fish, corn and peas, bread, jam etc. We decide to have this food for dinner and the reception kindly provides us with some hot water. We have the cafeteria area all to ourselves and we spend our last evening in Sulawesi in a good mood.

The long and winding road back

March 15th

Yesterday’s ship was boringly tedious. The six-hour journey reminded of Syrian refugee movement across the sea in boats to Europe, the difference maybe was the density of persons per square meter, which was much smaller than for the refugees. Therefore bearable. In Ampana the repaired car awaits us. We start the journey to Tentena. Night trip and at 1:00am we are already in the our known hotel Victoria. Again, the Internet and communication opportunities and cheap beer. Next happiness is the lux rooms with both a western style toilet, shower and an embroidered heart-shape at head of the bed.

For breakfast, the traditional pancake with bananas. And we are ready for the road. This time take a different road. First the Saluopa waterfall. To it through a beautiful tropical garden leads a walkway. Coffee bushes, durians, cocoa trees and something like pawpaw fruit. Next shaded trail runs along a creek, which is formed from the water of the waterfall. Then comes the stage of the waterfall itself where the water is forming beautiful patterns, creeks on the rock wall. And finally the last stage of the waterfall which has a pool at the the bottom, where a water column falls in. So there we are swimming and having a massage. It was refreshing and great.

At the entrance we buy durians. In the car they give off not too pleasant scent. After a while we become accustomed to it. However, we do not know how to eat these wonderfruit. Ilgonis gets in contact with the locals who cut one with a large knife and show what is edible there. Large stones and a little flesh. It is then for eating. Durian doesn’t delight us too much, so that durian pleasure goes to the locals.

We go through the local villages. In one village at every home there are Indian-hindu formations. Looks like this village represents Hindu supporters. On the other hand, Christians are already preparing for Easter. Preparing celebration space, bring palm tree branches for the celebration. In some villages there are crosses near the houses. Elsewhere the whole street is scattered with crosses. Again the narrow roads. It looks like the region is the rice granary. Rice in different stages of maturity. Planted in one place, in another already being harvested. The road runs along the Lake Poso. We stop at a place where there should be orchids. But nothing, they are not there. However, there is a lake and a naked bathing.

We continue the journey and whoops. A bar in front of the road. Roadworks. Need to stay bored for 3 hours. It is expected that only at 17:00 the road will open. The road builders do not want to work and, therefore, the road gets opened sooner. The mountain road turns into a flat coastal highway. It starts to rain. The gray car has a problem again. The oncoming car breaks the mirror of the gray one. What to do, how to live on? The car has an insurance. We are going to find the police to confirm the accident. The policeman doesn’t want to do anything, only a photo taken together with white people. The lease owner gets called, who says it is an ordinary case in these latitudes, and no report is required. We are looking for a hotel. The hotel was the worst of our entire trip. Settled for the night we are looking for where to eat. Some fish and beer. And have a good night.

Agnese’s notes:
The road on the west side of the lake Poso is good enough albeit narrow. The sights are definitely better on this side and since there were roadworks on the other side, it might be that this road is also faster.
As it turned out later, the car owner wasn’t saying that all is ok and that no report and even no mirror fixing is required, even though that is exactly what the policeman told us after calling the owner. Don’t trust them with the first time, ask to confirm again and again…
There were 3 rooms with air condition in the Wisma Surya guesthouse of Palopo town, but they were not very clean. However, it was possible to arrange normal food for the breakfast instead of bread with jam only.

The day before the eclipse

March 8th

It is important to talk to the local people. In this way, last evening we have found out that our route goes through a road renovation zone. It is closed for cars between 8am and 12pm. This factor requires leaving the hotel early (we are staying in the hotel Waraswati in Pagimana).

As usual we wake up at 6am. The breakfast is not included in the hotel price but we get some rice with few pieces of chicken and traditional shrimp crisps. Even though there is no alternative, the food here is great. Tea or coffee is not served (we don’t specificaly insist on having it, so it may be possible to get it if asked).

We fear that it may be difficult to find petrol station further along out route, so we fill the tanks in Pagimana and continue our journey. Around 1 km to the south from a town called Salodik, there is a small park called ‘obyek wisata pilaweanto salodik’. When we arrive, there is nobody at the entrance, so we open the gates ourselves and enter the park. This recreational zone contains few waterfalls, canopies and pedestrian paths. It is poorly maintained and almost seems to be abandoned. The waterfalls are nice and some of the group members go for a dip beneath one of them. The park offers refreshment during the hot day, so it is worth visiting. When we leave two men are waiting for us at the entrance and ask for an entry fee – 2000 rupies (approx. 0.13eur) per person.
8th of March is known as women’s day and Ilgonis presents flowers to the ladies in our team.

As we plan to camp on the beach during the night, we continue our road without stops. We must arrange our camp before the nightfall – the sunset here is around 6pm. We manage to find a nice spot close to the town called Pangkalaseang in the east of the central Sulawesi. The beach is close to the main road, but we need to go a short distance through coconut palm plantation to reach it. This is an extremely beautiful place – white sand, blue ocean, clear sky. This is a tropical paradise. Few of us set-up tents, few arrange sleeping under the mosquito nets and one would sleep directly below the sky (mosquite repealent is required). We make a small fire place and set up a dinner ‘table’. We go to sleep early. Tomorrow is the most important day of our journey.

Agnese’s notes:
The road between Salodik and Pangkalaseang is not ideal but not too bad either. Potholes in places sometimes small, sometimes for several meters.
The Poh bay is beautiful, we snorkel for a bit just before turning north away from it. There are coralls here as well and very beautiful ones once you get through a small forest of sea-weed.
Don’t attempt to sleep on beach without a mosquito net. The mosquito repellent perhaps helps to fall asleep, but the sleep only lasts till a point when you wake up from something biting vigorously.

The day of the first bath

March 7th

Today we wake up in Poso – the second biggest city in Central Sulawesi region if I am not mistaken. We slept on the last floor (3rd floor by Latvian standards, 2nd by UK) and it was one of the highest buildings around. There is no wifi here, but a good reception for mobile data, so I upload Ilgoni’s article before heading out.
The breakfast is arranged at 6:30 and incuded in the hotel price, but instead of fried rice that they had promised us for breakfast just before 7am we get some jam sandwiches and cream buns, plus tea/coffee. The receptionist can only say ‘sorry’. But I’m not surprised a bit. Everything happens slowly in Sulawesi, and likely the rice would take even longer time to be prepared.

We head out, get some petrol and then continue in the direction of Ampana, that is east. After a couple of kilometers we can see the Celebes sea on our left side and it will stay there all the day. It looks lovely and soon after we cannot stand to stay in the cars anymore. We stop and most of us get in the water which is very warm. Much warmer than one gets in Latvia at any time. I could perhaps stay in the whole day. After the first impression some people go to get their snorkeling gear and only then I realise that we have been swimming above a real coral reef. The corals are perhaps not the most beautiful I have seen, but there is still a big diversity both in the shape and the colour. And there are many nice and diverse fish among them, I like the stripy ones the most. After we head back to the cars we notice a motor-cyclist has stopped to ask us for a selfie. We have got used to this by now…

Near the town of Marowo we ask the locals for hotsprings. Air-pana is the Indonesian word for it, directly translated as water-hot. The locals say it’s about 7 kilometers ahead. Unfortunately when the locals arrange some motorcyclist to show us the way, he hears ‘Ampana’ and leads us 30km ahead to that town. Well, we will try to find them again on our way back, I guess…

In Ampana we find some bigger shop to get some supplies for the next 3 or so days (bigger than a kiosk several of which can be found in every village and considerably more in every town along the roadside of the main road. Also we find a post office which only has 10 (very basic and not at all touristy) postcards in total. We have been said that there is no water in Pangkalaseang village which is our ultimate destination for observing the eclipse, so we try to buy some. The biggest bottle the shop has is 6l and there is only 2 of those. We take both and hope to buy the 20l bottle in a kiosk on the roadside where we saw them being sold. But it turns out that one needs to have the bottle and it can be only filled in the kiosk with filtered tap water. Filtered tap water is not ideal but we still thought better than none. Yet it turns out one can only get water here if one has the bottle itself. Our big bottle is still full of water so we leave without any more.

More beautiful sights, more palms, more winding roads and another swim in the sea. In the evening we arrive in the Pagimana village and find a guesthouse between the main road and the sea. It has whole 2 air-conditioned rooms and an extra we had not expected to find here – wifi. Most of us squeeze in the 2 rooms leaving 3 other people to try to not suffocate in a non-AC one with an open window. Some fish are swimming in an enclosed area next to the guesthouse. Most of us pick some of them for supper while I will eat chicken instead. The guesthouse also has some beer which most of us have been craving for a couple of days already. The fish and chicken are delicious even though the supper is not cheap by the local standards. We talk and joke a bit. Then Ilgonis suggests going for a walk and most people join. I stay to translate Gunita’s article.

When they come back they have given the Big Dipper constellation a new name – ‘Bucket’ as that’s what we have been using instead of shower for last 2 nights and will do tonight as well. They have also made some new friends and learned about a road ahead which gets closed between certain times. We need to make it there before it closes around 8am, so tomorrow everyone must be packed by 6:30, then have breakfast and leave at 7am sharp. Time for some sleep, it has been another beautiful day!

The Hot And The Cold

March 6th

I felt it already in the evening before. That smell. Like rotting fish. Swedish surstromming. Could it be a durian? I didn’t know. It certainly wasn’t my feet this time. The smell gave me a headache. Or perhaps I was just dehydrated. Morning came and we had sausages, peas and small sandwiches for breakfast. And off we go! I was driving, and it was quite a nice drive through villages and hilly terrain. We were going from Wuasa towards Doda to look for the ancient megaliths in this area. The road was often good but narrow, sometimes with really high grass on the sides, making it like driving in a tunnel. In many places the road was bad though, with potholes, mud, even bigger potholes and steep drop offs. There was a few military checkpoints. Closing in on Doda there was signs formegaliths both left and right. After trying the right hand path, which turned out to be blocked, we walked the left path to the Tadulaku megalithic complex.

The first thing that happened was that we met the lady from the National Park Service,who had provided us with information about Lore Lindu. Agnese had the chance to complain about the missleading information that it was possible to see tarsiers at lake Tambing. I went ahead of the others for some “alone time” with the megaliths and the chance to perhaps spot some birds. It was a really hot day and the sun was burning relentlessly. About half way around the complex I was glad to see a lonely pine tree, and rested under for a while, feeling right at home. Many of the megaliths were shaped like giant jars, and I heard afterwards that some had cooled themselves down in the water inside. One was shaped like a flying saucer and one was shaped like a person, or a god-like figure.

Then there was the long drive back to Poso. We had some rain. At one of the military checkpoints the soldiers wanted to take pictures with us. We all lined up for the cameras, with guns and all. Back in Poso it was hard to find a guest house, because nobody spoke English when Agnese tried to call different places. After a while we found a place next to the main road. After settling in, we went to a restaurant for grilled fish with rice and vegetables. For the night I was offered to sleep on the floor in one of the air-conditioned rooms but declined. It is usually a good idea to try to adapt to the heat, the air-con will just give you a cold. Tha was my reasoning. The other rooms were really hot though, and I had difficulties sleeping. When I woke up the next day, I realized I had got a cold.

Agnese’s notes:
We considered to go from Doda south and then west to Tentena as that seemed to be faster judging from Nokia maps (no other map app had anything at all in this area). Yet the local person said the road is not doable by car – but doable if we were hiking…
By this day I had learned enough Indonesian to be able to arrange rooms in guest houses or hotels, however when the person on the other end of the phone says they speak English, I’d expect them to understand more than “Hello”. Or if I tell them in Indonesian “please talk slowly”, it doesn’t help if they start laughing and talking even faster…
But Poso centre has many guest houses so the easiest was just to go to some and talk Indonesian in person. Then they realise you are not supposed to speak their language at all and are more patient.
Also Air-con is a must if possible at all (this hotel “Armada” only had 2 such rooms)

The day of unfound tarsiers

March 5th

We were sleeping in two rooms of hotel Victory – twelve people. There are 54km to Poso which Imants and Agnese drive within 1h 10min. The locals said it will be at least 2 hours. After fueling up we go to a grocery store.
We get from Poso to Wuasa within 4 hours. On the way there were four checkpoints with passport checks and proceeded by taking photos together with them, treating with fruits in the mood of good-willing mutual interest. We successfully get to Wuasa where we don’t manage to stay in guesthouse “Mona Lisa” as all the rooms have been taken already. We get a place to stay elsewhere in the direct presence of the religious buildings of different confessions.

We settle in and go to Lore Lindu nature reserve. We have prepared well for the dangerous walk in jungle. As a result we walk along a swampy lakeside path already in dusk. The return path is done in the darkness already. We heard loud voices of frongs and cicadas. In the darkness after the jungle at home we have a dinner together. Time from time the electricity turns off. We sleep 4 in each room paying 150’000 for a room. The washing was Indonesian style by taking water by a bucket from barrels. In the double room which we get it is quite tight for 4 people so I decide to sleep outside as I had done it in Tentena already. However my sleeping doesn’t last long as the local dogs get interested in me and so I need to go back in the room.

Agnese’s notes:
The road from Poso to Wuasa is narrow and winding but with 90% of good asphalt. Half of the way it is going uphill, we measured the highest place to be 1700m above the sea level. The views are beautiful! And the nature completely different from what we had got used to. Canada came to my mind. Meanwhile on the way up it was a real rainforest with trees looking like tripods (their roots growing down in the air before they reach the ground). In about 3 places downhill one had to cross big muddy puddles, but no problems for our drivers there. In the Napu valley after the crossroads for a place called Watutau the road became worse for one stretch (many potholes) but still not as bad as I had imagined.
The overnighting places in Wuasa are located all on the same street – Mona Lisa, also “Di Wuasa”, where we stayed and Sandy where it’s likely possible to order meal as well. There was not place to be found in this town with working mobile data, however, even though otherwise the coverage was good and theoretically available Edge speed internet.
There are no Tarsiers near lake Tambing, at least the ranger of the park was not ready to bring us to look for any even though previously I had got such information.

The day of beautiful views

March 4th

Since we were staying so high up the mountain around 1400m above the sea, it was agreed to get up early in the morning to see the sunrise. We did not see the Sun in all the beauty – here he was shyly hiding in the clouds at first. But it was worth to get up – the views were fantastic. Clouds below us, above us, we ourselves almost like in a paradise. Yes, the suffering yesterday was worth it. Meanwhile the hosts had prepared breakfast – two pancakes with bananas for each.

After the breakfast we go to an open-air museum. We drive for a tiny stretch of road and I got stunned because a fantastic view opened up to the valley from the hill. That is how I imagine Indonesia. Majestic palms on the hill-sides but at the very bottom rice fields as small patches on a patch-blanket. When we came down from the mountain we noticed buffalos on the edges of the rice fields. Is that one golden? No, just rolled in some mud. The mud here is special. In the museum there are the same houses with boat-style roofs which are characteristic to the Toraja people. In the museum we are allowed inside these houses. It’s not a long walking around as we get surrounded by the merchants. Everyone tries to sell her goods. I have to say that they know their job well and some of us will go home richer by some necklaces, scarfs and bronze buffaloes.

Next our road leads to Poso. On Sulawesi island in most hotels it is not possible to wash normally, it was also not possible in our homestay. The nature compensated us this shortcome by offering a stream on the roadside where we washed naked behind a cover. On the way we stop at a palm forest, those are date palms. We didn’t get to Poso as it was already past 10pm. We didn’t want to spend few more hours on the road. Luckily we got a place to stay in Tentena hotel with a proud name “Victory”. The hotel was indeed a high class, no need to was from a barrel with a bucket but can use even a warm shower. We quickly prepared the dear Chinese instant noodle soup for supper and go to sleep. We sleep 6 people in our triple room. 3 are sleeping on extra mattresses. Rudolfs is sleeping on mattress under our bed, but he is not complaining. Rudolfs is never complaining, just smiling sweetly.

Agnese’s notes:
Down from Batutumonga we were driving along a road on the eastern side – with a turning point not far before Palawa village when looking from Rantepao. If we had come up along this road yesterday, there would have been no problems, but we didn’t know it.
To see the Toraja houses we went to Palawa village not far from Rantepao (Northeast). The entrance fee again 20’000IDR per person.
The road from Rantepao to Tentena mostly very winding, goes over several mountains, lots of serpentines. Meanwhile, the last about 20km there were roadworks, so we were driving it very long time.
In the hotel Victory or Victori (phone nr. 452-21841) there was also a free wifi available.

All is good that finishes in the night

March 3rd, Thursday

The day begins with the mosque prayer sounds at sunrise. At 6:30 for breakfast we enjoy the local traditional dishes – rice and coconut mixture wrapped in banana leaf, discuss the details of the earthquake and impending tsunami in Indonesia. We are delighted that Indonesia is so big that we are not nearby this incident. Meanwhile, the local goat opposite the hotel feast on trash content.

The day is sunny, hot, +29 degrees. At 7:30 we go for a boat ride on the lake Tempe. We get in 3 kayak-type boats with our bums on the boat floor and with a good mood enjoy the sunny day and easily bracing breeze. Along river coasts on stilts built are not only houses but also a mosque. On the footbridges next to the river women are washing clothes and bathe themselves, and are preparing food. Flying are white and gray herons, kingfishers, terns and some birds of prey. We are going through the water hyacinths, some water cabbage, peppers and vine jungle into open lake. One can only imagine how beautiful the view would be if there was the hyacinths blooming time as now only a few flowers can be seen. Visible in the distance is a mountain range, white clouds the sky. There are a large number of bamboo poles sticked in the lake to regulate the spread of water hyacinths’ floating islands. Fishermen cast small-hole nets in the lake. We go to the point where a small village of houses has been built in the middle of the lake. It is fine to live like this, because here it is warm and life on the water could be even more refreshing than on the coast. Fish in one’s reach, the rest can be brought by a boat. On the way back we enjoy the relaxation and boats are competing by overtaking each other. When we have returned to the river, it is possible to see the fish offloading and reception place, which is located on stilts. Lake nourishes the locals and lets them profit, it at least one would like to think so. Two-hour trip on the lake goes very fast.

We go back to the hotel and at 9:30 we depart. 55 km straight stretch of road. Cars are already noticeably dusty and we ourselves are quite sweaty. Landscape with rice fields and traditional houses, built on stilts. Rice is sprayed with a hand sprayer. We see some villas with hedges of decorative shrubs and colorful ornaments. Satellite dishes are all sticked in the ground and pointed straight up to the sky. There are dried corn grains along the roadsides. Part of them get eaten by the roosters and chicken, which, like dogs, consider roadside their territory. Beautifully dressed children in school uniforms, different for each school, come along the road. They are going home from school. Before the second car in our regular column dogs keep dashing out, this time it is the white car, which them solemnly await. On the roadside there are silver domes for mosques sold. We suppose that a dome is a key element for a mosque since in several places visible are bright domes on unfinished buildings. We are talking about the possibility of putting a dome on the car as well, or on the summer cottage in Latvia.

Landscape is changed by coconut and banana gardens. Thanks to the air conditioner it is a pleasant coolness in the car. We notice red clusters of fruits in trees and realise that they are traded along the road; look appetizing, so we buy some. It turns out that they are rambutan – fluffy and delicious fruits with a seed in the middle. We continue moving along a winding mountain road with fabulous palm valleys, later it turns out that that all of the following road section is like this. We pause to photograph mountains and amazingly welcoming locals are offering us to use the toilet in their home.

Our path leads to Tana Toraja district, known for its unusual traditions for burial of the dead. There are peculiar-looking boat-shaped second floor and roof cottages appearing. As it turns out, there are a lot of them. We are visiting graves in cliffs with wooden dolls on balconies, which are clothed like the deceased. We are viewing an impressive cave with burials in old boat-shaped coffins and skulls arranged in rows. Next to several skulls there is a large number of cigarettes placed. Likely they are meant for the dead in the afterlife. It would be a good advertisement for cigarettes – Smoking – kills! Great, that in our group nobody smokes.

On the way to the burial cave we are surprised by unusually fat bamboo shoots and excited by the photogenic and noble misty colored bull. In the center of the village locals gather for rooster fights. Roosters are getting their feet, neck, back massaged and wings stretched. Two roosters start spontaneous unauthorized sample fight which Ilgonis is trying to perpetuate in a photo. The owners quickly stop this amateur activity as roosters can get injured before the ”official” matches (rooster fights, it seems, are officially banned).

Next, we look for the children’s burial tree. We find it only in heavy twilight already. Small children are buried in a many recesses cut in the tree, which are then covered with braided grass carpets attached with wooden pegs to prevent the small spirits from escaping. Tree is standing big, withered and without top in front us. Even spookier atmosphere is created by bright sparks – fireflies – which as the spirits of the children buried in the tree accompany us along the trail to the cars.

We get there at 18:50 when it is already completely dark, yet we decide to go to an evening swim in a lake with clean water. Then begins the great searching game. First we unsuccessfully look for the lake along different roads till it begins to rain and removes all the desire to swim. Then we try to find a petrol tank, but it turns out that so late (20:00) they are already closed. Gasoline can be bought only in bottles on the roadside. It is sufficient to the many motorists, but might not serve our cars. Not gotten any water, or gasoline, we focus on the search of accommodation. And then begins that what words cannot describe. The road along which we go uphill turns into something that can hardly be named road. If anyone would talk about it in a video recording, then all the words would need to be censored and replaced by beep… beep… beep…. Translated they would be 60% of steepness, sharp elbows, broken and collapsed asphalt, large stones and all of that with a solid additive of rain and black darkness. Was it not for our masterful drivers, probably we would get to sleep in the cars on some hillside. Occasionally jumping out and walking, or jumping with the cars through the rocks, in the end we happily reach 1,424 m of height, and are escorted to our accommodation by local boys.

Either because of the nervous tension or it really was so nice, the overnight stay in a mountain hut gave everyone a great joy. Eating the tasty Indonesian rural style food that our hosts had arranged, consisting of noodle soup, crispy chicken pieces, warm eggs and bananas, listening Ilgonis playing harmonica, we dined with fun in the ship-form house and went to sleep with the chicken and other animals emitting a variety of sounds to rise up in the morning together with the roosters and enjoy the first rays of sunshine in the mountains. Only the drivers still could not settle and loudly discussed dark astray experiences. – Then I dove to the right, then left, then pressed on the gas, then on the brakes, then the car went bang on its belly! Beep… beep… beep… – The first and the last beep… are a little exaggerated to magnificate the narration. In the Indonesian tour everything is good, that finishes in the night!

Agnese’s notes:
We saw the dolls tau-tau in the royal burial site of Suaya, the cave with the many bones in Tampangallo which is in a short walk’s distance from Suaya. The children’s burial tree in Kambira. In each of both places it was required to pay 20’000 IDR to the local cashier (in exchange for official entry tickets) for each person
We went up the hill to reach a place called Batutumonga and stayed at Mama Yo’s homestay

Day of crazy traffic

March 2nd

Our day started very good, rental cars arrived early, one was white, next was gray and the third was black, or – we got two Toyota Avanza’ s and one Daihatsu Xenia. Drivers with the experience of left side driving took their places and our journey had begun. First we visited the harbour with traditional wooden ships built by Bugis people. We were allowed to explore one of them from inside. The day was sunny and hot.

Our next job was to buy supplies for the trip at the supermarket. It took a long time. After filling gas we were ready to leave Makassar but there was an obstacle, a big traffic jam that lasted for an hour. What an incredible mess, small motorbikes sneaking in every gap! For all these reasons we left Makassar only in the afternoon. In the dusk we entered mountains and the rain started. During the day it was sunny and hot. Our team was split by traffic and we could not contact each other by mobile phones due to a bad network connection.

The road was full of surprises, there were pits, sand piles, wrongly parked cars, careless pedestrians, dogs. People’s activities are concentrated on roadside, seams that all Indonesian life happens here. So gradually we get accustomed to local specifics. But luckily we reached Sengkang without any scratch (many thanks to our drivers) and we spent a night in a luxury looking apartments. A dinner and cold beer after this long trip were right on time.