Where is Rune?

I arrived in Ambon again yesterday, flying from Langgur in the Kei Islands. At 17:00 today the Pelni ship KM Ciremai will hopefully take me to Bandaneira in the Banda Islands. ETA 00:00 14 June.

I feel that Ambon is not a place to linger for longer than necessary, and serves just as a transit point for me. Now as before I am staying in Penginapan Beta @80,000 Rp.

Here are some notes I made last week:

06.06. Flew from Ambon to Langgur. Took an ojek (motorbike taxi) to Ohoililar village at Pasir Panjang beach and checked in to Coaster Cottages @120,000 Rp after bargaining. Plus 3 meals a day @80,000 Rp. This village has a population of 600.

07.06. Walking on the beach. Swimming and snorkeling (the snorkeling is not good though, not much to see). I have to say that if paradise on Earth can be characterized by a beach, then this beach will come very close! White, powdery sand and clean water. The 3 km beach is almost totally deserted, and during my stay in the islands I met only 2 foreign faces, a Polish couple.

08.06. Rented a motorbike for Rp 75,000 incl. full tank. Drove to a pair of freshwater caves, where I did swim in the crystal clear water, together with some locals. Thereafter drove to Langgur/Tual, the only towns on the islands where I got a cellphone connection. Drove to Savana Cottages (great place by the way!) in Ohoidertawun village and had a beer there in the sunset before driving back to my place.

09.06. Walking on the beach and swimming.

10.06. Raining all day long. Mostly stayed near my cottage. A short walk on the beach. Monica and Ketty, the two older women running the place I’m staying in, served, among other things, lobster for dinner.

11.06. Rented a motorbike for Rp 65,000 incl. gasoline. Circled the island going clockwise on almost totally deserted roads. I had planned to stay the last night in Langgur (near the airport), since I needed to catch a 05:50 plane back to Ambon, but Ketty and the ojek driver suggested I could stay the last night for free, and drive me to the airport at 04:00. I agreed of course. In the evening the sky was moonless and clear, and the stars extremely plentiful and bright, with the Milkyway galaxy clearly visible. Very nice.

12.06. 05:50 flight to Ambon according to schedule. Checked in to Penginapan Beta. Went to the Pelni office to buy ticket to Bandaneira.

The internet connection here is really slow, the photos will need to be uploaded at a later time…