Sleep? In Indonesia sleep is for the weak. A country consisting of 95% Muslims with a life expectancy of 65, sleep only gets in the way of prayer. I understand now that being a devout Muslim is no easy task.
The night began as many others do, with a belly full of spicy Indian cuisine, and a cold Bintang to settle the stomach. We broke out the cards (mom knows the ones, been giving them away for years. They always have that hole punched in the middle like they're damaged goods). A game of rummy was in order. It was my night, I decided, to restore some past glory against Pippa aka the card shark. After an hour or so of slowly settling the score, the power gave way. Faulty generator or something, had to be. (They'll have it fixed in no time, and they usually did. Not this night, it was a bad omen; a sign that this night would be different. This eve was going to be a long one...) For a pair of Canadian kids traveling abroad, this spelled trouble. Mid October, a time when our bodies are gearing up for winter's long, cold bite (in Calgary anyways, you British Columbians have it easy!) We were no match for the 30 degrees Celsius plus room that waited for us. The air was stifling, humid, thick, intimidating to say the least. Air conditioning may be a luxury to the locals, but a necessity to the unacclimated.
Sleep came slowly but surely, as it always does. At approximately 4:20am, we were roused by the call... the call of the damned! Like something out of a bad dream...
COCK A DOODLE DOO!! (except it came out more like a sickly old blood hound; raa-err-eh-oooOooo).
They were relentless, there must have been at least 10 or so, strategically positioned throughout the town. Their war cries came in short succession of each other, always the same pattern, they were grizzled veterans out for the blood! Halloween had come early this year! Their only objective: prevent sleep at all costs.
4:30am, another blood curdling sound. It came in the form of a loud speaker, a man speaking, surely warning us of the impending doom we all shared at the foot, nay talon of the beast. However, there was no mistaking the agonizing wails of the man. A man deep in prayer. He too would come over the loud speaker in 3 hour intervals singing his sad song to the Gili Trawangen, the isle of the cursed.
I mean no disrespect to the Muslim people, I envy their passion. But a guys got to get a little shut eye! In retrospecft, it was an amusing night. A chance to get up earlier than usual and greet all the other weary-eyed travelers. One I'll fondly remember, the day I was scarred by a pesky posse of perverse poultry. I can still hear their call like a curse.
Pippa slept like a baby as usual. In the morning she reminded me we have earplugs (and I gave her a hard time about bringing too much stuff!)
We're off to Thailand tomorrow, and we couldn't be more excited! More to come...
Matt
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Only 2 sentences into your last post, I was checking who was the author of THIS posting! He he, Pippa and Matt, you two have such different writing styles from each other! ( Just like MItch and me!!!) INTERESTING to hear another voice, thanks for writing, Matt!
ReplyDeleteOMG ROOSTERS. Make sure you never buy a house on SSI that's next to a hobby farm. In the Driftwood there has been a war going on with 2 neighbours, one of whom owns 12 roosters or soemthing. OMG!!! I think it's even gone to COURT.
I've only heard those loud speakers in movies... that sound must really define a country. It's so foreign to us!!
THose cards with holes in them? I bought a pack from Fields once, they told me they were used Casino cards!! (Even though they look brand-spanking new!)
He he, when we were in Mexico, Pippa slept like a log, too. Even though there was traffic all night, and donkeys I seem to remember, maybe even roosters. Definite yahoos and partyers reveling all night. Pippa, sound asleep..... .
Interested to hear about Thailand!! Oh! If you like massage, you should get a Thai massage! I think they're really cheap, and they're really different from our regular massages, they push you into all kinds of yoga positions, I think.
NOt much happening here... had Daniel over for the weekend, he's getting prepared for his trip. Can't believe I'm saying good-bye to another child! Sob! It was very sad! So many good-byes lately! You guys are ALL "growing up" and moving on. You're all doing such extraordinary things!!
Ciao for now from a very settled mum on SSI.