Indonesia > Local Market of Nangapanda

Other travel companions had cockroaches in their rooms. In the morning, I take a good look around the small bathroom. The shower is practically right above the toilet. Only when I rinse my hair do I notice that the toilet paper holder is exactly under the shower. All the paper is soaked. Who comes up with such a thing? At breakfast, I’m asked if I want an omelet. That sounds good to me. The bread for under the omelet is rather limited. I put two slices of bread in the toaster: one white slice and one slightly greenish. That seems to be the norm here. I leave the plates with nasi, mie, and even fries alone. Today we have a different bus. Stickman didn’t like that all the luggage had to be stacked at the back of the bus each time. I doubt the new bus is any better. The luggage in the rear compartment is covered with plastic. I arrive last. My bag doesn’t fit underneath anymore and ends up on the back seat. When I sit down, I notice a colony of tiny ants crawling over the bus’s windowsill. The wood is cracked and partly rotten.

Indonesia - At Blue Stone Beach, pebbles have a bluish hue

It seems the bus hasn’t been used for a while. Today we drive from Ende to Riung. Ende lies on the south side of Flores by the Indian Ocean. Riung is further west on the north side of the island. Due to earlier delays, we will only stay one day in Riung. The snorkeling in the Tujuhbelas National Park will be done tomorrow. This allows us to take it relatively easy today. We follow the coastline outside Ende. We pass Blue Stone Beach, a rocky beach with blue stones worn smooth by the water. This stone beach only occurs in this location, explains Stickman. The stones are mined for export, but new stones are always washed in from the sea. While walking along the beach, I try to guess how long it takes for a stone to become nicely rounded. A little further where the road goes inland is Nangapanda. There is a market going on here. The bus can pass with great difficulty and at walking pace. Men come from all sides to give directions to let the traffic pass. We have some time to walk around the market. Behind the stalls, I’m greeted many times with “Welcome to Indonesia.” The stalls are often nothing more than a cloth on the ground with goods or food. Sometimes there’s a small structure made of branches and wood. Overall, it seems quite primitive, but the enthusiasm is overwhelming.

Indonesia - The local market of Nangapanda

People ask me where I’m from, where I’m going. I want to buy a drink but don’t trust buying anything that isn’t sealed. At the edge of the market, I buy a can of soda in a small shop. The price is indicated by holding up a 10,000 rupiah note (about 60 cents). I then get 2,000 rupiah change. As soon as we leave the coast, the bus twists sharply into the mountains. Suddenly, the driver stops at a cacao tree. Stickman explains how the fruits can grow all over the tree—in the trunk, branches, and near the leaves. When we exit the mountains on the north side, it’s time for lunch.

Indonesia - In Nangapanda, Flores, the market is held along the main road

We stop at a restaurant along the main road. I choose mie goreng. The power is out. Maybe it’s just as well we get a vegetarian dish. Who knows how long the refrigeration has been out for the meat? After lunch, we continue along the north coast. Occasionally, we can already see the water. At a viewpoint, we stop briefly to look at the islands off the coast. The islands belong to the Tujuhbelas National Park. One of the islands straight ahead is where we will snorkel and have lunch tomorrow. We arrive at the Pondok SVD Guesthouse in Riung. The rooms are arranged around an inner courtyard. The room has air conditioning, but Sawadee only paid for the fan. I pay extra to also use the air conditioning. I have plenty of choice when it comes to beds in my room—there are three. Under a canopy in the courtyard, I order a beer. Meanwhile, it starts to drizzle. I decide not to walk into town after all. In the evening, we eat at a nearby restaurant. The owner, Chris, welcomes us. The menu is just a board on the wall. I choose chicken satay with fries. It turns out to be a tasty choice. When we leave, Chris says “see you tomorrow.” He also turns out to be the guide for the snorkeling.