Saturday 2^nd February

After negotiating our way through the lanes of growing pearls in the Pearl farm and around the rugged islands at the tip of Halmahera, we enjoyed a calm overnight trip across the Molluca Sea to Ruang, in the Sangihe Islands, at the northern tip of Indonesia. Watching the amazing sunset through banks of puffy and cirrus clouds over the oily calm sea was a special time of day. The peace of the night watch for me is consumed with watching the starry skies, movies and some interesting documentaries.

Tadulandang, the town on the island next to Ruang was a colourful, friendly place where we again were a huge novelty. Lots of ‘Hello Mister’ and ‘Photo photo’! Colourful buildings along two main streets were lined with a variety of shops for fixing motorbikes, selling oil for them in two litre bottles, selling sacks of rice and beans, phone accessories, clothes, and for sorting and weighing mace. Motorbikes roar down the street with three or four people aboard, ladies sit on their verandas to weave rice steaming baskets from Pandanus, piglets are tied to trees, people everywhere smile and wave. Dinner was in a local café where I had to look in the fridge and point to what we wanted. We asked for noodles which the man repeated numerous times, but ended up with rice. The girls were very happy particularly when they were brought pink Fanta in glass bottles, on the house!!

After looking along the shoreline to snorkel, we came across a black sandy bottom covered with rocks and starfish. Ruang (02:19.873N 125:23.134E) is an extinct volcano, fascinating with a much newer spew of black rubbly lava down one side, so hence the black volcanic sand. The rest of the mountain which is the island, is covered in thick, bright green vegetation obviously so lush from the rich soil. We loved collecting remnants of the past eruption in the form of amazing coloured stones from deep reds, rich browns, grey and jet black, speckled with all the other colours. Playing on black sand was a novelty and again we were welcomed by friendly locals offering coconuts and a spoon, made from the husk to scoop out the fresh inside.

Masses of boat traffic chugged by Nalukai, many with lawnmower and whipper snipper engines, certainly with no mufflers. Families waved in their ornate painted boats while fishermen tried their luck in the rushing current at mid tide. Big ferries brought people from Sulawesi and Island traders dropped off fresh vegetables, live chickens, and supermarket supplies for the Saturday market. Expecting a quiet little island, we were pleasantly surprised by its bustle and the lovely architecture of some of the many churches and big buildings.

Today, with Gary and Bev from Muscat, we hired a vehicle, really a Ute with a cover and a bank of about nine speakers. I wonder how the Indonesians don’t have a hearing problem considering how loud they play the music! We wove our way out of town along the steep, thickly bushed roads for an exploring trip along the coast road. We definitely got more than we bargained for! It was lovely watching the locals lives unfold before our eyes. The roadside was covered by drying clothes, mace laid out to dry on sheets, people wandering along, vehicles pulled over to pass each other on the narrow road and around obstacles such as piles of sand for building and a veranda extending out from a café. Ladies scrubbing their clothes with water coming from a bamboo pipe out of the mountain, people sorting coconut shells for cooking fires, school children crammed into a vehicle like our but overflowing out the back and onto the roof were some of the interesting sights. With our hearts in our mouths at times with some of the drop off from the road, we had stunning views over the reefs, adjoining islands and down the steep, thickly forested coastline.

Upon reaching our destination of a jungle laden, rocky creek with a warm spring, it was suggested we walk up an impassable road (due to steep, muddy wash a ways), ‘just a kilometre’. Or so we thought that was what was indicated! The driver returned to meet us at the other end and his girlfriend or wife; in our limited sign language Indonesian we weren’t sure, walked with us. Six kilometres later, up a mountain goat track, on a very hot day, we arrived at a charming port town with some very disgruntled children. I must say despite the heat, the walk along the steep rugged coast, with amazing views of the ocean and cloud covered volcanos, with lovely trees and flowers to look at was very pleasant. After a cooling swim in a clear mountain creek pool, that a lady was also pummelling her clothes clean in and a dose of sweets from the local shop, everyone had regained their humour. The drive back was relaxing, watching the locals lives go by with the girls enjoying eating their ‘lizard fruit’ (our name for this fruit with a brown scaly skin) and sitting in the back of the open truck. No Australian safety standard here!  I did put my foot down to them wanting to stand on the back step like the locals!  I was sad to say goodbye to the colour and friendliness of this island, rather over friendly for the girls liking (too much hair patting and cheek stroking in the market).