Sebang, Indonesia – January 21

mind blowing!

Hot (as usual), partly cloudy, not too sticky - 29 real feel 33

We turned our clocks back an hour last night, so I am up even earlier than I usually am and decide to go to the gym. I think it’s about 7:15 when I decide to take a quick shower and realize when I’m in there that it might actually be 6:15. Sure enough it is 6:15, but I’m wide awake and have showered, so I head to the gym.

Actually getting to the gym might not sound like that much of a feat, but while I try to visit regularly at home, vacation is just that…VACATION. However, if I’m going to be able to fit into more than a muumuu after 9 weeks of dessert and wine at every meal I’m not stupid.

Japanese bunker

Although the gym is air conditioned it is still incredibly humid – drenched doesn’t come close to describing me when I am finished – thank God for included laundry! After a fresh pressed carrot/cucumber/pineapple juice and another shower I am ready for the day!!

We aren’t scheduled to arrive in Sebang until after lunch, so we are in no rush this morning. We do however have a breakfast date with all of the other 26 Grand Voyage passengers. We meet another couple from Dallas, but because this is a sit-down rather than a cocktail type mixer we don’t meet too many others – that’s fine with me.

After breakfast is a talk on Myanmar where we will be visiting on Friday for 3 days. Myanmar is yet another country that I know very little about…really much of what I know about many countries of the world, including where they are on a map is from visiting there.

The afternoon’s tour (considering the talk we heard a couple of days ago) was wonderful. I suppose it is always about expectations, but in the end we are more than pleased and impressed. This tour is basically a tour of the island in a becak which is basically a rickshaw consisting of a motorbike with 2 seats attached for 2 relatively ‘narrow’ passengers…us. There is one guide for every 3 becaks and we get the guide (a phys ed education student) who just perches behind the driver.

very refreshing

After driving through the winding streets, seeing houses, shops and the people who live there we stop at Wey Beach on the Strait of Malacca. I’m pretty sure this is most gorgeous beach I’ve ever visited. The crystal clear water is in various shades of blue and green and the waves are substantial – substantial for what I’ve experienced. There are cows, goats and chickens roaming and I drink a freshly chopped coconut – delicious and refreshing…I’m reminded by a friendly fellow passenger to go easy as coconut tends to have ‘effects’ on the digestive system – I’m aware of this, but it is a good reminder!

Next we stop at Pantai Tapak Gajah beach, where there is the remains of a hilltop fortress the Japanese built during World War II. There’s not much besides the remnants of the concrete bunkers and gun emplacements dug into the sides of the cliff.

coconut refreshments

After a couple more stops to gaze over the incredible water we say goodbye to our guide.

This tour was surprisingly wonderful. If I could visit a tiny place like this for the next week, I’d be happy. We’ll see if my digestive system says the same thing tomorrow!!