Guava Tea - only 56 grams of sugar

Hey Guys, me again. So I am sitting in the lobby of our accommodation, Daun Daun, in Cimaja. Waiting for Mick to come back in from the surf. Gotta go up to Jakarta today to do a visa run to Singapore tomorrow. Mick's visa is about to run out - so time to get out of the country.

I have been in Cimaja for a week now. It's a nice place. One thing I have noticed about the place is that lot of weird stuff seems to get washed to shore. I was sitting on the beach the other morning, and saw a boat get washed into shore (when I get to Singapore - hopefully will have a faster internet connection, so can upload the photos). Then yesterday we went down to Sunset Beach to go for a swim, and a fishing pontoon got washed into shore. We went up to a place called Chicken Bum (I actually dont know the real name of the place is - but thats what it sounds like its called), and there were locals on the beach mining through the sand looking for people's jewellery and other random stuff that gets washed to shore. I wonder how much stuff actually gets washed to shore - it must be quite a bit to justify the mini mines they have set up. It's quite funny to watch though. Something gets washed to shore and its like they have won lotto!

So yes, have been hanging out in Cimaja, watching stuff get washed to shore. Watching the guys surf. Its been way too big for me to go out on Stella. I have had a couple of lessons on the crowd controller (My 6'10), but even then the currents here are sooooooo strong, and they go towards the shore, or sideways. Rips seems to be opening up all over the place too at Sunset (which is the only beach break here in Cimaja), so yes, it has been fun paddling hell for leather and moving maybe 50 cm backwards. Hahhaha - good exercise all the same, needless to say, I am getting really good at paddling. Youre probably wondering why the hell I am hanging out in the rips, well it kinda doesnt help that I am blind. Have gone out into the water a couple of times now with my contacts, which is awesome, until I get hammered and open my eyes underwater and they come out. Then bang, I dont see the rip until Im on top of it. Hhahaa- I am so glad that I did my bronze medallion - it really has helped me a lot.

We went into the hot springs the other day too (about half an hour into the mountains). So cool, all this hot water spurting from the ground. Smells wickedly of Sulphur, but so cool to watch, and the water is sooooo hot!!!! I think I invaded the mens bathing time though. I was the only girl out there, and everyone seemed to be having showers and stuff under the hot springs. Kinda weird. Gonna go back there on our way to the volcano next week, hopefully the private wading pools will be open so I can go and hang out under the spurting water!!! (Sounds exciting huh....)

There is a town down the road, called Pelabuhan Ratu (Harbour Queen). A port town with fish markets and other markets and shops. That has been fun to check out. Been getting big ass fish from there. We picked up 4.5kg the other day for like $20. So Stoked, and so good to eat!

I am starting to crave western food though. My staple diet of Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng and Mie Rebus is starting to get old. I am craving a polony and tomato sandwich, and weetbix. When we get back from Singapore, we are heading back here to Cimaja, then heading to the Mentawais a few days after that - which will be awesome because we actually get to put our diet together. Gotta cut down on ye olde rice. Mum would be proud of me though, I seem to have acquired this taste for chili's. I have been eating them with everything. Having said all this though. I do love the food here. So yummy. So much flavour, I havent had to pick up the pepper once yet. Ibu and Bapak (the old couple at Sari Raos that have been feeding me) are the best cooks! Spot on everytime.

I have fallen in love with this "Guava Tea". So damn good. This thick syrupy goodness. Only 56 grams of sugar. Mmmmm... Anyways, I better go and pack the rest of my stuff up. And run to the Indo Maret, I just finished my last botol of teh... (bottle of tea).

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Part of trip: Indonesia

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