Belitung

We discover amazing beaches and rock formations at Belitung, Sumatra. We arrive at Tanjung Tingii (Pingii) Beach to what looks like a white sandy beach with loads of people frolicking in the bay in front of a resort- yey – perhaps they have ice cold beer and great food!  We dinghy to shore to find the locals and tourists from Jakarta frolicking at the white sandy beach in neck-to-knee lycra swimsuits, warm beer served with a glass of shaved ice and the usual chilli hot fish and green veges – mmm.  Heather spots a young street seller cooking fresh, hot, yummy chicken sate from his cart.  Its chicken sates all round – excellent!  Graeme chats to some young teenage boys who have very good English.  He manages to organize diesel from a local school teacher called Jonny.  Jonny recommends the next anchorage at Tanjung Kelayang – just an hour away.  Heather and Lyn take the laundry bags and venture to the next bay in the front of a stinky old ute whilst Graeme, Brian and Monique shift the boat to the next anchorage.  

With the local boys who helped us find diesel

Tanjung Tingii

We stay here for 5-6 days.  There are a number of warungs on the beach however we frequent one warung owned by a local fisherman, Rusdie and his wife.  They are very friendly and accommodating and we dine here for lunch and dinner most days.  They organise our laundry and stock the fridge with cold bintangs daily.  Every evening they supply us with an ice-filled esky and wonderful food, especially the squid – the world is a wonderful place!   

Rusdie's warung

We rent a car for the day to travel the 30km to town to re-provision food and beer, buy local phone credit, purchase wire so that we can re-position the cabin fans (it’s still very hot at night). We also visit a local pepper farm – a big industry on Belitung. 

Pepper Farming

Drying Peppercorns

We also buy an Indonesian red/green flashing torchlight to attach to the backstay.  It starts flashing as the sun goes down.  The local fishermen all use them so we feel safer at night time as they can all see us. 

Graeme meets a young local English teacher called Ayu, and is invited to her school so her students can have some English practice.  Graeme and Heather rent a motor bike the next day for AU$5 and follow Ayu to her school.  We find ourselves at Ayu’s grandparent’s house in a small classroom giving lessons to her students aged 7-10 years old.  How do these things happen!!

Ayu's classroom

Giving an English lesson

We organise a day trip on Rusdie’s fishing boat to the lighthouse island of Langkuas.  He takes us to the starfish atoll, and we enjoy some fantastic snorkeling. We climb the lighthouse which was built in the late 1900’s by a Dutchman.  These islands are a haven for local Indonesian tourists especially from Jakarta.  It is school holidays so it is very busy.  Again, we are a novelty attracting lots of smiles, photographs and English practice.  

Rusdie pumping the bilge

Monique leaves us at Belitung but not without drama!  Brian and Lyn organise a car to take her to the airport.  The car is 30 minutes late by which time panic has set in and Rusdie is called to the rescue.  She climbs on the back of his motor bike and off they go.  The car then arrives with much apologizing and then tears off after them.  The car catches them and Monique is safely transported to the airport – all good.