10/1/03
Laurie arrived at 5.15 whilst I was just waking up, got the taxi to the airport, the short flight to Sydney where we did a loop in the terminal and had to be searched again. For the longer flight to Den Passar I had a window seat and watched the Great Sandy Desert roll by in an hour or so and crossed the Kimberley coastline which looked spectacular, then mostly through cloud to Bali, we scooted off the coast of 2 islands before landing. I changed $50 for RP250,000 if I’d changed all my money I’d be a millionaire! Discovered I had diarrhea already from the airline food. On the plane to Bali we’d been given some immigration cards to fill out, stupidly I’d left mine in the seat pocket, so Laurie got through quickly I had to refill out mine and by the time I’d done that there was a huge queue. Laurie had got impatient after getting my bag and had gone outside the terminal, I was left stranded not knowing where he was. It took ages to finally bump in to each other in the crowded terminal, he had a driver harassing him, we tried to ignore him as we tried to find a bus to the city, he eventually won but we got his price down to $110.000 from $250,000. Whilst he was filling up with petrol we got our first birds: Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Javan Myna, Darter, White-bellied Swiftlet, House Sparrow, Great Cormorant. The driver hung around and helped us into the hostel Djodi at RP55,000 for a reasonable room with a fan, went for a stroll around the block then bed.
11/1
At 4.00 the wailing started to call the muslims to prayer, after a hot night with the noise of the fan I was woken too many times during the night. At 5.00 we got up and started walking to the monorail, we decided to take our bags with us, bad move as there was nowhere to store them at the station, so we lugged them out into the park and Laurie sat on them whilst I went for a wander and found Golden-bellied Gerygone, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Spotted Dove, when I got back Laurie Showed me an Oriental White-eye. We got the bus to the airport and got off at the wrong terminal, after the obligatory umming and ahhing we got a taxi about 1km to the International terminal, he didn’t put the meter on and when Laurie gave him RP1000 he gave it back in disgust, he was offended. Bought a can of mango juice and tried to find our check-in. We had wrong terminal, wrong time, wrong gate thrown at us, but finally someone pointed us in the right direction, and checked in. Went for a walk outside the airport, the heat was sapping but we got Yellow-vented Bulbul, Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, Olive-backed Sunbird, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Long-tailed Shrike, Glossy Swiftlet. Lunch was on the plane, it was a dangerous approach and hard landing on Christmas Island due to the swirling winds. A lady at the airport gave us her number and said she’d like to come birding with us. Got a Toyota Corona hire car and drove around to the resort which used to be the casino, very nice room with a/c, sat and watched the continual parade of patrolling Great, Christmas Is and Lesser Frigatebirds along the coast, also got Bosunbird and Red-tailed Tropicbird, Red-footed Booby and Brown Booby. Drove in to town to get some lunch for tomorrow and got a can of Bird’s Nest cordial, strange taste. Met up with the lady from the airport and found Island Thrush, Silvereye, Glossy Swift, Imperial and Emerald Pigeons, White-breasted Waterhen, Nankeen Kestrel. Back to hotel and our next door neighbours had a Robber Crab gnawing at a coconut on the lawn. I was a little disappointed at its size, but it was still an impressive beast, drove back in to town and had a Tom Yum Chicken and Prawn soup, a bit spicy but rather good. Went looking for owls but only found fruit bats an 18hr day came to a close.
12/1
Up 6.00 went down to the lookout then down to the lagoon and got Common Sandpiper and 4 new species of crab, on the way back got a hybrid Jungle Fowl, had our free breaky, then headed up the road, stopped at Golf Course and got White-faced Heron and good looks at Brown Noddy, back to room for a drink then went to look at the plantation area and lookout then Flying Fish Cove but nothing new. Found some Tree Sparrows on Short St, then back for lunch, got some mangoes from the nursery and had one for lunch, they’ll be yummy chilled, finished last bottle of water given us when we arrived, now drinking local water which is rich in calcium. After lunch went to meet Michael Jeffreys but he wasn’t in. Went to Murray Rd and Research Rd corner and found Abbott’s Boobies nesting and feeding chicks, a special moment. A nice drive to Margaret Knoll lookout and met Michael, he lent me a book on crabs and back to room for a shower. Checked out the golf course for the owl with no luck, had Chinese for dinner, not bad, tried to call Virginia from the restaurant but the phone wouldn’t accept coins. Checked out the golf club again and had a tantalizing look at something we couldn’t ID, played the tape with no response found a feral cat some bats and House Gecko.
13/1
up 16.15 went down to lagoon and took photos of the frigate birds drinking, they’re so graceful. Went to Ethel Beach and got 4 Common Sandpipers, Reef Egret and Striated Heron. Breaky and went to Silver City and found Java Sparrow, went to sports ground and tip and got hot. Went to see Max and Michael at Nat Parks, found a White-tailed Tropic Bird from the nursery lookout. Picked up some postcards and back for lunch, lazed on the balcony and wrote postcards till 15.30 or so and went to the Blowholes, nothing new, they’d be spectacular in a storm. A very nice drive in to the Nat Park, outside it the ground is bare from the strip mining. Went to the tip and got Yellow Wagtail, Asian House Martin and Grey Wagtail, my eyes were all wishy-washy by now from too much looking through binoculars, but we went to the golf course for dusk, still no owl. To CI Tavern for fish and chips $37, an expensive meal but it filled us up, when I asked what the fish was the cook said Nile Perch which is code for a fish taken from polluted rivers and sold cheap, which was disappointing being on an island surrounded by theoretically millions of fish. Went to the nursery at the Nat Park since they said the owl was there, but we couldn’t find one, and had another fruitless search of the Golf Course, bed 22.00.
14/1
Last night I went to bed first, he turned his light out but left others on, I woke up during the night to bright light, I had told him how to turn the lights off at the console, but he claimed he didn’t know how to do it in the morning. We’d had a power blackout from the diesel generator in town at some stage. Up 6.15 and went to the lookout then the tip and got 4 Grey Wagtails. The room was still warm when we got back, so had to get the manager to reset the a/c. Checked out Ethel beach, the research station rd and got a Goshawk, but it wasn’t as trusting as people suggested. Bought stuff for lunch and posted 6 postcards and back for lunch. I was zonked and fell asleep, my foot went dead and woke me up, Laurie had already eaten and fallen asleep himself and was snoring so loud I couldn’t fall asleep again, so I went down to the lagoon to hunt for crabs. Saw Blue Grapsus grapsus, Mottled, Little Nipper and Yellow-eyed, as well as the well known Red and Robbers. Also had a fascinating time watching the Mud-skippers, flipping themselves across the rocks and sucking at the algae, also saw 2 Moray Eels. At 16.00 we did a run to the tip and old cemetery which was no good. Went to visit Virginia who showed us a Red-tailed Tropicbird on a nest, it let us get to within a couple of meters and we watched Spinner Dolphins do their thing as we chatted, got another Goshawk there too. Went down to the research station, no owls but quite a few Flying Foxes. Had Chinese for dinner, bed at 22.00
15/1
Up 6.00, went and checked the beaches from the lookout, went to the airport, nothing new, went to the tip, nothing new, more looks at Grey Wagtails, but they’re very flighty. Went and filled up the car as it was on empty, just made it back in time for our free breaky, went to The Dales via LB4 lookout, had to park the car at the top of the hill as the rocks in the road were hitting the bottom of the car. We found the cave with all the whitewash, but found only another Goshawk and a Night Heron. We got separated on the track, I went straight back to the car, he went to Miller’s Point back to the dale then back to the car, he was an hour later than me. Back to room for a shower, we were both soaked in sweat, had a bit of a zizz, then agitated Laurie by watching a bit of TV. It was of course alright for him to listen to the radio. Went down to Lily Beach and found a way out on to the rock ledges, Laurie didn’t follow, even though I told him where I was going. I flushed some Golden Plovers and Ruddy Turnstone, I tried to find them again but failed. I met Laurie on the way back and he F-ing this and F-ing that at me. I held my cool and explained what had happened but he ranted for another 5mins. His method of conflict resolution is the same as my father’s, batter the other person with vitriol, then turn around after he’s had his say which can’t be refuted and act like nothing has happened. So several hours later because nothing has been resolved I am still seething inside. I don’t want to be here anymore. We went to the playing field and tip with no enthusiasm and got nothing. The lady at the post office told Laurie she’d heard the owl at the school which is near where Max from Nat Parks had heard them. We chose the nursery for our spot. I heard a call about 500m up the conveyor belt, we chased it then heard another call across the road from the school and chased that. I got the tape in the car and played it, there were three responses, including one by the nursery, so went back there and played the tape, nothing, after several minutes we played the tape again. Laurie had just turned on the spotlight when I saw the bird on a power line, not 3 meters from me, it flew to a nearby tree then flew off, but got good views of the lovely rich brown small bird. Had what was supposed to be garlic prawns but they weren’t very garlicky at the Rumah Tinggi, then bed.
16/1
Laurie was very conciliatory this morning, he managed to press the button to turn out the lights last night. I was struggling to find enthusiasm for the day and he waited patiently for me. I’ having my usual problems of sleeping light and waking up at 3.30 in the morning with a pretty lady on my mind DAMMIT! We went down to the lookout, then checked out the birds on the rocks, 1 Grey Plover and the rest Golden Plovers, and 2 Ruddy Turnstones. I had taken my camera in case one was a vagrant, so had to go back for the scope, but I forgot to change the base over, so it was a wobbly look through the scope. Checked out the tip, saw the Asian House Martins again and a Goshawk feeding on a caterpillar. Down to the cove and met Virginia going for her dip, she’s recovering from a cold. Back for breaky. We were going to go to White’s beach but after I took a photo of some Common Noddys near the golf course we decided it was too hot to do a walk, so we hired some snorkeling gear and went in at Flying Fish Cove, the water according to Virginia is 26 degrees centigrade and it felt it, the fish were fantastic with at least 5 kinds of Parrotfish, Angelfish, Sunfish, little Neon fish, I reckon we saw more fish in 1/2hr than we’ve seen birds for the trip. Back for lunch. I lazed whilst Laurie wrote his postcards, then he decided he didn’t want to visit Virginia, so I went by myself. Sat and chatted for a while then took my shot of the Red-tailed Tropicbird on the nest near her garden, then it was time to go. Laurie and I checked out the plovers again this time with the right connector between scope and tripod, all but one took flight. Decided not to snorkel off Ethel beach by ourselves. Went and checked out the tip and the oval, and down to the cemetery. There was a distant owl call along the road, so we drove there and called it in with the tape. It landed next to a Goshawk and put out a call like a threat to the Goshawk, keeping its eyes fixed on it as it edged its way towards the goshawk along the branch wings wide and drooped. The Goshawk wasn’t fazed and after a few minutes the owl flew off, and we went and had pizza which was okay, but don’t get the garlic pizza! Took it back to the room to eat.
17/1
Checked out the plovers on the rock platform again but still couldn’t figure out what the different looking one is, had an earlier than usual brekkie, and then checked out the tip, but there were no wagtails or martins, went for a snorkel and saw a pipefish as well as heaps of others, then did some washing, by then I was exhausted as I’ve been awake since 2.30 writing a poem if I slept at all after that it was poorly, at least Laurie isn’t snoring. This morning I had a gut ache which persisted in to the arvo making me lose appetite, it’s not too bad once I force myself to eat, but I still feel nauseous; forced down some late lunch at 14.30. Went and had another look at the plovers, they’re very frustrating in that they loaf in the crevices of the volcanic outcrop and when we approach to get a better look at them they fly off. Went back to NP offices and gave Mike back his crab book, had a look at a fish book then went to Virginia’s intending to stay only a short while but her next door neighbor came over and we talked politics (bleh) until dark being sucked constantly by mozzies, her mozzie coil didn’t work for me. Went to look for owls with no luck, went to the Silver Palace, I still had no appetite but forced down 3 bowls, I hope my body settles down soon. We think the interesting plover might be American but aren’t sure enough to claim it.
ANGEL DREAMING
Dreams come true for dreamers
I am dreaming with you
What’s within your navel
As you gaze upon the sea?
Birds and Batfish all beautiful
Per chance a little me?
A vision in soft white
She breezed onto the plane
Island beauty
Island Belle
You cast a lovely spell
If I set a place at the table
Would you come to eat?
If you had room in your heart
I’d come to know its beat
In the end there is no tomorrow
Living day by day
You wanna come out and play?
Maybe some of your love I can borrow?
18/1
Up 7.00 and went to the lookout and took a shot of a Brown Noddy on the cliffs, around to Lily beach rocks for a last look at the plovers, the one we think is American seems to have longer primaries in the wings, they soon took off. After brekkie went to the tip and got one Grey Wagtail, had our last drive along the coast filled up the car, back to the hotel for a shower then checked out. Virginia came to see us off and I gave her my poem (gulp). After an extensive search of our baggage we were on the plane and off we went. I had to fight back a tear as we turned to take off and again during the flight, I’m pretty sure I’ll never see her again, God I hate being lovelorn! As we alighted from the plane in Jakarta I remembered my papers this time so we were out in the muggy smelly streets in no time. We were hassled only a few times, once we were standing in the bus queue we were safe, the bus was slow in the heaped up traffic of a Saturday afternoon, we got a B Cat (tuk tuk) for 7,000rp from the train station to Jolan Jaksar and got a small room for 40,000rp, Laurie needed his cuppa so he fiddled around for too long. We went out to the monument, but the only bird we added was Rainbow Lorikeet an import from Australia. A group of kids approached us and wanted to see through my binoculars, I was a bit worried they were going to mug me and steal them, but they were just inquisitive kids and most of them took a look, at the end the oldest one begged from me, I declined. There’s not a lot of obvious squalor, just a lack of sanitation, there’s a few areas under bridges and the like where homeless people gather. I was struck by the lack of damage on the masses of vehicles milling about on the overcrowded roads; it’s a testimony to their politeness. Back for nasi goreng and fried vegetable soup for 21,000rp tasted good.
19/1
Not a good night, the fan didn’t keep the mozzies away and I think I shared my bed with a flea. Laurie snored away until 7.00. After brekkie we got a taxi to Muara Anke for 21,000rp, saw Indonesian Teal, Pink-necked and feral Pigeon, Oriental Darter, Tree Sparrow, White-breasted Woodswallow, Brown and Plain Prinia, Great Tit, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sunda Woodpecker, Common Tailorbird, Javan Myna, Collared Kingfisher, Sunda Coucal, Glossy Swiftlet, White-browed Crake, Common Moorhen, Cinnamon Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Purple Heron, Javan Pond Heron, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Pied Fantail, Common Iora, Black-winged Starling, Ruddy-breasted Crake, Purple Swamphen, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Oriental Reed-warbler, Scaly-breasted and Southern Black-headed Munia. On the boardwalk I managed to break a plank, thankfully my foot didn’t reach the fetid water and I didn’t break the skin, just some bruising. We started to walk around the embankment but it got too hot for Laurie, so we milled around for a while, then got hassled by a taxi driver, we got a deal and he took us back to our room, after 4 cups of water we headed off in another B Cat to the station where we had a 2hr wait for our train to Bogor. In Bogor we got 2 tri-shaws to Puri Bali Guest House, it used to be a grand old house, our airy room cost 60,000rp, a dingy place 2 doors down cost 40,000rp. Laurie fiddled around again and we had a cup of tea then went to the botanic gardens just a dangerous walk across a busy road, ran the gauntlet of trinket and card sellers and paid to go in, we saw Black-naped Fruit Dove, Large-billed Crow, Asian Glossy Starling, Striated Swallow. Dinner was Padang style, which is pre-prepared dishes. I got a rubbery tasteless omelette, Laurie’s beef casserole was much tastier.
20/1
Last night the fan clicked every time it changed direction so I had another disturbed night’s sleep, had some muesli along with our free brekkie of toast and pineapple then headed to the gardens again, adding Black-naped Oriole, Coppersmith Barbet, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike and good looks at Black-naped Fruit Dove. Last night’s dinner went right through me, but after two worrying squirts I was okay. We caught the green 06 van taxi 3000rp to the station for buses, after they crammed our bags into the hold we sat for ages in a hot full bus, it cost 22,000rp to get to the base of the hill at Cilodas but I think I may have payed for the full trip, it was then a 5000rp trip up the hill in a yellow minibus. We tried to find Freddies but we were solicited by some people from Wism Jamir. I checked out Freddies and they wanted 50,000rp each as the rooms only had one bed each, whereas Wism Jamir was 50,000rp for the both of us with two beds in one room, but no fan, they all speak good English. Walked down to the food stalls and got some fried rice with egg for 5000rp the man accepted it but the woman wanted more and hurled abuse at us we left. Went for a walk up the sparsely vegetated hill but all I got was Oriental White-eye, went back and sat on the verandah watching Glossy Swiftlets and Striated Swallows. The dinner menu was too expensive so we went back down the road to the stalls for more fried rice, it turned out to be the same woman from the other store cooking our dinner, she probably spat on our food, but we ate it anyway.
21/1
Still not sleeping well, I had a mozzie buzz me all night, each time it buzzed me I’d hide under the blanket sweating, until I couldn’t bear it anymore, but it insisted on getting me rather than Laurie, I’d had a squishing session before we went to bed, so this one wanted revenge. At 4.00 the customary wailing started then the shooting. Got a Lesser Coucal in the scrub below the house. Had brekkie then the owner joined us for a walk around the botanic gardens, he showed me how to get in for free, Laurie baulked at that, and that was the last we saw of him. Got Javan Kingfisher, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Ashy Drongo, Blood-breasted Flowerpecker, Grey Wagtail, plus ones I’d already seen like Great Tit. Sat on the verandah with the host, which cost me $5 as he wanted to see Aussie money, all I got back was 25rp which is worthless, some of the smaller coins just aren’t used anymore for that reason. Laurie eventually turned up with some spicy rolls, went back through the gardens with him. We got rained on quite heavily, so we took shelter under a huge pine tree at first then under a pergola, after the rains the birds got active and we added Mountain White-eye and Indigo Flycatcher, a Javan Hawk Eagle which over flew us and we got good views of its underside, got poor views of Lesser Forktail as it disappeared up the creek each time we spotted it, also Plaintive Cuckoo. Back to the stalls for dinner, got fried food at one stall and boiled rice at another for 9,000rp, drinks were too expensive. Sat on the verandah watching the sun go down in the gathering haze of burn off fires and the wailing down the valley calling the Muslims to prayer adding atmosphere.
22/1
Slept better last night, but at 4.00 the inevitable wailing in quadraphonic started, it really doesn’t sound too bad, just not when I’m trying to sleep please! It was a struggle getting out of bed, saw Yellow-bellied Prinia whilst having our muesli brekkie, and it was 8.00 before we hit the trail up towards Gunung Gede. Got Blue Nuthatch and Indigo Flycatcher at the ranger station. In our first feeding group we got Banded Broadbill. At the waterfall saw Spotted Kestrel, met with several people at the top, 2 bird watching locals, a policeman with 100 or so cadets in tow and a pretty eyed young girl on her own, who picks up litter as a past time with a local conservation group, and there’s a lot of rubbish on the trail all the sweets are individually wrapped and are discarded all along the track, all together too many people! On the way back it rained but we got Orange-fronted Barbet, Grey-backed Bulbul, Pygmy Tit, Striped Tit-babbler, Mountain Leaf-warbler, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Javan White-eye, Mountain Tailorbird and Sunda Warbler. It was a very late lunch and Laurie was getting grumpy, had fried rice again. Went for a stroll in the arvo but got nothing new. I wasn’t hungry so Laurie went and got some things at the stalls, then sat and talked with our hosts, it rained on and off all arvo and eve.
23/1
Sick, bloody sick, slept most of the day, my suspicion is that yesterday the policeman had given us some peanuts and banana, there had been too much so we’d brought it back with us, and I’d had some later, the lesson is that things go off very quickly here. After I got up in the late arvo I played rummy with our host, and by the evening I was a lot better, though my guts still hurt and I’m feeling nauseous, but I had had the runs from either end after lunch.
24/1
Up early and I struggled around the gardens with no energy, got good views of the Lesser Forktail, Chestnut-fronted Tit-babbler, Forest Wagtail, and Mugimaki Flycatcher, later on the verandah a Black Eagle came in low down the valley, got good views as it searched for food. Lazed in the arvo reading books and playing cards. Had Nasi Goreng that cost 15,000rp what a rip off, won’t be going back there again! She seemed like a nice lady and spoke some English, which is unusual amongst these poorer people. Our host wanted to charge us an extra 10,000rp for the Saturday night, Laurie threatened to move out so he backed down.
25/1
Up at dawn, sleeping better now. Walked to the waterfalls and hot springs, took all day and added Javan Grey-throated White-eye, White-flanked Sunbird, Rufous-tailed Fantail, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Rufous-fronted and Sunda Whistling-thrush, White-bibbed Babbler, Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler, Pygmy Wren-babbler, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Sunda Bulbul, Sunda Minivet, Orange-fronted Barbet, Edible-nest Swiftlet, Siberian Thrush, the most beautiful bird I’ve seen: Blue-tailed Trogon, and the cutest: Javan Tesia. Had to take shelter from the pelting arvo rains and only got mildly damp on the final dash from the small lake shelter. I’ve now got constipation, which is hard on the knees. The bathroom is a fully tiled room of torture; the main feature is the mandi, a large bath like structure that is filled by a tap, from this you scoop out water and pour it over yourself to bathe on the tiled floor, for some reason amid the stinking heat the water is shockingly cold, the water is also used to flush the toilet which is little more than a porcelain hole in the ground with little pads for your feet to place on as you squat over the hole, thus for those of us not used to squatting constipation causes consternation. You’re not supposed to use toilet paper, but the option is too disgusting to discuss so I discreetly carry toilet paper and use as little as possible.
26/1
Up early to the sounds of the hoards around us, Alem our host told me that there were 20 people here last night. Went up the waterfall track, in the overcast gloom birds were hard to ID, but I added Sunda Blue Robin, Horsefield’s Babbler, and Pink-headed Pigeon. Saw a Spotted Kestrel take a lizard at the waterfall. We headed back down early with too many people on the track, we got rained on again on the way back, then relaxed on the verandah till 14.00, then Alem took us into town to show us his house, a three story house with amazingly steep steps, we had a late lunch at 15.00, the food was so much more yummy than our standard diet of fried rice. He took us for a walk through the alleys out the back with rubbish strewn gutters, past ponds with gasping fish, past houses, some immaculate, some shacks, through a tacky amusement park with a forlorn caged monkey to some fields by the hills where we got Javan Munia. Alem wanted to take us up the hill, but Laurie was hanging back, making it clear he didn’t want to go any further, a bit embarrassing. Back to the room and sat chatting on the verandah with Alem till bed time.
27/1
Up at dawn, and Laurie decided he wanted to go to Caritas after all, got the minibus down to the corner, then without consulting me he accepted a ride in a midi bus to Bogor which cost 17,000rp instead of the 10,000rp which is what we should have paid for the trip on the maxi bus. The bus dropped us at a different terminal than before, we asked where the bus to Labuan was and they pointed across the road to another terminal and on to a maxi midi bus, three hours later we arrived at what was supposed to be Labuan along the way we saw very little jungle though the sides of Gunung Salek looked good, saw rubber plantations with scars on the trees, saw rock breakers bashing away on the side of the road, we stopped a few times and hawkers would walk the aisle most with food but there was a guitar man and a karaoke man. There was no indication that we were on the wrong bus till we asked at the terminal how to get to Labuan, it took a while for it to sink in that we were a long way from where we wanted to be, the frustrating thing is that we’d heard the spruiker who stands at the bus door shouting out Labuan all the way along the trip, the town we’d got to was Pelabalmuatu, which the spruiker had shortened somehow to what sounded like Labuan to us. We tried to organise a charter but they wanted 500,000rp, we were about to return on the bus to Bogor when they agreed to 350,000rp, but when we got to the vehicle it wasn’t what we’d agreed to so we ended up paying 300,000rp for a minivan, so he filled up with petrol and we were off at breakneck speed. We soon veered in to the hills where the road deteriorated to huge potholes which we crawled along, through hill villages. Along the coast again the road improved and we skitted along overtaking everything. If a motorbike overtook us he zoomed even faster and got it back. Back inland again through some very grotty looking bigger villages with rubbish all over the streets, they certainly don’t have any civic pride here. As we got back to the coast again it rained and I hoped that his tyres were up to scratch as he didn’t slow down much. At one point he got pulled over by police for some sort of inspection, and it looked like he had to bribe his way out of it as cash exchanged hands. At one point in the hills we asked him to stop to ID what turned out to be a Black Eagle. We arrived at the hotel Niguadhama around 16.00, we had set off at 11.30, so it was a long drive, which the driver now had to retrace. Went for a walk and got Black-capped Babbler, but we got separated, as it got dark I saw some humongous moths but no night birds. I’d heard thunder and seen lightning on my walk. Met Laurie at the Maya restaurant about 200m south of the hotel, I had an omelette which was freshly made and yummy. The room has a ceiling fan and nice clean beds quite good all round for 70,000rp a night, with all these extra expenses we need to change money. As we were about to go to bed it absolutely bucketed down. We saw some interesting uses for banana leaves, simple obvious one umbrella, more complex and unusual, mud guard on vehicle.
28/1
Up at dawn, Laurie insisted on leaving the door open to let in air, which of course means I spend an awful night hiding from mozzies that constantly whined around me. Into the forest, and had a better time. Laurie stopped early, I went on a bit further towards the waterfall, and got Besra, Scarlet Minivet, Little and Grey-fronted Spiderhunter, Scarlet and Plain-throated Sunbird, Orange-breasted and Plain Flowerpecker, saw a huge millipede and a beautiful mauve and black damselfly. Back for our free brekkie of 3 slices of warm bread and jam (no butter), then went in to Labuan, another dirty little town with everyone shouting out Hello MEESTER, and we smile back benignly and wave and they giggle. Changed some money at 4,600rp a dollar. We were accosted by some men who wanted to take us to Krakatau, Laurie strung him along and we bought some coconut drink from him for 700rp each, took a minivan and had a look at the marina, where another man wanted to take us to Krakatau. Had a zizz in the arvo then went back up the mountain but added no new birds apart from hearing what sounded like a Boobook Owl on the way back. At the entrance we were accosted by the man Laurie had strung along at Labuan and now offered 450,000rp ea for the trip Laurie said he’d think about it, but I know he’s not going, I really don’t like the way he treats people, he has no or at least little empathy for others.
29/1
The man came for me at 7.00 in between a shower of rain, we went and met the 2 Dutch people and we sat and waited till 9.30 for the boat to arrive, which had to be pushed over a sand bar, another shower came as we headed out, and though the boat had a cover we got wet as the speed meant the rain came straight through the front. About an hour into the trip the driver got concerned about something, we stopped and began searching for something; jokes were passed about being lost at sea and the volcano disappearing etc. Eventually through the haze it appeared. We did a circle around Anackrakatau as it smouldered away, then we landed on the black beach and walked up the slope to a ridge where a ragged flag marked the closest we were allowed to get to the top, back to the boat and went to one of the outlying islands that are all that’s left of the original volcanic island of Krakatau. The size of the ring of small islands that used to be the old volcano is testament to the the size of the explosion, it boggles the mind to try and imagine such an apocalyptic event. We did some snorkeling on the reef which was quite good, certainly in a lot better nick than I’d expected. There were good numbers and diversity of fish, the highlight was a giant clam. Lunch was cold fried rice, not very appetising but I was hungry and ate it all and 2 litres of bottled water. On the way back we had a big squall of rain, but although the water got choppy there was no swell, I frustrated the driver by asking him to stop several times to look at birds often perched on the rubbish that is prevalent out in the sea, I saw Bridled Tern, Little Tern, Crested Tern, Black-naped tern and Great Frigatebird. Had a chat with a couple from Sweden who are doing a thesis on eco-tourism on Ujung Kulon. Laurie went into the forest, I crashed out till 19.30, I wasn’t feeling hungry so just had some boiled rice. Discovered that the fan is wired back to front making the 1 mark the fastest, so tonight it will be the fan that keeps me awake, as well as a burnt nose.
30/1
Went up the track one more time, but it was very quiet, saw Grey-rumped Treeswift and Olive-winged Bulbul. Shower and breakfast part 2 and got the blue minibus to Chillagong, 10,000rp ea, there were 16 adults and a child in a 9 seater and someone lights up a cigarette. Another bus to the suburbs of Jakarta for 8,000rp ea. At one stage we passed a pet store with all manner of probably illegally acquired fauna, the most forlorn was a White-bellied Sea Eagle on a pedestal out the front of the shop it was looking panicky as it looked left and right amid the thronging humans. Awful. A taxi to the airport 30,000rp inc. a 2,000rp toll. No dramas getting on to the plane, but in the air passengers are very jumpy because of 9/11, when the plane makes an unexpected noise or experiences turbulence a number of passengers gasp, there’s almost an expectation that this plane is the next one to be targeted by terrorists. As we arrived safely in Melbourne someone applauded enthusiastically after a palpably tense landing.
If you would like to contribute the the well being of this world, our world, your world, an easy and effective way to do it is to join a quality environmental group. There are many spread across the world all plugging away trying to make the world a better place for wildlife. We belong to Birdlife Australia, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). You can donate your time and or money to these and many others knowing that the world will be a slightly better place because of your effort.