MY FIRST TIME RAFTING AT CITARIK RIVER

Me,Husband and Friends...a bouncy ride into the wild...

It's definitily thrilling, adventorous and exciting :-). It's addicted...wanna do more

We used Cladera Indonesia for rafting. There are several routes with different cost and travel distance.

1. Salamander: 1 hour rafting with 5 km distance to paddle...the cost is about Rp. 169.000/person

2. Alligator : 2 hours rafting with 9 km distance, the cost is about Rp. 199.000 per person

3. Crocodile: 3 hours rafting with 11 km distance, the cost is about 269.000

4.....forget the name, lol...it has the longest distance up to the Ratu Pier...the cost is Rp. 500.000/person

Our group chose the Aliggator...My husband group was divided into four boats...each boat had four rafters plus one or two instructors as our guide. I was in one boat with my husband along with his two friends...We wore helmet and life vest...made us look like turtles, lol.

We chose took a start together ...first, we paddled into calm easy water...without any bounce and strong current...then the ride begun...

At first bouncy ride, my husband was thrown into the river...got carried away a few metres downstream untill rescued by the leader/instructor. I was worried as when he was pulled up, blood was trickling from his left head ...alhamdulillah, it;s just a scratch and the bleeding stopped as we continued the ride. His helmet was loose so when he fell, he had no proctection on his head...so, when you do rafting, make sure all your safety equipment is in good and proper condition...

And the third bounce, the boat ahead of us was turned upside down, throwing all its rafters into the wild current, including its instructor. He could regain his boat and tried to save one by one...only two were managed to be pulled into the boat again. The other two were carried by the strong current. Our team managed to pull one of them...and the other team did the same...They were rescued after about 15 minutes struggling hard at the stream...Alhamdulillah, no one got serious injury...only bruises and scratch...minor bleeding at the wounded foot...but OK :-)

Me, i was safe and sound until the end of the journey... lol, i did not get thrown away...even I had to replace my husband position at the front, So many screams...shouting and gasp when we bumped into the big stone or the bouncies ride...it's really extremely fun and challenging :-)...

WHEN GEORGE CRIED - Short Stories Part 2

It was a day like the day before and the day after. The Eight grade class was always started with bedlam and chaos as George The Giant (as the kids always called him because he was big) bullied the other small children with his mischievous behaviors. Sometimes, he pinched Julia, the girl with freckles on her cheeks, twisted Bob’s arms until he cried loudly and punched Sydney with his fist. Recently, one of his most favorite time was teasing made fun of Jamal, a transfer student from Egypt by naming him son of terrorist, pig hater, etc, names that he used to hear. Mrs. Elliot, the teacher responsible for the class, had warned him so many times and gave some punishment but George ignored all. Some students got influenced by supporting and cheering his acts at first. But gradually they got bored and felt sorry for the poor kid. After all Jamal was kind and generous who liked to share with others. He was smart too and often helped his friends with match. He’s just like other students only he came from different culture and religion.

George got mad when he knew that Jamal had some friends and said the other kids to stay away from the little terrorist. His mockery and scornful words got worse. At one time, he pushed Jamal in the lavatory so that he got wet all over and hurt his knees; at other time, he splashed stinky liquid at Jamal that forced him to leave school early. Jamal never fought back with his provocative actions. Instead, he kept smiling every time he met Jamal and tried so hard to befriend him. When George bullied Julia or Bob or any other kids in the class, Jamal was the first to challenge him by saying it was not all right to tease others. George would get furious and punched him until he bled. The kids would scream and called Ms. Elliot. She was fat up with this but her effort was fruitless. She was forced to call in his parents to inform George’s ill-behaviors but this brought no change at all.

One day, George was absent for the whole week. The kids were happy as they were free to play without any fear. Mrs. Harris informed them that George got typhus and required to stay in bed for two weeks. Jamal decided that he and his friends should go to his home to visit him but his proposal was turned down as no one wanted to see the wicked him. So, on Saturday afternoon Jamal’s father gave him a lift to George’s house. Hesitated, he knocked at the door and greeted by a nice lady who apparently was George’s mother. She was happy to hear his intention and brought him to George’s bedroom. George lied so weak in his bed and tears were flowing down on his cheeks when he saw Jamal. It had never occurred to him that Jamal whom he wrongly bullied and harassed was the one to visit him when he was sick. He was ashamed with all his past wrongdoings and so relieved when Jamal accepted his apologies and friendship.

LASKAR PELANGI (RAINBOW WARRIORS) THE MOVIE

Based on a best-selling novel by Andrea Hirata, Laskar Pelangi The Movie, or The Rainbow Warriors has gained many more popularity than its novel. The novel has been read by more than 1 millions people, and more people want to see it on screen. Many said that film is more popular medium for conveying issues and ideas than books in Indonesia as the society is still regarded as 'a viewer society' rather than 'a reader society'. That's why the film rapidly became a box office, a blockbuster in Indonesia cinema. It was starred by local children who previously never had experience in movie industry...that's what made their acting seemed natural and innocent.

This film portrayed the story of a gang of poor Indonesian children who struggled to get basic education who lived in a beautiful remote island near Sumatera, Belitung Island. The island was reknowned as Indonesia's main tin producing region region in 1970s. Yet, the local people did not have opportunity to gain prosperity and wealth as their limited education had made them work only as laborers with little wages. The children suffered the most as they sometimes had to work with their parents. This situation was captured throughout the film.

Yet, poverty and discrimination in education did not break the spirit of the ten children of Laskar Pelangi. They struggled to get an education in poor Islamic Elementary school that only had three teachers. The school was ill-equipped and was not regarded as 'adequate' for schooling. The building was almost collapsed and when it's raining, water would flow in. Together with their two teachers, they shared some bittersweet memories...they laughed, cried and played together.

Despite, their inadequate schooling, these children could gain outstanding achievements by winning an art and intellegence competition. The saddest part was when Lintang (The Star) had to drop out of the school at the age of 11 when his father died so that he could take care of his three sisters. As the eldest and the only male in the family, he had the responsibility to support his whole family. I cried at this part

Education for all is really what is echoed throughout the movie. Poor children also have the right to have access for education...Thus, this movie is regarded as the best film of the year...Two thumbs up for the director and producer who had made the novel alive on screen...

UNTITLE

Once upon a time, there lived a physician and his only daughter, Iris, in a small village near the Old Forest. Iris had long silken hair and beautiful green eyes. Her face was fair and her smile was sweet. Her father spoiled her as she reminded him of his wife who died after giving a birth. Iris became so lazy, and never wanted to learn about medicine. Her words were rude and she never helped her father at his shop. Whenever, her father gave her money, she spent all in fancy clothes and shoes. She never cooked and cleaned the house, and she never lent her a father any help. Her father was so sad and wished he raised her in a different way that Iris’s beauty would go along with her character and wit. The old physician prayed to God to help him change her.

One day, Prince Alexius and his men went for hunting into the Old Forest. As the party passed by the physician’s shop, the young prince ordered him to come along, saying he needed his expertise in his journey. So, they went deep into the forest and had not returned for months. The King and The Queen ordered a search for the missing party but no result was found. Rumors said that the whole party was eaten by the evil dragon that guarded the Old Forest. Iris who was left alone in her home was panic and cried all the time. She had no idea what she had to do and the whole house was in a mess. She had no friends at all as no one could stand her words or manners. She now had to do everything by herself, cleaning the house, cooking, washing the dishes, and running her father’s shop to earn money. She now realized how bad she had been acting and swore she would change for the better.

Months passed by so fast after the disappearance of the party, and Iris had turned into a kind beautiful young lady who was loved by the whole village. She liked to help others who were in need, and offered some labors to any family who needed her. She also managed to run her father’s shop successfully as she was a quick learner in medication. Yet, she was always sad when she remembered her missing father, and vowed she would give anything to get him back. On one lovely morning, after days of hard raining, a soldier was sent by the King to give her an invitation letter to attend the royal court. Reluctantly, she went into the court. To her surprise, her father had been in the court waiting for her. Tears were flowing down from her eyes and she hugged him with utmost heart. It was then revealed that The King was an old friend of her father who planned to create the plot of her father’s disappearance so that it would teach her a lesson. Prince Alexius who already fell in love with her at their first encounter then married Iris and both families lived happily ever after.

EID MOMENTS AT HOMETOWN

Spending one and half week at hometown is like recharging my energy to cope up with city life. Meeting family and friends, watching breathtaking landscape and nature, and seeing country side is calming and soothing.

Now, I'm back at the city again...with its traffic jam, pollution and hectic life...but feeling a hope at heart...to see friends and family again next year :-)

AMAZING SCENERY AT MY GRADMA'S

This was one of my favourite moments during Eid holliday...visiting my gradma...the scenery around her village was just breathtaking...

HARVESTING MANGOES

This was the moment when my dad, my brother and sister, my sister in law, my nephew were gathering at my parent's small garden for mangoes harvesting. There were two mango trees who had many ripe fruits. You could see by their color and the way the night bats ate some of them.

My brother was not so good at climbing high trees...and my husband was just scared of high. So, he used a long bamboo pole to pick them. There was a kind of small bracket at the top in which a small hole was made in the middle. It's called 'galah' in my village. He had to put the mango in the bracket, then the pole was pulled with speed so that the braches got twisted and the mango fell into it. It's quite tiring and sore to hold it up for hour, lol. But my dad insisted that he should climb to pick the mangoes although his left foot was hurt . No one of his kids could stop him...not even his wife, lol. I guessed he's just so happy to see all his children coming home at Eid

In our small garden, there were a mother hen with her little chickens and a cock roaming around. My father kept them as one of his activity after retired. There were also two Rambutan trees, but they were still in flower at the moment. Their fruits could be harvested after 2-3 months. This garden and the area around my home always made me homesick upon returning to the city, I have to wait another year to experience this again