GREEN CANYON: A SENSATIONAL NATURE ADVENTURE

Opening the trip in the year of the Horse 2014, again my husband and I joined a bunch of strangers from The Indonesian Roadtrip to experience the famous Green Canyon for body rafting on 7-8 March 2014. We chose the provider because it regularly offers various trips to various areas around Indonesia on the weekend. So, the good news, we don’t have to skip from work. Next, the minimal budget is quite tempting. Travelling doesn’t need to be expensive. With only Rp. 600,000.- we could discover another natural beauty of Indonesia.

Despite body rafting in Green Canyon, the trip also offered an excursion to Batu Karas and Batu Hiu beach in Pangandaran, West Java. Yet, of the three, I was mostly amazed by the grandeur of natural cavernous rocky walls with scattered fresh springs alongside the Cijulang River where we bodied-rafting. 

Geen Canyon is located in the Kertayasa Village, Ciamis, West Java, approximately 31 km from Pangandaran Beach. The name was introduced by tourists from France as the color of the Cijulang river is very green. The locals call it Cukang Taneuh, meaning a land bridge referring to a bridge connecting the two villages of Kertayasa and Batukaras.

Boarding on the tour bus, we departed from Plaza Semanggi at 8.30 p.m. There were 52 people on board, mostly group of doctors from RSCM Hospital. It took approximately of ten hours to reach Cukang Taneuh (with several stops). We arrived at the site at 7.00 a.m.

With only an hour to have breakfast and rest, we had to hurriedly prepare our gears; helmet, kneecap, life vest, and mountain-sandal. At 9.00 a.m, we were ushered to four open pickup trucks to take us to the entrance gate of the water adventure. Ehm… we were a bit like a flock of sheep ready for slaughter.

The graveled road was bumpy and winding ups and downs that we bounced back and forth. We clutched tightly at the reel bar. Our stomach churned. Our heads bumped. The ordeal lasted for half an hour. The coconut trees and other vegetations along the road provided a refuge and distraction from the torturing trucks.

Once, we stopped, we knew the ordeal was far from over. Gee, glad I have already used to such travel. We continued on foot, trekking along the narrow path lined with gnarled roots and wild shrubs. Due to the heavy rain the night before, the narro

w line was slippery and muddy. The path reminded me of the trekking line in the little forest in the back of my grandma’s village. I enjoyed this journey more than the truck. I could savor each plant and wild little flowers alongside the forest. The morning insects and birds chirped and sang melodious tunes. It’s just PERFECT!!!

After half an hour, I could hear the sound of water lapping up against the rocks at a distant. The sound got louder as we trudged along. Through the leaves I could catch glimpses of the river, its water shimmering faintly in the dim light. Thanks Heaven, the color is green, unspoiled by the rain.

 We all got so excited and pushed forward in a speed. Yet, as we climbed down the river, the steeply slippery rocky beds posed a greater challenge. 

We had to maneuver our ways until we arrived at this giant cave door. A pungent odor swiftly attacked my nostrils, coming from inside the cave. Our guides said the offensive smell resulted from the bats’ droppings and feces. 

Curiosity took hold of me. Carefully, I stepped inside the cave. The deeper I went, the stronger the odor attacked. Darkness prevented me to see the cave roofs, thus the bats. I backed out as I heard my husband’s frantic call to lure me out.

Stepping out of the cave, he gave me his disapproving look, lol. I grinned ear to ear to tease him.

After a group photo, the water adventure began. Reluctant to climb down further, several people and I jumped off the cliff. Off course, our guides directed the course as many rocks were barely visible below. It was sensational. A rush of adrenaline sent a renewed energy. And I floated by downstream!!!

The natural painting of the rocky cavernous walls is breathtaking. The river is flanked by two hills adorned with dense vegetation.  Along the river, a row of rocky cliffs decorated by stalactites and stalagmites covered with algae. Fabulous! 

As my body drifted under those reliefs, drops of fresh waters cascaded down, forming little rains in slow motion. Closing my eyes, I could hear their rhythm pattern, joined by the melodious sound of the rushing water.

The spring is also drinkable. I was lucky to have gulp of it as I didn’t have mineral water with me. The cold fresh water was sensational as with the surrounding panorama. It’s beautiful and captivating.

Oftimes, we had to hop from rock to rock, maneuvering our ways to avoid the strong current that was deemed too dangerous for body rafting. The slippery rocks combined with the slippery mud posed greater challenge for our small group. We panted, slipped, fell and bruised.

However, the lust vegetation around the river and the majestic view of the river walls had captivated me. Luckily, I used to play and swim along the river back in my hometown so the challenge was easy to conquer.

I also had an adrenalin rush jumping from various cliffs down to the rushing waters. It was fantastic, feeling my blood pumped rapidly to the heart as my body flew down and hit the water from the height of five to eight meters. Water started to fill my mouth and nose as I plunged. Gaping, my head slowly bobbed up for an air.

It was exhilarating as well as addicting that I jumped over and over again whenever I got the chance. My husband frantically screamed at my daredevil. Ehm... Perhaps he would give me a hard pull in my ears once we were on land...lol.

The experience is rewarding and refreshing. Not only Indonesia is rich with natural resources, but it also has many hidden natural beauties to discover.

Batu Hiu Beach

 

Play for Creativity

 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/12/your-letters-playing-creativity.html

My nephew tugged at my elbow. His bright eyes locked into the colorful interlocking plastic bricks in the form of minifigures from children popular characters such as Thomas and Ninja Go stashed neatly at the bookshelves. I dragged him to the children’s books section. He didn’t bulge.

“Can I have one of those please?” He pleaded.

I looked into his pleading eyes and felt a tug on my heartstrings. I looked at its price tag. My jaw dropped. The price was too expensive. Instinctively, I quickly turned around to go. Yet, the look of his expectant eyes tore down my walls. In the end, I yielded.

Since his encounter with Legos, my nephew love playing the game. He would deeply absorbed to assemble and construct various objects mostly in the form of robots and vehicles. He would put them together, taking them apart, then reassemble those colorful bricks. He didn’t have to read the manual. He just watched the design and pictures and put them on action. He learnt by doing. Often, he would race with his friends on this game.

I have to admit that he is skillful in the art, creating various objects with such speed. I could not compete with him. I am so lame in that game.

Perhaps, that’s what make Legos’ popularity remains high for over half a century. In this age of electronic games and hi tech toys, we often forget that it is often the simplest of inventions that can entertain a child for a long period of time. Lego has this concept, combining the traditional game with storytelling while maintaining its deliverable products’ quality.

The millions of plastic blocks fit together. Not a single brick snap or collapse. Through its products development, it sees that what kids want to do with those blocks is to tell stories. For that reason, Lego makes or licenses the stories they want to tell such as Indiana Jones, Winnie the Pooh, Toy Story and Star Wars.

My nephew also loves to play kelereng or gundu (marbles) and layang-layang or kite flying. These traditional games are economically affordable for all, easy to play, fun and are commonly played by most Indonesian children. Even adults often play the games as well.

Frankly speaking, I would rather see my nephew playing with legos, or any other hands-on toys than the state of-the-art, high tech computer games. I would rather have him turn off the TV and electronics, let him play and have fun, than passively entertained by or minimally interacting by way of a keyboard or control pad with an electronic device that confines their world in one tiny spot.

On the contrary, Lego and any other hands-on toys as well as the traditional games compel children to be creative and smarter. They make them develop their own creativity and skills. They also require the kids to physically active.

In spite of everything, play is the work of a child. Toys and traditional games are tools in which the children learn about their world, themselves and others. These games help kids to be active, make choices and figure out how things work.

So, let’s our kids play more outdoors. Do not let them glued to their electronic screen! Let them interact with the real world and learn about life step by step instead of taking instant lessons from online games that sometimes bring more negative influences. Let them play for fun! Let their creativity takes flight and free!

A Simple Act of Kindness Makes A Difference

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/05/your-letters-the-ordinary-heroes-out-there.html

Immersing in my novel, I turned a deaf ear of the creaky child-like voice at the other end of the line. Afterall, there were some men sat near where the voice came from, so I thought, providing a justification on my selfish-action. Additionally, it was not any time soon the train would run again due to hours of delayed schedule. Securing a seat seemed to provide a refuge to my weary limbs. Sadly, the others had similar thought. So, no one offered the child a seat.

Yes, I have to admit, we are a bunch of selfish inconsiderate commuters who put our own interests above others. Our own comfort is the number one priority. As urban dwellers, we are increasingly becoming more self-centered. We lack care and concern for one another. The cruel city has turned our heart into stone. Ops, or it’s just our own true nature resurface when faced with hardship.

Long have we been gloated about heroism. Even Pancasila as the official philosophical foundation of the Indonesian state has long taught the concept of heroism. Fortunately, such word is not yet ingrained in soul. Today we sometimes toss the word around without thinking much about it. We understand the concept of a hero. We often fail to follow such path even in its simplest deed.

By actual definition, heroes are individuals who consistently and continually sacrifice their own needs in the interest of others. They change others for the better. Their inks leave prints forever in others. They are ordinary people who do extraordinary things and make a difference.

I was sitting on the computer this evening, trying to be productive and actually write something after weeks of absent from writing. During this deadlock, my husband switched on the TV and ‘voila’ I watched an inspiring program of “Kick Andy’s Heroes 2014.”

The show was remarkable and moving, an inspiration and reminder of what the word hero is intended to mean. It provided a sense of hope and concrete examples of what we could all do to help lift ourselves as a society out of what was a pretty dark moment took hold.

Indeed Kick Andy Show has always been as an anomaly amid hundreds of TV programs full with violence, corrupting soap operas, boring political warring, twisted parade of twisted corrupted justice system and woman sexuality. The show offers fresh outlook and beautiful insights about human as a social being complete with all their potential.

The Kick Andy’s Heroes spotlights the everyday heroes among us. They are not famous celebrities, politicians or executives. They are ordinary people just like us. Yet, they are agents of hope and change who had committed themselves to improving the lives of others.

These ordinary people are beautiful example of how simply living your life with a spirit of generosity and kindness can make a huge difference in the lives of all those you touch. They work in silence, far away from any publication, yet their work touch the life of may and bring light out of the dark.

Two heroes that stole my attention tonight are Ibu Fitria Nugrahaningrum and Bapak Lalu Slamet Suriawan Shak. Becoming permanently blind at four did not discourage Ibu Fitria to give something to her community. Nurturing and educating street children has helped them to pursue a better life.

While Bapak Slamet has crazily chopped off the 18 metres stony hill to bring water to his desolated village. What once deemed as an impossible nut job bore fruit after 30 years of perseverance, faith, and hard work. The barren wasted land is magically turned into acres of green paddies fields and plantation. The water has drastically changed the life of people in his area economically and socially.

Then I think about my selfish action during that cursed day when my train suffered a glitch. I should have offered the child with his mother a seat instead of pretending not to notice. If only we, commuters, can at least do such simple act of kindness, perhaps it helps living in the city worthwhile. Perhaps, it helps us and others to contribute to make the city life better J