Cartensz Pyramid : Long Reach ! October 13, 2006

I am writing this because as an Indonesian I’m concern about one of natural wonder lied in the Papua island next to New Guinea. It is NOT because I want to go but in fact because I CAN NOT go there.

When Reinhold Messner crowned Cartens Pyramid or Puncak Jaya became one known as Seven Summit, climbers all around the world were in racing to conquer it. The consequences is the price to climb hiked as much as $18,000 ! It’s getting an conflict of interest when the only access (say legally) is from Jakarta. Why? Because Cartensz is within the area of the copper mine held by Freeport. And the company notoriously using military to protect their teritory. To hand a permit to climb the beautiful wall in highest peak Austronesian you’ve got the permit from BAIS (inteligent body in Indonesia like FBI), army, minister of tourism, ministry of foreign affair etc etc. Yes ..it’s a long process.

Ujung Kulon at SNAP Mags September 29, 2006

It’s been tremendeous time effort to put article+photos about Ujung Kulon National Park. I have been contacted by SNAP magazine to write my boat-trekking I have done four month ago. The Magazine is one of the Gramedia’s arm -the biggest publisher in Indonesia. A friend of mine recommended me to their team (thank you Ariesnawaty !).

Indonesian Everest’s Women Team 2007 : A Sound of Dripping Water August 16, 2006

I heard about Indonesian Everest’s Woman Team far before they released to the national paper (Wed 19 July). As an Indonesian myself I was sceptic about what these expedition intents to, launching the program when we’ve been battered by natural disasters and political unstability was not so wise in the point of view. Tsunamis, eartquakes, volcano eruption, terorist bombs just about adding misery into our believe that we can continue live in a ‘normal’ way.

Earthquake in Jogja, Java May 27, 2006

Just got call from a friend in Birmningham informed me about a massive earthquake in the city of Jogjakarta. It was hitting at 0554 local time (2253 GMT Friday), around 25km (15 miles) south of the city of Yogyakarta. I worried about my family who living in Bantul area where most the damaged occured. They are living in Banguntapan, near Kotagede in the border of Jogja-Bantul. I straight to go online news from local media (Liputan6 -this with video streaming, Detik, Kompas) to get of glimpse what happen. It looked terribly bad.

Frantic with news I called them through Skype to landline phone. I believed that would be no electricity nor mobilephone service on those affected area. The line went OK then I got my little sister. She said that everybody OK. My mum dan other sister went to Magetan (110km from Jogja) on that time, so there were only her and my dad at home.

She said the earhquake was tremendousely big, shaked the house badly. She was in her breakfast and did safe run with my dad. Bless them ! No damaged on their house, it just the roof tile cave in and broken plates. Several earhquakes followed after the 6.2 magnitute one.

On the time I wrote this, BBC News reported in a few details. If you want to see more technical information about this earthquake you can visit United State Geological SurveyUSGS -a government body in USA which monitor the geological movement covers whole the world.

My condolence to people who died in this natural disaster.

Updated 1514(GMT) or 2114 (West Indonesia Time) :

• BBC Journalist (Online Service) in UK asked me to interview my family. Not sure about this because I think they are not credible sources. So yeps…the BBC desperate to get news from Bantul. Anyone from that area please speak up !

• At 22:05 (GMT) I did short interview with BBC Five Live about the situation in Java. You can hear it on Multiply (audio).

Pre Wedding Photo Session December 7, 2005

Ide awal pre wedding adalah membuat photo berdua sebagai kenangan akan indahnya Yogyakarta. Secara kebetulan Herman desain grafer yang membantu invitation card adalah juga seorang photografer. Ambar mengajukan konsep pemotretan dengan tema candid bersetting persawahan. Sedang Ambar & Mark akan bertindak sebagai petani yang sedang bekerja. Berbeda dengan konsep yang ada, kami mencoba untuk membuat gambar seotentik mungkin. Dari properti hingga tata rias. Tidak ada make-up apapun di wajah kami. Properti didapat dari berburu di Pasar Tradisional di Kotagede.

Lokasi pemotretan di Godean Sleman yang mempunyai backdrop gunung Merapi dan Merbabu. Juga sistem terasiring persawahan masih bisa ditemui. Cahaya pagi itu indah sekali. Akibat hujan semalam masih menyisakan kabut yang nampak di antara pepohonan kelapa.

Kami menuju lokasi pukul 6 pagi. Sebelumnya mampir dulu beli nasi bungkus di warung pinggir jalan. Herman sang photografer ditemani istrinya Fitri bertindak sebagai pengarah gaya. Tiba di lokasi saya langsung bersyukur karena deretan ladang padi masih tersisa embun di daunnya. Beberapa petani juga sedang bekerja disawah. Ada yang menyiangi ada yang menggembala bebek atau kerbau. Lucunya kami berusaha mengejar segerombolan kerbau yang tengah minum air di pematang. Pemiliknya ok tapi kerbaunya malah ngabur !!!
Sebagai photografer kami juga gatal ingin memotret terlebih Mark yang suka macro photo. Beberapa binatang yang menarik muncul seperti laba2 dengan sarangnya atau capung dengan perut berwarna biru. Tapi hari itu kami harus menjauhkan kamera dari genggaman. Biarlah yang profesional bekerja.

Pictures at Multiply

Nias Journal 3 Kids Kids Kids August 25, 2005

morning exercise at pre school in Afia Camp

In Gunung Sitoli we taught English and Math in three camps. Supomo and Remeling were only walking distance from PKPA Nias. But Afia Camp was 30 minutes by car. Normally Dewi and Fitri (two volunteers with headscarf) using public transport goes every Thursday Friday and Saturday on two sessions . First for pre-school and about late afternoon for Elementary school. Here we did exercise, playing and singing the song.

orphanage of OMO Tomorrow Hope

We visited an orphanage on top of the hill in Gn Sitoli. When we were there, they already finished dinner. The place are well constructed, barely could see any damaged by earthquake. The kids were so cheerfull, had a lot questions about our team. Rahim, Ady and me were lucky that we can understand what they said. But some of them were really good in English. Translator were not needed here !!

A funny story about the way we went that me and Sue Jan had to walk to this place. Our becak (bicycle turn into three wheels ride) decided to break its wheels. Shame though. I guess not because I am too fat ! I had similar incident in Medan on our last day in Sumatra. We went to a supermarket in town then the chain of motocycle loosened. It just stopped . Oh how lucky I was…

our class in sirombu (click the image for video)

The English classes that run in Sirombu were in temporary shelter in the front of SD (Sekolah Dasar=Elementary School). The structure of the shelter made from bamboo, the roof from palm leaves (rumbia) without wall perfect for hot and humid Nias. The kids were great. They learnt very quickly. We had several competition to build up their short of achievement. It was wild !!

Nias Journal 2 Sirombu activities August 25, 2005

road to sirombu (click the image to see how we crossed this bridge)

Sirombu was 84km from Gunung Sitoli. It was an area that suffered by tsunami and earthquake. We were there to support PKPA’s suplementary class in English. Also supported pre school class that run in emergency shelter. We travelled with an ambulance in very very bumpy road. It took nearly 4,5 hours. We actually crossed Nias island shore to shore through several hills and valleys. We had to stop about 45 min in this bridge just tried to get through. I stopped a man with full of durian to take picture of his adorable fruit.

morning sesson with pre-school (click the image to see on video)

We held play sesson, drawing, singing the song, etc. Playing cat and mouse really amusing. We made a circle and the cat tried to catch the mouse inside it. Erni (with headscarf) the local volunteer helped us to get along with the kids. It was fun though !!

dinner with all PKPA members

This is what we done every evening. Dinner together with plastic dishes in plastic mat. The food were fantastic ! lots of seafood and really really spicy. Umi the chef treated us very well. We (the girls) aslo slept in this room where in the day became a kitchen for Umi.

our water for toilet

Water was not a big problem in Sirombu. The quality so poor, contaminated by salt . But you can find water sources easily. We used the bucket to get the water. Around 2-3m deep. I had to learn to do this. Everytime I put the bucket down, it was back only half full ! This is also a communal toilet. So there would be a few people showered together in same spot. Hah…

Nias Journal 1 : The Beginning August 25, 2005

flight to Nias

Saturday 30th July

Flight been delayed. Elaine (uf whoever I couldn’t remember) called at 2am in the morning said everything would be reschedule!! Silk Air cancelled their flight to Medan. In frantic effort team got the flight with Garuda Indonesia 11.30am. Arrived at 12pm in Polonia Airport where packed with humannitarian flight to Aceh and Nias. Nelly, the travel agent picked us up and gave tickets of return flight Medan-Gunung Sitoli with Merpati Airlines. We had to pay excesse baggage for our boxes. I hate it. The staff really pissed me off . We already said that we were charity team from Singapore to Nias. We end up have to pay Rp 250,000 for 4 kg. They even asked extra money for the receipt. Bugger !

Our flight to Gunung Sitoli (Nias) was good. To be honest I don’t like bumpy flight. Rahim sat next to me said it was normal. Oh yeah but I got my nerves burst out. Arrived at Gunung Sitoli at 3pm. Oh as you know Sumatra was an hour late from Singapore time. I have been told to call Yaman (Merpati representative) about van that should take us to PKPA office. In fact the van was already there ! Just asked few people where’s the driver.

The van was about too small for 7 people plus our belonging. I sat on the back along with rucksack. I even had to put my leg up’cause on the base full of boxes.

cramping on the van from airport to Mudik village

Thanks God, journey to Mudik village only half an hour. It was only a single line roadway in Nias. Enough for a car and motorcycle. We had to stop several times due the traffic (whoaaa…). I tell you the Niasan drove their motor like a mad !

Here we are the team (Merlissa, Ambar,Sue Jan, Ady ‘the Hulk’, and Rahim)

We had a first glimpse about Nias. Walked along the shore area that badly affected by earthquake. Sad though…but we watched Niasan played football surounding by rubbles and steels. I thought about Niasan. They refused to pity themselves.

Nias island : another sad story August 17, 2005

Gunung Sitoli – Sirombu (1st Aug 2005)

This journey was long thought about Indonesia. The Nias island distraught by two disasters that took its people to zero point. All I can see was struggling and willing to build their life again. From Gunung Sitoli we headed Sirombu around 84km or 4 hours bumpy angkot (local public tranport). In its coastal region was badly affected by the tsunami. When the night falls this village became silent. I only heard a glance of waves. The wind just told me different story. It was a dead place. So quiet.

Project Ya’ahowu : Child’s Play in NIAS July 28, 2005

I will join the team from Raleigh Society in Singapore to go to Pulau Nias Indonesia at 30 July until 14Agt 2005. Project Ya’ ahowu : Child Play dedicated to provide education for the children who left homeless after Tsunami and massive earthquake.

We will conduct basic education such as Math, English and Health along with their morning school. Our local partner PKPA Centre of Study and Child Protection in Medan Sumatera will work closely in play theraphy session.

We need some more education materials, such as books, story books, stationary, charts, posters etc. Alternatively you can make a cash donation. Several teams been set up to continue this project until end of 2005. If you interresting to be a volunteer just let them know by going into theis site or email. We need more people specially who can speak Bahasa Indonesia or Malay.

Please email at : tsunami_reconstruction@raleigh.org.sg or contact +65 9456 0632

Update 29 Augt 2005 per-email : for next project Raleigh has not been cleared officially on new scope for future teams.