Tanjung Kelayang one day on

A day of contrasts. We went ashore early with our empty fuel jerrycans and Rusty organised Mme. Rosa to take us to town to sort the internet problems and to get fuel. Rosa was delightful and turns out to be the widow of an Italian (Antonio Calvedon) who died 9 months ago. Rosa still gets tears in her eyes when she talks of him. They apparently met in Jakarta 28 years ago when she was working in reception at an international hotel. On the way back she took us to her very attractive house with wide verandahs and we had a cup of coffee there. She also showed us where half her husband's ashes were buried in her garden - the other half having been sent back to Italy.
On the way into town we stopped at a Pertamina service station and left our jerrycans there along with some 20 litre cans belonging to Rusty. We were to collect them on the way back. We went to Telkomsel who assured us the internet problem was fixed but when we arrived back on the boat we found that it wasn't so it will be back there tomorrow.
We went to a fruit and vege market which was only average but managed to replenish our stocks. Then back to the service station where it transpired that we could only fill our 60 litres of containers but if we come back tomorrow we can fill the remainder (120 litres). That should be enough to get us to Johore. There are politics and silly beggars going on here and that is the reason for the delay. The diesel price today was close to the local price but when the rally arrives in force after tomorrow the price will double and this is another reason for anyone sailing through Indonesia in future to eschew Sail Indonesia totally because not only are they dangerous to normal yacht navigation but they escalate local prices where ever they go. In Kupang the price was 14000 Rph per litre and when the rally left that dropped to 10000. Here so far it's about half that but it will escalate dramatically in the next few days. Just commercial and political nonsense.
Anyway we have found that the internet still is not working so that means another trip to town tomorrow with Rosa. Hopefully we can get the remainder of the fuel then as well at a reasonable and not extortionate price and get the internet sorted.
Early tomorrow Jim will go ashore to get the 60 litres already purchased because this afternoon it was too rough with an onshore wind to bring it out to the boat. This is all far too intricate by far and just shows how difficult this sailing life can become at times.
We'll keep you posted........
Jim and Jean
s.v. Tiare Taporo III
Tanjung Kelayang
Pulau Belitung
Indonesia
www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com

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