My
future back and neck problems aside, the long journey concluded a
successful trip to Karimunjawa. A small island north of Semarang,
Karimunjawa is yet another relatively untouched gem in Indonesia.
Bright green water and white sand beaches are common and hosted some of
the fish that our guides eventually caught and cooked.
The
highlight of our trip and Karimunjawa's claim to fame has to be its
shark farm. Docile white- and black-tipped reef sharks that swim around
you when you enter the pool. Docile....how ridiculous. Possibly the
greatest predator on planet Earth and we're going to domesticate it.
Dumb. Dumber still: we went in. As our Admiral would say: risk
assessment. If all five of us go in, there's less of a chance I would
get bitten, right?
After
utilizing the last in, first out method to its fullest extent, we
continued our journey of beautiful coral, wonderfully colored fish and
sea-locked sandbars. Three days was enough to see the majority of what
Karimunjawa had to offer, so now we're returning to the Big Durian:
black lung, macet gila and toilets with seats.
Kids are starting their first round of external exams today. Though my test isn't for another couple of weeks, the nerves are starting to build. The graduating class teachers are having extra sessions on Saturdays and doing whatever they can to prepare. I also plan on sacrificing a chicken while wearing a chain of rabbit feet around my neck. Whatever works, right?
Looking
forward to the next round of job fairs in January. Unfortunately, I
won't be returning in December because of them. But don't fret. There
will still be plenty of diesel upon my return in June. Until then, enjoy
the beauty of autumn prior to the frostbite you'll most likely receive
during the winter. I'll stick with 85 and sunny!
