I stopped at a big ceremony along the village road. I think the whole village was around and celebrating a wedding. Before I could really recognize what it actually was, I was surrounded by kids, men & women. Old and young wanted to take a photo with me. I guess, meanwhile I am one of the most ‘recorded’ foreigner in this country. However, I always get a chance to take my photos, too. It is still no problem, to just hand out my big Nikon DLR to a local, quickly explain how to operate, and there you are. No fear that my camera or anything will disappear. Imagine this in some parts of Africa or Europe … no chance to ‘dive’ into a crowd like this, without being pick-pocket.
After the photo shootings I was asked into the tent and on stage to greet the young couple. They really looked young, probably much younger as they are. Andreas, today’s sweep, has already arrived and happily joined the party. We were treated with cake and drinks and many warm welcomes. We couldn’t leave without being brought back on stage and dance to the excitement of the other guests.
A short stage, today. Just 60 km, almost flat, to lunch with only 15 more kilometers to the next camp in Bintuhan. Some even decided to extend the breakfast in Manna for longer, as time was no concern today. After lunch obviously the lonesome beach, monotone sound of the breaking waves, the heat and the food took its toll and almost everyone fell asleep right on spot, at arbitrary and partially uncomfortable places. The next days will be much harder and longer, thus a random nap in the afternoon is not a bad idea.
Today I was stopped by two girls who followed me on their motor scooter for quite a while. When they passed me the first time, they gave me a bright smile and a ‘Hello Mister’ and headed away, to soon slow down and let me pass again. I could hear them giggle. Next thing I noticed them approaching me again from the back, staying behind for a while, before they passed and slowed down again. This repeated several times, until they finally stopped behind the next corner and waited for me, waving me to stop, too, which I did.
Then I heard ‘Oh my God’, ‘Oh my God’ and ‘Photo’. Several OMGs later, the smiling faces were ‘iPhoned’ for a happy girl and a happier ‘Alter Sack’.
I have started to publish the first set of photos taken during the initial two weeks of the Sumatra Sutra section. A Thumbnail view is available that let’s you browse the photos individually and self paced or a slideshow mode, with a 5 seconds delay between each picture.
You can find them under the Photo Tab or via the Tag Cloud andslideshow tag. I’ll add more to the respective sections …
Sometimes it is worth to deviate from the given route and explore the neighborhood. Chelsea and Nellie were ‘sweeping’ me, when I asked them to follow me followed me on a detour along the beach. First we had to cross a kind of fragile suspension bridge before we got to the beach, where fishermen pulled in their heavy net. Unfortunately the heavy load was more jellyfish than others, but even the smallest fish was collected from the glibber mass. I asked the women on the beach, if there is another way to get back to the main road further south so we can cycle a bit on the beach. They seemed to understand my drawing in the sand and confirmed. We cycled quite a distance along the beach. The women followed us on their scooter. Finally they turned left into a village and to our surprise invited us to their home. Chelsea enjoyed the little one and the little one Chelsea’s sun glasses, until she started to cry, being scared by my camera? We soon had to leave for the final kilometers to the designated camp site.
Whereas Nellie was not aware of her nice ‘sandy’ henna tattoo that she developed during the ride on the beach.
recognize what it actually was, I was surrounded by kids, men & women. Old and young wanted to take a photo with me. I guess, meanwhile I am one of the most ‘recorded’ foreigner in this country. However, I always get a chance to take my photos, too. It is still no 
problem, to just hand out my big Nikon DLR to a local, quickly explain how to operate, and there you are. No fear that my camera or anything will disappear. Imagine this in some parts of Africa or Europe … no chance to ‘dive’ into a crowd like this, without being pick-pocket. 
has already arrived and happily joined the party. We were treated with cake and drinks and many warm welcomes. We couldn’t leave without being brought back on stage and dance to the excitement of the other guests.
