31st July - second day in Kupang

Wednesday 31^st July

A bit of a contrast - beautiful Mount Wellington in my lovely Hobart, Tasmania...

Our little city-on-the-sea is re-forming here in the bay in Kupang, West Timor.  I spent a very pleasant morning isolated on 2XS, while Pete and John went off to fill in yet more forms in triplicate and quadruplicate.  I sat on the back deck, rocking away at our little camp table, trying to get the photos up onto my blog.  I think I succeeded although a few of them, mysteriously, would only allow me to put them there in duplicate.  When I gently tried to delete a second copy, the whole thing took on the dimensions of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and there were suddenly many exponentially-multiplying photos!

AAGGHH!!

All morning more yachts appeared on the horizon, and then right alongside the yachts already at anchor.  Up with the yellow Q flags, and then the long wait for Customs and Quarantine.  I do hope they didn’t send any seasick-prone boys this time…

When we were in India in 2006, we were often accosted by school and uni aged students, all wanting to be photographed with us..  We never did find out why – maybe teachers set the students a task: capture as many gringos as you can find, as proof that you are studying hard/learning English/learning to be very assertive/whatever??  It is the same here.  Yesterday I think I had to pose with about a dozen schoolgirls, and one very shy ten year old boy who nearly died of nerves when he came up to ask me.  They all seemed triumphant to have captured my image on film, being hugged by each and every one of them.  I do hope they all get an A+ for effort and that they do NOT put what are sure to be very unflattering photos up on the net!!

Yesterday I forgot to put in a photo of the dancers who performed for our welcoming ceremony.  Pete, John and I didn’t see so much as a glimpse of them, but later they posed, somewhat glumly, in their costumes, so we got a bit of an idea:

And here is the Kupang street which I also omitted yesterday…

We spent most of the afternoon in the yacht club, trying to get our phone and internet connections sorted.  This wasn’t as dreary as it sounds.  We had nice people to chat to:

Tanya and Don arrived early this morning, and were first cab off the rank with Customs and Quarantine.  They bypassed other equally deserving boats; possibly because Tanya was wearing this bright yellow top, to draw their attention, along with the yellow Q flag…

Every morning we listen in to a rally radio broadcast.  There is a sort of roll-call, to check if everyone is OK.  And oh dear not everybody is OK… As we know, there is often something wrong, with a boat… Some are limping in, radioing, plaintively, for referrals to diesel mechanics, sail repairers…

We haven’t seen much of the local arts and crafts yet, although a few hopeful men lurk around the sailing club, with beautiful weavings draped temptingly over their arms:

This evening we are going to a local market, to look around. And maybe eat some yummy food…