Friday, 6 September 2013

6th September - Labuan Bajo - market - cocktails


Friday 6th September



Another etc etc…



I was just looking at this photo of three cats lined up next to 2XS – Pedoja, Settlement, Backchat – our original lineup since Cairns.  The sky looks so black; I was going to make a faintly withering comment re – black sky but no rain.  And then – it rained!  Just like that our loud, says Pete, delighted.  We scampered about for a while, placing strategic buckets to catch this run-off and that, closing hatches, washing the catchment area of the roof.  And then… just like that out loud – it stopped, after less than five minutes.

Our first rain since Townsville in May…

You may notice a different watertaxi boat… There has, we think, been a bit of a turf war.  Our boys from Komodo (John, Alex, Eggy,) have vanished in a puff of diesel smoke, and we now have Joseph, a cheerful, sturdy man, who says firmly, Don’t have dealings with the boys from other islands!

We think our original crew have made quite a lot of money, sneaking in under the radar, and now they can putt-putt back to Komodo with their earnings…and with the three pairs of sunglasses they wheedled from me…

Last night we had reunion drinks with Andrew and Sue (Settlement) and Don and Tanya (Pedoja.)  Lots of travellers tales, lots of biscuits and cheese and nuts, lots of wine…When they had left Pete and I slept through an entire and very thrilling episode of Alias before going downstairs to sleep just a bit more…



Today we caught a watertaxi (Joseph, local,) into town.  Pete spent a lot of time in this sort of shop:



trying to get his battery components sorted.

while I strolled up and down the main street with Tanya and Sue, who were provisioning.  I was quite happy, sitting and guarding their little shopping trolleys while they went up and down steps into various shops.  I like to be useful…and I didn’t need to be buying anything except one stamp at the post office.



The chillies are SO pretty...

I was, however, on a mission to give some photos to various ladies at the market.  I had taken three there a few days ago, and shrieks of joy had resounded through the stalls.  I am now VERY popular…



This lady posed, very dignified, with a melon



while this one was thrilled to bits to be photographed in amongst her wares.  Very nice fruit and veg, by the way… I bought heaps!



When I gave them their photos (that little Canon Selphy printer is such a great toy!) others lined up…



The banana man peered very intently at the camera then gestured at his colleague…



and I couldn’t resist this lovely sleeping lady, fast asleep amongst the fruit & veg…



At 1.30 we met up with Don, Pete, Andrew, and also Valerie and Alan from Screensaver at the Mediterraneo – yes Labuan Bajo has been taken over by The Italians!



A few other people were there from Rally boats, so we have been hearing lots of stories, good and bad.  I won’t go into details but…not everybody has enjoyed the experience… Pete and I sometimes exchange guilty looks because…we have been having a WONDERFUL time…

4 comments:

  1. Can you be dignified with a melon? I'm thinking that your lady looks a bit bored with her melon - or maybe even, that her expression is saying, "Why do you want me to pose with his melon?"

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  2. *this melon .... not his melon!!!!

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  3. Well yes this woman PROVES you can be dignified with a melon!

    She chose to pose this way...

    I wouldn't have dreamed of suggesting it...

    And "his melon" is VERY funny...

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  4. Well I've never paired melons and dignity, but you argue your case well! Yes "his melon" is funny - felt obliged to make the correction as I could imagine your reaction!! Such a predictable sister haha!

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