There is a feeling that is hard to describe to those who have not experienced it: the feeling of moving from a sleepy country town where traffic consists of 10 goats crossing the road to a big city. I have just had that feeling, and I can assure you, it is a drag.
Life in a small town like those around Tanjung Bira (Bira, Ara, Batang, Hilo Hilo) is perfect for me. Lots of fresh food to eat, peace, people who are amicable to talk with, and of course green all around. Even though the brownouts over there were considerably longer, they never grated on you like the ones in the city. For one, there was a consistent breeze flowing from the seashores. Also, conversations do not require electricity, and since this is on of the things that are done mostly in the absence of TV, malls, and endless diversions a city may offer, we had no problem filling the dark times.
The pictures above are a snapshot of villages and scenes from this area. Unfortunately, some of the most spectactular scenes are those found underwater, and my lack of an underwater camera or camera housing makes it impossible to impress their beauty in pictures. If there were ever daylight hours to kill, I happily would grab my snorkel, mask, and fins and hit the water. One day I drifted along the entire Bira reef, which extends for a few kilometers. All I had to show for it was a sunburn, but the memories of sea turtles, countless fish, and coral gardens will stay in my mind for a long time to come.
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