Floating teeth

During a 5 week trip around Sulawesi, my girlfriend and i were invited to a wedding in a remote village. After travelling a long time and on nearly every mode of transport known to man, we arrived with our host at the village. As we both are tall and blond we instantly became an unprecedented attraction! Followed by what seemed the entire villages childrens population, we set off to the kepala desas(head of the village) house to obtain permission to stay in our hosts family home. This done, ourselves and our entourage went to our hosts home. Introductions were made, in pidgeon Indonesian, sign language and broken English, cups of tea served, watched by a throng of pointing, whispering and grinning children. The formal introductions over we were shown to the bathing and toilet facilities, which consisted of two holes dug about 5 meters apart and enclosed by a meter high seethrough bamboo fence! Immediatly my girlfriend whispered "NOOO WAY!!!" Still followed by the now boisterous adolecent mob, back to the house, where the wedding preparations for the next day were in full swing. More cups of tea!More curious visitors. The humble abode now contained, it seemed, more people than a Sydney rave club, all trying their best to communicate with the now very wary strangers. Modest dinner and more cups of tea served and still no toilet stop! After dinner everybody retired to their designated sleeping spot. With no hope of sneaking unheard or unseen to use the facilities in the dark, we settled in for the night. At the crack of dawn the house erupted into a hive of activety. Rice, chilli paw-paw and yes more tea for breakky!!! Unable to hold on any longer I braved THAT INCLOSURE, not so my by now very uncomfortable girlfriend! With the wedding preparations reaching feaver pitch, our host suggested a visit to the families cocoabean plantation. With the interest in us slightly waning and the focus on the festivities waxing, we set off, with a lesser crowd toward the plantation. After a few kilometers walk,only our host and ourselves were left. Suddenly Jodie dissapeared and our host asking "Where she go? Where she go?" There was no need to answer, as from a distance came a noise, remeniscent of a damburst. Hallelujah!!! No more floating teeth!!!

Published on 7/4/02