Well....... sometimes it is beer and skittles.

The kind people of Indonesia sent their Minister of Tourism and another four of five bods including a musician playing a cross between a harp a banana and a guitar. All there to support him in a presentation on the delights of cruising in Indonesia while we enjoyed the free beer and food, a guarantee for a full turnout in any cruising community.

The biggest issue was that the free beer came long before both the speeches and the food. Consequently, one third of the audience were falling asleep at the table. One third were giggling at the pis-pronunciations and impolitely talking while the last third tutted and harrumphed at the other two thirds.

It's hard to imagine any major return on their flights let alone the new cruising infrastructure in Indonesia. However, the new President has apparently decreed that the mountains of forms that have to be completed in triplicate prior to entry and departure are slashed (maybe soon just required in duplicate) all as part of a major push to attract cruisers.

Somehow they have the feeling we're awash with cash. Us. The cruisers who gather water off the side decks, cut our own hair and always know where the least expensive joints are in town. A quick look around at the state of dress of the audience might have given the Minister a clue as to our interest in splashing cash. Nonetheless, new marinas are apparently under construction all over Indonesia and the number of legal entry points has been increased dramatically. Sounds good, but a while off for us yet.

We just went for the beer and skittles.