Today still in the Fjord at Alor Island anchored at Kalabahi. This is a smaller town although there are 175,000 people on this small group of islands with various regions. Interestingly some live by the sea and others in the Highlands. The boys we were talking to last night who are training to be English School Teachers walk 35 kms to get to the University from the highlands where their families are farmers. They had never been on a boat before and wanted to come and see Charmar. To our surprise they were a little afraid in the dinghy. We had assumed with the beautiful waterways and the tiny and big kids and adults that are constantly plying the waters in the tiniest of dugouts through to traditional fishing boats and Sampans that they would all be water- babies - but not so - the farmers do farming and the fishermen do fishing! The littlest of kids paddle out to our boat in the littlest of dugout canoes to sit on the back steps and wait for a talk or a chocolate. They have a great method of flick rolling their dugouts to bail the water out if they capsize or are capsized by their mates or crew!

Last night the Gala dinner had some wonderful performances with traditional music by the school children, traditional dancing in costume (pity I can't get photos on at the moment!) and singing and dancing.

Today we did the tour and went to the Museum and then to the highlands to a traditional highland village without power or any "modern amenities" where they and we danced and enjoyed their traditional lifestyle before we walked back down not exactly trusting the bus that didn't quite make it to the top. Then on to Mali Beach for a "Bento Box" lunch and more music from the local elementary school which was just wonderful using their traditional instruments with enthusiasm and gusto.

After that out to an area which I am not sure where it was exactly (didn't have the GPS with me!) where we planted trees that will have our names on a plate on them, Sandlewood. So it tramping through Indonesia in years to come look for the tree called Chris White and the one called Dianne White of Charmar in the Memorial Forest! There were giant Sandlewoods in this forest some 500 years old and 50 metres high with a circumference equal to a curtain fig. I guess we did this for our Carbon Sequestration or maybe just to replace the enormous amount of paperwork required to enter and travel in this country. Some people are still stinging from having our boats impounded but it really was not a problem. Personally I think it was just a sure way of keeping us in Kupang for four days minimum!!

We have a couple of more days here and then will press onto to Lembata on Pelau Kawatu about 80 miles east after passing a couple of other island and probably doing battle with the fierce tides and currents that prevail in this area. Despite all sorts of software and planning there has been more talk on the radio about the currents but few have been able to benefit from it and I think more luck and chance than science, but it certainly slows you to a snail pace when against and turbo charges when it is with you. Coming in here we had 9 knots plus with one engine just ticking over! (We also had 1.8 knots earlier with one engine running normally - which is NOT a fast way of getting anywhere. Still can't beat sailing with the fresh breeze where we get 9+ knots and better.

Still signing hundreds of kids exercise books with our names and residence - thanks teachers what a good idea!! Some have a little English but it is easy to lose them by asking their age etc. Nevertheless the Country clearly has a policy to teach all Children English and except for the remote villages many people speak a little or quite good English and there are many English speaking local teachers and many more studying for the task with a five year course.

We are still overwhelmed by the hospitality and friendliness and the effort made to make our stay rewarding for us.