Sumatra Indonesia

Arriving in Thailand I decided to got to another Guest house just for a change but it was full like most at this time of the year, after a few hours I ended up in a quiet area of Bangkok a simple room still in Banglanpoo next to a river near the klong.

I quietly sat reading travel books about Indonesia and turned to the chapter of Sumatra the area known as Padang, there was an interesting guest house called Papa Chilli as the man was known for his hot food, I decided to go there so bought a cheap ticket leaving Bangkok return and arriving back to Thailand within two weeks ready to return to the UK.

I called my mum to see if she was fine as I did often all was ok as if it wasn't I'd return home asap but my farther was ok also. 

I paid one hundred and fifty baht in a taxi back to the airport even though it was all a quick decision it was exciting, why was I drawn here ? wasn't sure but I began my arrival to Sumatra.  

On arriving I landed and took a bus to the area of Padang, then a small taxi as I arrived there along the beach front the taxi stopped the driver said he'd wait until I found who I was looking for, I closed the door of the taxi and the Sumatran people asked where I came from also who was I looking for after a while there seemed to be many people inquisitive of who I was as not many roamed near here.  

I explained to a group that I was looking for a guest house called Papa Chilli and they said " No No gone " I was confused and then thought what to do as I walked to the taxi to make a decision a voice called " hay are you looking for me I'm Papa Chilli " as I turned I saw an old man at least in his sixties after to find out was sixty nine, we talked and I explained that a day ago I was looking through a travel book and saw his guest house also never travelled to Sumatra I'd come see, he said " oh my boy my Guest house has been destroyed as the big waves came - come let me show you " we walked with most of the people who watched to find the ruins of concrete laid on the water edge the waves bashing and beating the left overs of his life.

My eyes filled as I looked at the pain he had gone threw and he and the others on this small Island came and put their arms around him.  

He said if I wanted I could come stay with his family at their home but as it simple it was up to me.  So I agreed and we both walked to his home.

Finding out about him on the way I learned he had diabetes the same as my farther and we talked about him.  

I knew he had a cataract in his eye that hurt allot, we arrived at a small bamboo hut twenty yards from the sea looking out to the Islands in front the geese, birds and the fishing boat laid beside the hut, out came his wife of similar age and then his two children one of them about six as she was the youngest as her brother was fourteen, we went inside the hut on stilts a size of a front room in our modern day home, the walls of bamboo were patched with newspaper to keep the warmth in, the geese underneath the bamboo floors sheltered from the heat and the coldish nights, I was to spend my my first night yards of the ocean sea. 

Together we sat on the beach we talked while drinking water, looking straight to the Islands it was a perfect place, he yanked a coconut from the palm tree and cracked it open I drank the pure juice from it, his children ran a played, that afternoon Papa Chilli and myself walked with his young son to the city over the mountain ridge and came to a medical centre where he received cataract injections for his eyes, we returned he obviously was'nt well.

On arriving back to the beach hut he prepared the shower room for myself showing me what to do as to get the water from the well I through the bucket attached to a rope down a hole in the floor then pulled it up again this was the shower in the palms behind the hut. 

The night time came and we sat near the water swimming with his family the moon light flickering over the water, it was a great time then after we returned to his home and ate rice and meat prepared by his wife, we sat and talked and while the candles burned I mentioned about his Guest house he did say that his life had changed and now it's harder. 

That night I slept with all the family in the one room the birds below making noise, they seemed to sleep ! until Papa woke and took his boat out at 2.00am until five as he caught many fish and prawns also lobster to sell in the markets this was his work now, everyday at 2.00am with his occasional nap during the day he managed.

I then in my mind started to think of how I could help I decided what to do, the next morning as I took the shower and the pecking of the tall birds on my leg, I ate and then walked to the bank over the ridge after returning they asked where I'd been I said just had to check the facilities in the town.

We had a nice day and then spent time with the family at night time, I sat and looked at their faces and the candle light upon them I said I had a gift for them, they smiled and gathered around a bag I pushed the bag to them as they looked confused Papa opened the cloth around the package and pulled out money and more money and as he stacked it he said what's happening I said this was for him to re-build his guest house to get his life the way it used to be, his eyes streaming and his families too, he tried to pull off his red ruby wedding ring to give to me, I refused and said " I'm enriched for what I gave you I dont want anything"  they jumped on me and smothered me in happiness and joy eyes filled with water.

 

They slept a peaceful nite and in the morning Papa had returned from fishing once more, he then went with me to see his brother, they and myself went into the forest to cut bamboo after a while we had cut so many I understood that this was for the construction of the guest house, they smiled and said " yes " I felt a good person and

returned to the hut.  

His wife preparing fired fish fresh from the sea, barbecued and a chilli hot sauce made from Papa Chilli, I tried the fish and with the sauce my past remembrance of chilli hasn't been the best but I did not want to miss this, the red colour of this chilli paste was mouth watering and I placed a teaspoon of it onto the fish, my hair stood up at least as I remember as the fusion rushed through my body a sweat appeared on my face and eyes streaming mouth burning quickly I rushed into the hut looking for milk after drinking some it eased a bit the kids mainly were laughing and the others being Papa and his wife smiled for most of the day.

 

For the rest of my time here the brothers and I searched for green strong huge bamboo poles of different sizes, the brother cut them down and I carried them to the collection point where the helpers took them to the hut.  

We drew up plans of the guest house and on the drawing it looked great. I said fair well to the family as they wept and thanked me I slept and woke up early the next morning at 4.00am while Papa was fishing, I will never forget them as I walked the roads away.