indonesia part one

I still have my sarongs from the days in the Spice Islands and sometimes wear them around the house when I have had a shower, But have had some funny looks if a visitor happens to call unexpectedly, They do not understand the freedom and comfort of a sarong.
On the Blu Flu ship we all wore sarongs all the time, One for working in, one for sleeping in, and one for going ashore in the islands
. The Sew Sew lady who comes on board in Singapore makes them , BUT the Captain always had his own design .
Cheers
Brian

morning brian ...11 months on the indian coast we all wore longis ......no air con we slept on deck most times .....they are comfortable no sweating so much round the nether regions ....we looked like a indian crew ......happy days but real crap food taking supplies in one port we were anchored of ..the chandlers boat a old lifeboat with engine came out ...in the distance it looked like she had a black awning above her ...sadly it was flies which were hanging over her as the supposed fresh meat was lying in the boats bottom with no covering a alive with the flies ...all hell broke loose and the meat went back ...they then bought us dried salted fish ....made good curry but twice a day and no meat for ten days or so ...but that was them days ...and all hands with the shits every time we took water aboard...glad to get of that one but enough to by a motor bike with ...happy days.....cappy

Here are the sarongs,
1. In my working sarong...., 2, my Sunday watch below Sarong with Charlie Kakatoa sat on my shoulder,,,,,,,, 3, all the crowd with Sunday sarongs and the parrots and Charlie.
What a fantastic life style we had, No job in the world could compare with that. We thought it would never end, sadly it did. No one can live those lives like we did, it has gone forever,

Cheers
Brian

We can yern for those days but as Brian says they will never come back but at least we were there, I often think to myself what a time to be born, all my life I have been lucky I have done pretty much what I wanted regarding getting a living and travelling to far off places I packed it in early 1970 ships going to the breakers there is nothing like seeing a great ship of our time being put to the torch to make you realise that this old beauty will not be replaced and then what do I do with my life when they become fewer i suppose I had been spoilt just walking into the pool and there she was on the board my next ship waiting for Davey boy
The choice I made as a 15 year old lad really set me up for life I took the skills I learnt at sea ashore and they have been kind to me , my hobby of building ships in bottles has sustained me in times when I get fed up with having to keep visiting the hospital I say to myself I'm still that young lad who went off to sea school ( HMS Worcester ) back in 1957 5 months of spud bashing and washing up I can still box the compass it comes in use when I am trying to find my way to the loo in the middle of the night regards to all hands Dave .

Burung (bird) kakatua (Cockatoo). You had the right name for your feathered friend. Probably wouldn't find a kid there that couldn't sing this song.

Burung Kakatua - Indonesian Children's Songs - Indonesia - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAO_wpd2dH4

I think you'll find some memories in the other renditions on the above youtube. Ayam goreng, nasi goreng (fried chicken, fried rice, and so on. Enjoy.

Richard

Kindred spirits Dave. I just shake my head and wonder was it all real. I am so glad I was a hoarder and took photos of everything and kept memorabilia. I'm flat out now trying to collate as much as I can, more for reliving the memories than anything else. The thing this great site has done is put me in a group that knows the language I had lost for many years and now gives me much pleasure in my twilight years to return
Richard.

Richard ,
you are making me feel Home Sick.
That is were I once belonged.
All the best, Brian.

Hi Kurutai.
My wife still gets at me to write my life story, I have written many pages but I get bogged down, I pick up a shore pass for Genoa and I'm off remembering all about that trip and ports, then I have an American pass for Baton Rouge or Galveston and another day goes past and so it goes on. I type a page full of memories and I have to go back over it time and again reliving the past, Then I get out my photograph albums and and go through all the pictures, I can smell the sandalwood as we sailed pass the spice islands, see the coconut palms as we get closer to the Pacific Islands, I love it, then it's time for tea and the days has gone, I have traveled around the world once again, but done very little writing.
Cheers Des

Attachment 22705

Des, I began to write my story some years ago, 9 in fact, and am still at it. You start at one bit then suddenly it flashes back and you have to begin again as something new is there.

As to a Sarong, wonderful things in the hot weather. Four years ago when I had the prostate out and had the 'leg bag' in place for three weeks it was just great.

Keep at it John. Put it down and save it in a way that you can just revise without doing the whole thing over again. For those who are really serious get Microsoft Publisher, not necessarily the latest. I use the 2010 model and make sure you get the disc and registration key so it's yours for keeps, and if all else fails get the directions on using it. I do my stuff on it and paperless 'print' it off on PDF then save it on disc or portable thumb USB.

Just found these two photos of the opening of the Jakarta building of Bank Bali, the Indonesian shareholders of the Joint venture I was involved in. The groups were displaying the national dress of each of all the Indonesian Provinces.
Richard