Home & Dry(ish)

I’ve been home in England for just over 2 weeks now and I’m getting used to being back and the horrible weather!
I managed to pack up all my stuff on the last Wednesday and even got to go on one last dive. We went to the outer pinnacle on a pleasure dive. There must have been about 16 of us in total and it was a really good way to end my time on Hoga. After lunch and some last minute shopping we all piled onto the Bintang and made our way toward Wanci. It was really sad leaving Hoga but it wasn’t so bad because everyone was leaving with us. The boat was really packed but we sat on the front deck and chilled out with a packed tea. At Wanci it was time to get back onto the overnight ‘slave ship’. Those that had been on the Bintang that week really had our sea legs by then and so I slept soundly. We arrived in Bau Bau very early on Thursday morning and waited on the slave ship for a few hours until it was time to get the next ferry. We had breakfast which consisted of some sort of savoury pasty, sponge cakes and doughnuts. (I felt a bit ill after that lot.) The next boat that took us back to Kendari was a far better experience than the one on the way out. The boat was much better and there was even room to go out on deck. It was really cool to see more of the Indonesian islands go by.
In Kendari we got to our hotel and preceded to get very excited about all the creature comforts that we had been missing on Hoga. After room service and a real shower we ventured to the bar to get a drink. It was then time for more ‘westernism’ in the form of dinner at Papa Johns pizza place. It was a bit weird because it was so western. After this we went for a wander round town and did some supermarket shopping.
Early the next morning lots of us went to get the first of many planes. It was also the first time we had to say goodbye to people which was sad. We flew from Kendari to Jakarta via a quick (and slightly disorganised) stop in Makassar. We arrived at our hotel mid afternoon and had a picnic in the room while watching Notting Hill! Tea in the hotel restaurant was followed by an early night in preparation for our last day in Indonesia.
The next day we left our bags in the airport and went to one of the huge shopping malls in Jakarta town centre. It was absolutely huge. We spent the day wandering around and eating until it was time to catch our flights.
After some moving around of stuff between my bags and the addition of another piece of hand luggage I managed to get the right weights and check in. After more eating in the airport it was time to leave.
At Dubai airport we had something we had been looking forward to all trip; a Coldstone’s ice-cream. Yummy! It was then time for me to say goodbye to the other Oxford people and get my last flight home. I arrived in Newcastle with no idea of the time or day but happy to have finished travelling.
I had an amazing time on Hoga and I am really glad to have had the experience. I have defiantly caught the SCUBA bug and hope to continue with this as well as conservation work on a gap year after I graduate and beyond. But first is that task of writing up all my data into a brilliant dissertation.
Once again thanks to everyone who has helped me to be able to have a brilliant summer!
Abi
Xxx
P.S. You can see some of my photos by clicking on these links:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2238369&l=9f9d2&id=36818168
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2238387&l=adeeb&id=36818168
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2238403&l=2ec00&id=36818168