So for the past week I have been in West Timor. The island is lovely- the people are lovely. See, I can prove it- look at the photos! Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing for their tastes in music.
Let me just tell you that I'd rather jump barefoot off a 6-foot step ladder into a 5 gallon bucket full of porcupines than have to listen to Celine Dion. Unfortunately, I wasn't given a choice. Why is it that people the world over love her music so darn much? Every place I go to for work-related purposes is full of people who just absolutely adore her music. I HATE it. I know that "hate " is a strong word and it is there for a purpose. After about hour 5 of the Celine love fest in the vehicle we were riding around in I nearly had a mind meltdown. That's when somehow I persuaded my SUV mates to try some music from America. I had them sample the likes of Neko Case, Ryan Adams, Aimee Mann, Dido and Fleetwood Mac. To their credit they gave it all a listen- Indonesians are very nice and extremely polite but after a while the driver handed me back my MP3 player. Celine came back on- my headphones went in my ears with the volume turned way up. I rather have ringing ears than a mental breakdown. I'm only so flexible.
Unlike Celine, nobody likes mosquitoes and West Timor is full of them. Dang it! Malaria is rampant and many suffer. I have tried to kill as many as I can while I've been here.
The island also has a large butterfly population and at times a whole colony of them will come by for a visit. Really, it is pure magic. Unfortunately I never seem to have my camera with me when this happens and thus no photo. But just imagine hundreds of little light green butterflies swarming around you. Wow!
As I mentioned Indonesians are nice, the people living in West Timor especially. Everywhere I go I get a wave and smile. Well, that is for expect the children. The children don't smile at me. Instead they crease their little brows and stick out their lips like some gangsta rapper would do for a publicity shot. Oh yes, and they stare at my feet. Apparently I have extremely large feet.
Anyway, now I'm back in Jakarta for a few days before I head back home. It's been a good trip so far. More soon.
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