God knows how I have avoided taking a ride by ojek. It's too scary. My knee once hit the side of a car and that was not even my fault. On different occasion, a part of my skirt went inside the ring of the motorcycle tyre and I almost fell. What a bad taste there. :(
This time, I have no choice. I just pray that the rider can take it slow and that my body can follow the rythm (hahaha) of the car move. I choose a big motorcycle with an older rider. It is not so bad. The way to get to the turtle place is literally empty. We go along the beach and the wind is alright. The moon is almost full and its light makes me able to see what I and the ojek rider pass. I try hard to concentrate following the move. The road is not smooth. Sometimes it can be very rocky, is covered by protruding tree trunks or its sand is so grainy that the motorcycle can barely move forward. My scared mind along with my effort to go with the 'rhytm' takes my worry of again riding a motorcycle. Phew! :D
At the designated place, it's like a night market minus the street vendors. 100 or more people are waiting in that small part of the beach, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sea turtle. Though many poeple are chatting, the beach remains dark. Visitors are not allowed to turn on the flashlights to the sea since the lights would keep the sea turtle from coming to the beach and laying their eggs. There is a small house there where some sea turtle eggs are hatched and later the babies are taken to the sea.
After waiting for almost one hour sitting on any flat surface we can find and accompanied by fire ants (!!!), we have a sign from the sea turtle spectator leader to go closer to a specific part of the beach. We have to pass the thick beach sand in the dark and the trip seem so endless. Even after we arrive at the appointed part of the beach, we have to wait for a half hour. It is said that we could only see the turtle after it already lays 60% of its eggs.
Then, that signal! People are jolted and they run like crazy to a small hill behind us. I could see the flashes of cameras, I mean hundreds of flashes, surround a hole which I could barely see because there are so many people circling it. They just are not satisfied that easily! After looking at the turtle a while, one is expected to stand back and give the others a chance to also see it, right? Well, nooooo!!! They stay near the turtle long enough and even have a ride on the poor creature to have their pics taken. That's just so sad. So sad.... :(
The sea turtle is quite different from their fellow friend from ashore. Its head cannot be hidden and it has 'flips' that could throw away a person meters away. And what about its teeth? They can cut a person's hand just like that *snap*. That's why when we take the pictures, the turtle 'police' covers the head with his army-look hat to avoid the spectators from being bitten by the sea turtle. :D
This time, I have no choice. I just pray that the rider can take it slow and that my body can follow the rythm (hahaha) of the car move. I choose a big motorcycle with an older rider. It is not so bad. The way to get to the turtle place is literally empty. We go along the beach and the wind is alright. The moon is almost full and its light makes me able to see what I and the ojek rider pass. I try hard to concentrate following the move. The road is not smooth. Sometimes it can be very rocky, is covered by protruding tree trunks or its sand is so grainy that the motorcycle can barely move forward. My scared mind along with my effort to go with the 'rhytm' takes my worry of again riding a motorcycle. Phew! :D
At the designated place, it's like a night market minus the street vendors. 100 or more people are waiting in that small part of the beach, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sea turtle. Though many poeple are chatting, the beach remains dark. Visitors are not allowed to turn on the flashlights to the sea since the lights would keep the sea turtle from coming to the beach and laying their eggs. There is a small house there where some sea turtle eggs are hatched and later the babies are taken to the sea.
After waiting for almost one hour sitting on any flat surface we can find and accompanied by fire ants (!!!), we have a sign from the sea turtle spectator leader to go closer to a specific part of the beach. We have to pass the thick beach sand in the dark and the trip seem so endless. Even after we arrive at the appointed part of the beach, we have to wait for a half hour. It is said that we could only see the turtle after it already lays 60% of its eggs.
Then, that signal! People are jolted and they run like crazy to a small hill behind us. I could see the flashes of cameras, I mean hundreds of flashes, surround a hole which I could barely see because there are so many people circling it. They just are not satisfied that easily! After looking at the turtle a while, one is expected to stand back and give the others a chance to also see it, right? Well, nooooo!!! They stay near the turtle long enough and even have a ride on the poor creature to have their pics taken. That's just so sad. So sad.... :(The sea turtle is quite different from their fellow friend from ashore. Its head cannot be hidden and it has 'flips' that could throw away a person meters away. And what about its teeth? They can cut a person's hand just like that *snap*. That's why when we take the pictures, the turtle 'police' covers the head with his army-look hat to avoid the spectators from being bitten by the sea turtle. :D
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