After 54 hours on passage, we reached Kelayang Beach, Beltitung in the middle of a four hour severe thunderstorm. Visibility was down to 20 yards and anchoring in gusty winds was no fun. The following day we organised refuelling and water. In the evening there was the Gala dinner with the Regent and all went well, except most nationalities had practised a performance, which they duly performed. Sadly the Brits were missed off the list so we could not sing "Spanish Ladies" and "Whisky Johnny". The following day we were taken on a tour with police escort. The lads in red above "became" horses and went into a trance until they were whipped to the ground. Very odd. A local said it did not hurt.
On the way back to the beach we visited a Chinese Buddhist Temple. On Wednesday morning, Graham, Liz, Kathy and I hired a car and took Novi, one of the guides provided, into the local big town. Here we had Ellida's AIS aerial repaired; I had taken Sal Darago too close to Ellida to return Graham's hat and our spinnaker pole had snapped the aerial. We bought Batik clothes for the party and did some shopping and admin. Graham and Liz both became ill during the day and were unable to catch the buses to the dinner with the President. The President also could not make it and neither could the Vice! However, there were seven government Ministers and quite a few speeches as well as live music and a banquet.
After 54 hours on passage, we reached Kelayang Beach, Beltitung in the middle of a four hour severe thunderstorm. Visibility was down to 20 yards and anchoring in gusty winds was no fun. The following day we organised refuelling and water. In the evening there was the Gala dinner with the Regent and all went well, except most nationalities had practised a performance, which they duly performed. Sadly the Brits were missed off the list so we could not sing "Spanish Ladies" and "Whisky Johnny". The following day we were taken on a tour with police escort. The lads in red above "became" horses and went into a trance until they were whipped to the ground. Very odd. A local said it did not hurt.
On the way back to the beach we visited a Chinese Buddhist Temple. On Wednesday morning, Graham, Liz, Kathy and I hired a car and took Novi, one of the guides provided, into the local big town. Here we had Ellida's AIS aerial repaired; I had taken Sal Darago too close to Ellida to return Graham's hat and our spinnaker pole had snapped the aerial. We bought Batik clothes for the party and did some shopping and admin. Graham and Liz both became ill during the day and were unable to catch the buses to the dinner with the President. The President also could not make it and neither could the Vice! However, there were seven government Ministers and quite a few speeches as well as live music and a banquet.
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