A hidden paradise - my journey to my friend's hometown

Long time not seen!

I think my last post was sometime last year in summer. Since then, a lot has happened. After returning to Germany, I worked for six months to fulfill another dream: working in a surf camp in Bali!

I started in January this year. A lot happened at that time. Lots of fun, lots of surfing, great people, and then unfortunately, Corona came.

The camp closed in April, and I had free time. Well, unfortunately, all the beaches, bars, and many restaurants were closed in Bali too. Nevertheless, I decided to stay there and see what happens. There isn't much to tell, I had my little group of friends who became like family to me. We spent day and night together, and I already miss them. When the beaches gradually reopened (well, not really, but they were open for surfing for most people 😜), I met Fabian (shortly called Bian).

As surf instructors, we instantly bonded over our love for surfing. Long story short: he came and stayed 😂

But life in Bali is tough for him and his friends (no tourists, no jobs), so we decided to fly to his hometown.

Bian is from Siberut, West Sumatra, the largest island of a group of islands called the Mentawai Islands. From here, it's just a stone's throw away from one of the world's best surf spots.

So we packed our bags and left our friends and Bali behind to visit Bian's family in Siberut and, of course, to surf. I will write a separate post about this.

After arriving in Padang, we stayed there for 2 nights to take the fast boat to Siberut on Saturdays.

After 5-6 hours with a stopover, we arrived in Siberut City. We stayed there for a few days with Bians's brother and then spent several days in Nyang Nyang to do some surfing. After that, Piter (Bian's oldest brother) picked us up by boat, and we headed to Masi, South-West Siberut, in the middle of nowhere.

When we arrived in Masi, half the village came to greet us. The welcome was warm, but still cautious - after all, these Mentawains have never really seen Western people. So, off we went to Bian's sister Liza, where we stayed for a few days before going to Sagulubbeg, where Bian spent most of his youth if he didn't have to go to school in Siberut City. Sagulubbeg is about a 30-40 minute scooter ride from Masi. Many people walk through the jungle. The path is bumpy, muddy, and not easy. I have no idea how Bian managed to get me and my luggage there alive on the motorcycle. Sometimes, I just closed my eyes.

When we arrived, the first few days were a big adjustment. No electricity, water from the well, and sleeping on the floor. At least here, I had a phone connection compared to Masi.

Early in the morning, the Mentawains start their day. The alarm usually goes off at around 5:30 or 6:00 am to prepare breakfast and pack lunch for the guys who go into the jungle to collect cloves. On the first day, I accompanied the brothers, but it became clear to me: "How the hell am I going to climb up this tall tree?" The others climb the tall trees easily and sit in the branches like monkeys to collect the blossoms. Without any safety measures. From now on, I prefer to stay at home.

Initially, it's a big adjustment for me. Waiting for the "man" to come home, and us girls washing and cooking. Well, what else is there to do, and on the other hand, I'm learning to cook Indonesian food. And we spend our day with other things.

So what to do if not cooking or eating? The nature here is breathtaking. Untouched beaches, and no matter where you walk, you are surrounded by palm trees or other tropical plants.

So to speak, we live in the jungle, but the beach is just a stone's throw away. We walked to waterfalls, swam in the sea without seeing another soul. It's just a shame that my surfboard is still in Masi. The waves here are amazing!

And like all Indonesians, we don't eat 2-3 times here, but at least 4 times. In the morning, we have pisang goreng (boiled or fried bananas), then rice with meat or fish. When the men come home, something sweet made from rice, bananas, or sago.

Sago is a starch made from the sago palm that is used for baking, cooking, and other purposes. Most of the food in Mentawai consists of sago, as rice is expensive here and needs to be purchased, while sago is free. Most Mentawains earn their living as farmers, picking cloves, collecting coconuts, or fishing. You can't call these provincials lazy at all, as the Mentawains work physically hard 6-7 days a week as long as it's daylight.

Back to the daily routine. In the evening, we mostly have meat or fish again with rice or sago (grilled in bamboo). We all eat together, usually in a circle on the floor, even though there is a table.

After a week of hard work for the guys, we all go back to Masi. Because now, we're going to Tonos's brother's wedding, which is the actual reason we came here 😂

Even though I met many Sikerei (indigenous Mentawai people) by then, I'm excited to see how a traditional Mentawaian wedding takes place. Since the Sikerei are very spiritual and connected to nature, this wedding will definitely be very different from anything I have ever seen.

Stay tuned! (Depending on when I will have internet again) 🤷🏼‍♀️