Dead spot and arrival in Sulawesi / Rammang Rammang

After a short break without internet, we're back and have a lot to tell! Our (for now) last morning in Singapore started with a traditional breakfast - Kaya (coconut and palm sugar) toast with poached eggs. After that, we explored the colorful Muslim neighborhood of Kampong Glam before heading to the airport. In the afternoon, we took off to Makassar in South Sulawesi!

Since we wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of Makassar, we first made our way to the town of Rammang Rammang, located slightly to the north. We arrived late in the evening and were warmly welcomed by our host Nasrul, whose brother prepared a feast of salted fish, vegetables, and rice for us even though it was late. The accommodation was very basic, but after a short adjustment period, even a pit toilet and a bucket of water served their purpose :) However, our night was not very restful. Apart from the heat, the muezzin in the nearby mosque started his call to prayer at 4:30 a.m. We sat in bed and prayed along. At least the chickens and goats couldn't wake us up anymore. By the way, South Sulawesi is heavily influenced by Islam. That's why our relationship status varies depending on the accommodation. If only married couples are allowed to stay, we're currently on our honeymoon. We are flexible.

However, the restless night was compensated the next morning with a breathtaking view of the surrounding karst hills and rice fields. After having Nasi Goreng for breakfast, we explored the area together with Nasrul. The region resembles Halong Bay in Vietnam because of the karst hills, but it is not located in the sea. He took us through the small village where we were a real eye-catcher. After visiting a small cave with bats, we took a short coffee break. The Eco-Cafe is a village meeting place but is also strongly committed to nature conservation, protecting the karst region from large cement factories and diligently collecting plastic waste. Plastic bottles filled with plastic are used here as 'plastic bricks' and pave the ground or are used as fences.

Afterwards, we explored the village of Kampoeng on stilts with a boat, hiked through the beautiful karst landscape, through the jungle, and visited another cave with huge stalagmites/stalactites. Huge was also the pan-sized spider that Nasrul showed us only after we passed it. Another highlight was jumping into the refreshing Angels Lake, a small groundwater pond.

But the best thing about this day was not a classic tourist attraction, but the English lesson for the village children. Twice a week, Nasrul teaches the kids in the aforementioned Eco-Cafe, and we had the honor of assisting. They were very excited and happy, and maybe the kids gave us even more with their laughter and thirst for knowledge.

We took it easy the next day, ventured out on our own, and looked at rock paintings. The son of the Eco-Cafe led us there after he changed his flip-flops. He had previously sunk them in a big pile of cow dung. We wanted to warn him, but what does caution mean in Indonesian again?

In the afternoon, we were a bit desperate looking for fresh fruit. Magnus went out to find mangoes or rambutan but was quickly caught by Nasrul's brother, who then brought him back on a scooter. It seems like word got around quickly that the 'bulle' (ironically the Indonesian word for tourist) was wandering around the village alone.

We ended the evening in a cafe on one of the surrounding hills and were rewarded with a magnificent sunset. For farewell, we had a great dinner with corn cakes, bamboo-coconut vegetables, and fried tofu. Because at 11 p.m., the night bus arrived and took us to our next destination, the Toraja Highlands further north!