days 13 and 14

I missed a report last night!!!
I took the workers, who have been helping me for the last few weeks, out for a meal and drink.
And a bit of singing..
With tuesday having next to no sleep and not a lot last night, i was too tired.
had a picture taken with lawraz and Bunda last night..... don't know what to say?

I leave here soon.
Coming back as soon as possible.
There are lots of reasons.
Work is only one.

During the next few weeks I  am going to do a blog on Pacitan. Starting when I am back in old blighty (what, you may say?) Enough.

last pic is from last night, the three of us......

day 12

This will be short and sweet, bit like Lawraz (that's funny, not rude, honest).
believe it or not she kept me awake most of the night, talking... very funny.

Nobody will believe us!

That's it. Breakfast then work, but back to go to California with the lads from WME tonight.
And lawraz.

day 11

Oh these people... to be fair, not all but some are unreal..
I posted some pictures of a wedding on facebook, including a picture of me with one of the secretary's. Yes she is pretty, and she was wearing a stunning brocade outfit!!
Several lads were jealous, understandably, but done in good heart.
BUT, one person has taken it completely wrong, and put things on facebook suggesting that the girl and I have something going,....rubbish.

My secretary has said that batik has magic, and as she bought the shirt for me, I guess she should know. The things I still have to learn; one day.....

As for work, it appears to be done! What now I don't know. Leave it another couple of days and decide, no rush.
Hopefully todays picture will be me and Sari.. Well looks like no picture today, apparently there is a security warning, telling me I can onlt download pictures that I am allowed to.... as I took the picture on my phone, then downloaded onto my computer into my pictures, I am not sure what i can do... hohum...

day 10

That was a good day!
Went to a typical Javanese wedding. Superb clothes, music, food in fact great overall.
Met lots of PLN people, after all it was a PLN man getting married.
Also several people from Zelan, including my secretary, Adel. She is so sweet....
Had my picture taken with the bride and groom, same as last time! Very strange thing.
And had my picture taken with several random people. I suppose I am the first white man they have seen, so want a record of it. One man got me to stand between his two daughters and took pictures....

Lawraz said she had a horrible day, but she cheered up as we were talking. She has been learning about wine and other alcoholic beverages. She thought the cocktail 'sex on the beach' sounded great... what can I say, we are just friends after all..

OK, picture from the wedding should follow..

day 9

Another good day at work, nuff said.

Missed my little friend Ulfa tonight. It was raining and was too dangerous for her to be out on her moto.
She will call in tomorrow at 10.00am, before I go to a wedding. This will be my second javanese wedding and if it is anything like the last one it should be spectacular.

heard very little from my best friend today. I think I have done something very wrong in her eyes. It was not meant to upset or confuse anybody, another HUGE cultural difference.

Thats about it for today, except to say I have been watching Tron on dvd, good one

Todays picture is another one of Pacitan... except it's not..... that was strange, lets try again..

day 8

Well that was a strange day, work went well. People are surprised I am leaving. Lots say they will miss me, lets see...
getting my brain sorted out now.. I know where I am going, and how I will get there, and with whom.
I know what I want.
I can 'marry' in three months time, which will make a lot of things clear to a lot of people...
She said she is very happy. She will learn more English and I will learn Indonesian, that should help.After all you can't have an interpreter with you all the time!
And no it's not my friend, she is my friend.... but i suppose it means we can't sleep together any more.

Short today, lets try a picture of ummmm....Sevgi, congratulations xx

day 7

Sorting my brain out today.. the future for me is so mixed. I intend to return to Java, but whether to a job or with money, I don't know.
I keep thinking of different scenarios, an island, tourism, beach bar, work, unesco, fossils, bonsai, petrified wood.... it seems endless.
Also been thinking about my friend and the future. Everything involves her, work and play. Sometimes I fancy her, but most times she is just a good friend, very confusing.

Work today is coming on very well. The lads are working till 10pm, but i am not! Another couple of days and all will be finished. Don't know what I do then, just wait and see.
I still feel confident that something will come right....

OK, picture today....ummmm. How about wife? And me, of course.

day 6

Work first, going well, being thanked for my efforts..... bit late really.
I am still leaving, as far as I know, on the 10th April. I suppose I will have to get a ticket to fly!!!

It seems as if all the women/girls I know are ill. They all (yes, all) have complained of having aches and pains, flu like symptoms and generally being run down. They blame it on the weather, saying it is so cold.
I have to admit, I have not noticed. This is obviously a cultural difference that I was not aware of. It still seems far too hot to me, sorry everyone.

My friend... well haven't heard much from her today, she is one of the ones not feeling well. I have to admit her voice sounds strained. If you read this, get well soon...

I am going to try another picture of Kat.. wish me luck. DID IT, once again, she is the one with the dark hair, the other girl is Demi, known as the blonde with brains...

day 5

Tuesday, a reasonably good day at work. Things are being done, moving forward....
Even had the Construction Manager saying he will miss me!!

Upset my daughter last night by not talking to her, then treating her like a 10 year old.... stupid me!
All ok now.

As for my friend, she is so fed up today, bored in her words. Power cuts, darkness, alone, what more? Oh yes, rain.
had a closer look at the island I want to buy, I really want to buy it, really, really...
I probably have 4 prospective customers already, and I am only thinking about it.
This is going to work, I have no doubt.

if I can load a picture you should be able to see the island. Tasty, yes? And soon you will be able to spend two weeks on it, food and drink supplied...

day 4

Monday, my work is slow but coming on.. Things will be finished by the end of this week, I hope!
Still not sure if I am going back to England on the 10th, possibly staying another couple of months.

I have been invited to a wedding next weekend, Sunday, hopefully Lawraz can come with me, but, being a girly, she has nothing to wear.... seem to have heard that before.
If she can't then I will accompany my secretary, Adel. That will get so many people confused it's almost worth doing anyway! Apparently several girls in the office think she is in love with me! Just because we talk together a lot, she is my secretary for gods sake..

haven't heard from my friend today, hope she is ok. I will be ringing her soon, after I swap sim cards again!
Must have a conversation with my baby daughter first, haven't spoken to her for ages.
here is a picture of her and Demi, an adopted daughter. Kat has black hair. That is if I can download it, having trouble, so try again....I cannot get the pic I want so here is Kat on her own, I hope...No, another security warning..WHY? no pics, sorry

day 3

Today I went to Kudus, where my friend lives.
I had to wait for her for nearly two hours, but she is worth it, x
.Even if she won't share a jacusie with me...
Actually it was great fun, I think we both know that.
We also looked for beach huts/houses/bars.
Eventually i will return here and we will become business partners in a beach side venture.
I also saw the most amazing tropical storm. Lightning from at least three different directions at the same time, and thunder to match. Stunning to see and hear.
On the bus coming back I 'talked' to an Indonesian guy, even impressed myself with the amount I can get across with limited vocabulary.

Even though it is sunday I have been in touch with work, all is going well.

day 2

Boring day at work.. I am being kept away from almost everything, unless there is a problem hahaha.

my friend is not happy today! Someone used her notebook, and buggered all the settings. No wonder she is not in a good mood.
Tomorrow I will go to visit her, hopefully to cheer her up!
We meet in her hometown of Kudus, at a really nice place. We are so well known there that the security men greet me like a long lost friend.
Oh, my Sony Ericson W705 packed up today... I now have to swap sim cards to make cheap calls.
Just in case anyone wants to know, my eldest son is 36 tomorrow... makes me sound old, but I was just a boy when he was born!

My baby daughter is 18 soon. I will be back in England for her birthday. Back here soon after, I hope...
This is Lawraz enjoying herself in Kudus.

day one

I have been here, in Rembang, Java, for one year now. I am leaving in two weeks time.
I came here to help build a power station, but it is nearly complete so time to leave.
The place has captured me though.. not Rembang, but a place called Pacitan.
It has the biggest, quitest, most beautifull beaches I have seen.
And a very nice young woman called Lawraz.
She and I have become very close friends, just friends...
We trust each other 99.9%. As she said, she is a woman and I am a man, and we are both healthy, so who knows, maybe one day...
I had thought about changing it to 100%, but decided it was more fun the way it is....