Ambon - Nusalaut - Saparua

I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to write this, but I really wanted to share a little bit about our recent trip to Ambon. I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking, but let me just say—it was a wonderful trip.

Yes, we had a wonderful days in Ambon or in my beautiful small island - Ameth. It took us three hours from Tulehu (Ambon) to Ameth by a small boat. Lucky me, no waves. The name of island is Nusalaut and there are seven villages in that island

Yes, we had a beautiful time in Ambon, especially on my small and lovely island—Ameth. It took us three hours by small boat from Tulehu (Ambon) to Ameth. Lucky for me, the sea was calm and there were no waves. The island’s name is Nusalaut, and it’s home to seven villages.

One day, Alex and I went on a full-day adventure around Nusalaut, walking through all seven villages. We were joined by my three cousins. We started walking at 6:15 AM and got back home around 8 PM. The island is about 24 kilometers in circumference. It should’ve taken us about five hours, but we made several fun stops along the way.

Our first stop was in the village of Akong, where we had a drink called Sageru, made from the Mayang tree. Just a tip: don’t drink too much unless you want to get a little drunk! At the third village, Titaway, we stopped again for lunch, and Alex took a long nap on the beach—about three hours—before we continued our walk in the afternoon. We finally got back around 7 PM. So tired, but so happy!

Back on the main island of Ambon, we took a day trip to Natsepa Beach, where I had the famous Rujak Natsepa—a mix of tropical fruits like papaya, pineapple, guava, and mango, topped with crushed peanuts. Oh man, it was lekker!

You can only find this kind of rujak at Natsepa Beach, and it’s best enjoyed while watching the traditional Bambu Gila (Crazy Bamboo Dance). It’s a mystical performance where seven strong men hold a bamboo stick while a magician performs a ritual. So fascinating!

And you know what? I’ve never seen a blue sky as clear and bright as the one in Ambon. You don’t get that kind of sky in Jakarta—or Bogor, for that matter. I remember years ago, a friend from overseas told me that in his country, the sky is always blue, not grey and cloudy like here. The first time I really saw a deep blue sky was in Kings Park, Perth, back in 2004 on our wedding day. And now, during this holiday in Ambon, I saw that beautiful blue sky again.

Our flight from Jakarta to Ambon was smooth, even though it took six hours, with two transits in Surabaya and Makassar. We departed at 11 PM and arrived in Ambon at 7 AM local time. The return trip, though, was not so pleasant. We had a direct flight back to Jakarta, but the weather was bad the entire 3 hours and 20 minutes. Just five minutes before landing, I looked out the window and saw only grey skies.

Why is it that I never see my blue sky here in Jakarta?

Okay... I really need to sleep.