the final morning

Our last night of packing was done with torchlight; the power off again due to inclement weather.  Our food supply was down to a few mangoes, so Gerry kindly invited us next door for some rice and vegies by the cold blue glow of a halogen solar light.  We had to wave our arms around every few minutes to reactivate the sensor.

Through a blur of tears I stare at the ocean, hoping to imprint an image on my retina that I can access whenever I close my eyes.  I don’t want to leave our simple shack that has become a home; the lagoon that rises and recedes like a visiting friend; the community that all know my name and forgive me for not remembering theirs; the sneezing goats, the digging pigs and the chooks.  A life where I see the phases of the moon and the pincushions of star light in a black sky, where we sleep with open walls and fresh air, and awake to gentle sounds of nature and daily village life.  I am apprehensive about returning to a society that thrives on busyness, competition and comparison. To fluorescent lights, pollution and excessive visual stimulation. However, I will not miss stinky gecko shit, cockroaches, mosquitoes or dust. 

Packing the house could be cranked out in a few hours, but it seems to be drawn out over days by the thought of what needs to be done. Normally on the final morning there is a rush to close the main pod up with tin sheets and tarps, but this year we are leaving it open so the living room floor can be sanded to remove the gloss varnish.  Next season we will be able to get away with less frequent cleaning – the dust will still be there, we just won’t be able to see it.



Before I sign off from Remote and Raw for this season, I will be sharing some photos from the archives and stories of village life that I didn't get time to post during the year.  I will also be upping the action over at Treacle for Stickybeaks and Crema and Crumbs.  We will be back sometime around March or April for another long stint in our tropical home.  Thanks for sharing our surf and raw food life in the backblocks of Indonesia.