So much for what started out as a good day. Satisfied but exhausted from three flights, hours walking around, and many different airports, I arrived on the island of Sulawesi in the town of Manado. I have to spend the night here before taking a boat to the tiny diving island of Bunaken tomorrow. I didn’t make any reservations for this night since I assumed that wouldn’t be an issue.
Well I was wrong. This is the only room that was available in this town. Yes you’re seeing the entire thing.
Let me start with its positives:
- It still has a ceiling
- It costs $4.
Other than that, this is a perverted little jail cell that barely fits me and my backpack. It is a microscopic box that has exactly the following: a desk, a window, a skinny bed, and a pillow. Did you hear me say towels? That’s because it doesn’t have them. Did you hear me say a fan? No, because it doesn’t. Did I say it had blankets? No, I did not.
I’m not too pleased with the environment either. There’s a guy moaning down the hall; someone is breaking glass bottles on the street outside; and to make things completely bizarre, there are a few white guys in orange HAZMAT suits walking around outside (no joke). What the hell is going on here?
And to top it off, I just pissed all over my feet in the public hole in the ground they call a toilet.
Good night.
Look at the positives, Amir. For $4 per night you can easily afford to stay there for another few days!
Nothing says “welcome to your room” like orange hazmats.
Eugene — I like that idea and will extend it, I will now sleep in the alley…but stay here till June. (Btw, I wish I took you up on your underwater camera offer. It kills me I can’t take photos underwater!)
Amir — I finally found out why they were there. Turns out, as we speak, there’s an All Asia preparedness conference going on, with actual mock disasters (with a focus on tsunami!) and the like. Suspicious timing.
such a complainer. look, we can ALL see the fine drapery. such a snob
hope you’re ok, just heard about the volcano in Sulawesi, hopefully you got out and are off somewhere else compiling your adventures for us
Lilly — I’m fine, thanks. Apparently there have been a few more earthquakes here, but I haven’t felt any of them…probably because I’m well underwater during all of them. After the doorway, it’s the safest place to be.