12 hours on ferry Berlin Nakroma to Oecusse
On the 26th of April, exactly at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon, the three of us, Matt, Sarah and I went to the port of Dili on a car provided by ICFJ. We were amazed with the crowded right at the front gate of the port, and we realized that we would have to squeeze together with these people in line and wait for the chance to get into the port area where a ferry, the Berlin Nakroma, was waiting for us.
Without much struggle, we managed to get on board. One of the ship’s crew greeted and gave us the key to the cabin where we stayed for the night as the trip takes about twelve hours to get to Oecusse. Sarah had a separate room, while Matt and I shared a cabin with two beds.
We put our stuffs in the room and got a walk around for fresh air, and after finished smoking a cigarette, I then walked back to cabin where I met Sarah had just got out of her room and she asked me, “Where’s the bathroom?,” and I answered, “well, I’ve got no idea, but lets find out!”
We took a walk around, downstairs, and finally we found them nearby a corridor where the other passengers were sitting and watching TV with an Indonesian television program on the screen. At the same time, we also found the small canteen where we could have hot water for coffee or to buy snacks, but it usually opens at 6 pm so we went back upstairs.
After finishing another stick of cigarette, I went back to our room where I saw Matt was working on his news writing. I had a look at it for a while then I turned on the TV.
I didn’t really know what to do on the ship, so I walked around again and again, then I saw Sarah on the other side of the ship, we had a chat for a while and stared at the dolphins jumping in and out of the sea in the distance. We hoped that the dolphins could get near the ship but they didn’t.
I kept hanging around, back and forth until sunset and I went back to the room. There, I saw Matt lying down on his bed while watching TV and he offered some snacks to me that he bought before.
As the time went by, I just realized that I couldn’t close my eyes; I went downstairs and buy a cup of coffee where I saw a bunch of people at the rear side of the ship smoking and drinking coffee as I was.
So I joined them, and we had a chat and we spent our time, laughing and smoking, until the clock said “it’s midnight.” I greeted the people good night then I went back to the room. I saw Matt was already asleep then I climbed up to my bed and fell asleep.
I never saw Sarah during the night, so she must had a very good sleep.
I woke up when I heard the ship’s horning, I opened the curtain and looked outside but I couldn’t see anything. My phone vibrated, it’s the alarm and it’s 5 am, that means we were about to get to Oecusse port. Matt had already awake as well. And we greeted each other good morning.
Wondering to see how the port looks like, I got out of the room, and rushed my way to left side of the ship, I saw nothing. It was dark. Then I rushed to the right side of the ship, I saw many people holding candles at the sea shore. I thought that it was probably a blackout that’s why people did it to show the ship that the port is still there.
I was amazed, looking at the candles. I accidentally heard two guys talked to each other, “they are waiting for one of their family who died in Dili’s national hospital yesterday,” said the taller guy.
“What?????” then I assured myself by asking these men, “is the body on board with us?” the other man replied, “yes.”
I became temporarily numb, and I couldn’t move for a moment. After gaining control over myself, I walked back to the room.
“We are almost there,” I told Matt. Then I walked to Sarah’s room and knocked on the door, she opened up the door, “good morning, I just woke up,” she said.
I never told Matt and Sarah about it.
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