The boat to Manado. Departs at 9. ..or sometime… 9.30 ..oh yes,  soon.

It is very warm and sticky; where to sit? We  started in the sun on the bow, when we  got impossibly drenched in sweat we retreated inside  to shade  and the accompanying engine noise.

Including us there is  eleven backpackers, twice as many locals and then the rest of the boat is  filled with bales of  empty beer bottles. That’s definitely a sign of Bunaken’s  tourist economy. An Indonesian said “so much beer” in a reproving tone. I did feel I should have said ” I didn’t drink them all myself” maybe she thought this handful of backpackers was responsible for all of it.

We met Sven’s driver at the port. The app everyone  is using for bank transfer here (wise transfer) was new to us. And the internet was too slow to download it. Steve had to get the cash out of the ATM in 8 transactions . In a smaller denomination. It was a very  conspicuous wad of 200 notes, 5cm thick that we had to hand over.

Steve’s summary;

Currently on the slow public boat back to Manado. Its wooden, about 30m long, 30 or so human passengers, couple of motorbikes and a few thousand empty beer bottles. Powered by three small outboards. Maybe 30hp each