#sawu

My journey began after I grabbed my lonely planet guidebook and map of Indonesia, I've had a plan to go to East Nusa Tenggara, to see all the nice places with Komodo dragons as a highlight. During making plans where to go, I've found an island on the map that wasn't listed in a guidebook. It grasped my attention, I started to ask myself, what's there? is it worth to go to the place which is unknown for most people? Let's give it a try.

“My trip was something like this...”

I didn’t meet any person who can have knowledge about this island yet. I relied on myself and what was going to happen on my way there. I started from Lombok to Flores with huge ship. Then crossed Flores from west to east, to Maumere city. Took a ship to Kupang where my couchsurfing host was waiting for me. I've met her neighbor who was originally from mysterious island I was going to! I've had lots of luck to meet someone from there, I didn't expect it, but it happens very often, that when travelling you accidentaly meet people on your way who can show the further path. As my time in Kupang passed, I get into the boat to the island, I was few weeks ago afraid of, I was thinking if it's worth to go. Now is pure adventure, and I was happy to be there at the moment. Let's go to Savu island!

“Finally... Savu Island!”

I get out of the ship after tough journey, I couldn't sleep cause the ship was overcrowded and I was only foreigner on board. Everyone wanted to talk, get to know me alike where I'm from, where I am going, or in what purpose.

“No turis di sana mister, no hotel, no apa apa.” (no tourist, Sir. No hotel, nothing to see) I was thinking like, ‘Who cares?’

“Too beautiful to play with.”

After I landed. Everyone was so surprised seeing me there, maybe even more than I was at the time. Although I got someone from Kupang who can help me to interact with the people in the island, I honestly didn’t know how they would react on ‘bule’ coming to the village. It turned out that they were extremely happy to see me and helped me. I became a member of family and I lived with them in a traditional hut.

“Traditional house in the island”

After few days I knew all important people here, a teacher from local school, kepala desa (village chief) who arrived to the harbor to shake my hand, and a policeman who borrowed me his motorbike which got damaged after my lonely trip around island. I didn't realize the motorbike got very weak brakes which cause me slipped on one of the slopes and I crashed down from the hill. I got bleeding, in the middle of nowhere, no people around. But I've heard voices of people, they were running to me with help. And again something happened I did not expected. 100 meters from this place was house of a doctor whom I met near the harbor. I don't know how to call it, a miracle?

“I am officially Savu villager, hehe...”

Apart this situation, I've had really good time in here. I became a member of family, I was going for every event around, going fishing and drinking strong homemade rum with fishermen which was totally the best beverage I've tried, cooking together and talk only Indonesian cause none of them were able to speak English. I remember this moment for a long time.

“The people are so friendly though”

“Making traditional fabrics. Just imagine the complication of the pattern she made”

One more thing, apparently I couldn't get out of the island due to lack of the ships, one ship I was waiting for a week! And it got broken. No choice, had to stay one more week :) But I tell you something, If you are looking for a calm place and want to stay alone with your thoughts, not disturbed by mass tourism, this is exactly the place you are looking for. At the time I visited the island (2013) there were no place to sleep; the only possibility was to stay with a family. Still empty and beautiful island, free of tourism and greedy touts. Hahaha...

“Trapped in an island like this. Why not?”

My trip to the ‘wild part’ of Indonesia makes me realize that I've seen so many beautiful places, I've met many interesting people and still keep in touch with them. I had this opportunity to stay in culturally different country than mine, feeling the difference, trying to understand people there, how they live and how they think. But I was still missing something, I didn't have enough of explorations. These days, every interesting place is listed in a guidebook, that everyone can find it. It's so easy to travel with all these information given. And that was bothering me. That we all who come here, going through the same path, using the same services to reach the goal, there is nothing what can surprise you. I didn't believe in it and decided to travel out of the box.

“Sunset in Savu, see you Savu. Will see you again”

Written by:  Paweł Nowakowski Photos:  Paweł Nowakowski (Swiata Penetracja), eagle-eyed: Laily Lanisy (thelanisy.com), map: Wikipedia