Great way to travel

I was told to arrive at the harbor at 6pm since the Pelni ship was leaving at 7pm. so i did as i was told. I should have known better. For 3 and 1/2 hours I waited along with hundreds of other passengers along the dock, waiting for our boat to arrive. all of us crammed together among boxes, bags, and luggage. little children going around selling boiled eggs and popcorn. And there i was the only foreign tourist. around 8:30 or so we spotted the lights of the Awu Ship, people began to cheer. The ship docked and porters began running up and down the walkway loading up boxes... the economy level doors opened and passengers started pouring out. The gate was still closed on our end but the crowds started shouting for them to open. The guard unlocked the gate and before he could get it even open a foot wide people started shoving and pushing their way through as if the ship would leave without them. As I walked toward the ship, well really i just got dragged along with the flow I could see the passengers who were trying to get off the boat being shoved aside. A woman, with her daughter and granddaughter were just standing there crying. I couldn't tell if they were waiting for someone to arrive and were crying in anticipation of seeing them or has just arrived and lost someone in the crowd.

Carefully I made my way up the walkway and people were running up and down to bring in the rest of their belongings. From the top of the ship I watched the crowd that looked like worker ants on a mission. At that moment I really was glad that I had bought a 2nd class ticket and in my room of 4 was guaranteed a spot. I don't think I would've had the energy to fight for my own little piece of floor in economy.

By 10 the ship had been loaded up and we set off. The next 20 hours were calm and uneventful. My 3 meals were included in the price of the ticket and I enjoyed sitting in the little dining area. The crew was even nice enough to put oprah on for me once everyone had finished lunch (its indescribable the feeling of hearing English on tv, if only it were the news instead - i feel completely oblivious to what's going on in the rest of the world).

I arrived Friday evening and spent the night at a small losmen in Makassar. The next morning I was taking the 9 hour bus ride to Tana Toraja.