Boating Adventure: Fishing Around Charna Island

The Catch!

When the most of the city was busy in doing justice with the sacrificial meat, I thought of making a sea trip and discussed the idea with Tariq (University senior) and Waqar (work colleague) who asked me earlier if we could go somewhere during the long Eid holidays. I contacted the same boatman we made the Oyster Trip with. He told me that it would atleast need 15-20 people to justify the cost! So I contacted the family and friends around and got an overwhelming response to make a group of 17 adventurous souls.

It was a long day out; challenging and exhausting especially when most of us were not used to of sea voyages but at the end of the day it turned out to be a fully rewarding adventure.

We planned the trip early in the morning and everybody was punctual enough to make it to Kemari when the muezzin was calling for Fajar prayers. It took us some time to leave the port as the boatman could not arrange supplies in time. He had the valid excuse too as markets were closed due to Eid Holidays and then he might not be expecting us to be this prompt.

Things settled down once we reached the calm waters of the open sea after getting out of the rather turbulent Kemari-Manora channel. We sailed eventlessly along Karachi’s coastline and crossed Manora, Sands Pit, Hawks Bay, Cape Mount, Mubarak Village, Hubco Power Plant, and finally anchored near Charna.

Before the trip I thought we would be able to step on the island as was in the case of Oyster but it was impossible for the boat to dock there due to hidden underwater rocks. However, it was the fishing experience which made everyone’s day. Frankly speaking, it was my first fishing experience but as soon as I dropped the string I felt there was something. I was too excited and started screaming, forgetting to pull it back until a friend intervened. And believe me, I caught two fish in one go and that too in my first attempt – which must be some sort of a world record!

Soon there was exhilaration all around as almost everybody managed to bring something out of the sea. Fatima was the winner with a ~2kg Parrot Fish and ~1kg Sole Fish along with many other colorful varieties. In fact, it was amazing to see so colorful fish variety and an evidence why Charna is a favorite among scuba divers and snorkelers.

We were also accompanied by Oliver, my Couchsurfing guest from the UK and an avid traveler.

The return journey was more pleasant and cooler. Luckily, it was the full moon night and the sky was also clear. For the first time in my life, I saw the sun setting in the West and in the meantime full moon rising from the East. An experience of the lifetime!

Angler's Club with their Catch and Charna in the Background

Sunset Colors

Another Sunset Shot

And the Moonrise

Kemari Port

 Kemari - Charna Excursion Highlights 

View Larger Map

A = Kmeari, B = Charna Island

  

Date: Saturday, October 19, 2013

Voyagers: 17 + 5 kids – Tariq’s Family, Waqar’s Family and his Cousins, Imran’s Family, Mine too, Oliver from UK, Nasreen and Fatima, Dr. Iqbal, Dr. Moeed, Nadeem, and Noman + 4 sailors

Catch: Parrotfish (Popat/Totamachi), Bream ((Dandia), Sole Fish, Red Snapper (Heera) and a variety of other colorful fish

Cost Per Head: Rs. 2,100 per person including 3 meals and fishing accessories, etc.

Food Menu (included): Breakfast; Prawn Biryani (Lunch); Prawn Karhai and Fried Fish (Dinner)

Timeline

05:00     Left Home

06:00     Reached Kemari

07:00     Got Onboard

08:00     Left Kemari

10:00     Crossed Manora; Breakfast Onboard

13:00     Reached Charna, Anchored, and Started Fishing

14:00     Lunch Onboard

16:00     Left Charna and Started the Return Journey

20:00     Anchored Near Manora for Dinner

22:00     Back to Kemari

23:00     Back Home

Lessons Learned: Food

Instead of 3, 1 meal, i.e. lunch, could have easily sufficed as all of us lost the appetite for dinner. For the breakfast, homemade sandwiches might have done better as well. Carrying seasonal fruits, especially citrus, would have also helped sea sickness.

Other Useful Tips

Carry your CNICs/Passports which will be checked at the check post

We got parking inside the jetty although there is a private secured parking outside also

Take tamarind (imli) along which is a local remedy for sea sickness

Photo Credits: Nadeem, Moeed, and Myself

(Travelogue) Oriental Outings Day 13: From Highlands to Low Ones

March 13, 2011 

A view from Penang Bridge

Getting early in the morning was tough in the chilly hill station but no choice. We had to take the first bus to Penang.

It was so early that hotel’s front door was closed and the staff was sleeping! Luckily, the side door was not locked and was wide enough to let our luggage through.

On the other side, it was an opportunity to catch birdsongs. Priceless indeed! A chance for self discovery. A moment to find out what nature is and if there is a creator. 

Life looked shorter and worthless!

That was peace and tranquility versus crazyness and hypermarkets. That moment I discovered how Arif Lohar got it 100% right! 

Misha sleeping tight

No Breakast!
Outside, most of the shops were yet to open depriving us from the much needed hot tea sips. Around the bus station, some vendors were selling homemade food stuff, from where I bought a few doughnuts to make up for the regular breakfast.

Waiting for the sun

Listening to Birdsongs

Of Bus Seats
There were a few bus companies running Cameron Highland – Penang route, all via Ipoh, out of which we selected Unititi Express. It cost us MYR 34 per person (~ USD 11), a little more than what others were quoting, but still reasonable for the 4-5 hours route. It was 2x2 seating arrangement, less comfortable than the 2x1 we found in the upward journey.

Cameron Highlands to Penang: inside the bus

A Scenin Jorney
The ride was scenic, and this time we were able to see a lot more, due to the daylight, than we could during the journey up the hills. Low height clouds were playing hide-and-seek with lush green valleys and sunrays started peeking into the vale making their way through dense mountainous skyline.

Medan Gopeng
After about two hours we reached Ipoh where the bus stopped at busy Medan Gopeng for 20 minutes. The bus station was bigger and a lot cleaner than the Medan Kidd, which we used for the earlier Ipoh – Cameron Highland passage, and consisted of a decent waiting area, a multi-story commercial building, and kiosks selling bus tickets.

Salespersons did not hesitate to try selling us tickets in a slogan style chanting, while we were walking around; an authentic Malay style which we observed elsewhere also! 

Medan Gopeng Ipoh

A salesperson in Medan Gopeng Ipoh

Ticket kiosks in Medan Gopeng Ipoh

Palm Oil

The second part of the journey was quite different from the first one; most of the times the bus ran through unending palm plantation, a major source of exports revenue of the Malay land, and at the same time a key element of import expenditures of my beloved homeland.

Just to mention, we Pakistanis consume around a billion dollar worth of foreign vegetable oil per annum; not a surprise in a society where the already soaked curry is topped up with a few spoons of fat and where doing so is still considered a status symbol!

Palm trees

Crossing a bridge

Bus Stations in Penang; Too Many

Before entering into the proper island, which is connected with the mainland via 13.5 km long Penang Bridge, the bus took a sojourn at Butterworth bus station. The bus took yet another stop at Prangine Mall, after getting into the island, which is located in Georgetown, the city center. We also got off here rather than going all the way to Sungai Nibong, island’s main bus station. 

Penang bridge (see top right)

Penang Bridge

Penang Bridge continues

Another view of Penang Bridge

Enjoying the scenery

Butterworth bus station, Penang

Go by Ear
Since Penang was the Plan B, in lieu of Taman Negara, so I took the risk of not booking a hotel in advance and rather decided to test Penang’s popular image of a tourist friendly place, which we did not found that wrong later during our stay. All I knew was to make it to Lebuh Chulia, or the Chulia Street, the main artery of Georgetown, to find an affordable place to stay for a couple of nights. 

Red, Hot, and Humid
We then took one of those red Rapid buses, which was quite doable even with that entire luggage. However, finding an accommodation was daunting while strolling the stuff and managing a temperature shock. It was sunny, hot, and humid – around 35-40 C – as compared to the cloudy, cool, and dry morning when we left the hill station!

Rapid red bus in Penang

Red bus had enough space for luggage!

View from the front screen

There's no 'Google' in the Real Life!
The search continued till we got drained out of energy! There seemed to be an issue with every place we glanced into, and the strategy to ‘go by ear’ started proving fatal, until we found Red Inn Heritage, a mid range accommodation which was in the final stages of finishing and decoration. An AC room – with free breakfast, running hot drinks and internet – was quite a deal in MYR 50 per night (~USD 17), which would easily go for MYR 100-150 once the place would be completely ready for commercial sale! 

Red Inn Heritage

Lounge of Red Inn Heritage

happy happy!!

Love Lane
The basic hotel is a comparatively upscale version of the old Red Heritage which is a popular backpackers’ dugout. Both are located on the infamous Love Lane, off Lebuh Chulia!

As everything in Penang, especially around Georgetown, has a history associated with it, the Love Lane is also a reminiscent of old colonial Penang as the neighborhood was then used by wealthy businessmen to provide their second, or third for that matter, wives with a hideout! 

A view of Lebuh Chulia

Food hawker

Chicken Tikka and the Palestinian Fellow
It took us a couple of hours more to settle down before going out for our first meal in Penang, which was too late to qualify for lunch and too early for the dinner! While we were having Chicken Tikka at Restoran Kassim Mustafa, a mid-range Arab looking man sat besides our table and started chitchat with us after exchanging Muslim greetings. He thought we are Arabs!

He further introduced himself as a Palestinian who had to abandon his family, with three kids, and the homeland as he was targeted by Israeli forces.

He told us that he was out of money even for the bus ticket for Kelantan, an east coast Malaysian province, where he is enrolled in a University. Though he did not bluntly ask for any monetary help which – frankly speaking – we were not even in a position to respond to while traveling, however, the incident kept ticking me for coming days.

After the meal, we took an easy stroll around the town till the sunset before getting back to the hotel as we wanted to have enough sleep to fully utilize the next day, our only full day in Penang.

See you tomorrow!

(Travelogue) Oriental Outings Day 8: Balinese Massage

March 8, 2011

It rained 5 out of 5 days we stayed in Bali, sometimes even twice a day, to constantly reminding us that we are having a tropical climate. Karachi - my home city - also enjoys the tropical pattern, however, it mostly remains arid here. And when it rains in the metropolis, Karachites starts pondering whether it is a blessing or a nuisance!

Clouds; business as usual

The Natural Laundary

On the other hand, showers are a part of the local life in Bali, as are Gods and monkeys; however, unlike the other two it meddles little into daily routines! Bikers put on silver colored plastic coveralls, whenever it starts drizzling, which are always there in the little store under their seats while pedestrians quickly open up their mini umbrellas. Likewise, the infrastructure is adequately planned; Stormwater system is in place to drain the water quickly into the surrounding sea. Weather also gets better after a downpour with fresh breeze and cooler temperature. Overall, rain acts like a natural laundry after which the island comes out rejuvenated and more magical!

Cure to the Backache

It was the backache, an obvious consequence of biking around the island, which brought us back from the heaven to the earth! That also gave us another reason to try out the generations old cure for physical ailments: the Balinese massage. Our bodies also required an overhaul before we would have started the Malaysian expedition which had to be strenuous, if nothing else!

The Way to Ubud

Journey continues

Going up the hill

Heading to Ubud

Finding an authentic massage based on the ancient techniques of pacifying both the body and the soul, rather than those sprawling rip-offs some of which do more than just the massage, was the main challenge. In our quest for the genuine, we headed to Ubud, island’s cultural center, and a more genuine reflection of the Balinese way of life. The word “Ubud” itself had been derived from the Balinese word “Ubad” which means “medicine” signifying the city’s role in providing with herbal plants and medicines to surrounding regions from centuries.

Easy Excuse

As soon as we joined the road to Ubud, we realized that the half a day trip, and that too including the treatment, is an injustice to this culturally active town. Urooba had been tempted by the enroute jewelry showrooms which specialize in the handcrafted silver ornaments; another reason to spend more time in the town. However, we could not take a sojourn as we had to reach back early to pack our luggage for the early morning flight the next day. Pitiless me!

Gua Gajah

It was a long ride, of more than one hour, during which we had to consult every now and then from locals whether we are going in the right direction. Even then we lost our way and only realized when the road sign told us that we were heading to Gua Gajah, the elephant cave! Luckily, we were not that off track and made it to our destination, i.e. Zen Spa off Hanoman Street, where we had taken a prior appointment.

Asking the right path

Whiffing Like a Botonical Garden

The ambiance was relaxing and cozy; a slow fountain besides the reception was adding to the serenity of the place, rooms were subtle yet clean with windows opening towards fragrant gardens, and above all the staff was humble and all local. The menu listed a host of tempting combinations but as a naïve audience we let the staff chose their favorites. After we finished, Misha also got a complimentary hot water floral bath as a prize for her patience and for making friends with one of the staff! The pleasure ended with a cup of herbal tea after we which we started the return journey whiffing like a botanical garden!

Finally we reached there

Outside of the spa

The Menue; all traditional

I love floral bath!

Something for the Aunt Brigade

That also gave Urooba a clue about the souvenir to take back for the platoon of Misha’s Aunts; Khalaas and Phoppos! So we stopped by at a famous store and the crazy shopping continued until we were left with few pennies of the local currency, just enough for our last dinner in Bali!

50 Means 50,000

Loaded with herbal scrubs, coconut soaps, and the related stuff, we were on our way back to the guesthouse when Urooba spotted a night market displaying local clothes. She made a quick peek and came back really excited that her favorite trouser is going cheap for 50 local bucks. That eventually turned out funny as the shopkeeper refused to sell the trouser for the quoted amount! Actually, in Indonesia vendors usually omit “thousand” to cut it short which created the hilarious situation. Actual price of the trouser was 50,000! And that was still reasonable!!

While packing for the morning flight to Kuala Lumpur we were fancying if we could have a couple of extra nights to enjoy the island up to the Northern coast without knowing that a devastating earthquake and tsunami had to hit the island in the coming days!

Our last dinner in Bali

(Travelogue) Oriental Outings Day 4: Attending World's Best Festival in Bali

Friday, March 04, 2011

World's Best Festival

The week long Bali fun begun right away as we arrived just in time to catch Nyepi - the Balinese New Year - which is one of the best festivals of the world, according to Lonely Planet!

Balinese calander tracks lunar pattern, similar to what Islamic and Chinese ones do although with different starting points. In 2011, the local New Year (Year 1933) had to fall on March 5, whereas the Hijri (Year 1432) and the Sino (Year 4708) calendars had already started on December 7 and February 3, respectively.

The majority of the residents follow Hinduism in the otherwise Muslim Indonesia. Hindusim in Bali is a different and a more primitive version of the religion as compared to the Indian one probably because of its intermingling with Buddhism and Animism. Unlike India, temples - called Pura - are mostly open air compounds and may also be found inside a house or along side a paddy field. The religion is mostly interwoven in perfomring arts and ubiquitous rituals which keeps the primitivity alive. 

Balinese New Year is one such ritual consists of two contrasting events; Ogoh-Ogoh parades, which is all about noise and craziness and the converse Nyepi Day, which is all silence and peace.

Go as Balinese Go
The cozy ambiance of Villa Purnama was just perfect to provide us with a peaceful sleep after a happening day yesterday and to make us ready for the fun to come.

After the late breakfast Putu handed over the motorbike keys with a brief coaching session for the basic self-start bike. As a trial, I made a round to the nearby market, which reminded me of good old college days when I used to have a 100cc Kawasaki! But for Urooba, that was the first time and she was both excited and concerned.

The motorbike experience in Bali

Motorbikes: The way to go in Bali

Hendra's invitation
All was set to start our Bali experience so we left the guesthouse for Sanur area’s McDonalds to meet Hendra and fellows, who invited us to participate live in the festival!

The whole island was in the seventh heaven preparing for the crazy evening. Our first motorbike experience, aorund clean narrow streets surrounded by green paddy fields, could not be any better amid the festivities and a sweet drizzling with the gentle breeze!

Men and women were roaming around in their traditional white clothes, children were busy giving Ogoh-Ogoh final touches, police in their typical black attire was controlling the traffic anticipating the festival, and temples were being decorated with the exceptional splendor!

Ogoh-Ogoh!

Don't get frightened up if you see an upsize and monsterous effigy on a Bali roadside with bulging eyes, ugly figure, devlish looks, and threating fingers: they are the Ogoh-Ogoh, an integral part of the New Year Eve. Every town has to craft their own intricately detailed monsters to be paraded around the town with an exotic show of color and noise. 

Ogoh Ogoh: The Red Devil

Ogoh Ogoh: They may be Animals!

Ogoh Ogoh: an aged one

Ogoh Ogoh: ready to destroy!

Ogoh Ogoh: Its coming!

Ogoh Ogoh: this one looks harmless!

Ogoh Ogoh: devils mela

Ogoh Ogoh: blood thirsty!

It looked like that there is a competition among residents, especially among youngsters, to craft the creepiest one! By doing the ritual, as per local myths, they intend to invite evil forces to their island! Think that Balinese are devil’s lovers? No, in fact they would bamboozle them with their next trick, called Nyepi! Yes, the next day, i.e. the New Year, all the islanders go in hiding to mislead those fiends as if there is no one living there and the island will be spared for another year!

A Balinese Home
Not surprisingly, we were the last to join the multihued troupe, at the meeting point, which included a Dutch couple on their university swap, an Indonesian-Dutch girl Rénia Sastrowidjojo on her work break, a Tunisian guy Khalil who was running away from the blood filled revolution back home, an American girl teaching English in Bali, Hendra’s friend Adi, and a couple of other energetic folks.

Hendra first took us to his home for some pre-festival customs, including putting on sarongs to cover the legs. Hendra's home perfectly representsa a characteristic Balinese home which consists of a combination of separately built structures, each of which provides for distinct facility. Usually, the South Eastern structure is designated for the temple. So, if you get lost in Bali just have a look to a nearby home to come back to the right track!

There are separate compounds for kitchen, common area, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Taking the advantage of being the eldest sibling, affable Hendra occupies the bedroom usually designated for parents!

Me wrapping sarung in Hendra's Home

Hendra's father performing rituals

Offerings made from colourful plants

Offerings decorated intricately

Basket outside home for the offerings

Hendra's mother explaining the ritual

Renia testing Bhasa!

The Festival Begins
While we were busy in exchanging notes with his father, his equally hospitable mother helped female travelers in wrapping up colorful sarongs and then we headed to the local community center, where the carnival was about to start. Every Banjar, a central community worship place, had been represented by a group of youngsters wearing identical shirts and carrying their deftly created Ogoh-Ogoh mounted on especially made bamboo carts. Before the procession, a formal ceremony was held; a man circumambulate the sacred stone with a torch in his hands while the priest recited the holy book and then the nuns sprinkled sanctified water on the participants. 

Ogoh Ogoh: its heavy

Rituals start in the Banjar

Attending the ceremony

Nun sprinkiling the sacred water

The ceremony concludes

The torch guy

Posing for the camera!

It was around sunset when the march proceeded to the main road with each group carrying their respective Ogog-Ogoh while the faction in black shirts was playing their instruments to enhance the ambiance. The momentum was building up tremendously and reached to its climax when a group lit up their torches. It was getting paranormal, as if we were taken centuries aback in a supernatural world! Whenever, the procession crossed a T-junction, and it crossed many of them, the groups carrying Ogoh-Ogoh had to make three dancing round in the anticlockwise direction. With those monstrous ogres, that was the craziest and the most difficult part of the show. 

Ogoh Ogoh: I am not scared!

Leaders in white; Hendra (second from the right)

The Red Brigade

Ogoh Ogoh: Procession starts

Ogoh Ogoh: coming closer

Ogoh Ogoh: Troupe in black

The atmosphere was more like any religious pageant in our part of the world, for instance Eid Miladun Nabi or Aashoora. Volunteers were controlling the traffic while a large number of locals were lined up besides the road and some of them were even peeking from the surrounding windows to catch a glimpse of it. Although we were enjoying that fully but it started getting endless. Misha was very excited initially, however, her energy level finally went down around half way and she slept in the baby carrier. After waking up she refused to be suspended anymore so we had to take turns for each furlong to carry her without any support. Finally, that ended up at a big junction where the participants danced till those monsters fell down signifying the defeat of the evil.

Torches around

Litting it up

Beating the drum

The Savior
Came the savior, Adi - Hendra’s trusted friend and a local Couch Surfer - as the guest cast was surrounded by one of the intimidating devils; hunger! He took all foreigner visitors to a nearby Makaan, a local roadside hotel for the dinner.

Modus operandi at the restaurant was somewhere in between the ala carte and the buffet. A variety of dishes, from vegetable to meat, were on the display, as in any buffet and can be chosen in any combination. But one can order only once, for a given price. The price depends on what and how many types of curry one adds to the rice; egg being the cheapest while fish one was the most expensive. Feel of the food was quite different what we experienced with Hadi in Singapore. Most importantly, and to our surprise, it was spicy and rich in taste, very close to Indian cuisine, so much so that the Dutch guy could not survive even the quarter plate!

Its spicy!

Khalil enjoyed the food

During the dinner, we had a good chat with the multicultural and affable Ranea, who belonged to Netherlands, however, her ancestors were from Indonesia. She told us that due to her local looks people start conversing with her in Bhasa which was funny as she had very little understanding of the lingo.


On our way back, we noticed the police had started putting barricades on the road due to the Neype next day. It also started raining heavily as soon as we departed the ways but we reached back to the gueshouse safely at around midnight where Putu and the other staff was standing outside the villa worried about crazy us!