Outing: Bodogol, Lido Sukabumi, July 12 - 13
29 August 2003, by: Unie; translated by Metty

Best adventures cannot be planned, they just happen

 

At last, 1001buku had its first outing activity. The activity took place at Pusat Pelatihan Konservasi Alam Bodogol (Bodogol Nature Conservation Training Center) in Lido, Sukabumi, on July 12-13, 2003. Several participants who had already registered had to excuse themselves for not coming, either because of health reason or other more important causes. But that did not discourage the others to continue the program. As many as twenty two people showed up on the D-day. They were grouped into 5 teams consisting of:

1. Maya?s Taruna Team: It included Maya (the car?s owner who also functioned herself as the driver), Melvi, Affan, Amin, and Unie. The team started the journey from ILP Pancoran at 8.15 AM. This team served as the leader team. It had to be the first to reach the outing location to make sure everything at the location ready before the others arrived.
2. Fufu?s Green Panther Team: Fuad drove his car accompanied by Wien, Arum, Dewi, Ade, and Mbak Upik. They left Kebalen at noon and arrived at Bodogol at around 5 pm.
3. Indratri?s Blue Panther Team: The team had the owner of the car, Indra, as the driver and Givari (Indra?s nephew), Mbak Dwee, and Mbak Lastri as the passengers. They left Jakarta at noon and reached the location in the evening.
4. Mbak Tiur?s Escudo Team: The team had a driver drive the car, while Mbak Tiur and the rest of the team (Caca, Tika, and Rianto ? all are Mbak Tiur?s nieces and nephew) enjoyed the journey as passengers. The team left in the morning and got to Bodogol at noon.
5. Kebalen?s Taruna Team: Mbak Meidy (the Taruna?s owner), Mpok Tusy (the driver), and Mbak Vera made up the team. Unlike the others who had arrived at Bodogol on Saturday, this team left on Sunday morning and reached Bodogol at noon.

A warm and sweet smile greeted the teams as they arrived at Bodogol on Saturday afternoon. It was Mas Akbar of CI who greeted everybody with his charming smile (He was charming already without the smile!). After having lunch, we chanced to take a light walk to a nearby waterfall. We had to pass through a quite dense pine forest and there? a mental picture of Mirkwood Legolas forest from that Lord of the Rings movie suddenly popped up in my mind, ha-ha. The waterfall fell from the height of approximately 6 meters. Its current was not too strong. It was a bit dark there because the area was surrounded by a bunch of big trees. It was said that after the care of the waterfall had been handed over by the Forestry Ministry to the National Park, the trees in the area were forbidden to cut. It was a good decision, I say. Amin who acted like a true professional photographer immediately got his camera into action and made us feel like real photo models.

 

Then, it was due to us to leave the waterfall area. It was surely a journey full of hardship since we had to climb up the path. Some of us were instantaneously reminded of how old they had been; I was definitely not one of them, though. Mbak Tiur maintained her Energizer-battery high spirit, while Melvi was seen at times ready to faint. She lose to Caca and Tika who - in spite of the fact that they were merely 5^th graders in elementary school - managed to run merrily to the pendopo (a house without wall used for gathering). Afterwards we took a short break to have some tea and snacks that Maya and Mbak Tiur had brought. I can tell you, having tea in the middle of a forest, accompanied by voices from the forest which, well, was sometimes overwhelmed by our loud laughter ? so loud some animals would have scurried away - surely created a unique sensation.

 

A little while after that, the other teams arrived. It was great to see those tired faces appear before us. They must have groaned for having to climb up to pendopo from the parking lot, ha-ha?. The serene pendopo of PPKA Bodogol was instantly transformed into a noisy place. It was like having had the hilarious 1001buku SPD (sort-pack-distribute) program moved to Bodogol at that moment.

 

At 7, dinner ? la Bodogol was served. The sambal (ground chili) was uenak tenan (wonderful)!

 

Programs such as Management Conflict, Mbak Upik?s farewell party, and Dwee?s inauguration as the new PJK which had been brought up by the fellow volunteers, were eventually not run because the numerous volunteers who usually showed up at 1001buku programs were no where to be found. But we remained happy. So, we spent the rest of the night by making conversations and gossiping. Mbak Lastri who was a new member to the community surely set aside any reserved feeling she had and promptly blended with the other volunteers.

 

After dinner, Mas Akbar explained to us about PPKA Bodogol and the importance of conservation. Well, well, it turned out that our society had a little awareness of the importance of a bio-friendly life. It was lucky for us to have people like Mas Akbar and his friends in Bodogol sharing knowledge upon the subject.

Mas Akbar also described to us about the trip we were going to have the next day. Having been explained about it, Mbak Arum asked right away for a three-night lost-with-Mas Akbar package. Well, not only her, but I also wanted to have the package if there had been one, ha-ha.

 

At around 9 pm, we made bonfire and roasted some corncobs. The corncobs tasted great as they were just harvested. Meanwhile Fufu had transformed himself from the Favorite Driver to Knight with Guitar. His fingers danced swiftly among the strings of a guitar borrowed from local people. The singer was none other than the phenomenal arek Suroboyo (Surabayan girl) Arum Daratista. Only this time she had a match rival from the land of Minang: Upik Djalin. Maya and the rest of the teams joined in and we made 1001buku choir. I didn?t know how many nightly creatures fainting, having heard our voices, ha-ha?.

 

Actually we wanted to stay up until morning, but we had to reserve our energy for the next day?s program. So off we went to our rooms, washed our hands and feet, did our prayer, and dozed off. There were eight bunk beds in a room, making us feel like we?d been in a boarding school. As the night was getting late and the sound of the nightly insects growing louder, each of us was busied with our own dreams.

 

***

 

After breakfast the following morning, we were gathered in an empty lot to have the Canopy Walk program started. Before we got on with the program, we played some games first. The first game required us to count one, two, three and onwards; one count for each person. Then, we were asked to hold hands. For those whose number was mentioned, they had to drop their body forward while the others who had the other numbers must hold the falling member from actually falling. This game was meant to prepare us for the main activity.

 

The second game was called the ?Unfortunate Seven?: Each of us was to take a numbered paper scroll from a box and remember the number written on the scroll. Then, a number was called out loud and the person who had picked the scroll with the mentioned number should jump and keep his body in the air. She/he was to receive aid from the other members of the team to keep her/him in the air. Imagine how difficult it had been when we had a weighty person to be kept afloat. When number 7 was mentioned, everybody in the line in front of me altogether jumped! Of course they all fell as the rest of us could not hold them all afloat. The moral of the game was that we need floral diversity for without it, we would not be able to give and take. If there was only one tree available, then when that tree got ill, all of us would get ill as well.

 

After the game, we were grouped into 2 teams. Each team was led by two guides. Team 1 consisted of Mbak Upik, Mbak Arum, Melvi, Mbak Tiur, Caca, Tika, Amin, Affan, Mbak Lastri, Dewi, and Wien. Mbak Dwee, Indra, Fuad, Givari, Rianto, Maya, Ade, and Unie made up Team 2.

 

Firstly, they took us to check the road map and have a look at the course that we would take. The path spanned as far as 1.3 km and was made up of paving block, canopy walk, and pathways here and there. We were introduced to the diverse floral life in tropical rain forest. There was beringin pencekik tree whose life cycle had become the inspiring philosophy of one of the greatest political parties in Indonesia during the New Order. There were trees for drug. There were trees that always grew side by side but had entirely different efficacies. All related to and supported each other so the wellbeing of the forest where those trees lived could be preserved. We should help make sure that no evil hands disrupt them.

 

The canopy walk itself was a bridge connecting one tree to another. The height of the bridge was about 15 meters. It was built to help us study the habitat living on the forest floor without disturbing it. There used to be 4 bridges. However, as time wore off and the problem of lacking of fund emerged, there were 2 bridges left that could be used properly, which were bridge 1 and 4. While walking the path and studying the habitat, we also did our task of sticking leaves on papers we brought with double tapes. The leaves we may take were the fallen leaves, so we would not ruin the living plants.

 

Wow? there were so many lessons we learned from our journey. One sure thing was that we went home with an awareness of the importance to take care and nurse our environment.

 

After we had finished the walk, we returned to the pendopo to have a sip of warm sweet tea which was always readily available. I had the chance to have further discussion about children library with Mas Akbar. Beforehand we had talked a lot by phone about his wish to open such library in PPKA area for the local children. He further uttered his other wish to make some kind of mobile library using the PPKA operational vehicle. We certainly welcomed this idea, because it was the same as our main idea which we always carry along wherever we go: To spread the spirit and the idea of helping Indonesian children get some reading materials. Friends from faculty of biology of UGM Yogya who happened to conduct training in PPKA were as enthusiastic to become 1001buku volunteers. Fortunately I brought along some leftover Mangan flyers, so I distributed them. I had such a great time!!! Too bad not all of us joined this outing?.

 

One more thing. On the road home, we dropped by Makaroni Panggang, Bogor. The place was cool and the macaroni was extremely delicious! We split up there. Thanks everyone! It was a good thing to see the up lit face of my friends. It looked like they enjoyed the outing very much.

 

Fuad, Wien, Ade, Amin, Affan, Maya, Dewi, and I visited Mbak Lelita who had Saung Baca Barudak (Barudak reading quarters) to do our prayer (sholat). Afterwards we continued our trip to Saung Boogie Bogor. Maya and Wien immediately bought a pair of mountain sandals. Maya also wanted to buy a life vest, a row, and other equipments for wild water expedition. Wow, so stylish of her!

 

Alright guys, thanks for everything. I hope you all had a great time. You know, Mbak Tiur has asked for another outing. Well, got to find a cooler spot now?.

 

Noehoen (thanks).

 

Unie

Always have a lot of love for the children, books, especially for you guys!

May God bless our little soul?.