In-flight entertainment

In which Beth continues on her trans-Papua adventure

My heightened anxiety at flying is not helped by the number of people who insist on using their mobile phones during the flight. I doubt there is enough electronic equipment on the aircraft for it to be a problem but it is disconcerting nonetheless. This seems to be endemic in Indonesia (though for all I know this happens everywhere now), the announcement 'raise your tables to their upright position' is accompanied by a series of chimes and Nokia polyphonia as all the SMS messages start pinging the newly activated mobile phones.

For all I know, mobile phones do not actually interfere with the navigation equipment (in those few planes here that are so equipped), but I am fairly sure that naked flames are a bad idea. A few days ago while on route to Nabire again I could suddenly smell smoke. I checked all the passengers to see who was smoking and to my pleasant surprise none were. I then thought that it must be the aircraft itself that was on fire somewhere but to my relief although at the same time my slight horror; I saw that it was in fact the pilot who was enjoying a kretek (clove cigarette).

As usual with traveling alone in Indonesia, you are never really alone. There is always someone sitting next to you who takes a keen interest in your life story. This is almost an exact record of the exchange between myself and my neighbour my last flight from Nabire to Biak:

We introduced ourselves and chatted about where I live and what kind of work I am doing. I am asked if I am married and then where my husband is from. This is followed by what the conversation is really about (it usually comes down to this) - children. I am asked if I have any, followed by how long I have been married. This gives them context, as ideally you should aim to have children within the first year of marriage so the longer you are married without children the more worrying it is to locals. Genuine concern is shown about what this must be doing to the marriage. I am told it is in God's hands. There is a break in the conversation and I go back to reading my book. A few minutes later, he asks if we are properly trying, by that he means having sex. It is very common for complete strangers to ask such personal questions so I am used to it, but it still makes me chuckle. I go back to my book for a few moments more. “Have you been checked out by a doctor to make sure everything is working?” Again, a little personal, but I find myself answering honestly that no we haven’t been to a doctor and he along with a number of other passengers who have been eavesdropping start to become more concerned and suggest we go see a doctor immediately. I go back to reading my book; “you are always apart, that is why it isn’t working.” The passengers nod in approval at this latest suggestion and I tell them that yes we are away with work a lot but that they shouldn’t worry themselves about it anymore. A few more paragraphs are read before, “you need to tell your boss that you need to ‘make baby’ and he will give you time off work.” He informs me that is what he did and his boss agreed about the importance of making babies and so he got the time off and it worked, he now has two children.

I thank the passengers for their useful advice, and everyone returns to separate conversations, speculating on the fecundity of westerners and the irony of all these childless white women flying around Indonesia to oversee family planning projects.

Comments

[Maggie]

Great story Beth! I had much the same experience when I lied to a Jakartan taxi driver who was getting a bit sleezy on me. I told him I was married hoping he would stop talking but ended up in just this kind of conversation you described. It's amazing how predictable it becomes. I don't know how the western woman can win in this situation and just try to enjoy her book. I've read more fiction novels as a full time student in Toronto than in my time in Indonesia. Then again it's nice to think back to all the characters one meets along the way- valuable content for anyone interested in writing as you two have proven. I think next time you need to bring an audio book with you and listen to it on an ipod (I can send you some!). No guarantees that it wil stop the curiosity of an Indonesian though!

Miss you both, Maggie.
p.s. did you get my last email?

[Aileen]

Darling Beth! Do come home - nobody speaks to you on Public Transport here except to ask rather threatenly if you are "fuckin' lookin' at" them - without all that appropriate punctuation.
Come home anyway cos I miss you both and life in Britain is like a giant soap opera they just won't cancel, and i need you both here to laugh and cry with me. Dom, I have saved loads of Private Eyes for you as you would never believe me if I told you.
When are you coming back???

[Mark H (Darwin)]

Very amusing Beth!
Now the serious question: have you seen the doctor yet?
And what about Dom? Those Papuan passengers were SO sexist to assume that it is you with a medical problem!