Pied piper of Bima...
It's a picturesque scene as the plane, an ATR72, flies along the estuary. Forested green hills and mountains either side and fields of rice bordering the waters edge. Very scenic indeed and good photos too since the sun is in a favourable direction.
A very small regional airport with room for about 3 planes. It's the kind of place that might see just 2 or 3 flights in a day. Security doesn't seem to mind that passengers are mindlessly wandering around taking photos, posing with family beside the plane, and equally the baggage handlers don't seem that interested in handling bags. Eventually though bags arrive much to the relief of passengers and the waiting taxi drivers, their noses hard pressed against the glass barriers. Suddenly a man breaks through the glass doors, makes a grab for me muttering two hundred thousand before being given a hefty whack by security. On this occasion for safety's sake, the principles of budget travel are put to one side and I purchase an expensive taxi coupon from inside the arrivals hall before being escorted to the waiting vehicle. Unfortunately no bus information around here and asking will just yield false information - typically no bus for several hours as I found out earlier.
Good roads connecting the airport to Bima, the journey, about 15 minutes as we approach the outskirts. Not much in the way of traffic around here as we roll into the central area. I am dropped at a hotel, quite a pricy option according to adds displayed in the Airport. So, it's a hike around to find a guesthouse.
A local sidles up asking if I need help. I explain while he looks confused at words like guesthouse, small place to stay, but eventually we get there and away he leads, into an alleyway, down a small road and another alleyway. Clearly a residential part of town and to have a white tourist tramping around is creating quite some interest, particularly among local kids - it's like being the pied piper at times!
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