I Miss Palembang!

I can't believe it! It has been a year since we left Palembang and moved here to Brisbane.

For some reason, I had the date as 24 September in my head and was waiting for today to do a post on Palembang. It wasn't until I checked back to my post last September that I realized I was four days late!

Anyway, Palembang...

Aaron and I actually miss the place a lot and talk about it all the time. Aaron misses it a bit more than me though. He actually wants us to move back there. I don't think I would want to move there but I have been thinking about going back for a visit since the day we left!

Previously, AirAsia had extremely cheap daily flights from Kuala Lumpur. I always thought that I would hop on a plane and spend the weekend in Palembang whenever I happened to be in Malaysia. Unfortunately, and very puzzlingly, AirAsia has stopped that flight. It used to be a full flight, both ways! Needless to say, I was crushed when I heard that it going to be a lot more expensive and troublesome to get to there now.

For dinner tonight, I made our favorite food from Palembang, Perkedels, and we reminisced. I remember one particularly hot day, about three months into our stay there when I threw a huge and childish tantrum about how I hated the place. Who knew that I would grow to like it so much? Unless I tell myself to think of the things I didn't like about the place, I've completely forgotten about the heat, mosquitoes, blackouts, dirty water, dusty roads, hazy days, crowded shopping centers and Richard's five and a half day work weeks.

The easy memories are all good ones. Our two very helpful drivers and their huge smiles. Afternoons spent exploring the city on Angkots. Aaron having a very basic, yet rich toddlerhood there. Walking around the neighborhood in the mornings and evenings and chatting with all the neighbors. The Singaporean family we made friends with whom we spent many enjoyable weekends. (F, B & K, we miss you all!) Ooooh....and my weekly foot reflexology. So many good memories. Y'know, I even miss speaking in my broken Indonesian!

We tried to make an impact on the people's lives there but in the end, it was the people of Palembang that enriched our lives so greatly.

I miss Palembang! I need to go back for a visit some time!