Back in Palembang

It has been 3 days since I came back to Palembang from Brisbane.

When I first arrived, I could feel my ears burning as the heat was scorching! It happened to me everytime I come out from the Palembang airport. Maybe it is the temperature difference between Kuala Lumpur (my transit airport) and Palembang? It would normally take me a day before I get adapted to the heat again. Of course, a cold shower helps....;)

2 days prior to my arrival, Padang had an over 7.0 Richter Scale earthquake that killed almost 150 (still counting as of today) and buried thousands. Kuala Lumpur and Singapore also had aftershocks. My boss sms'd me to ask how was Palembang. When I checked with the locals, they mentioned that they did not even noticed there was an earthquake.

However in 2007 when the quake hit Bengkulu (western Sumatra as well but nearer to Palembang), I felt the ground shaking and felt as if my head was spinning. There were no damages to Palembang but Bengkulu suffered.

In mass today, the priest gave a sermon stating that we should not hestitate to do what we feel like doing (but not being impulsive though). He stated that after the quake hit Padang, Australia immediately dispatched vessels to Padang to provide help. Aid reached Padang after 6 hours but it took the Indonesian government 1 day before help was dispatched. Isn't it ironic that foreign help reached Padang at a faster pace? I think the priest was pretty witty to take a swipe during his sermon at the local government for hesitating on this matter.

Anyway, we pray that the casualties from this disaster do not pile up and pray that all anxieties experienced by the people in Padang could be reduced. God bless.