First day in kendari

Greetings from Kendari

Kendari greeted me in full color this morning, and I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome after the journey it took to get here—more than 40 hours in total, including a 15-hour delay on a 17-hour flight from San Francisco to Singapore and three missed connections along the way. By the time I finally arrived last night, I was beyond exhausted.

But this morning, the city woke me up with its energy. At 7:30 a.m., the humid, sticky air quickly erased any craving for a hot latte, so I set out on foot in search of roti (bread).

The streets were already alive—motorbikes buzzing, vendors calling, a man bent over in a workshop filled with sewing machines.

Not long after, a young family of four pulled up beside me on their motorbike. The two boys, maybe six and eight, were dressed in crisp jujutsu uniforms. They hopped off eagerly, practicing their English and snapping selfies while their parents beamed. A few steps later, a young Muslim woman with a radiant smile handed me two sweet slices of pineapple. And just beyond, a couple in their twenties slowed their scooter, waved, then stopped to wait for me. When I reached them, they shyly asked if we could take a selfie together—laughing the whole time.

By the time I reached the bakery, I felt like a rockstar in a city I had only just arrived in. Kendari had greeted me with laughter, kindness, and curiosity—all before breakfast. After such a long and grueling trip, that warmth was exactly what I needed. The only thing missing? The stickers I usually carry for kids. Next time, I’ll be ready.