True to Telunas

True went on his annual class trip, this time to an island that belongs to Indonesia.

Anna got up before dawn to deliver him to school where a bus was waiting.

He climbed on board ...

... the bus turned around ...

... and he was off to the airport.

He is now at Telunas beach on Sugi Island - or Pulau Sugi in Malay, the language spoken there. Sugi Island is part of the Riau Archipelago, which once included Singapore and was part of the Johor Sultanate. The sultanate was split under the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. The sultanate still exists as one of the Malay states though the sultan now plays a largely ceremonial role.

Malaysia and Indonesia, or course, are predominantly Muslim. Islam was carried to the islands by traders from Gujurat in western India during the 13th century.

This is a picture taken from the Internet of the place he is staying - though they are spending time working with villagers elsewhere.

It looks lovely.

You can swim right off your bedroom, I guess.

This is a stormy season however and, while hot, it's likely to be cloudy. I'm hoping he brings back some pictures to show us what it was like.