"Can we help you ?" The two men can't believe it: Marco and Aleko are already collecting the cacao seeds drying on big blue tarpaulins. Well, as we spend much of our time eating chocolate, we couldn't go on looking at them working under the heat (30° C) without doing anything.

Fermentation and drying seeds is a process that takes time and needs a lot of manpower. The fruit is broken in two parts, and seeds extracted by hand. The seeds, still white at that moment, are piled up and covered with banana leaves. They remain like that a few days, until they ferment and get brown with a peculiar taste (Marco tried : peculiar indeed !). The seeds are spread on the floor, dried with the sun, stocked and then sent to Java where they will be transformed to obtain the precious cacao pasta.

Because of the harmonization of European laws, and the lobby of major industrial groups (only worried about their profits), cacao pasta is progressively being replaced by substitution products (like soja lecithin - look on the next chocolate packaging you buy). A disaster for some Third-world countries, which economy is based on cacao exportation and also for us... Chocolate made with substitution products shouldn't be called chocolate anymore, should it ?

"Long hair... Long life!" Wherever I go in Indonesia, people tell me this. And now I don't feel like cutting them anymore ! (Aleko)

"I feel like being a tourist's attraction" when I walk down the streets, many people look at me with curiosity, smile and hail me, then talk between them. There may not be many strangers coming in this area... (Vale)

Means of transport in Lombok / Indonesia.

Overloaded BEMOS are minibuses that remind us those of Africa - where in addition of the driver, a young guy looks for customers, screaming the buses' destination. For a few km, a ride in a Bemo is 750 R. (75c US$).

OJEK: a moto-cab, where the passenger sits behind the pilot. It is advised to stay calm before taking one... The drive is quite frightening and depends on the drivers ability and experience. We tried one yesterday night... Its cost is about 1500 R. (1,5 US$) for 5 km.

The most original mean of transport is CIMODO, a multicolored coach, driven by a pony. 'Cimodo' comes from the contraction of 'Cika' - trolley - , 'Dokar' - Coach - and 'Mobil' - wheel or number plate. When we tried it for the first time, we thought it was another tourist attraction. But, looking around us, we saw that it is actually one of the most used means of transport. Its cost: 250 R. (25c US$)... See the video !