For the closing of my 30th birthday, I decided to visit a sea turtle conservation and that I did for sure. Traveling by motorcycle from Padang to Pariaman for one and a half hour (almost 2 hours) in an unpleasant cloudy-rainy-cloudy-rainy weather, I finally made it at Konservasi Penyu for the closing of my 30th birthday.
After 31 October 2022 which is my actual birthday, there was always something special that I wanted to do for the celebration of my birthday. For this year, visiting a sea turtle conservation was one of the things to do on my bucket list. At first, I looked up on Google maps if there are any in Padang since I live here and found Konservasi Penyu Pantai Pasir Jambak, (Turtle Conservation, Pasir Jambak Beach) which takes approximately 45 minutes to reach by motorcycle.
On Sunday, the 6th of November 2022, I took my motorcycle and went there by myself, but as I arrived, the conservation was closed. I asked a nearby seller if she knows anything about Jambak Conservation and she explained to me that this isn’t for everyone to enter; it’s owned by a family and only family members are taking care of the area and the turtles. This conservation is only for breeding and releasing the baby sea turtles into the sea. The one for education and documentation where I can see from eggs till adult’s sea turtles and even the releasing of them into the sea, is located in Pariaman, named Konservasi Penyu (Sea Turtle Conservation) which takes about an hour to reach by motorcycle from Jambak Conservation. Since I didn’t plan to go, I decided to visit another day. But meanwhile I was at Jambak Conservation, I decided to stay for a bit longer enjoying the beach and its view, and went back to the dormitory.
On Sunday, the 13th of November 2022, one week after visiting Jambak Conservation, I went to Pariaman by motorcycle which took me around one and a half till two hours to reach. Through the unpleasant rainy weather, I finally made it. The moment I arrived, I felt so relieved. As I entered, I parked my motorcycle at the parking area and paid IDR 3.000,00 for entry. After paying my ticket, I started walking further looking around and at all the sea turtles. Konservasi Penyu surely is a clean place and has it all from an area where they hide the eggs in the sand until they hatch and could immediately crawl into a pond for them to start swimming instead of directly into the ocean. Adult sea turtles were also to be seen and some of them were sick as I noticed. To my surprised, they have their own sea turtle quarantine area for sick sea turtles.
As I continued walking and noticing that the road goes further in, it comes to my surprise that there was a mangrove park at a walking distance. While being here, I decided to take a look at it. The entry ticket costs the same, IDR 3.000,00. Yes, it is very cheap just as bringing a visit to the sea turtles’ conservation. Not to mention that both the conservation and the mangrove park are located near the seashore. So, after walking around the mangrove park, I walked to the beach which is right at front.
As the day went by and the weather was still cloudy and from time to time it would rain again, I decided to leave around 2:30pm after having a warm cup noodle for lunch.
I really felt thankful and blessed enough to be able to at last visit Konservasi Penyu, Sea turtle conservation as I always wanted. I told the administrator that would love to come back another day. To my surprise, it wasn’t just the conservation I brought a visit to, but also to the mangrove park and the beach. Looking now at Google Maps, I noticed there is an area for fishing too if I had walked further. As I left the area, I felt relieved and happy telling myself: “Thank God! Finally, I have made it and could complete my birthday’s mission to make this trip the closing for my 30th birthday. Once again… Thank You my Lord for Blessing me.”
If people ask me what is my birthday wish, that is: “Wish for everyone to stay safe, healthy and joyful. May God look over at everyone, bless everyone with whatever they need, guide them on the right path and protect them with His mighty strength. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!”
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