I had been warned that I should need two new languages but I was not quite prepared for the strangeness of hearing only Dutch spoken every day and all day. Fortunately, I travelled with Norwegian officers who spoke a little English and they were a great help, especially when I began to learn the Malay language. They had previously served in Java so were quite at home in Malay. What an experience that voyage was! I remember particularly Port Said. As we approached the harbour, our great ship was met by hundreds of small boats loaded with all kinds of coloured goods and fruits. The merchants scrambled up the rope ladders and excitedly held out their wares for our inspection. It was a good and first experience of the Orient and we all enjoyed it immensely. After a few hours ashore we continued our journey along the wonderful Suez Canal. There we got our first glimpse of camels slowly travelling along the desert and here and there beautiful oases and small bungalows with enchanting gardens. But the most wonderful sight of all was the sunset, indescribably colourful as it settled over the desert.
Our next stop was Aden and from then on we were very glad to enjoy the cool breezes from the sea after the extreme heat of the Canal….. and so into the Indian Ocean. It was no longer calm and one of the delights was watching the dolphins leaping in the sunshine, making a glittering show in the wake of the ship. Another week passed, and we were getting ready to go ashore at Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Officers met us there and we spent a pleasant day touring the various Salvation Army Institutions and also the lovely Botanical Gardens of Ceylon. It was a most beautiful place – but so hot!
Back on board, most of us were thinking about repacking our trunks, ready for landing in Java which was only a few days away. Tropical outfits were repacked in the smaller cases. It was getting exciting to realise that at last my goal was near and I should soon be in Java. We reached Sabang very early one morning, and what a sight greeted us! The beautiful mountains with the morning sun shining behind them, the lush vegetation and trees everywhere filled my heart with joy and thanksgiving. We did not land here, however, but went on to Medan, where we met our first group of comrades from the Dutch East Indies. Among the group was an English Officer who became my friend for many years. She was a Londoner who had trained herself to nurse the leper patients at the Colony. How glad I was to speak English freely again, after a whole month! That same evening we resumed our journey to Java, all the officers accompanying us, as there was to be a Congress in Bandung. This was to be led by the Territorial Commander, Commissioner Wiebe Palstra and Colonel Matilda Hatcher, just returned from Japan.
And so the final landing in Jakarta…… With joy and thanksgiving I had arrived in the country where the Lord wanted me to be. This conviction never left me, through all the years of my service there.