Nancy: June 2014

Welcome to Labuan Bajo, the port city to Komodo National Park, found on the western edge of Flores. If you were to simply skip my introduction and proceed to the beautiful pictures of scenery below you would be rudely surprised by what Labuan Bajo actually looks like. The city is directly on the bay and consists of a one way road. On each side are restaurants catering to tourists and diving/touring companies taking eager travelers to Komodo National Park. The streets, filthy, and the smell, fish, such is the the essence of a seaside town.

After landing, Rashidah and I hopped on a pair of ojeks (a scooter taxi) and headed to Golo Hilltop Hotel. Found at the top of a hill a few kilometers from Labuan Bajo, I was pleasantly surprised by this hidden treasure. Run by a pair of Dutch women, it had an outstanding view of the ocean, excellent service, and a shockingly good westernized breakfast that was most welcomed.

View from Golo Hilltop Hotel

Another Angle

The first day was relaxation and exploration of Labuan Bajo. Our only objective was to secure our trip to Komodo National Park and fulfill my childhood dream of being among Komodo Dragons. We rented a scooter and explored the town relatively quickly before Rashidah and I haggled with several of the locals and obtained inexpensive all-inclusive tickets. It should be noted that this was mostly due to Rashidah's ability to speak fluent bahasa.

I was a little skeptical of the purchase considering the merchant had an unsettling sly look about him and consistently used the phrase "no lie", which immediately caused me to question his integrity. My unease was exacerbated the following day when a French couple that joined us on the trip was obviously taken advantage of and paid significantly more than we did for their tickets. The merchant again ended each sentence with "no lie", which everything he said were obvious lies. However, I did my best to let it all go and remain as optimistic as possible despite my previous Indonesian experiences when there always seemed to be unforeseen complications. We set out...

View from the Bow

Typical landscape of Komodo National Park

Ever since I was a kid, I grew up watching Godzilla at obscure hours of the night with my Dad or at my cousin's house. Godzilla often portrayed as a lizard exposed to radiation from nuclear testing, I always most closely associated him with the largest lizards in the world, Komodo Dragons, thus my childhood fascination with these legendary animals.

Greeted at the pier by several of the local tour guides, we were taken to the registration area to pay for our park fees. On the way, I had my first experience with a Komodo Dragon.

Our group was walking along a path when the tour guide paused and pointed out to a field where he claimed there were Komodo Dragons. Unable to see them I walked off the path and neared a dirt laden patch underneath some trees. I looked out into the distance and was disappointed that I couldn't see the Komodo's. I lowered my head in defeat, but hastily jumped back when I realized I was standing five feet from one of them. I couldn't believe how well they were able to blend into their environment. Don't take my word for it, what do you think?

I came a little to close to these Komodo's

See Her?

How about now?

Rashidah and I at a hilltop during our tour of Rintja Island

Rintja is a green, slightly brownish hilly expanse of land littered with tall palm trees. It immediately reminded me of another childhood favorite...

Water Buffalo

Young Komodo Dragon

Komodo Dragons are the largest living species of lizard in the world, growing to up to 3 meters (10 ft) and weighing up to 70 kilograms (150 lb). Their unusual large size is attributed to island gigantism, since they have no other competing predators on the islands. Young Komodo Dragons live high up in trees the first few years of their life eating invertebrates and birds; they avoid adults at all costs. The adults graduate to larger mammal prey, but will also scavenge if necessary.

According to our guide, new research suggests that Komodo Dragons may have a third eye (not in the traditional sense) on the top of their head that allows them to sense movements from any angle. Komodo's have a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue that they use to detect, taste, and smell stimuli, similarly to many other reptiles. Interestingly, male Komodo's have a similarly shaped penis due to females having reproductive organs behind either their left or right leg. They lay about 20 eggs in September that hatch in April. The babies then move instinctively to the trees before being consumed by a cannibalistic adult. These are fascinating incredibly unique animals.

Komodo Dragon Nest

Komodo's under the Ranger Houses

My National Geographic Submission

Komodo's have a debilitating bite, there saliva is loaded with bacteria, some studies have found up to 57 different strains. When they bite their prey, they wait. Eventually, the infection from the overwhelming amount of bacteria causes sepsis and death, then the Komodo's feed. Scientists do not understand how Komodo's are able to live with the overwhelming amount of bacteria found in their saliva, it shouldn't be possible.

Overall, I saw Komodo Dragons, monkeys, a water buffalo, and a poisonous snake that scared the wits out of our tour guide on Rintja.

Pink Beach, one of only a handful in the world

Sunset and a night spent sleeping on a boat with strangers. Tomorrow Komodo Island and more dragons!

Welcome to Komodo Park!

Rashidah & I, Komodo Dragon Walking Trails

Interesting Komodo Origin Story

Another National Geographic Submission

Young Komodo Dragon on a Hilltop

Rashidah & I on Sulphurea Hill

Overall, simply an incredible experience that exceeded my expectations. I was blown away by how smoothly the 2 day boat trip went, the comfort I received at the Golo Hilltop Hotel, and putting a big check-mark through an item on my bucket list. This was unquestionably my favorite part of Indonesia that I have visited. I only hope that my future experiences will approach the amount of enjoyment I had on this trip.

Well before journeying to Indonesia, I had been envisioning excursions all over the archipelago highlighted by ubiquitous rice fields, exotic cultures, and remote natural wonders of the world. Arriving in Jakarta last June did not diminish these fantasies, but severely altered my expectations of witnessing them, at least with any frequency. Which is why approaching my first holiday in Indonesia I was so intoxicated with the thought of "discovering" Bali, a place known to leave an impression on many who visit Indonesia. I however, was painfully disappointed by the level of commercialism and theme park type experience that the island offered. Nowhere in Indonesia is English the predominantly spoken language, yet immediately exiting the plane you witness an overwhelming amount of bulés (white people) interacting with locals in English. Again, my expectations were severely altered. I proceeded to travel to the Gili's, Lombok, and Belitung with increasing confidence that I would find what I was searching for. Then, finally I discovered Flores, an untouched gem...

The island of Flores is found to the east of Bali and Lombok. It is most well known for Kelimutu National Park, the residence of the mystical tri-colored lakes, as well as Laburan Bajo, the port city to Komodo National Park, the only place in the world home to the fabled Komodo Dragon.

Boarding the plane my expectations increased. Never had I flown on such a meager looking plane, which in my mind translated to finally being able to experience the "untouched" Indonesia I desperately desired. Nor had I seen such wonderful sights from a window seat...

Upon arriving, our driver greeted Rashidah and I and led us on the final leg of our full day of travel. We embarked from the city of Ende and drove for two hours on the most haphazard, erratic road you can imagine. We may both have gotten headaches, but the road did provide some excellent views...

What I had been envisioning from the outset

We spent the next few nights at Daniel Lodge, found in a little village at the base of Kelimutu

A view of the ocean from approximately half way up Kelimutu

Ascending the 1690 meter active volcano from sea level had a noticeable difference in oxygen that left me momentarily out of breathe. After recovering, I continued to ascend and laid eyes upon the three cauldrons left by an eruption in the 1830's. They are Tieu Ata Polo (Red Lake; Lake of Fortune Teller Spirits), Tiwu Nua Muri Koo Fai (Blue Lake; Lake of Young People Spirits), and Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Green Lake; Lake of People Spirits). Locals believe that this place is sacred and that spirits come to Kelimutu when people die. Before entering one of the lakes, the spirits would first meet Konde Ratu, the guard of the gate, to determine which lake the spirit would enter. Their entrance depended on their age and character when alive. Fascinatingly, these lakes are known to be unpredictable and change colors based on minerals, or spirits, contained in the water. They are stunning...

Tiwu Nua Muri Koo Fai & Tieu Ata Polo

Rashidah and I

Time for an in-person description of what it felt like to be there and experience this natural wonder of the world.

As per Indonesian custom, a vacationing resident Indonesian sees a bulé and wishes to memorialize their experience by taking a picture. If any of you reading this visit, you will learn what I mean quite quickly. The best policy is to smile and take the picture with grace because it is amazing how much it brightens some Indonesians day.

A picture from the highest lookout point, it also happens to be my favorite.

Pensive Nate; You can also begin to see my serious sunburn, more on this later.

This photo gives you a sense of our elevation. We are in and above the clouds.

The third, Tiwu Ata Mbupu, and visibly smallest of the lakes is found approximately 1.5 km to the West.

A panel displayed at the top observation deck at Kelimutu.

Leaving such a peaceful, spiritual place saddened me, but there was much more left to see and do on my adventure in rural Flores, which included a brief foray to a waterfall and "highway". This stop was found just down the road from the village where I was staying. The bridge in the background is used regularly by locals to reach their villages in the hills. Being there made me reminisce of my and every other child's vision of being an explorer conquering the unknown.

Taste the Rainbow...

An incredible view.

The morning spent adventuring gave way to an afternoon devouring food and drinking local spirits at the village eatery. You can check out my video trying Arak, a local whisky made from palm trees.

Afterwards meant it was time to meet more locals and do some shopping for sarongs, which are long weaved tubes of fabric worn by both men and women for both casual and ceremonial occasions. The one I'm wearing, and purchased, is a traditional male sarong, which typically have less intricate designs compared to the ones seen behind me. The woman in the photo, Mama Matilda, dressed me like this much to my amusement. The woman seen below, was slightly farther down the remote dirt road seen making a sarong. The large ones like I'm wearing and shown below take approximately a month to complete, the smaller ones such as the one on my head take about a week.

My next stop was the home of the head chief in the area, whose daughter explained the history of the village and their traditions. Luckily, Rashidah is fluent in bahasa because the daughter did not speak English. She told us that only males can be chief and it's past down from father to son. The home is lived in by the head chief only and he is joined twice a year for the fall planting and spring harvesting festivals. All of the area chiefs will gather with their wives for each ceremony. If there is a new chief getting married, to bless the union they consummate their marriage in the house in the presence of the head chief. To this date, each baby born has been a male. To determine if the child is worthy, they leave him in the house by himself expecting him to cry out loud without stopping to demonstrate his potential as a vocal leader. If the baby doesn't give the appropriate response, they will try the ritual several times before taking more extreme measures of praying and blessing the baby by lightly hitting his head against a particular banana tree possessed by a spirit.

On a daily basis ONLY the chief and tourists are allowed to enter. No one else.

You can see the daughter of the chief wearing her sarong and telling us about the traditions of the village. The detail around the door-frame was exquisite.

The last stop of the jam packed day was the local hot spring where Rashidah met her fan club.

I have a very important announcement to make... CANNONBALL!!!

View from the Spring

Now you can distinctly see me incredibly painful sunburn.

Relaxing in the hot spring that naturally runs down hill and is diverted into the pools you see.

The next morning Rashidah and I began our travels back to Ende, which meant another dizzying two hour long car ride through Flores' lush landscape. When we arrived, we immediately set out to explore the area surrounding Ende. We ventured into several small villages in the hills via a rough dirt road and came across this beach where we made friends with some speedy miniature crabs.

Hiding from the sun using my sarong. My sunburn from the previous day would haunt me for almost the entirety of the trip.

After visiting the beach and returning to Ende, the driver attempted to alter our previous agreement. We were supposed to see more of the remote sights of Ende, however with frustration on both sides over pricing, Rashidah and I decided to cut our ties and make our own path.

Which led us to the Bung Karno Museum, the home occupied by former inaugural President Soekarno during the first four years of his exile. Soekarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands, he was in office from 1945 until his removal in 1967. He was a prominent leader of Indonesia's nationalist movement during the Dutch colonial period, and spent over a decade in exile until released by the invading WWII Japanese forces. Soekarno and his fellow nationalists collaborated to garner support for the Japanese war effort from the population, in exchange Japan spread nationalistic ideas. Upon Japan's surrender, Indonesia declared independence in 1945 and Soekarno was appointed President shortly thereafter.