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Published: July 15th 2015
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Flores stole a piece of my heart. This gem of natural beauty and human warmth is a joy to experience and a sonnet for the eyes. Coral rich waters peppered with tropical islands border interknitted wooded hills. As tropical and temperate meet, volcanic peaks rise into the clouds. Lowlands nuture rice, trees stand heavy with bananas, coconuts and papaya and flowers decorate the green. It is an island to explore; winding bends of never straight roads lead the venturer past breathtaking views before snaking down through valley villages and up and over again to new horizons.
The beauty of Flores lives and breathes in its people. Catholic and Muslim residing side by side, their peaceful nature, warm hearts and genuine character shines through. Every man, woman and child I pass wishes me 'good morning miss', 'hello sis', with sincerity and pleasure, excitement or curiosity to see me. The tendrils of developing tourism are slowly spreading but yet to overreach or bury deep. Still largely unsculpted by tourism's claws, the transition in Flores is only time away. With a newly built, hyper effiicient international airport, for better for worse the wealth bringing catalytic hourdes will come. For now, when I ventured
Posing as usual
Diving Komodo National Park inland I stepped off the main tourist trail to be welcomed into a culture as it really is. To explore, observe, acquaint, learn and share. A soul fulfilling way of travelling and my favourite kind.
Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park
The harbour town of Labuan Bajo was our gateway to the east. Hosting visitors to the neighbouring Komodo National Park, it is the tourist face of Flores. As wares are unloaded, backpackers dock and flashpackers jet in. This trading port has adapted with European inspiration to cater for its new clientele. Fresh ground coffee, baguettes and banana bread provide morning glory, whilst Italian restaurants serve culinary delight to those tired of rice. In Medittereano I dined on sensational barracuda and scallops that would put most London restaurants to shame. The vibe for the night is found in the Lounge Bar, where live reggae provides the perfect accompaniment to burgers, bintang and beanbag chairs. Nightime rest is found in basic rooms, where extras include cracked walls, outdoor bathrooms, spiders, ants and a view to inspire your soul.
Beyond the harbour where masts jut into vibrant sunsets, colourful reefs flourish with life. Thriving coral havens entice divers to
drift turbulent flows to awe at turtles, mantarays and a plethora of tropical fish. Above surface, small islands dot the waters displaying private sands alongside aqua seas. On Komodo and Rinca islands reside the main prize, dragons. These repile skinned beasts are a fascination to behold. Awkwardly lumbering and heavy in the heat, they rule the roost with their stealth and deadly bite.
We came to Labuan Bajo to dive, and dive we did. Seven descents in two days with a night spent on the sea, we feasted on underwater safari. Turtles munched on coral as cheeky a batfish stole a bite; lionfish masqueraded and hunted; cuttlefish chameleoned; crabs and lobsters scuttled; manta shrimps punched; moray eels snapped; crocodile and frog fish lay in the dark and sharks passed us by. The mighty Komodo currents are not for the faint hearted. It was jump and immediate dive or lose your spot, as powerful merry-go-round flows propelled us along and slammed me into the reef.
The jewel in the crown is Batu Bolong. A deep rock reef teeming with life in technicolour spectacle. As rave nudibranches highlighted rock and anthea fish kaleidoscoped in purple and orange, large barrcuda and
trevelli passed us by in the deep. We stuck close to the reef zigzagging up, because to stray into the strong down currents either side would have sent us hurtling into the depths never to return. The stars of the show performed on our final dive. Huge black and white mantarays crossing above us, ghostly wings flapping. Their eerie passage around us was atmospherically mesmerising; batmen of the deep patrolling the waters we trespassed with majestic beauty and power (videos coming soon). It was an experience to remember.
Rinca: the land of the dragons
We went hunting for beasts. I rode the bow of our wooden boat as we chugged past swirling currents, hill steep islands and half marooned villages on our way to Rinca. Greeted by rangers with pitch folk sticks we paid our way to be escorted. Posters displayed the repililian residents we might encounter. Excellent, spitting cobras, I thought, as we set off trekking through the undergrowth! Cumbersome dragons lay heavy in the sun, lazy and uninterested. Pretending to sleep, we were told, is a hunting tactic. We kept our distance. As we walked through the forest, skulls tied to trees set the scene, buffolo
Sunset at sea
View from our floating hostel pats marked our path and monkey families groomed. A male Komodo guarded its nest, beedy eye watching us as we hovered nearby. 'Go no closer' warned the rangers, 'if it attacks we must run'. A buffalo bitten by dragon takes two painful weeks to die, stalked by its hungry predator. What about humans I asked. 'If you're bitten in the leg you have 24 hours, if you're bitten in the bum you have up to four hours, if you are bitten in the stomach there is nothing that can be done, you will die.' Reflecting on being two hours away from the nearest poorly equipped Indonesian hospital I lost my enthusiasm for dragon spotting.
Reflecting: the woman in the mirror
In Labuan Bajo my vanquished insomnia turned up uninvited. Triggered by recent bedbug encounters and getting used to sharing a room again, anxiety reared its ugly head. Standing in frustration on my porch at dawn, I took a long hard look in the virtual mirror. Had I been a neglectful fool? Had I failed myself by devoting insufficient time to yoga and meditation, instead being drawn to what naturally calls to me? I scolded and knawed away at
myself in frustration, fear and guilt, until a friend kindly reminded me of the importance of self compassion and the harmful nature of beating yourself up. After a sleep deprived week the anxiety lulled, the insomnia sculked away and I relaxed and revived. Venturing on I received my answer many times over: on the bow of rustic boats; underwater with fish; overlooking panoramic hillsides; admiring painted skies; scootering through breathtaking landscapes, sun warming my skin. No, I had not made wrong choices, I had followed my heart. Whilst much remains for me to work on, learn and embed, I've reacquainted with myself, regained my unhindered passion for life and healed into strength. The brief unwelcome regression was a helpful reminder of how fragile health, wellbeing and any state of affairs can be. It spoke of what should not be taken for granted, overlooked or ignored. The lesson was noted. But I have no regrets. I am grateful, happy and looking forward with excitement and positivity. I'm cherishing life.
Onwards and upwards
We left behind coast for mountains, travelling inland into Flores' hills. In the cloudy cool we found Bajawa, a welcoming market town hub in the Ngada district.
Our explorations took us to traditional villages, hot springs and cold night time rides along dark roads. It was an enjoyable adventure and a tale to tell.
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Margaret Thom
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Amazing travels
I so enjoyed reading about your adventures and what a fantastic writer you are! Strong and crazy brave you are in my mind!!