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Published: August 4th 2017
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View From Hotel Silverin
The clouds on the right cover Mt. Inerie. While on the bus to Bajawa, the clouds cleared to reveal a perfect cone. Unfortunately, Mt. Inerie remained covered by clouds all day and I have not gotten a good shot. Adjusting My Travel Philosophy
I flew in to Flores island on a one-way ticket and only my first two nights' accommodation reserved. I didn't want to overplan my travel. My plan was to wing it and enjoy the journey as it unfolded. I have traveled in Indonesia in this manner before and never had a problem.
Maybe I was lulled into a false sense of security. Up until now, everything has fallen into place beautifully. I shared a car to Ruteng when my transportation fell through. When I snagged a room at the convent in Ruteng at the last minute, the staff at the hotel in Labuanbajo couldn't believe their ears. When I realized that I would arrive in Bajawa (where I am now) after dark, I enlisted the help of other people and managed to find a room for one night (I wanted to stay two nights) at Hotel Silverin. Other hotels in Bajawa appeared to be full. When I arrived at Hotel Silverin, they found a room for me for a second night. At Bajawa, I managed to find a couple of travelers who had their own car and driver, shared the cost of a guide with
them, and accompanied them on a tour of the traditional villages around Bajawa today.
I am traveling eastwards. Westbound travelers reported that accommodations further east were scarce, most fully booked, and generally not bookable online. I decided last night to be more cautious. I decided to stay two nights in Moni, two more in Maumere, and then fly to Bali on August 9. I booked all rooms - Moni via email and Maumere online (I'm going to splurge on a $50/night place) - and the flight to Bali and patted myself on the back. I decided to give Riung a miss as I didn't think I could handle a five hour diversion each way from the Trans-Flores Highway. The highway twists and winds around the mountains and I am sure I will be tired of it soon. For my Hawaii friends, think in terms of going to Hana (or more) every day.
I have now heard from other travelers that the place in Moni that said they have a room for me has been known to oversell rooms and give them first come first served. So, I am going to leave at 6am tomorrow, flag down the first
Tolo Ledo Village
The four parasols signify the four clans in the village. bus with a seat, and make my way to Moni hopefully by noon. I hope my luck doesn't run out.
The Ngada Villages
When I arrived at Hotel Severin last night, I struck up a conversation with a French couple, Edouard and Aude, and we agreed to look for a guide to the traditional Ngada (the local ethnic group) villages and share the cost. They had a private car hire which they graciously agreed to share with me. We procured a guide in no time, and agreed on an itinerary and price.
We started out at 8am this morning. Our itinerary involved a hike to two traditional villages, followed by a visit to a hot spring. It was rainy and overcast when we set out and this did not abate until after the hike. Starting at Hotel Silverin, we drove for about 30 minutes to the trailhead. From there, it was about a 1.5 hour hike through beautiful country before we hit our first settlement, Tolo Leda. There, our guide told us about life in a Ngada village, and about the significance of the various items on the houses. The photos in this blog entry are labeled with
Hot Springs
We had a very refreshing soak here. It is at a point where a hot stream and a cold stream meet. information that I retained.
We reached our second settlement - Guru Sina - after a steep downhill hike. After Guru Sina, it was another steep and slippery downhill hike and then up some steep steps where we joined up again with the driver. From there, we went to a hot spring at the confluence where a hot water stream and a cold water stream joined up and soaked for a while. Refreshed, we made a quick stop at Bena (the most touristy and accessible of the villages) for photos before heading back to Hotel Silverin. There, I said my goodbyes to Aude and Edouard as they were heading west to Aimere.
Wish me luck for tomorrow. I'm actually starting to feel a little anxious.
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RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew
Motifs
We have a very old tea chest from Indonesia and the wooden carvings on it look very much like the motifs in this photo - thanks for sharing this :) Sounds like you are well and truly immersed in your travels now...