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Published: December 12th 2009
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golo hilltop
see what i mean? ON a hilltop... ahoy mateys...
tomorrow is our last offical day in labuan bajo-a sleepy fishing village on the island of flores. it's a very simple village and a different world than what we experienced in ubud. this area, a gateway to komodo national park is a haven for divers and snorkellers...
chris is in his element. he is totally infatuated with the ocean and there is nothing i can do about it! we have spent the last three days on a boat with komodo divers. we wake up around 5, have breakfast, and then head on down to the infamous wooden jetty with a depature at around 7:30 or 8 and then we are at sea all day that encompasses two dives and then we set sail for home around 4...
when we first arrived in labuan bajo we instantly felt the increase in heat and humidity. my hair has no hope here. we were concerned as our ride from the airport was nowhere in sight-but we easily managed to find a driver (it's all about BEMOs here) to take us into town ($1.50). we also became aware quickly that where we are staying, golo hilltop, is literally...on a hill
sunset
the sunset from our hilltop... top. definition of. it's like climbing a pyramid to get to our room! anyway, we tried walking from town back to the hotel, only a 10 minute walk, but with the heat it's just enough to turn you into a nautious puddle if you don't have water with you. i know. we're wimps. but the heat and the sun is really intense and i can't stress that enough. this is due to the fact that i have a sunburn, i can't remember the last time i have EVER had a sunburn. my cheeks look like a five-year-old went to town on my face with rouge and my back and legs are pink. gaaa...
besides that, chris and i are enjoying it here. the view from our room is...wow...i can't even begin to describe it properly in words. i keep thinking a pirate ship is going to appear on the horizon. and then another and that there will be a really awesome canon ball fight with swords drawn! rarrr! ahoy! walk the plank, etc. and then i look out at the rocks in a different direction and for some reason i think about that movie 'the goonies'. strange how pop
a room with a view
CB on our balcony...yeah, i took this one. see what i mean about possible pirate ships in the distance? culture follows you wherever you go...
other than that i am addicted to banana juice and i have snorkelled everyday while chris has dived and ENJOYED it! i know it's not a big deal, but if you know me, a girl who hates water and was forced to take swimming lessons, this is a huge accomplishment. especially when the snorkelling takes place in the middle of nowhere! i've seen fish that looked like they were glowing, all different shapes and sizes, carpets of coral along the sea floor, swam amongst an endless school of glittering purple fish who then revealed a school of divers (chris being one of them) so i followed them from above and popped their air bubbles like a little kid as i followed their columns of bubbles. a highlight was also seeing a mini school of manta rays! huge, gentle, magestic creatures are they...
i have also finished my second book. i am currently deciding which book to read next...
i think our favourite story was when we tried to get a ride home two nights ago. BEMO after BEMO rode by us and wanted WAY too much money than what we had
sunsent again
this time more artsy and with trees... paid in the past for a lift back to the hill top. we walked a bit and finally got a good deal with a man who was standing outside a small shop with what seemed to be his family. as we accepted his offer, his wife (i assume) looked at us with her baby in her arms and huge, wide and excited eyes and said, "Golo hill top?" "Yes." We said. into the car she went. then two childern followed in the back with us (brother and sister? best friends? cousins?) each with a mickey mouse shaped ballon in hand (blue for him and pink for her i believe😉. apparently our 'taxi ride' had turned into a family outing (and may i remind you it's not even a 5 minute ride to our room). they were so excited! and it made me think: when was the last time i was this excited to go for a ride? anyway, it made me think about how much i take for granted. i forget that life can be really quite simple. if life is simpler then it's easier to "see" things for what they really are or can be...okay, i'll stop here with
the infamous wooden jetty
and each day, it sinks a little bit more... my philosophical-deep-like-thinking-too-much-talking...
chris has seen sharks! lots of them! the currents were pretty strong today. they even made me nervous snorkelling. tomorrow we will have one more day at sea with our "crew" before we board another boat that will sail for 3 days as we make our way to komodo island. we were booked in the "tuna cabin" but there has now been a change of plans and we are ready for the "salmon cabin"...
so, while we are at sea, snuggled in our "salmon cabin" we will have no access to internet-hence this blog update. once we land we will be sure to write again...
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