Since we had taken the “easy” way and flown to Flores we decided to see if there might be another way back to Bali. Sure enough… there was a boat departing Flores and heading for Lombok, the island next to Bali. I had heard great things about Lombok anyway so it was perfect.
It was to be a 4 day/3 night journey with stops along the way to hunt the komodo dragons, snorkel with the manta rays, and visit local waterfalls. It sounded like a dream! Before signing up for this adventure we asked the owner of the company to show us the boat we would be going on. Turns out that the boat was just arriving from Lombok so we were able to not only see the boat but also talk to the people who had just “survived” the trip.
The boat looked like it would definitely be an interesting experience and most of the comments from the passengers were really positive, and the only negative thing they had to say was that the first 2 nights the seas were really rocky and it was hard to sleep. Being sailors ourselves, John and I figured we’d have no problem plus the owner assured us that even though 20+ people had just gotten off this boat that he only likes to put 8-12 people onboard otherwise it’s too crowded.
In the morning we arrived to the boat and realized that there were 16 of us total. So much for only having 8-12 people. Plus the boat was slightly different than the one we had seen the previous day. It was a basic cargo boat with a covered upstairs area for sleeping and a big covered deck but with no place to sit other than the floor.
Home for the next 4 days/ 3 nights
John took one look at the boat and decided that he wasn’t going to sit on the floor for 4 days and marched back to the office and arranged that he would sail to our first stop on Rinca Island in order to see the komodo dragons, stay the night there in what they call “basic accommodation”, and then jump on another boat heading back to Labuanbajo and fly to Bali. I figured it would be a little uncomfortable but it would be an experience not to be forgotten and that’s why I travel.
We departed the harbor and stopped off at some remote island to pick up 2 additional passengers. As we approached the island we ended up hitting the coral reef! Out came the long bamboo poles to try and dislodge us from the coral reef.
Stuck on the coral reef!!!
We stopped off at Rinca Island and also Komodo Island to see the komodo dragons. We hiked with guides carrying sticks in case a komodo dragon should try and attack us. The komodo dragon bites its prey and the bacteria in its saliva is what eventually kills the prey. It’s a slow process and can be anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks before the prey actually dies but the komodo dragon will follow the prey until that happens and then eat it. On Rinca Island, John’s “basic accommodation” consisted of a small room on stilts with 2 komodo dragons under it. He decided at that point that the boat was a much better option and decided to continue on with us.
Hunting the komodo dragon!
A komodo dragon!
A komodo dragon getting ready to attack its prey!
Back on the boat mealtime came and a blanket was spread on the floor, the food placed in the middle, and we sat all around. It was like a feeding frenzy! There was never enough food and if you were late to eat most likely you were only eating rice. Never once were they any leftovers and we always left still feeling a little hungry.
Nighttime came and we were given mattresses, blankets and pillows. The mattresses were about ¼ inch thick and smelled of mildew or worse and the blankets were made for someone 5 feet tall and probably had never been washed since you could see the dirt and feel the sticky salt on them. It did not make a pleasant sleeping experience. Since there were so many people on the boat some slept upstairs in the covered sleeping area and others slept on the deck. The problem with sleeping on the deck was that the spray from the waves would completely soak you - as John found out.
Mealtime
Our favorite time of the day since we were starving!
Our favorite time of the day since we were starving!
Nighttime came and we were given mattresses, blankets and pillows. The mattresses were about ¼ inch thick and smelled of mildew or worse and the blankets were made for someone 5 feet tall and probably had never been washed since you could see the dirt and feel the sticky salt on them. It did not make a pleasant sleeping experience. Since there were so many people on the boat some slept upstairs in the covered sleeping area and others slept on the deck. The problem with sleeping on the deck was that the spray from the waves would completely soak you - as John found out.
Upstairs sleeping area
Sleeping on the deck
During the daytime we had opportunities to swim and snorkel. Living with salt water on our bodies became the way of life since the only fresh water we had on-board was in 2 small containers to be used sparingly. On the 3rd day stopped at a fresh water waterfall giving us the opportunity to actually clean up a little. But afterwards we had to swim from shore to the boat so that clean feeling was short-lived.
Enjoying the "fresh water" waterfall
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