Sunday, May 4, 2008

Days 183 – 184: Komodo & Rinca

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064355&l=dde5b&id=1101094

The following morning we ate breakfast at our guesthouse (an ordeal in itself-- just getting the attention of a waitress was practically impossible, and the tea and nasi goreng took an inexplicable hour to emerge from the kitchen) and, at 8am, caught a bemo back to the Merpati office. Once again, the office was closed, despite a sign on the door that said "Buka (Open) 8pm-5pm." Frustrated, we began to wonder if we'd ever be able to buy our plane tickets.

We headed back to town, bought some snacks for the boat, and proceeded to the pier to board our vessel. Our accommodations and method of transport for the next two days was simple, but seemed seaworthy enough: the bow of the boat was a large, open area (where we'd sleep) bordered by two wooden benches; behind that was the boat driver's room, which contained the steering wheel and all the boat's instruments; in the stern was the kitchen, where our cook whipped up surprisingly tasty meals. The boat was made entirely of wood and, though old, seemed plenty sturdy. Indeed, over the course of the next two days it proved ideal for our purposes.

We set off for Rinca Island around 9am and arrived just after noon. Just before our arrival, our cook prepared a lunch of fish, noodles, and rice that was to be repeated at dinner and again at the following day's lunch; we didn't much mind the repetition, though, as the food was fresh and filling. Besides, everything tastes better aboard a boat.

Once at Rinca, we were assigned a local guide who would take us on a hike around the island in search of the infamous Komodo dragon. For those of you who don't watch the Discovery Channel, Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world; measuring up to 10 feet and weighing up to 360 pounds, they eat everything from carrion to live birds and mammals. Their giant mouths are filled with 60 inch-long teeth, their tongues are yellow and forked, and their saliva is highly venomous. In short, you don't want to encounter one of these guys walking down the road. Our guide carried around a big stick for self-defense-- as if that would have done any good.

We didn't have to wait long before encountering our first dragon-- we spotted her walking from the boat to the main village on the island. Lumbering along the ground, the animal looked docile enough, but we were assured that in a split second the seemingly-harmless creature could transform into a killing machine. Fortunately or unfortunately, we never saw that occur. All of our dragons just laid there, basking in the sunlight.

We saw a few more dragons in the village (the locals say they don't feed them, but I'm not sure why else the dragons would hang around people), and then we spotted two more on our hike around the island. We also came across several water buffaloes and wild pigs. Overall, the trek was a success; apparently, many groups didn't spot a dragon outside the village, and we had managed two. Plus, all of the members of our group were still alive at the end of the hike. High fives all around.

Back aboard the boat, we set off for Komodo Island, where we did some fantastic late afternoon snorkeling. The coral around Komodo is alive and colorful, and reef fish abound; I spotted all my usual aquatic suspects, as well as a few species that I hadn't seen (or, noticed) before.

Just before dark, we headed to a small island that was inhabited by flying foxes. When our guide told us what we were going to see, we pictured, well, flying foxes. In reality, flying foxes are the bats-- albeit the largest bats in the world. Do they look like foxes when they're flying through the air? Not really. But it's an interesting name.

That night we slept aboard the boat, on mats that our crew laid out over the wooden boards in the bow. The gentle waves and the hum of the boat's generator proved soporific: we were asleep before 9.

The following morning we disembarked on Komodo for some more dragon sighting, but this installment was less exciting than the previous day's: we spotted only three dragons, and all of them in the village. We did, however, catch a glimpse of Komodo's fancy new entryway and visitor center; clearly, the island is gearing up for a major influx of tourists over the next few years. Whether that hoped-for rise in visitors will materialize is less clear.

For our last stop before our return to Labuanbajo, we journeyed to Manta Point, a relatively shallow spot off the coast of Flores at which manta ray spottings are common. Our luck with nature continued, and we spotted nearly twenty manta rays, the largest of which measured three or four feet across. I even managed to dive down to the bottom and touch one on the back; smooth and slimy, it flapped its "wings" and swam off into the blue.

We arrived back in Labuanbajo around 3pm, just in time for-- you guessed it-- another trip to the Merpati office. This time, however, the office door stood open, and a single employee sat behind the desk that was within. Shocked, we proceeded to buy our tickets without a hitch. Who knew it could be so easy (if you just arrive multiple hours before closing)?

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