We set aside 3 days and 2 nights to stop in and visit Johnny one last time. He picked us up from the airport just like before and we took the 30 minute taxi ride to "Soi Bat, Rama Son."
Everything was strangely familiar. The old woman sat in her chair near the coy pond, the restaurant across the street smelt delicious, the store keeper smiled hello, and Duke Dig the dog lay on the front step. Staying with Johnny gave us a real feel for true Asian lifestyle. We purchased some large Singhas, sat in the terrace and talked as old friends until the wee hours.
The next day Johnny went into to work so Alex and I flagged down a motorbike taxi and went to our favorite coffee stand for a 12 Baht "cafe yen" (iced milk coffee). Then we made our way across the 16 lane stretch of highway to Central Plaza for a bite to eat. Although very convenient, it's a 5 story mega mall that seems very out of place.
After that we joined Johnny at school because we wanted to meet the kids and see how he spends his days. We were greeted by a 3rd grade class who was sitting indian style in a circle on the floor. Johnny started by saying "Good Morning class!" They answered in unison, "Good Morning Teacher John." We were then introduced as Crazy Alex and Crazy Loranda. We played a hilarious game of Simon Says and the kids loved it as much as we did. As we were leaving, Alex picked up one of the kids so she could jump high. Before we knew it, the entire class formed a line behind her! I was dying with laughter!
Next we went to a 5th grade class where the students raised their hands to ask us questions in English. They all spoke in perfect sentences and loved teasing Johnny about his lackluster Thai. As we went around the room we were asked things like "What's your favorite food?" Pad Thai of course, "What's your favorite animal?" Monkeys, no doubt (But then I realized that monkey translates into "Crazy" in Thai), hence the nickname, and "What's your favorite place to travel?" Oh, so many...
The kids are magical. Huge smiles light up their faces and their big brown eyes radiate with excitement. We loved spending the day with them! I see how it will be difficult for Johnny to leave this welcoming community.
After school we went back over to Central Plaza. We wanted to do something low key because we had an early fight the next morning. A game of bowling did the trick. There is a state of the art bowling alley inside the mall! American tunes played overhead and Thai twenty somethings drank beer and enjoyed themselves. It was a little odd but reminiscent of home at the same time.
We ate dinner at a local street restaurant. The entire menu was in Thai so we selected a few items and were pleasantly satisfied. We resumed our seats at the terrace of the apartment and enjoyed each other's company. Johnny had plans to return to Texas soon but we were unsure when we'd all be gathered at a table again.
The next morning we grabbed a bite to eat at the small restaurant across the street. Johnny, being the character he is, brought his video camera to film our departure. He recorded the women preparing our food and some Thai girls eating breakfast. We were laughing hysterically and I can only imagine what they thought! "The crazy white guy's here again..."
Some cardboard cut outs were leaned up against the wall of the restaurant. Johnny grabs one and hands it to Alex and gives the second one to me. Here we are at 8 in the morning, eating breakfast and talking to cardboard cut outs while being filmed. Like I've said before, there's NEVER a dull moment with Johnny around. That tape will be priceless someday.
Reluctantly, we piled our bags into a taxi and headed to the airport. We were in for a 22 hour flight. The drive out of town was emotional. I knew that once we step foot inside the airport, we would be so far away from everything that we had come to know and love over there.
Our journey had come to an end. It's impossible to describe our new found sense of appreciation. We'll miss the sights, the smells, the people, the beauty. We were in the furthest point that we could ever physically be away from home and we felt comfortable there. Realizing this made the world seem so much smaller.
We accomplished what we had set out for and so much more. We created memories that will forever be defining moments in each other's lives. We tasted new foods and new religions. We dove in the most beautiful places on Earth. We climbed to the highest mountains. We smelt tropical flowers and listened to the birds in the trees. We held wild animals. We relied on each other. We learned about Asian culture and strove to have meaningful conversations with people who were different than us. We shared ourselves with them. We witnessed breathtaking sunsets and gorgeous blue skys. Everything was new and different. This was significant in the discovery of our own identifies.
We hope that our blog shed some light on our journey into the unknown. We dedicate it to our families and friends who know us best. Traveling opens your mind and heart like nothing else on Earth. We trust that you will recognize how our beliefs and values may have been influenced as an extension of our travels. We encourage you to get outside of your comfort zone every once and a while. Home is always waiting for your return with open arms.
We woke up at 4 a.m. to grab a mini bus back to Medan and then catch a ferry for the 6 hour journey across the Strait of Malacca. Our guide from the jungle trek accompanied us and helped us get to the right bemo that went to the dock. We were happy to have his help, it would have been very difficult to figure out where to change buses, etc. The ferry was a small vessel with tiny windows. I usually don't get sea sick but I was fighting it this time. We rocked back and forth violently and there was nothing that seemed to help. Many passengers felt my pain. Needless to say, we were happy to arrive in Penang as it came highly recommended by David and his family. Recognized to have some of the best Indian food in Asia, we were really anxious for a taste test.
We decided to head towards the beach for our last few days of total relaxation. We found a home-stay in Batu Ferringhi right across from the beach. The Sunset Bistro right next door became our hangout. We enjoyed sipping a few beers and playing card games and Yahtzee to pass the time. A few strolls down the beach made us realize that our journey was coming to an end.
Sure enough, the Indian food was delectable! We had it 3 nights in a row and could have easily stayed there longer. We made a point to try a new dish at every meal and discovered several new favorites!
There were many tourists in Penang but few were of Western decent. Muslim travelers bring their families to enjoy the rich multi-cultural atmosphere. Women wore black burqas which covered them from head to toe. Several wore face masks where only their eyes could be seen. Their restricting attire did not stop them from having fun though. Many rode jet skis, enjoyed horse-back riding along the beach and para-sailing. One evening we were enjoying some delicious Indian curry at an open aired restaurant and noticed that there was a private enclosed seating area. We wondered what it was for. Moments later a Muslim family entered and was seated in that area. Then the waiter brought a partition to place around the family as they ate so no one could see them. Seclusion was necessary so the wife could remove her burqa. We were fascinated by the spectacle that this made.
Penang was also atypical because most of the businesses and restaurants didn't open until 5 or 6 in the evening. It was impossible to find breakfast! We thought that if just one of the street venders opened early, they could make a fortune! With a lack of other options, we had the opportunity of sun bathing and swimming in the sea. It was considerably more modern than the last few places that we'd been so we were happy for an upgrade even though it was considerably more expensive that we were accustomed to. It was a good segway back to regular US prices.
The Sunset Bistro had a recipe for relaxation. Every day at sunset we enjoyed playing with the white Cockatoo and 2 month old baby monkey. Alex loved jumping the waves and I enjoyed the last few pages of "A Fortune Teller Told Me," an account of a journalist traveling through Asia.
Our trip was over 100 days of pure excitement and we were in the last stretch. It all went by so quickly. On one hand we were really ready for the comforts of home but on the other hand we cherished all of the places we'd been and didn't want to leave this side of the world. The last few days provided us with mixed feelings and happy memories. We reminisced about all of the adventures that we encountered and wondered what life would be like back at home. The days and weeks slip by so quickly at home but here we were able to slow down, breath deeply, and appreciate every moment with each other. It was a time of discovery; personally, as a couple, and as a visitor of Earth.
Chartering a car was the best way to get half way to Bukit Lawang and then took the local bus for the remainder of the journey. The roads are in exceptionally poor condition so it took the better part of 10 hours. Bukit Lawang is in northern Sumatra and is known for the Gunung Leuser Orangutan National Park and dense jungle vegetation. This was the reason that we came to Sumatra!
Upon arriving at the local bus station, we needed to take a tuk-tuk into town. We met a guide back at the Hot Springs in Lake Toba and he happened to be on the same bus as us so he offered to help us find a guest house. We were spectacle of his willingness to help and told him many times that we would manage by ourselves. He insisted and it turns out that he never once asked us for a tip or gave us any grief about it; he was genuinely trying to help us.
The tuk-tuk only goes to one side of the river that runs through town. Then you have to walk over a suspended bamboo bridge to cross the water and proceed to the village. The river is slightly wider than the Guadalupe so you can imagine how long and rickety the bridge must have been. It was getting dark so we needed to find a place to drop our bags soon. We were exhausted after the long bus ride. I heard about the Jungle Inn so we were almost certain that we wanted to stay there but, like we always do, we stopped in several other places along the way to make sure that we were getting the best value. It just so happens that the Jungle Inn is the very last guesthouse so I got a good feel for all of the accommodations in the area! I was actually very glad to have help with my bag because there was just a narrow dirt path with lots of ups and downs for about a mile. We finally came to the end of the trail just as the sun set.
Our room was extraordinary, we had a huge private balcony with a hammock that looked out over two waterfalls and a rock wall. Each room had it's own perks and was designed to incorporate the natural beauty of it's jungle surroundings.
Everyone is friendly and greets us by saying "Welcome to the Jungle!" And we were in the jungle!! The river ran right outside our front door. We found a walking trail that lead us around some rocks alongside a cliff. Just as we came across the bend, we noticed that there were two Orangutans directly across the river from us! We hadn't even been there for five minutes! One was a female named Sasha and the other was a young male about 2 years old who following shortly behind her. The baby's mother died when she fell from a tree so Sasha adopted him. We watched as they climbed the rocks and made their way to the shore for a refreshing drink. Just then we spotted a worker from our hotel. He had his back turned away from the Orangutans so we motioned for him to turn around. The Orangutans passed right by him with no interruption.
We signed up for a Jungle Trek with a guide from our hotel. We choose to do a two day/one night trek in hopes to see lots of Orangutans in their natural environment. Anse offered to take the two of us alone with one other guide and a cook. We were thrilled about the idea of a private tour because it's much better to see the wildlife when you have a smaller group.
The next morning we woke up at 4 a.m. One thing that we didn't think about was that the electricity is turned off until about 6 in the evening so we were preparing the last minute items in complete darkness! We walked back up the dirt trail, into town and crossed over the river on the bridge. The very first thing that we saw was a giant shiny black scorpion that was about 5 inches long!!! AHHHHH!! We would soon be crawling on our hands and knees through the thick vegetation. We were in for a few surprises!
Next, we encountered a family of Thomas Monkeys; they're the ones with a white mohawk. We stood directly underneath them as they played and swung through the trees. It's so amazing to be that close to wild monkeys! At home we have squirrels in the trees but monkeys are so intelligent and human like.
We came across some massive trees that were hundreds of years old. It's crazy to think how much these trees have been through in their lifetime. There they were standing tall and healthy in the jungle of Sumatra. We felt so insignificant standing next to them.
Anse and his buddy have been jungle trekking since they were boys. They know these woods in their sleep. He decided to take us "off the path" to strengthen our chances of seeing more wild Orangutans. What he didn't tell us is that we would be doing vertical climbs through extremely thick jungle! Alex thinks that he lost 15 pounds on this trek alone. Luckily it was towards the end of our trip so we were in really good shape.
The first Orangutan that we came across was a male. His face was wide and he had fat cheek flaps which meant that he was pretty old. We sort of stumbled across him and didn't notice him until we were just a few feet away. He was very hanging very low in the tree and started coming down to the ground. We ran for a few meters until we were safe. Their movements are slow and calculated and they swing effortlessly through the vines.
Next we came up to another mother and tiny baby. Our guide suddenly yelled "Aggressive Orangutan! Aggressive Orangutan!!!!" The other guide told us to follow him. We dashed; jumped over tree stumps and vines and sprinted up to an elevated spot were we could see them from behind. Anse pulled out a bunch of bananas from his back pack and hand fed the mother and baby. A good portion of the Orangutans in this park were rescued from people who kept them as pets. Unfortunately many were abused and are accustomed to being hand fed. This leads to hostility because any time they see a human they expect to be fed. They have been known to bite guides and park rangers but this time she was just appreciative of the fresh snack.
After several hours of trekking up and down vertical inclines, we stopped for a Mie Goreng lunch. Sumatrans traditionally eat with their hands so this was our first real opportunity of adapting to their culture. One thing that I love is the fresh cucumber that comes with almost every meal. Yummy! Being left handed I didn't think about the social norms that go along with eating with your hands. I got some strange looks before I realized that I was eating with the wrong hand. Oopps!
We continued on and couldn't help but think that even though it was hot, it wasn't nearly as bad as our Thailand trek. There was so much to see in every direction, including up! The jungle was lush and green. There were interesting plants everywhere and Anse knew the medicinal use for many of them. It's very interesting to learn about how these plants have been used by villagers for hundreds of years. Every few steps we heard a new jungle sound. Wildlife was around every turn. I read, however, that there may be leeches so I was on the look out for them. Once we stopped for a quick breather and I looked down at Alex's ankle and said "oh look, there's an inch worm!" Anse looked over and said "That's not an inch worm, it's a leech!" From then on I kept imagining them all over me but we only came upon that one. That was the worst thing that we physically encountered.
We were content to slide down hill on our hands and knees through the mud and cross the stream to get to our campsite. The cook, refereed to as "Chef," already had a fire going. The aroma smelt so good that it attracted a female Orangutan to the area. She was perched over the river on a long vine. She hung there watching us as we drank hot tea and played games. Orangutans are very territorial so I suppose she was just making sure that we were being respectful of her terrain. She had the bet seat of the house, gazing out over her beautiful green jungle and winding river.
Dinner was delicious! Chef was a pro. He is a true jungle man. He trekked through the dense jungle with all of the gear without any shoes on! WOW! We felt very comfortable in his company.
The meal consisted of several courses: mie goreng, chicken, rice, vegetables, fresh tea and homemade spices. We sat together on a plastic tarp watching the sunset over the jungle. Just after dinner we were all sitting around in the candlelight and all of the sudden we hear some rustling in the bushes just a few feet away from us. Out comes a 5 foot water monitor!! He was looking for scraps so we threw him our chicken bones and he scurried off. He looked pretty ferocious! After seeing the Komodo Dragons he appeared to be a very close relative. Good thing that he was only interesting in chicken bones and not us!
We stayed up into the wee hours and played card games with our guides under the stars. They also showed us several "tricks" that they made up. They had us stumbled almost every time! We all laughed so much that our checks hurt. Once our candle ran out we had no light other than the moon. We slept in an open tent- it was more like a shelter with 3 sides and a roof. Chef poured salt around the shelter and comforted us by saying "It's to keep the water monitor and snakes out." We popped a sleeping pill and had a good night sleep listening to the sounds of the Sumatran jungle.
The next morning we awoke to a family of 20 Long Tail Macaques in the trees directly above us. Our friend the Orangutan was also back in her perch over the river. We laid in bed and watched the social interaction of wildlife taking place overhead. The oldest male monkey decided to be brave so he came down to get some food from our camp. We gave him a few bananas to keep him happy. Tiny babies jumped from branch to branch and played with each other. Females groomed one another and the dominate male watched over us very closely. It was such an amazing experience!
After a breakfast of delicious banana pancakes and Sumatran coffee, Alex and I decided to go for a swim before we started trekking again. We passed under the Orangutan in the tree overhead and climbed down the waterfall to a nice swimming hole. She kept a close eye on us but remained nestled in the vine. We both took a quick dip in the fresh cold water. I decided to sit on the rocks and relax while Alex continued swimming. Just then there was rustling form the bushes about 10 feet away from us. It was another female Orangutan! She was a very unexpected visitor! I yelled at Alex to come quickly. Our guides were up at the campsite and were too far away to do anything to help us. There we were, standing in the middle of two wild Orangutans!! We yelled to our guides to come down and they said "Don't worry, she won't come any closer to the others territory." That's a good thing, I suppose.
The visitor climbed up the waterfall where we were just at moments before. We made our way back to camp and tried to steer clear of the one in the tree. She started crossing the river to run the other one off. The Macaques were still playing above our tent. The second Orangutan ran up another tree in hopes to get away from the other one. Here we are with both of them: Then the first one followed that one all the way up to the highest branch in the tallest tree. There was no were else for them to go. Orangutans are very territorial so when one enters another one's territory, they must either fight each other for dominance or one scares the other one off by asserting her superiority. We knew that we were in for a good show and couldn't believe what we were witnessing!
Just when we thought that there was no where else for the Orangutans to go, one took a leap of about 10 feet to a neighboring tree! It was remarkable! They are large animals but have amazing dexterity and strength. She flew through the air right before our eyes and off she went. All animals have an instinctual "Fight or Flight" and it was amazing to watch the psychology of these great primates!
We couldn't believe the scene that was going on right above our heads. That was an excitement that I'll never forget!
From camp we trekked for several hours until we reached the main river again. Chef was there with our "Jungle Raft." It was actually several tubes tied together with rope. We loved the ride back into town. The scenery was breathtaking. Large rock cliffs on all sides, trees rustling with Orangutans as they glide through the vines, water monitors sunning themselves, crystal clear water and massive rapids!! We couldn't stop smiling and thinking about toobing in Texas once we got home.
We loved the Jungle Trek and I think it was one of our favorite parts of the trip. We're so fortunate to get close to these magnificent creatures.
We spent a few more days in Bukit Lawang. We rented tubes and did a 2 hour float on our own. We saw families bathing themselves in the river and children swimming. Everyone we passed was very surprised to see us toobing and they stopped what they were doing to wave and say "Welcome." Not many tourists make the full trip down the river, but hey, we are pros! We were unsure where to get off so when we came across 3 teenage boys with a hippy van, we offered them 20,000 Ruphia (about $1) for a ride back to town. They thought they were so cool!
We spent our evenings in the small quaint restaurants overlooking the jungle and river. The locals are extremely friendly and like to sit down with you and talk. A few local women offered to play Scrabble with us so they could practice their English. One afternoon Sasha and her baby came to the bank of the river to get a drink of water. I sat directly across from her on the bank of the other side of the river. She picked up large rocks and banged them together, had a stick that she splashed in the water, and cupped her hands to drink. I was snapping pictures and videos this entire time. She even stopped to smile for me!! We were communicating!
Later that afternoon we went to the park headquarters for Feeding Time. We walked up the hill with several guides and arrived at a platform where some of the Orangutans come for bananas and milk twice a day. We were able to get an arm's length away from a mother and her infant!! When we were ready to go we asked our guide if he needed to come with us. He said to just go ahead and he would be right behind us. We also thought that there would be other guides back at head quarters.
Alex and I made our way down the cliff and came to the flat area near the river. Just then we spotted Sasha and her baby. We stood behind a barbed wire fence and took pictures as they approached us. Then we realized that they can just climb straight through the barb wire! We backed away quickly. There were no guides in site and they were coming straight for us! Before we knew it, Sasha grabbed Alex's arm. I managed to snap a picture just before she had one hand on my arm and one hand on my leg. I couldn't move! She had a tight grip on me. Then she bent down and went for my ankle. She bit my coconut anklet right off of my ankle!!! It all happened so quickly. Their arms are very long so they have an incredible reach of about 8 feet! Once she had my coconut anklet, she and the baby enjoyed eating it right before our eyes. I felt a connection with her because we had amused each other earlier that day so I didn't imagine that she would be aggressive or hostile. She just saw that I have a good taste in jewelry. Literally.
We endured the local bus ride and made it to Prapat, were we caught the ferry to the island in the middle of the lake. We had about an hour to kill so we sat down at an outdoor table. It didn't take long before many of the village children came to greet us. Their parents sell fresh fruits and vegetables at the market nearby and they were extremely curious in us. Of course we couldn't communicate with each other so we had to make do with funny faces and charades.
Lake Toba was a very popular tourist destination about 20 years ago but due to the political unrest of Sumatra in the 90's, tourists stopped coming there. The infrastructure sadly remains; waiting for tourists to return. Guesthouses and restaurants await guests and are extremely grateful for our business. It's now become a great weekend getaway for Sumatrans because of it's sheer beauty and dirt cheap prices.
Lake Toba is recognized to possibly be the largest volcanic eruption of the last 25 million years. To give you an idea of its magnitude, consider that although the eruption took place in Indonesia, it deposited an ash layer approximately 6 inches thick over the entire Indian subcontinent; and at one site in central India, the ash layer remains 20 feet thick today. In addition, it has been calculated that 1,010 metric tons of sulfuric acid was ejected into the atmosphere by the event, causing acid rain fallout. The subsequent collapse formed a caldera that, after filling with water, created Lake Toba. Samosir, the island in the center of the lake, is formed by a resurgent dome. Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world. Samosir Island formed in the middle of the lake and is the fifth largest volcanic island in the world. The island is approximately 50 km long and 15 km wide, almost as big as Singapore.
The ferry dropped us off at our hotel's pier. We decided to splurge and stay at the "nicest" place on the island. The nightly rate was $6 and that included our own Batak style cottage, gorgeous views of the lake and wildlife outside our front door. The temperature was much cooler there and the locals were extremely welcoming. It was a perfect place to spend a few days relaxing.
Of course we rented a motorbike to explore the island. We passed by Batak homes, all of which have a steep curved roof. The saddle back roof actually represents the shape of two water-buffalo horns. The water-buffalo is the animal that helps the 'spirits' on their journey into the afterlife. No nails are used in the construction that is entirely of wood, rope and wooden pegs. In recent times the cooking area moved from inside the house to an extension that is added to the back of the building. Each 'jabu' will be shared by up to 8 families and there are no interior divides to ensure privacy.
The Batak people are some of the last known cannibalists. Hundreds of years ago humanitarians came to convert them into Christians. The first few were eaten but eventually Christianity caught on. It's very odd to see churches, crosses and graves with pictures of Jesus in this part of the world. We happened to be out on a Sunday morning just as all of the villagers were returning from church. They were dressed in brightly colored clothing and carried Bibles. Music is also a large part of Batack culture and I couldn't help but think that my Grandpa Stuart might enjoy volunteering here.
We rode past water buffalo and children playing on the streets. We were in the mist of local people and they were all friendly and welcoming, each waving and smiling as we rode by. We were so happy to rent a motorbike one last time on our trip. You get to see so much more on the back of a bike and it's something that we'll look forward to in all of our travels.
We curved around the island and came to the Hot Springs. The land is white with sulfuric acid as smoke escapes from the Earth. We took a dip in the Hot Springs which is known to be very healthy for your skin. We swam in the "Foreigner's Pool" which was in great condition because there is no telling when it was last used. (There aren't many tourists anymore.)Children sat under shade trees and watched us from afar.
We passed by a wedding ceremony and peered in to look at the festivities. There was a huge celebration and the entire village was there to honor the bride and groom.
The scenery is surreal. The landscape is lush and green and the water is crystal clear. Children like to throw coins into the water and dive for them. We couldn't help but wonder when the volcano would erupt next. Lake Toba is a special place with magnificent beauty. It's very peaceful, quite and very inexpensive. We're so glad that we came to Sumatra to witness the hospitality of the people and the beautiful scenery of the volcanic lake and it's wildlife.
We took a plane from Flores back to Bali and stayed overnight before Alex and I left Kevin and he returned home. Kuta Beach on Bali is a great place to pick up souvenirs so we did a bit of shopping before heading out on our next adventure. We flew from Bali to Medan, Sumatra.
We stayed at a local Muslim guesthouse complete with a prayer room and a place to clean your feet before you enter. We needed a day to settle in and get information on buses to Lake Toba. We found a nice bar to sit down and have a beer and just as we took the first sip, the prayers started over the loud speaker. We were directly across from the largest Mosque in Sumatra. Patrons were flocking and goats and children played in the yard.
We heard mixed stories about Sumatra. There has been some unrest in the past and our guidebook warned us of things to watch out for. However we always got a different perspective after talking to travelers who had actually been there. And I believe they were right, Sumatrans were some of the friendliest people that we encountered.
From Medan we took the local bus to Lake Toba. It think it was $2 each. It was about a 6 hour ride on a beat-up school bus with no A/C. There was no limit on how many passengers, eggs, chickens, livestock and produce could be piled in. We were lucky to get a seat but many people stood in the isles for most of the trip. Sumatrans are known as being heavy smokers and say that they are paying tribute to the volcanoes. Chain smokers were abundant on that journey, so I guess it's good that we had the windows down! The bus was decorated in a groovy 70's theme with florescent seat coverings, tassels on the curtains and ornaments hanging from the ceiling near the driver. At one point, we pulled over at a little tire repair stand on the side of the road to fill up the back tires with air. I really hoped that it would get us where we were going! Then, 3 teenage boys boarded and squished their way towards the middle of the bus. They started singing and playing musical instruments. It was great entertainment and turned out to be a nice way for them to make some income. We were the only Western travelers headed to Lake Toba and were fully immersed in local Sumatran hospitality and culture.
What an experience! Komodo is notorious for some of the best diving in the WORLD! We had so much fun diving and can't wait to go back for more! The currents are generally very strong and the underwater life is abundant and diverse. The Indian and Pacific Oceans meet here. The water is a comfortable warm temperature and the visibility is great at 25-30 feet. We did four dives off of Flores Island, in and around Komodo National Park.
We spent a few days getting rid of our sea legs and talking to all of the dive shops on the island. We ran into the lost divers at our hotel and we were glad to see that they were ok. We decided to go with the crew that rescued the lost divers. We choose an easy low current dive for the first day. We loved every minute of it. Diving is so relaxing, it feels like you are floating through space. Each time a fish swam close by I realized how effortless their movements are.
We spent the evenings in Labuan Bajo with David and his family, sharing stories of all of our adventures. It's a quaint little town right on the coast. We enjoyed the slow pace of life there. One thing that was irritating was that our hotel was smack dab in the middle of two Mosques so five times a day we were forced into listening to the prayers over the loud speakers. I think Alex said it best when he said "Religion and loud speakers just don't mix." One evening we took a walk through a back alley and waved to the women and children in the streets. Goats hurried by and everyone stopped what they were doing to smile at us.
The second day we determined that we were prepared for a slightly difficult dive. As the group gathered around the dive master on the deck of the boat, he says "Now, this is the spot that we had some trouble at a few days ago, but all that is over now. You are going to have a great dive here today." Just then Alex and I turned to each other and thought "Oh boy!" This was the exact site where the divers went missing!!! We didn't realize that we were going to be the very next people to dive this site! One of the girls on our boat turned out to be an ABC news reporter who was there to film our experience. We were each interviewed but we are unsure if the story ever aired.
Dive 3 was breathtaking!! I don't even know how to explain the feeling. It's a drift dive so as soon as you jump in the water you immediately go under. The island is in the shape of a triangle and we were swimming in the protected area. The sea wall is at least 100 feet tall and as wide as you can see in both directions. Every color and texture of coral live in these waters. The fish life is copious; there are all sorts of things that we had never seen before. The current was especially strong that day. We were instructed to stay right next to the sea wall and stay behind our guide. Once you start noticing that the fish are swimming up straight, it's time to turn around because the current is too strong. Drift diving is different from other dives because everything is moving by you very quickly. Once Alex and I turned around to find our instructor and he had both of his arms straight out, flying through the water like an airplane. He nodded and gave us a big smile and two thumbs up. All we could think was "Man, I bet he loves his job!" We saw Lion Fish, Stone Fish, Napoleon, Tuna, Scorpion Fish, Puffers, Angel, Clown Fish, etc. There was so much to look at! We have to go back there again. SOON!!!
The next dive was even better. (If you can believe it!) The site was an island about the size of our living room. Hovering at 75 feet, two white tip sharks caught our attention. They were less than 10 feet below us. It was a mother shark and her young and they were asleep on the coral. I could see their gills moving in and out as they breathed. My heart was racing. These weren't the nurse sharks that we saw in Belize, these were the real deal! We hovered over them for about 5 minutes, clinging to the coral to keep us in place. Just when I felt comfortable our guide motioned for us to turn around. There was another white tip shark swimming right above us!! It was exhilarating!! We saw at least 8 sharks. I motioned for Alex to turn around and look up at the sun shining through the water. Just then another white tip swam past the ray of sun on a backdrop of the seawall. It was picture perfect! We really wish that we had an underwater camera but we'll have to freeze that moment in our minds instead.
We stopped to look at some shrimp in hopes to see a seahorse but instead I looked right below me and there was a 10 foot sea snake slithering through the coral that I was near. It was a brilliant blue with black strips. I'm glad that it wasn't interested in me! Alex, however, spotted a foot long tuna who was very interested in him. He decided to reach out to touch it and the tuna took off as quickly as he could. Just then thousands of reef fish ducked in the coral to protect themselves. They keep an eye on what the big fish are doing!
When we got out of the boat we were so excited! I don't think I've ever felt the same excitement! The sensation overcame us and we realized how fortunate we were to be able to see the underwater world in all of it's glory. We were fulfilled because we saw even more than we imagined.
There are so many Indonesian islands to explore. Now we know of some excellent spots to come back to and want to visit many others. It's important to take full advantage of swimming with the underwater life because of all of the pollution and global warming. We are so lucky to experience that and will never forget the majestic seas of Komodo National Park.
the restaurant across the street smelt delicious, the store keeper smiled hello, and Duke Dig the dog lay on the front step. 
Staying with Johnny gave us a real feel for true Asian lifestyle. We purchased some large Singhas, sat in the terrace and talked as old friends until the wee hours. 
Then we made our way across the 16 lane stretch of highway to Central Plaza for a bite to eat. Although very convenient, it's a 5 story mega mall that seems very out of place. 
We were greeted by a 3rd grade class who was sitting indian style in a circle on the floor. Johnny started by saying "Good Morning class!" They answered in unison, "Good Morning Teacher John." We were then introduced as Crazy Alex and Crazy Loranda. We played a hilarious game of Simon Says and the kids loved it as much as we did. As we were leaving, Alex picked up one of the kids so she could jump high. Before we knew it, the entire class formed a line behind her! I was dying with laughter! 
There is a state of the art bowling alley inside the mall! American tunes played overhead and Thai twenty somethings drank beer and enjoyed themselves. It was a little odd but reminiscent of home at the same time.
Johnny had plans to return to Texas soon but we were unsure when we'd all be gathered at a table again.
We were laughing hysterically and I can only imagine what they thought! "The crazy white guy's here again..."
Like I've said before, there's NEVER a dull moment with Johnny around. That tape will be priceless someday.
