2 Months In

We finally found good internet! Sorry it has been a long time since our last post and we've done a lot since then. Shortly after we posted we went on a four day boat trip from Lombok island to Flores island. We
stopped at several different islands to see a waterfall, snorkel, and
see the Komodo dragons. Needless to say the boat tour itself was horrible... We learned
you get what you pay for. I could go on a rant but lets just say NEVER USE Go Komodo Tours!!  It was a rough 4 days but we made it to
Flores island. We begun our stay there scuba diving
the Komodo National Park. The coral was pristine and absolutely
breathtaking. It would be hard to top it. We then met a photographer
at our hotel and all decided to hire a car to take us around the
island for the next 4 days. Fortunately the photographer was fluent in Bahasa
Indonesian so we pretty much didn't have to worry about anything those
4 days. We saw the Liang Bua cave where paleontologists discovered the
"hobbit", a different species of human called Homo floresnesis. Along
the way we made several stops to take pictures and often were in front
of schools. The children were so happy when they saw us and would
crowd around the car asking what our names were. They were also asking
us for pens too, which made us think that we really take for granted
what we've had while growing up. We get pens for free all the time
back home while children in other countries don't even have any to use in school.

We also visited a Ngada village with traditional huts and Mitch
bonded with the ladies and tried beetlenut. Next stop was Kelimutu,
the three different colored crater lakes. We went to really nice hot
springs that apparently are even better than the ones on Bali. We also went
to a blue pebble beach where workers actually sit there all day
picking out the best pebbles and separate them by shade of blue and
size. Makes you think twice when you see pebbles in someone's yard. We
also stopped at a bunch of other beaches along the way that were
completely empty and had beautiful black sand.

Next we were headed back to Bali by plane (no more long boat trips for
us). On Lombok we met some Americans that live on Bali and were able
to stay with them in Sanur. They took us all around to different
places for dinner including a place called Jimbaran that is known for
the seafood and we found out why. By far the best seafood we've ever
had. We splurged and had oysters, 2 different kinds of fish, calamari, clams,
and jumbo prawns.

We then went to an island called Nusa Lenbongan and went drift
snorkeling along the bottom of a cliff. It was cool and definitely
something we've never done before. Mitch also got to feed the fish
which we have a video of and will post. It was nice and
relaxing there and we got a good deal on a room right on the water
with A/C and hot water - two luxuries that we are trying not to spoil
ourselves with too much. After that we went back to Sanur one last
time and had an outing with our friends. Definitely planning on coming
back and seeing them someway or another.

The next day we were off to Amed which consist of a few towns along
the east coast. We snorkeled a Japanese shipwreck but that was nothing
compared to what we did the next day. We scuba dove a ship wreck which
was the USS Liberty, a US World War II cargo ship. We saw lots of
sting rays, garden eels, and a few huge barracuda.

We then continued up north to a town called Lovina. It's mainly known
for dolphin watching but since we saw a lot on the boat ride to Flores
we didn't take a special trip to see them. The town is very relaxing
and we found a great bungalow to stay at. We took a day trip to
Manjangan island off the northwest coast where we scuba dove again.
The coral wasn't anything spectacular but the variety of sea life was
more than what we had see before. We saw a black tip reef shark, an
octopus, an eel, a sting ray, a Pygmy seahorse, a grouper, a
cuttlefish, a giant clam, and a squid. We decided to stay an extra day
to relax since we have been on the go that last few days.

Next stop was our last island in Indonesia - Java. We took an overnight bus ride to Yogyakarta, which is where we spent our Thanksgiving by visiting the largest Buddhist temple in the world, Borobodur. We also rode on our first bicycle rickshaw of the trip! After a few days, we took an overnight train to Jakarta, slept in a hostel for a few hours, ate, and then we were off to Singapore! It was really nice but very expensive.  The Botanical Gardens are worth visiting because luckily it was free and very beautiful. There were lots of Christmas decorations and lights along Orchard Road that put Chicago's Christmas decorations to shame. It was definitely nice having western amenities for the first time in two months. Unfortunately it was to expensive to stay longer than three days.

Some of the pictures towards the end are out of order. We did our best so enjoy! There is also a video at the end.  (If you click on the pictures it gives you a larger view.)

Ocean Sailboat we saw on our boat tour to Flores.

Santonda Island Salt Water Lake.

Lucky stones tied to the trees on Santonda Island

A deer and some sunbathers on Komodo Island at Pink Beach.  They had no idea what was behind them.

The scroungy deer on Komodo.  They are regular meals for the dragons.

First Komodo we saw by the watering hole.

This is the biggest Komodo on the island.  He was very fat looking after feeding that morning.  It took him and 3 other dragons 36 minutes to eat the entire deer, hooves and all.

He said that he wants to cuddle.

Random beach island near Komodo.

Fishing town on Komodo Island.  The locals are occasionally eaten by the dragons.

Dolphins putting on a show for us.

Buffalo on Rinca Island.  The other main island home to the dragons.

Eating the buffalo carcass.

This is a blind komodo after getting kicked in the face by a buffalo.  Our guide says he saw it happen with his own eyes.

We walked for an hour around the island only to come back to the village and find all the Komodos laying in the shade.

Last stop before landing on Flores.  Unknown random island.

Labuanbajo, Flores

Here we have evidence of Gecko cannibalism.  The big one proceeded to eat the small one in our room.

Dive boat in Komodo National Park.  We had the whole boat to ourselves.

On the road in Flores.

Very friendly schoolchildren who were always excited to see a westerner.  Everywhere we stopped the kids all had hand symbols for us.  (Except the finger)  They asked for pens and pencils.  Apparently those are in short supply.

They always said "I Love You" to Mitch.

Bullseye!

Child Labor.  All the kids were always working on Flores.  Many were building the roads.

Spider web rice paddies.

Liang Bua  aka  The Hobbit Cave on Flores.  Google It.  Very interesting archaeological find.

You can see the bottom right of the picture is where the excavated and found the remains of the hobbit.  Also the remains of the extinct Pygmy Elephant.

Mitch next to the hobbit skeleton.

Juliana next to the life size replica of "Flo" the female hobbit.

Flores was gorgeous.  It feels like your in Jurassic Park with all the mist and lush green jungle.  In a way that is not to far off because  there are a small number of Komodo dragons on the island which are basically living fossils.

Apparently there are hobbit descendants alive today, one is pictured here, with the giant rats also found on Flores.

Locals celebrating All Souls Day. Flores is primarily Catholic.

A traditional Nagada Village.

All the women doing the heavy lifting.

Mitch trying Betel Nut with the locals. You can notice what it does to your mouth after many years from the woman behind him.

Baby pig being taken to slaughter.

It is common for the graves to be right next to the houses in the village, also next to the drying spices...

They also eat dog on Flores.  This little guy could unfortunately be dinner later  that day.

If anybody can tell me what the strange decorations found on the tops of the huts are for, that would be great.

They have impressive collections of buffalo skulls found next to some of the houses.  A tribute to that family's wealth and status.

Some of the houses had very intricate carvings along the base.

Old and Young

Colorful Catholic Cemetery.

Local market.

Active and Smoking volcano on Flores. 

The thickest bamboo we saw the entire trip.

Typical house in Moni, which was a small village we stayed for a night.

A friendly praying mantis that flew at Juliana.

Kelimutu, aka the Three Crater Lakes with the Light Blue and Dark Blue Lakes behind us.

Black Lake

Light Blue Lake

Safety standards have often gone out the window

Beach Near Ende.

They looooove Bob Marley over here.

This man started a fire which quickly spread out of his control.  He was screaming, trying to put it out with  a branch when we left.

Blue Pebble Beach

  

The women who work all day separating out the best pebbles.

Flores Hot Springs

It was the best bath we had after 3 days on the road.

The Jungle mist in the afternoon.

Back to Labuanbajo.

All the furniture above our hotel was made out of recycled boat wood.

Our friend Sara's front yard in Bali.

Jimbaran Beach in Bali

Our choices for dinner.  It ended up being the best seafood we've ever had. Hands down.

The entire beach was filled with restaurants.

Our friends Tanya and Andy

Nusa Lembongan which is a small island off of Bali.

Amazing view from our room in Nusa Lembongan

There are many seaweed farms on this island.

Seaweed Drying in the sun.  The smell was less than pleasant.

A cliff jump that was much to treacherous on that day.

This is what we would have jumped into.  I'll Pass.

Juliana amazed at the 40 foot waves.

A few of the seaweed farms.

Dreamland Beach.

Night shots in Amed, Bali.

Our bungalow in Lovina, Bali.

Market in Yogyajakarta.

Thanksgiving Day at Borobudur Buddhist Temple.

Those Stupas each have a Buddha Statue. 

 

This Temple was truly captivating.  We did the traditional 3 laps clockwise around.  It took 2 hours.

Kuta, Lombok

This goat wanted to fight.

Seriously he kicked us off the beach.  The dog didn't seem to care.

Mitch tried to throw him in the water but he came back and terrorized us some more.  He won, we left.

Dinner.   Hahaa jk.

Buddhist Temple close to Borobudur.

Waterfall on Moyo Island during our boat trip to  Flores.

Our boat to Flores (bad memories)

Clarke Quay in Singapore

Park in Singapore

Christmas tree in Singapore

Juliana's favorite Christmas tree we saw. Pink of course.

Steak dinner in Singapore. Finally!

Tasty looking tree

Snorkeling on our boat trip to Flores

Pink Beach on Komodo even though it wasn't very pink

Can you see the little bit of pink??

Botanic Gardens in Singapore

Scuba diving in Komodo National Park

Boat cruise in Singapore. Marina Sands Bay in the background.

Cuttlefish Mitch was chasing around. Watch how it changes colors, patterns, and shapes throughout the next group of pictures.

View from our plane right back to Bali from Flores

Drag show in Seminyak, Bali. This is Madonna.

Drag queen as Katy Perry

In Sanur

Officer Gann

Snorkeling in Nusa Lembongan

This is a jellyfish usually found in the Antarctic and Arctic waters. This one was almost dead and very far from home.

Puffer fish

Relaxing at an infinity pool at Dreamland Beach in Nusa Lembongan

Snorkeling at a Japanese shipwreck in Amed.

About to scuba dive the USS Liberty shipwreck in Tulumben, Bali.

That tiny black spot is a Frog fish

Lion fish. Can you see it?

Same Lion Fish using the flash

Bat fish

Blue-spotted sting ray

Tiny shrimp in the coral

Nemo!

Giant barracuda we saw while diving in the wreck

It was a little frightening being only a few feet from this guy.

Balinese dancer at a restaurant we were at.

Scuba diving at Menjangan Island. This is an octopus.

Cuttlefish

Moray Eel

Lion fish (if you can see it)

Only picture we were able to get of the Grouper.

Not sure if this was safe...

Temple at Menjangan Island

Dolphin statue in Lovina. It wasn't in such good shape.

Lovina is apparently known for it's cock fighting which is probably where this guy was going.

Street performers in Yogayakarta.

Hobbit in Yogayakarta???

Enjoying his Thanksgiving coconut.

The back alleys of Yogyakarta

Mitch's first ever bicycle rickshaw ride.

Sign in the Singapore metro station

GO WHITE!!! I guess even in Indonesia they love the Spartans ;-)

Mitch is screaming in the video because the fish bites were quite painful but they didn't break the skin.