APRIL IN FLORES... PART 2 (AND AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT)

When we last visited our intrepid Migrants, they were on the island of Flores catching up with friends from Portland and visiting Kelimutu National Park.  We pick up where we left off there…  (And stay tuned to the end for an important announcement!)

On the front- and back-end of our Kelimutu visit, we were able to see some other parts of Flores and some smaller nearby islands.  Our launching point was Labuan Bajo on Flores, and the 2½ hour flight there from Jakarta provided beautiful vistas of some of Indonesia’s many, many islands (over 17,000 total).   

Only 6,000 of Indonesia's islands are inhabited.  Lots of them are just little specs in the ocean. 

Highly recommend a window seat on the flight to Labuan Bajo!

Absolutely stunning views on our airport approach.

We had a full day in Labuan Bajo before meeting up with our friends to start our previously reported trip to Kelimutu.  We opted to get on a boat for a day trip to visit some of the neighboring islands, including Padar Island, a stop at Komodo Island to visit its Pink Beach and National Park (and resident “dragons”), and snorkeling along the way, including a spot with about a dozen manta rays.  Setting out from the Labuan Bajo harbor, we passed hundreds of “live aboard” wooden ships that offer multi-day trips around these islands.  Many of our colleagues have done these trips… but we’d also heard many stories of these ships breaking down, sinking, catching fire… so we opted to stay on land and just do a day trip to see the sights. 

Some refreshing beverages - and shade - at our hotel in Labuan Bajo, the Sylvia Resort.

A beautiful sunset from our terra firma hotel.

At the harbor getting ready for our day trip.  I am constantly impressed by Indonesians' ability to sit like this.  My achilles tendon would snap!

Some of the seaworthy (or not?) liveaboards in the harbor.

All aboard!

The first stop was Padar Island where we met up with dozens of other boats and hundreds of likeminded day-trip tourists to hike to the top.  The summit did offer spectacular views of all the islands dotting the horizon.  But the throngs of people and selfie-seekers definitely detracted from the experience.  The heat didn’t help either.  This was stop number 1 – I mean, we were probably starting the 45-minute-ish hike to the top by 8am or so… and we’d both sweat through our clothes within the first 5 minutes.  We snapped a few pics, started the descent, and headed back to the boat for the next stop.

First stop: Padar Island.

Pausing for a pic on the hike to the top.  What you don't see are the hundreds of people on the trail and hanging out behind me.

I had to WAIT IN A LINE to take this photo.

On to Komodo Island… and more throngs of tourists.  We were divided up into smaller groups of about 20 people or so, and each group was led into the park by a guide.  The guides all carried basically walking sticks that were deemed to be used to defend against any komodo dragons who may get a bit to close.  We did see a few dragons, though most of them were laying completely still.  I felt sorry for them since hundreds of tourists were being ushered past them and posing for photos with them… and I’m sure all they wanted to do was have a quiet nap.  No such thing in a country with 270 million people living in a country with a total land mass that’s roughly 2½ times the size of Texas.

We also waited in line to have our photo taken with this sleepy guy.  

The only dragon we saw on the move.  Check out that forked tongue!

These deer were also on the island and are prey for the dragons.  Despite what they look like, komodo dragons can be fast when they're hungry... and all they have to do is bite their prey once.  Their saliva is super poisonous and is what ultimately takes down their prey.  It doesn't sound like a good way to go.

We were there!

Back to the boat for a trip to the other side of Komodo Island to see Pink Beach… and jump in the water!  AHHHHH!!!  There were a few stalls set up selling drinks and snacks (no place in Indonesia is without stalls selling drinks and snacks).  Most importantly, these concessions also had some tables and chairs in the SHADE, so we were able to cool off a bit. 

Our ride for the day.

The little tiny pieces of red coral do give the beach a pink hue.

Red coral on display on the beach... among the concession stands.

Last stop, Manta Point.  So named for the manta rays that hang out there.  No underwater camera so no photos of that stop, but it was a highlight.  First off, we were back in the water and thermoregulating.  But also, the mantas were awesome!  Huge, gentle beasts gliding through the water – and we were swimming with them!  (And, dozens of other tourists, of course.)  But all-in-all a great way to start our trip on Flores.

<See previous blog post on Kelimutu National Park here.>

And then, having bid our Portland friends farewell, we headed back to Labuan Bajo, and back to its harbor.  This time to take a boat our to our next accommodation for a few nights, Sudamala Seraya.  This resort was on a little island about an hour’s boat ride from the harbor.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, we’d actually flown over this little island on our flight to Labuan Bajo – we didn’t realize it until we were looking at our photos afterwards.  The island only has two resorts on it – both consisting of no more than a couple dozen bungalows, so it was a refreshingly quiet, serene, beautiful place for a few days of rest and relaxation.  And bonus – the island had its own house reef with I dare say the best snorkeling we’ve ever seen – and we’ve been to some great snorkel spots.  You could jump right in from the resort’s pier, or do a short swim out from the beach.  Point is – we didn’t have to do anything more than put on our swimsuits and head out the door to the water, or the beach, or the restaurant.  Nothing was more than 100’ from our front door.  No cars!  Or scooters!  Or traffic!  Or smog!  Or, really, other people!  This was by far one of our favorite spots in Indonesia so far.  (Kelimutu is in the running too.) 

That little bungalow behind us was our refuge for 3 glorious days.

This was our view.  Can you feel the serenity?

So many glorious sunsets - and sunrises, like this one.

Absolutely crystal clear water.

You could SEE the reef and the fish from the pier.

Look at these happy fish!

An impressive array of shells too!  (Don't worry - I put them all back.)

The view from the restaurant (and pool), which was about 100' from our bungalow.

Another sunrise.  They were spectacular, and we were up for most of them.  It was the best time for a snorkel because everything was so still and calm.

Looking out toward the end of the pier at dusk.

The ground crew in Labuan Bajo waved goodbye to our plane!  I mean, whaaaat?  How cute is that?

Those bungalows on the far right comprised our magical island resort. 

The common denominator for our favorite spots in Indonesia has been a lack of crowds and a dose of blue sky and clean air.  And as my “bidding season” began (i.e., time for me to start interviewing for my next job), those aspects definitely became a priority for our next post.  Yes, that’s right, we’re already starting to think about where we'll head after my tour in Jakarta ends next summer.  And, in fact, we already know!  Here’s the important announcement I teased at the top of this post:  We’ll be headed to La Paz, Bolivia next summer!  Lack of crowds?  Check.  (Total population: 11 million.)  Blue sky and clean air?  Check.  (La Paz annual average AQI: 23, Jakarta: 144.)  Of course, at 11,000 feet, that clean air will be very thin… but we’ll take it!

Onward!  (In summer 2025.)

APRIL IN FLORES

Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 islands, around 6,000 of which are inhabited.  From east to west, Indonesia is about 400 miles longer than the continental United States.  It takes some time – and effort – to get to those other islands from Jakarta, which is pretty far west on the Island of Java.  But back in April, when Mike and Debbie, our friends from Portland, sent us their itinerary for their epic tour of Indonesia, we decided to meet them on the island of Flores, about 1,000 miles east of Jakarta.  We met up in Labuan Bajo, a coastal town on the west coast of Flores (and which I’ll write about in my next blog).  From there, we took a short flight to Ende in central Flores.  And then from there, it was about a 90 minute car ride to our destination for the next couple days, Kelimutu National Park.  (See what I mean about time and effort?)

Stopping to stretch our legs on the car ride from the Ende airport to our lodge outside Kelimutu National Park.

The scenery along the way did not disappoint.

The distance from any major population center meant that Kelimutu National Park, and the ecolodge where we stayed, blissfully were not overrun with people.  The main attraction in the park is a trio of volcanic lakes that range in color from black to turquoise blue.  Hiking up to the top of the park to look over the lakes as the sun rises was supposed to be a beautiful, awe-inspiring spectacle.  So we had an early dinner at the lodge, arranged to have some boxed breakfasts ready for us to take with us the next morning, and made arrangements with our guide for a very early departure.  We planned to do an early hike to the summit viewpoint (with the use of flashlights to see the trail), wait for the glorious sunrise, and then do some birdwatching on the way back down.

The view from the porch of our bungalow at the ecolodge.

Alas, when we woke up the next morning (or middle of the night, really), we were socked in with clouds and drizzle.  Undeterred, we packed up and headed to the park and started to make the ascent.  It only took about an hour to get to the top, where the drizzle persisted… but so did we.  Finally, as the sky started turning from dark grey to light grey, we realized the sun was up… but it was not going to make an appearance.  Maybe later, said our guide.  We also couldn’t see any of the volcanic lakes.  While the guardrails suggested there was… something… on the other side, the clouds had settled in the craters, so all was saw was a perspectiveless wall of white.   So we hiked back down to wait it out... and get coffee.

We waited patiently at the viewpoint at the top.  Alas, the glorious sunrise eluded us.

We tried to do some birdwatching along the way back to the parking lot.  While we heard a lot of birds, and saw a couple, they were mostly as elusive as the sun.  So, back in the parking area, we sought shelter from the drizzle under the tarps of a make-shift concession area, bought some coffee from one of the proprietors, played some cards, and looked forward to our boxed breakfast… which turned out to include a hard-boiled egg, a piece of white bread, and a banana. 

We spent probably 45 minutes trying to track this bird that was making a racket and sounded like he was RIGHT... THERE. But no.

It felt like walking through Jurassic Park.  Fortunately we didn't see any dinosaurs either.

 

Heading back down to wait it out.

Seeking shelter under an orange tarp back at the concessions near the parking lot.

At last!  The sun started to break through the clouds, so we made the ascent… again… to see what we hadn’t been able to see the first time.  And it was worth the wait. 

This lake was a dark greenish-black...

...while these two were a spectacular turquoise blue.

You'd never know it had been completely socked in with clouds only moments earlier.

Definitely worth the wait... and 2x round trip hike.

We were pretty much the only people in the park, but we couldn't take our backpacks off...

...because these jerks were EVERYWHERE (if you look closely at the photo with the dark green lake, you'll see what I mean) and would grab anything they could.

The next day proved to be even drizzlier than the first, so we were glad we had waited it out to see the lakes the day prior.  We took a trip to a local village to get a sense of the traditional way of life – or the traditional way life had been.  The “village” had actually burned down several years prior and been rebuilt recently to show what traditional buildings and houses looked like.  But from what we could tell, no one was actually living there.  There were some old-timers who showed us around, but it felt a little Colonial Williamsburg-Meets-Indonesia, complete with entrance fee and loaner traditional garb to wear while walking around. 

Don't mistake Mike and Andrew for some locals.

One of the village elders showing us around.

The (recreated) traditional village.  The structures are typical and unique to this part of Flores island.

In between, we spent some lazy hours at the ecolodge, which had about a dozen bungalows tucked into a river valley.  And the river was paying off given all the rain.  The lodge and the national park were both at a bit of elevation, so the temperatures were pleasant… if not downright cool for these thin-blooded Jakartans.  April in Flores proved to be a welcome escape from the concrete jungle – in the actual jungle – and a memorable reunion with good friends from home.

Andrew and I tried to do a hike around the lodge property.  Alas the rain had washed out the trail on the other side of this "bridge."

Feeling peckish after our hard-boiled egg and bread breakfast, we found this cafe for a yummy lunch.  Debbie and Mike have visited us at every post we've been overseas.  It has been amazing to have these great friends and familiar faces everywhere we go.  

BRUNO IN BANGKOK, SHOWTUNES IN SINGAPORE

Jakarta is a city of over 11 million people.  For a population that size, there are surprisingly few big-name concerts or shows that come here.  So when Bruno Mars came to Bangkok for a couple shows in March, and then the Broadway show Hamilton had a run in Singapore in May, we ventured forth to take in some song and dance… and see a few other sights along the way.

Saying “we saw Bruno Mars in Thailand” sounds ridiculous.  I know it!  But Bangkok is less than a 4 hour flight from here, so we made a long weekend of it.  In addition to the show, we played tourist on an evening tuk-tuk tour that took us to some scenic spots in the city.  And we wandered on our own during the day to take in some new sights.  

A stop at Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn)... at dusk.

Part tuk tuk, part disco, the nighttime tuk tuk tour was a fun way to see the sights!

Our tuk tuk tour also took us to - and through - Bangkok's flower market.

No shortage of flowers, in every color, in this massive market.

We passed by some other bustling night markets too - they were sorting long beans at this stall.

One of our favorite things about Bangkok - so much good food... everywhere!  We weren't even sure what was being made here, but there was a line, which seemed like a promising sign, so we got in it.

The final result - sort of a coconut pancake-meets-taco.  I had to google it later to figure out what it was.  It's called khanom krok, and yes, it was delicious.

.  

Not to be outdone by the food, we also found some tasty beverages in Bangkok.  I enjoyed this cocktail in the bar at what is now the W Hotel, but had been built as a private residence int he late 1800s and later served as the Russian embassy for 50 years.

The aforementioned W hotel/swanky bar venue.

The concert itself was at an outdoor arena outside of the downtown core.  Being a bit wary of what that could mean for traffic getting to and from the venue, we booked a room at a hotel just across the street from the stadium so we could get there on foot.  By far the most genius hack of the trip.  The hotel even had a rooftop bar where we had a beverage while listening to the sound check, and then a night cap while watching the road crew break down the stage.  And in between, the show itself was amazing!  It was a full house and great energy – both from the band on the stage and the crowd in the stands.  Being basically a agoraphobic hermit, I was a bit nervous about being in a stadium with a 65,000-person capacity… but it was a great show and a great night.

View of the stadium from the rooftop at our hotel.  Best logistical decision EVER!

A spectacular sunset view while the crowd starts to assemble for the concert.  Thank goodness the sun was on its way down by the time we got there because even then it was about 90 degrees - plus humidity.

OH!  AH!  I'm a sucker for fireworks.  Plus a super entertaining, high energy show with great music?  Aw, yeah.

I'm pretty sure we brought up the median age of the concert goers.  But it was super fun!

Fast forward to Memorial Day weekend.  Another long weekend presented another opportunity to get out of Jakarta and take in some culture.  This time, it was to Singapore to see a production of Hamilton.

Saying “we saw Hamilton in Singapore” ALSO sounds ridiculous.  I get it!  But Singapore is only a 2 hour flight from here, so even though it sounds exotic, it’s basically like flying from Seattle to Oakland, which is definitely NOT exotic.

We had visited Singapore for a long weekend last July.  But on that trip, I’d been feverishly preparing for a Secretary of State visit, so it wasn’t the relaxing, engaging cultural experience I’d hoped for.  This time, we made up for it.  We joined a walking tour of Chinatown one day, another walking tour of the Little India district another day, re-visited the botanic gardens to enjoy some time in outdoor green space, ate a ton of great food… and saw an amazing Broadway show at the theater at the Marina Bay Sands (the hotel with what looks like a ship balanced across its three towers).  I mean, sure, why not!

We visited some cool old Chinese temples on our Chinatown walking tour.

Thien Hock Keng temple was built in 1820...

...and is surrounded by Singapore's modern skyscrapers.  

A nighttime drive-by of the Buddha Tooth Relic temple - we have yet to make it inside to see what type of tooth they have on display.  My money is on a molar.

Very cool murals in Singapore's historic neighborhoods.

"I'd like 10 percent of the air conditioning unit commission."  -Scott Rose (if Scott Rose were to visit Singapore).

The Tan Tang Niah house - built in 1900, it's the last Chinese villa in Singapore's Little India. 

The impetus for this trip to Singapore!  Hamilton!

It was quite the crowd for this sold out show.

Concerts – check!  Show tunes – got it!  Maybe not in Jakarta, but just a puddle jumper away!  (And bonus - the Singapore airport is awesome!)

This is Andrew trying out the slide from the second floor to the first floor in the Singapore airport.