The Path Less Ridden

Setting off the next morning, we let the gorgeous Flores scenery roll under our wheels.

 

 

Arriving in Labuan Bajo, we saw the first big concentration of other tourists so far on the trip – drawn here by the Komodo National Park, both for the dragons and the scuba diving. We settled into a decent hotel room (still only $22AUD per night, so $11 each!), with a great view out over the bay.

 

 

With only a single day allocated in my schedule here, I decided to take a day trip to Rinca Island, the second (smaller, closer) island in the Komodo National Park, to try and see some dragons. The trip out, on a small local boat, provided some nice views of Flores’ west coast and the multitude of small islands in the National Park.

 

 

My intrepid captain for the day (although he spent half of it sleeping).

 

 

The first look at Rinca Island.

 

 

Approaching the dock, I spotted this cheeky monkey trying to catch a crab.

 

 

Finally, you step onto the island, and are immediately hit by the tourist money-grab: National Park entrance fee, guide fee, camera fee. Still not a huge amount, but annoying. Reassuringly, included in all that was insurance to cover you if bitten or mauled by a dragon.

 

 

One of the key reasons to visit Rinca instead of Komodo Island itself to see dragons is that the rangers here still feed them the kitchen scraps – meaning there’ll always be plenty of lazy dragons hanging around for photos near the camp.

 

 

My guide with his lizard-poking stick. I don’t know how effective it would be for defending against three metres and 100kg of hungry lizard if it came to that, but still.

 

 

A short hike around the island showed some views and other wildlife, but no ‘properly’ wild dragons.

 

 

Returning back to the camp, there were no less than four Komodos lazing around under the kitchen building. My guide assured me they don’t feed them, it’s just they’re attracted by the smell. Yeah sure mate, they’d be that docile with big tasty bits of human a few metres away if they weren’t fed.

 

 

Back to the boat, and retracing our steps back towards Labuan Bajo as the afternoon thunderstorms start to build.

 

 

I did have time to stop a do some snorkelling on a deserted tropical island though.

 

 

I found Nemo!

 

 

The next morning I said my second farewell to Przemek, and caught the ferry across to Sumbawa. Only 8 hours on the boat this time, although the Indonesian habit of every male chain-smoking several packs a day grew very thin by the end of the trip. Also frustrating was arriving ahead of schedule then waiting for an hour and a half going around in circles in the port, meaning that the 50km to the next major town was done in failing light.

 

 

Crossing Sumbawa was a rapid affair, not stopping for much. It seemed poorer, dustier, less verdant in places compared to Flores, with corn as the staple crop instead of rice. It did manage some reasonable views at times though.

 

 

Lunch was a spur-of-the-moment stop at a warung (café) on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Fresh fish, that morning’s catch, were on ice.

 

 

I chose this one:

 

 

Then sat waiting while they gutted and cooked it one the spot. The dining area was nice too.

 

 

I got talking to some locals (well, one anyway, not much English in this part of Indonesia) and ended up eating with them.

 

 

Hitting the road again, I rolled through crop fields and what I assume is some kind of aquaculture.

 

 

I was also pulled up at a police roadblock at one point. I was worried they would find some reason to fine me (officially or unofficially), but all they wanted were selfies with me and the bike!

 

Hitting the ferry port at the western edge of Sumbawa, the storm clouds were rolling in thick and fast.

 

 

At least this service is an hourly one, so there was no waiting and no huge crowds. As dusk fell I hit Lombok, with Mt Rinjani shrouded by clouds.