On Nemo and Komodo: The Landscape of Indonesia
While we have talked already about the different places in Indonesia that we have visited and learned from, the ultimate way to see Indonesia is by a boat trip. Those that have traveled to Bali, and only Bali, have no idea of the vast nature that is Indonesia. Indonesia is made up of 15,000 islands (the number changes from 15k-17k depending on who you talk to), and some are so small that one tree sits on it, while others spread out farther than your eyesight can reach. For four days and three nights we passed islands by day and night, and the scene was mesmerizing. Always an island pleased your sight with its isolated hills of bushes and bare rock. Beneath us were the reefs, the manta rays, and the dolphins that chased our boat at sunrise. We would anchor and watch the migration of flying foxes, their tiny screeches growing louder as the sun set. Some islands we swam in their waterfalls, while others dazzled us with pink sand. And as you will read, the komodo dragon lay waiting for our visitation in their predatory appearance of laid back, casual observation.
Greatest Moment(s): While on the scale of favoritism we weigh events and moments to our own liking, there are those moments that are special to us both. We found Indonesia the absolute best place to snorkel. The colorful reefs were teeming with life. We saw an incredible about of clown fish—and spent too much time hovering over our Nemos! We saw them wiggle between the anemone in such fluidity that you imagined you were in fact watching the animated movie itself. Baby clown fish dared to swim out of their home, and dive right back in. The large clown fish sat on guard, starring at us as if we were menacing sea creatures. And as we dived closer, they would sometimes bolt out to warn us this was their home. Most did not notice us, and busied themselves with chasing after the little clown fish or nipping at the other fish that got too close. Sometimes we saw so much anemone that it seemed to coat the ocean floor, filling the space between the coral that would keep it more secure and unnoticed.
When we weren’t snorkeling for colorful fish, sea turtles, or the coral reef, we floated suspended over the large mass of the manta ray that swam beneath us. Their size was frightening, but their movements were full of grace and beauty.
One last moment to be mentioned would be sailing during the night time. With civilization islands away, we saw above us the far stretch of the Milky Way. The sky opened up for us as if its internal organs were the stars themselves, and the flickering nothing more than the neurological impulses of life. We fell asleep on the deck, and every time we woke we saw the same stars watching us snore and drool, and on occasion were accompanied by the man on the moon.
Worst Moment: We cannot even complain too much about not showering for 4 days. The amount of times we jumped in and out of the salt water and rinsed off made it feel less disgusting certainly, and one night the boat staff brought enough runoff water from the waterfall so that we may shampoo our hair. The worst moment would have to be the island we were dropped off at—in Labuan Bajo, if you wanted to save money, you just sat around in its cafes that were not friendly. We were there two days as we waited for our flight back to Bali, and it was not fun.
Lesson Learned: Can we say we acquired the skills and sight of a sea-farer from just being on the boat for four days? Our imagination would say, yes—you are practically captains or pirates! There were times on the boat that all you could do was look out and observe the open water before you, wonder at its depths beneath you, and gaze longingly at the land masses beside you. In a way, we learned the distant sense one gets when they meet a boatman (as we exaggerate for dramatic effect). As if in the short days on board gave us the same grave countenance—that we know the unrest of wind and water, beyond the reach of harm from any worldly thing! Not to mention their quiet, calm attitude and solidarity in the face of challenges. While our challenge was how to jump out of the boat with fins on, there were none braver than us as we jumped from small heights in waters of little current.
Cultural Insight: Another incredible adventure was going to Komodo Island and Rinca Island to see the komodo dragons. We learned that the komodo dragon has survived since pre-historic times due to the people’s reverence of them. A very, very long time ago there was said to be a princess that gave birth to both a son and a dragon. Out of fear that the dragon would be slaughtered, she took it into the wild and separated her two sons. The human son grew up with no knowledge of the dragon, and one day, all grown up, he was hunting in the woods. As he neared his prey, a komodo dragon jumped out of the bushes and viciously attacked the same creature the man was hunting. Stunned, he went to kill the komodo, when the beautiful princess came down from the sky to stop him. She said that the komodo dragon was his brother, and that they must not kill each other. And since then, no one hunts the komodo dragon even to this day. The dragon was never hunted, and thus has lasted an incredible amount of time. Today the people live on the islands with the dragon. There have been attacks throughout the years, but everyone has a system. How to arm themselves walking out of doors. Never go anywhere in less than a pair. The tender part of the dragon is the nose in case it attacks you. As we walked the island sandwiched between two guides bearing long forked sticks, we were told as long as we stay together the komodo will not attack. But if we wander too far away….
Trekking these islands was thrilling. One they were gorgeous, and two they are the place where the wild komodo dragon lives. Getting close to these dragons was unreal. Their eyes opened and starred, and then closed again. Some would raise their head and watch you. Each had enormous claws and wide, square jaws. One walked up the hillside towards us and towards the shade, and with that the guide quickly told us to go up and around. How foolish we are to be there, but how fortunate to see them in the wild!
