Everyday you wake up and you are somewhere else.
Everyday is a new adventure.
 |
| First sighting of Komodo |
 |
| Our view |
Our adventure today is to see the Komodo Dragon!
This is a small and very pretty island, population is about 2000 and it has one attraction. The Komodo Dragon. The size of the dragons range from about 2.5 metres to 3.5 metres ( 8 to 11 feet) long. They aren't really dragons, however, they are the largest lizards on earth and an endangered species. We were given "rules" when we signed up for this excursion...they are:
1. Don't wear red or carry anything red
2. Do not attempt to get close to or to feed the dragons.
3. Stay on the paths
4. Stay with your group and your guides at all times
Alrighty then...and away we go.
The temperature is about 38°C/100°F...it is humid and downright steamy on the island. Our excursion which is simply called "Komodo Dragons" is a 2-hour walking tour at 12:30 PM. We are tendered across to the island.
We are dropped off and we have a long walk along a long pier.
Barry gets off the tender, starts walking and yells "TAXI"... everyone cracks up.
Our tour is 2 hours, but they let us switch to the shorter walk which only one hour.
 |
| Just like Jurassic Park |
 |
| Statue inside the gates |
 |
| The beauty of a Zoom Lens |
 |
| A baby |
 |
| Lethargic. |
Off we go into the woods and within 5 minutes we are all sweating. About 30-minutes into the walk we are at the watering hole and the dragons are laying around and very lethargic (due to the heat, I'm sure). The islanders do not feed the dragons, they hunt their own food. They eat deer and wild pigs as well as the young Komodo dragons.
Our walk turns into a 2-hour walk and we arrive back at the dock the same time as all the other tours.
We then have to "run the gauntlet" through the natives and their children, who are selling their crafts and souvenirs. This is our first encounter, this trip, with hawkers.
We go back to the boat. Our clothes soaked through with sweat and we stink of insect repellant. We have a cool shower, a cold beer and a 1-hour nap.
We meet Jim & Alice (Brits living in South Carolina) in the Stars Lounge at 6:30 for pre-dinner drinks. We all have "dragon" stories. We then go to Compass Rose for dinner and get to know each other. After dinner, Alice suggest a night cap at the Galileo Lounge. "Oh no", I thought "not a final-final!!!"
 |
| Jim & Alice |
So, 2 hours and 3 drinks later...also dancing our asses off...we head to our cabin.
Home & bed @ 1:00 AM.
We don't anchor until noon tomorrow...Thank gawd.
I would have loved to have been there when Barry yelled "Taxi"! Sounds like it was a blast.
ReplyDelete