Off To Flores

Up at 6:30, for our guided tour/hike at 7:00.

As we were leaving on the hike, one of our boat guys told our guide that a dragon had caught a deer over on the beach, so our guide took us there to check it out. The dead deer was on the beach, underside ripped open, blood and guts hanging out, and the dragon was waiting in the trees about 25 metres away. The guide grabbed the deer and dragged it closer to the dragon, the dragon came out and continued gorging, ripping entrails out, his whole face covered in blood! It was cool!

We went on the hike, about two hours, saw lots of deer, wild pigs and various birds. Only saw one dragon.

Back to cafeteria, had breakfast (two Sprites and a cheese omelette), then packed and left at 10:45.

Stopped at Red Beach for a short swim, the sand has red specks in it, giving it a reddish tinge. Then on to Rinca Island. I dozed a bit on the way.

On Rinca, more dragon and wildlife spotting. Didn't see too much, a few dragons at the camp, three baby dragons on the hike, and an adult dragon on the hike, lots of monkeys, and a water buffalo and deer. The baby dragons, perhaps 15-20 inches long, are VERY excitable and VERY fast. Stephan and I were trying to get close to one to get a picture, I stepped in a bunch of dry leaves, and the dragon started running, DAMN FAST, right at me!! I was so terrified, I froze, couldn't move. All I was thinking was, "Where is that ranger with his stick?????" The baby dragon, turned away, passing through a bunch of dry leaves, which then got a second baby dragon excited, much closer to us, that we hadn't seen before, and the two of them took off into the forest. It was scary! And the saliva from the baby's is just as dangerous and deadly as that of the adults.

We left Rinca about 3:15. A park ranger came on the boat ride to Labuan Bajo with us.

We got to Labuan Bajo about 5:15, a nice fishing village. We walked to Gardena Bungalows, I got a single for 35,000, the other two got a double for 60,000. I also bought a bus ticket to Bajawa for 6:30 tomorrow morning, 45,000 rupiah.

We sent for supper about 6:00, sat at the restaurant, had milkshakes (mmmm, good!) until about 8:00, then we went to a local shop and they bought some Arrak #1 (60% alcohol), then back to the bungalows, sat outside, sampled the arrak, then about 10:00, I went back to my room, showered and to bed.

Lots and lots of tourists here for some reason, surprising. It is the gateway for the dragons, which is probably the reason.