Waiting to board

So ... Is this going to be a .....
Jakarta

After 27 hours of travel 🤤😲 (admittedly door to door) we arrived in Jakarta where we'll spend the next 2 days...
Luckily we don't get rain like this

While bumbling around a shopping district in Jakarta, a thunderstorm of note was brewing. In the space of about 20 minutes streets looked like rivers, visibility was no more than 20 meters, and theBaca lagi
Trip to the airport

So you think Jozi traffic is bad ... I'm thankful that we don't have thousands of scooter's, taxis, cars and even trains to contend with 😮
We took the local equivalent of Uber, calledBaca lagi
Labuhanbajo

A 2 hour flight from Jakarta to Komodo International Airport on Labuhanbajo.
Tomorrow we are collected and taken to the Indo Aggressor for our 10 day dive trip.
Already stressing that there's noBaca lagi
Eco Tree 'Otel

Our spot for the night ... Looked really grim from the outside, and my heart sank ...
But inside it is newly renovated and clean ... Even has WiFi in the rooms 😁
Sunset from our balcony

Indo Aggressor

Nice boat with great crew. Only 12 guests, so nice small group. Very happy we have the top side cabin so we can leave windows and door open 😁
2 tenders, each with only 6 divers and 2 crew, madeBaca lagi
Dive Day 1

3 dives today. The viz wasn't great today ... 1st dive <5m; 2nd dive 5-10m; 3rd dive <5m.
However the colourful coral and multitude of small critters made up for it 🙄.
Oh and the 5 manta raysBaca lagi
Hike anyone

We didn't know that there were activities other than diving on a dive boat.
Gary, the tour leader asked if anyone wanted to go for a walk, little did we know it was a HIKE !
Fortunately we got backBaca lagi
Dive Day 2

Viz still poor, but with so many little critters to see, it wasn't too much of a problem.
I'm sure everything is bigger here 😮. I've seen the biggest Bat Fish and Oriental Sweetlips ever ... AndBaca lagi
Dive Day 3

Better viz and water temperature today - 5-10m but 28-29° water 😊. Who would have thought that a 1 degree change would be so noticable 🤤
Dive Day 4

After a proper thunder storm at 00h15 this morning, the day started off quite overcast and cool. Paul went with Gary to drop the buoy for the 1st dive and they promptly got rained on.
Water stillBaca lagi
Dinner Aggressor style

White and blue tablecloths, fancy folded napkins and daily dinner menu's ...
Komodo Dragons in Horseshoe Bay

After our 3rd dive, we went to look at the Dragons on the beach.
They are not the prettiest of lizards and reminded me of our African Water Monitor Lizards, only bigger.
Unfortunately they have beenBaca lagi
Dive Day 5

A bit of sunshine today, but lots of rain all around. Luckily the worst of the thunderstorms have been at night 🙄
Dive Day 6

Another thunderstorm last night and a night sail to Langkoi.
Viz improved on the 1st and 2nd dives, but we then moved as the swell was rather vicious.
However, the 3rd dive of the day was aBaca lagi
Dive Day 7

Still lots of rain about and the water temperature has dropped to 26° 😝, so only 2 dives for me today ....
Watched the guys bring the tenders up onto the yacht as the seas were quite rough 🙂
Dive Day 8

I didn't dive today, weathered overcast and rainy, water cold and chest a bit tight 🙂
The sun came out in the late afternoon and we did have a beautiful sunset before the daily evening thunderstorm 😊
Loh Buaya Komodo NP

On our way back to port, we stopped to visit the Komodo National Park on Rinca
Last night on Aggressor

Xmas Dinner and Balinese dancing

A special Christmas dinner with Balinese dancing.
We were at the table with the German Resort owner. He has lived here for 26 years and could answer the many questions we had regarding Balinese lifeBaca lagi
Taman Tirta Gangga

Tirta Gangga is a former royal palace in eastern Bali, Indonesia.
Tirta Gangga literally means water from the Ganges and it is a site of some reverence for the Hindu Balinese. Strictly, the nameBaca lagi
Out & About from Tulamben

Coffee stop

Good coffee with a view of Agung, 2 other peaks and Lake Batur. Very clever toilet signs 😂
I think we left Tulamben in time, as it looks like the volcano has just puffed up a little plume of ash 🤤