LABUANBAJO (FLORES ISLAND), RINCA ISLAND / INDONESIA:
It took 2 days and 2 nights to get here, but it was well worth it. Flores is wilder than the other islands and is also the starting point to get to Rinca Island, where the mighty Komodo Dragons eat buffalo, chickens and the occasional tourist. We plonked round Rinca, tracking the dragons under the midday sun, snorkelled to cool off, then celebrated Xavier's birthday with the best ever tortilla espanola, cooked on the boat. That was followed by an excruciating number of hours on bad buses, with chickens both inside and on top. Even dogs and pigs were loaded onto the roof, with packs of rice and coconuts stashed on top of them... not a pretty sight.
The Captain was a duck - and I drove part of the way to Rinca.
Cris, Nabil, Daniel, Javi, Safri the trainee guide, O, Monse, Justine, Www something, the second guide, braving the abominable dragons.
A 2.5m long Komodo Dragon.
Independence Day, day 3, a parade in Labuanbajo, celebrating the safe return of the group?