On 30 May, Neal writes:
First off: I'm safe and well, hope you are doing well too.
Soon as I get reliable internet at the Anumana Hotel in Ubud,
I'll send this. I'm writing this at sea on the
Komodo Indo Aggressor.
I have a slight infection in my right ear and
took the last two dive days off in hopes it will clear up before 4 June.
I'm using antibiotic ear drops (the only thing that will cure it).
IF it doesn't respond reasonably,
then there's no point in my continuing on to the Dewi Nusantara.
20 MAY:
Pics of the aircraft I took from Denpassar (Bali) to Labuan Bajo.
Early in the a.m., there's NOBODY in the Denpassar Airport,
at least not in the domestic terminal.
The gate numbers are not consistently updated,
AND three flights may leave from the same gate within the same half hour!
Because there's no jet way, you descend some stairs and
BOARD A BUS that takes you out to your aircraft and you board from stairs.
Off to Luban Bajo (or Lubanbajo), a fishing town located at
the western end of Flores in the Nusa Tenggara region of east Indonesia.
Once a small fishing village, Labuan Bajo in Flores
is now a busy bustling center of tourism,
and very close by Komodo National Park.
Inside the plane an ATR 76-200 turbo prop, seats 70
Map of Garuda Airlines flights
Exterior of the plane, my bags coming off after landing at Luban Bajo
Wood-carved dragon in the arrivals terminal after you collect your bags
SO there's an information desk at the airport,
and I ask if the Komodo Dancer MEETS its passengers,
or do I have to call the ship.
The person at the desk DIDN'T KNOW!
They have been picking up passengers every other week for 14 years,
and, they didn't notice. I was met after I exited the doors.
Sometimes the crew or agent is actually waiting inside, but not this time.
The exterior of the airport - Komodo Dragons
I was then taken to the port, where I boarded a small skiff
(dive boat) and was ferried out to the ship.
There were four other passengers in the boat with me.
The port at Luban Bajo from the road approaching
On the way out to the ship
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