11/02/2014 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 57 - What's the best thing about being a non-Muslim in Indonesia? PORK!

Distance cycled: 60km from Dompol to Ruteng, Flores, Indonesia.
Average speed: 13km/h
Moving Time: 4h39m
Elevation Ascended: 1110m
Burned Calories: 3135kcal
Burned Fat: 407g
Total Distance on Current trip: 5244km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 14,506km
Money spent: $14

The children of Flores chasing me down.

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I don't know what's so different about people's mentality here in Flores compared to the rest of the islands I have visited in Indonesia but why is it that all the children I encounter on the road outside of schools and homes chase after me? Nowhere else have I had this happen to me and generally it's just stray dogs. Obviously I can't blame Catholicism but its the only major difference... Who knows.

Anyway, today was tedious and hot, the sun hitting my skin at the higher altitudes had fried it and now I am burnt to a crisp. I'll be sure to use sun cream tomorrow.
There were some nasty climbs but nothing I couldn't persist long and hard with to reach the tops of the passes where I was welcomed with some very scenic views and winding roads that scythed around the volcanic hills towards the market town of Ruteng.
Nothing but meeting very friendly people today and as a bonus I didn't have to pay for the majority of my meals because I was invited into homes being offered a plethora of food and drink which was generally

Famished, dehydrated and exhausted from climbing the last pass into Ruteng I stopped by a woman selling bensin (petrol) and jokingly gestured drinking it, I initially shocked her and we laughed about it and instantaneously took me in to her home for water, then coffee and shortly later a plate full of rice and pork.
Writing about pork my mouth is salivating for bacon... I wonder where I can get it here?
I ran into Alan on the road too (met on ferry from Sumbawa and also joined me for the Komodo island trip), he was rushing back to Labuanbajo and he gave me a quick rundown on the terrain ahead... It seems like at no point on the roads here in Flores will it be smooth sailing.
I paid for a night in an economy room of a hotel in Ruteng as today took a hell of a lot out of me but I am now wishing I had the energy to continue to the coast because this place isn't all that pleasant.

Raph and his family

Children and Views

10/02/2014 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 56 - The good and the bad.

Distance cycled: 70km from Labuanbajo to Dempol, Flores, Indonesia.
Average speed: 15km/h
Moving Time: 4h37m
Elevation Ascended: 1525m
Burned Calories: 3009kcal
Burned Fat: 390g
Total Distance on Current trip: 5184km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 14,566km
Money spent: $8, plus $25 for the visa extension.

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After the 6 days I spent in Sape, Sumbawa and 5 days in and around Labuanbajo I was keen to get back on my bike and continue cycling but also excited to tackle and conquer the hilly terrain on this island.
The Lonely Planet guide suggests that only people with Tour de France levels of strength, endurance and stamina have been able to traverse across the island on the trans-Flores highway.. But I am here to prove this silly guide book wrong.
After spending the night with Illja I didn't rest as well as I would do normally but I had to leave and not make up any excuses to stay in the town, so after Illja and I picked up our now extended visas we said our farewells as she set off across the island on a scooter she hired, meanwhile I started climbing quite a difficult ascent towards Ruteng inthe same directoon which was 130km away.
I knew I wasn't going to make it there in one day and I knew there were going to be some hectic climbs so I paced myself in the effort to avoid exerting myself.
To be honest I have cycled steeper terrain elsewhere and if the locals are to be believed the pass I reached today apparently being one of the more difficult ascents, I shouldn't have any difficulties getting to Maumere where I get a ship to yet another Indonesian island.
Obviously the hairpin-turn highway took me though, around and over some great views of the island but the best part of the road (like always) were the descents, although having said that there were some sketchy turns with incoming traffic that could have ended in my immediate death but I survived unscathed... I WILL fix my brakes tomorrow.
It's always nice to be on a new island to see the differences in the people, here is a mixed bag, people that are friendly and welcoming are very much so which is fantastic however i did meet some unusual characters today along with children who would chase after me and attempt to take my belongings.
One woman at a restaurant, who spoke English very well, at first tried to rip me off on the meal, was annoyed by the fact that I didn't follow a religion (why does it matter?), continued to belittle her own daughter by calling her ugly and stupid and when i refused to give her my kangaroo she wanted she then said that she hated me??? She was one crazy and strange woman.
On a better note, right now as I write this I am staying in a home (a very nice one at that) with a man (Raph) and his family who invited me into his home after I met him in the street for no more than 3 minutes.
I was just shattered after today's cycle and after an Indonesian lesson with Raph (he is an English teacher), a shower and eating his wife's delicious food I was happy to crash out on the bed that was offered to me.
Raph, his wife Betty and their children were wonderfully hospitable and very loving towards one another, it was an incredibly pleasant scenario.

A farewell to Illja.

Climbing the hills.

Soaking up the beautiful surrounds of Flores.

08/02/2014 - The children of Labuanbajo

 

Some children of Labuanbajo

06/02/2014 and 07/02/2014 - Everything is bigger on Komodo island

 

Like a scene from Jurassic park these enormous, venomous, carnivorous and cold-blooded reptiles are recognized globally ; it's a place I was certainly keen to check out, it was a tour organized by a friend of the owner of the hostel I stayed at in Labuanbajo and was considerably cheaper than the other tours organized by the multitude of tour agencies in town.
There were 5 of us westerners on the small hand-crafted boat that set off to Komodo island where we all participated in the variety of thing to see and do on and around the island.
This included unsurprisingly seeing the Komodo dragons and their habitat, a short hike to a viewpoint overlooking the island, snorkeling, checking out a beach with pink sand, disturbing fruit bats amusingly by yelling from the boat at a mangrove forest and watching them all fly away, spending the single night at the local Komodo village having to be escorted around incase of any encounters and last but not least swimming with Manta rays!
For a price of roughly $70 all in, this tour was well worth the cash. We really had a fun crew too as we were all solo travelers getting along well having a great time even though we had only known each other for less than 24 hours.

I've listed all the highlights above and I could go on about them however sometimes I get lazy and couldn't be bothered to write anymore so below are photos from the trip - ENJOY!

On the way to Komodo, I half expected a Jurassic Park like entrance into the park

Photo shoot with the Dragons and the very short climb to the viewpoint looking over Komodo and its surrounds.

The kids in the town of which were we spent the night.

The pink sand beach with snorkeling and a beautiful sunset.

Looking out for fruit bats to finish up the first day of the trip

The townsfolk going at their lawful business.

Although it may not look like it, here you see Manta Rays.

Our captain for the last few days.