May 5, 2015, Tuesday, Komodo Island

This was one of the places I was looking forward to seeing.  These giant komodo "dragons" are only found on the three islands in this area, and you can only see them in this one park.  There are 5,000, but only about 200 in the area where tourists are allowed.  About 1,000 people live on the island. We were only allowed to go ashore if we were on a tour, and we were staggered in groups of about 16.

Sailing into the harbor

Right away we saw this female come out of the jungle to go under a nearby building.  She was followed by a friend.  The two groups in front of us missed it.

This palm tree lost its leaves and what you see is big branches full of small round fruit.  The baby dragons like to nest there until they are old enough to not be eaten by others.  Come to think of it, I didn't ask what the predators were.  We only saw deer and pigs, which the dragons eat, and heard birds.

this is a baby dragon, only a couple years old.  They can live to be 50 or so.

If we hadn't seen the females at the beginning of our walk, we would have only seen these lazy males who never moved.  Later as we were leaving one got up and I got a movie of him lumbering a few feet away.

I guess that hole is his ear.

I wasn't attacked.  It can happen, actually.  The bite is fatal because it contains an anticoagulant, so the bite you have will cause you to bleed to death before reaching the nearest hospital which is a three hour plane ride away.   It also contains deadly bacteria, in case you don't bleed to death.

Our guide picked up a tooth on the ground

Tooth

Huge bee hive

The hive

While we were waiting I cllimbed up this vine

Leaving for the tender, we passed by the local vendors.  They were all selling the same Tshirts, "pearl" necklaces, dragon carvings and other trinkets.

The Balinese are very kind and friendly and they really like to sell you things.  Like the carvings were identical!  We seem to be collecting refrigerator magnets to use to hold up papers on our cabin wall.  Most of the ones we bought do not stick well, so we test them first.  A pretty girl was selling a stone carved dragon magnet.  I didn't see any others like it.  It tested okay so I bought it.  It is very cute and works well.  As David was leaving, a man came up to him and asked him if he would buy his wife.  David of course said he didn't want to.  The man pleaded with him and asked what he would pay.  David said he would pay nothing.  The man said "Sold".

After a nice dinner with Gene and Martha from Tennessee, and then guessing the only word with two oo, two kk, and two ee in it - bookkeeper, we went again to see Australia's award winning entertainer, Darren Williams, in black leather pants, a big smile, and a 4 1/2 octave singing range.  This time he used his little recording machine that can make him sound like a barbershop quartet, or at least add harmony, he wrote and sang a song to - Dorothy!  David called my name out, and he agreed that no one has ever written a song about Dorothy.  So now I have one, and it is just for me, because no one will ever hear it again.  

Tonight we set our clocks ahead 1 1/2 hours to be on Darwin, Australia time.  But we have two days at sea.  It feels like a vacation to not be running off the ship to catch a bus, worrying about whether or not to bring an umbrella, having a sweater for the airconditioned bus, but loose clothes for the heat, a water bottle, sun tan lotion, tissue for the toilet in case it isn't provided, and maybe a snack for if we don't get back until after Horizons closes.  Should I wear long pants for a temple, sandals or close toed shoes? We always check for binoculars, a fully charged camera, some money, pepto bismol, and a note pad.  I have been taking notes on the bus about what the guide says on paper, but recently have had the IPad and do it right then if the ride isn't too bumpy.