Instead of flying to Flores and doing a day trip to Komodo Island we decided to do a 4 day/3 night boat trip that took in other places too.

I have done boat trips around the Whitsundays in Australia before so had an idea what to expect but for Pip it was a first and given our modest budget and the fact we were booking with only 48 hours notice the best we could do was a private cabin on one of the cheapest boats (now we’re backpacking!!)

It didn’t start well as we arrived at 9am at the meeting point in Senggigi to learn from another traveller that 1 of the company’s boats nearly sank a couple of weeks before and is in for repairs. After 3 hours of sitting around we then had an unexpected 3 hour journey across Lombok with no air conditioning. Oh happy day!

Our private cabin (1 of 6) comprised of a fan and a struggling aircon unit aimed at a thin double mattress which cleverly seemed to be balanced right on top of a very hot and noisy engine. It made me almost wish to sleep on the shared upper deck with 30 people and their single mattresses, just to get further from the engine noise.

Facilities on the boat were listed as 2 bathrooms and 2 showers, possibly overstating what was 2 tiny cubicles with a toilet and a shower hose in each. Not sure that showering while remaining in constant contact with a toilet will catch on, even if new homes in England are getting smaller.

It was only after our first and only stop of that first day that we  realised just what sort of distance we had to cover and consequently why we would be travelling all night. Joy.

We woke up early, not that it was a bind to get out of our cabin, for the first stop of day 2 which was described as swimming with whale sharks. The previous night our tour guide had laid the groundwork story that there are no guarantees with nature and we might not see any, although there is a small one that is often around.

Guess what, we arrived at a big floating platform to see a group of locals throwing food into the open mouth of a small whale shark that just floated there with its mouth open. I don’t know if they separated a calf from its parents or if it ended up there by chance and stayed for the food but it is not natural and should be stopped. We didn’t go snorkelling to see the whale shark and a number of other passengers didn’t either as they also thought it was unethical.

The second stop, just an hour or so later, was for people to jump off the boat. Pip jumped in but I didn’t think anyone needed to see my belly flying through the air so I discreetly entered the water on the other side of the boat and swam round the front. Unfortunately I never quite made it to the others as the current seemed to instantly take me away, and I am not scared to say I panicked a bit and shouted for help. One of the crew jumped in and pulled me back to the boat and I gladly got back on board, what a chump!

Later that day I talked to one of the crew and asked if he was the guy who had helped me. He spoke very little English but through mime etc he seemed to suggest he was, so I thanked him and pressed some money into his hand. He was grateful and then seemed to keep an eye on me and also help find things for Pip to eat (gluten free) so she also gave him some cash. A day later he serves us both a fried small grouper fish that he had caught specially for us and watched us eat to see our faces (which made everyone else jealous too).

What a nice guy, although as we left the boat Pip pointed out the actual chap who had helped me. Our guy must have thought it was his lucky day that these 2 tourists are both giving him money but nobody else.

After the disturbing whale stop and then my near death (in my own head) experience, we then heard the delightful news that we would be sailing nonstop from 10am until Komodo Island the following day. That was a LONG day, particularly as the water got pretty choppy during the night. Most people just tried to sleep through it, dreaming of a helicopter rescue. Anti motion sickness pills were being popped like m&m’s across the boat.

Day 3 started with Komodo Island which was only for an hour with a guided tour by a local ranger but literally 50 yards into it a large Komodo dragon walked past. In total we saw 6, both male and female, along with a number of deer but thankfully no snakes.

Next stop was Pink Beach where the sand is coloured with minute pieces of red coral.

The final stop was an island with 800+ steps up a hill to see the sunset. Given that I weigh more out of the water than in it, I didn’t rate my chances of being rescued on that one so let Pip venture off with the rest of the boat. I took the opportunity to have a luxurious shower, well as much as it can be crammed into a cubicle with one leg on a toilet while holding a shower with a dribble of water over your head. They all returned, some looking sweatier than others but they all completed it, and brought back some stunning photos, well done everyone (I suffered no jealousy).

Great news, on the last night we stopped sailing at c8pm which still meant another night lying on top of an engine but at least it was turned off.

Waking early on the final morning someone who had mobile signal mentioned there had been an earthquake of 7.7 magnitude on Flores, where we were heading to, and there was concern about a potential tsunami. The warnings for this quickly cleared and our concern then was for anyone affected. The epicentre was on the north east of Flores, quite a mountainous region, but it still resulted in the loss of many lives and severe damage in the area. One of the guides on another boat that was travelling with us from the same company (the newer version of our one that we had surprisingly had to tow for the last 24 hours) lived in the region and lost his house but thankfully his family and friends were all safe.

Our final stop was at Kelor Island where you can paddle into the water and see young sharks swimming around your legs. They are less than a couple of foot long but there is still a strange receptor in your brain that triggers mini panic when that distinctive shape and movement suddenly appears without you noticing.

We spoke to everyone on the boat and enjoyed all their company. Nationalities included Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the US, and ages ranged from 19 to mid 30’s, plus us oldies. What surprised everyone was that Pip and I were on the longest trip of everyone on the boat.

During conversation I mentioned backpacking in the 90’s, (partly to try to redeem some element of cool after the swimming episode) and the fact that locations were less developed and you relied on a book or recommendations to get around. A few people claimed they wished they had been able to experience what it was like before one of them exclaimed “imagine no Google maps!”. I didnt comment but imagine no internet at all or mobile phones!

Back in the mid 90’s we had to ask people to WRITE to us at the Post Restante address of the next city we were heading to and I only spoke to my family 4 times in 10 months. Everyone on the boat was messaging, or VIDEO CALLING (I remember when that was SciFi only) their friends and family throughout the trip, amazing how different things are now.

Flores was brilliant. Actually that might be an overstatement. In reality it was dry land and we had a room with a real bed and a bathroom with a separate toilet and shower but that was everything we had been dreaming about for 4 days. The only downside was Pip opened a door onto her foot and her big toe looks a bit dodgy. Oh well, we will see how it is in Bali as we are returning there for a few days before heading to Vietnam.