Fontainebleau, November 2017

We had a few days off and took the opportunity to go down to France to Fontainebleau, it is a very liked bouldering area not far from Paris.
We loved it there, can't wait to go back!

Local Market Ende, Indonesia - July 2017

This pictures I took in Ende, at the local market. I didn't see a single tourist all they, which was an amazing feeling. I got a lot of attention walking trough the market, as I was the only white woman with a camera hanging around her neck. People approached me asking if I could take their picture. This was something I had never experienced, some extraordinary to what I was used to. Normally people would hide when they saw my camera, here I hear "Photo, photo!" everywhere and finger pointing at me, to let me know they where referring me.

Ende, Indonesia - July 2017

I arrived early in the morning in Ende, and I walked around looking for a place to eat. After asking around I finally found a small place where they spoke a bit of English. They where very kind, talked to me all along and made me company while I eat. I seamed to be an attraction to everyone since I was one of the few tourist that came around Ende that day. Ende it self doesn't have a lot to offer other than a beautiful insight on the local market. Most tourist go to a Vulcan a bit farther away, leaving Ende quite empty of tourist. This was even more a reason for me to stay, I crave for places with few tourist. 

The people at the restaurant where very kind. Knowing that I hadn't found a place to stay yet, they offered me a bed in their home if I didn't find anything at the end of the day. Short before leaving they all wanted a picture with me. They though I was very brave to travel alone as a girl through Flores on a bike. After having my early lunch I went for a walk to explore the local market. 

Flores Trip - Day 2 Part 2

On the way back I noticed that my back tire was funny. I had to drive very slow and the curves where horrible, I had the feeling I could fall any second and I was running low on fuel. I finally found a little shop that sold fuel, this is when I realized that the tire wasn't weird, it was simply very flat. A bit further I found what look like a bike mechanic.
It was already dark, the shop seamed closed, but I had hope seeing three was light inside the little home. I stopped and the wife came out. I tried to explain that the tire was flat but she didn't understand me with her little English until she came around and looked at it. She was one of the most friendly people I met while traveling.

Her name was Ina, she was 32 years old, and was married to her 47 years old husband, she was only 15 when she married him. I got to meet several of their 7 children of which, only one was a girl and the youngest had only just turned 5. I don't even want to know how old she was when she had her first son. But she seemed the happiest person on earth and was very grateful for her loving family.

She gave me tee while I talked to her and her husband and 3 of their children fixed my bike. They where very impressed that I had come all the way from Labuan Bajo by myself on a motorbike. At the end they even invited me to stay for diner, not  wanting to be rude and also being interested in getting to know them better, I accepted. We had rice, chicken, fish and some green vegetables. The chicken was grilled and very tasty, in fact, one of the best roasted ones I have eaten, so much flavor, I was impressed by Ina's cooking abilities specially in the poor kitchens condition.  They took many pictures with me while having diner, the wife insisted she wanted to have many pictures. And I was happy I could take pictures with them, to capture one of my favorite encounters while travelling.

I hadn't paid them for fixing my bike, so I asked and of course they told me no I shouldn't pay, they said I was family now. I insisted that I wanted to pay and finally they agreed but I had to pay the children because they fixed it, so I did. 10.000 RP  70 cent to fix a flat tire I was impressed, of course I gave them more, even though money couldn't pay for what I had experienced that evening with them.

It was already late and dark so after thanking them for everything I left to the Homestay I had found. I had my first warm shower in over 2 months and feel exhausted to sleep after such an adventurous day.

Flores Trip - Day 2

The second day Ruteng-Bajawa. I left early in the morning knowing that once again for 130 km it would take me 3,5 hours and I would want to stop for the pictures. The roads very windy and the landscape very impressive. It was amazing how every time I passed villages, all the people would look at me and give me their brightest smile. Wherever I stopped near villages children would come running to me hoping to earn some money by smiling and letting people take pictures of them. The more remote the villages the less this happened. And for some reason many people said Mr. instead of Ms.

When I got to Bajawa the first I did was grab a bite. I was starving after the long drive.  I got there earlier then expected. So I relaxes a bit while having lunch. At the restaurant, all the tables were full. But a man sitting by himself offered me a seat next to him. He was the only one that spoke a bit of  English in that little restaurant. We exchanged a few wolds told each other a bit of ourselfs and he helped me figuring out where to find the Hot Springs in Bajawa and also where to find a cheap Hotel. After all of this kindness he even paid for my lunch and gave me his number to call him in case I needed anything.

After lunch I went straight to the Hotsprings which where an hour away only 20 km but of course it takes much longer because of te windy roads. On the way there I got confused though I was going wrong and turned around only to realize that I was right but hadn't gone far enough. So it took me much longer to get there and when I finally made it to the Hotsprings there was only one hour left before I had to start driving back because I didn't want to drive in the dark.
The Hotsprings was amazing very natural and beautiful surroundings. The perfect stop was where the hot water joint the river with the cold water. It was perfect for me. I could lay back with my feet in the cold water but my upper body in the steam of the hot water. It was the perfect place to relax.

Flores Trip - Day 1

The first day of my trip I went to Ruteng where there are beautiful rice fields that all together form spiderwebs. The landscape all the way through was beautiful. It was around 120 km to Ruteng which of course because of the very windy roads it takes about 3,5 hours to get there. I also stopped a thousand times to take pictures, which I will post soon. That same day I hoped to get a bit further to Bajawa, but seeing the big clouds I decided to stay in Ruteng. As soon as I got into the Hotel it started raining. Immediately I was glad I choose to stay.
Ruteng itself didn't impress me much, but I had seen beautiful landscapes all the way to Ruteng. After the long first day on the bike I was exhausted, I stayed at the little Hotel listening to stories from an older man.

Diving experience Komodo

Labuan Bajo - My Home for 2 Months

The view from Ana's and my stay. 

Ana and her two divers, preparing to dive. 

 Our Diving boat, not always reliable but mostly friendly enough to take us to the diving spots.  

Me, feeling free :)

  Toni, a crazy Spanish Dive Master Instructor. He can be your best friend, but also a serious teacher (rather rarely :D)

Ana, with the longest dreadlocks I have ever seen. We met in Thailand in the Open Water Diving course, and did all the following courses together until the Dive Master. Half a year later, we met again in Flores and worked together. You are the best Anita :)

John, a local Dive Master, who brightened up everyone's day.

One of the Captains, who of course did not understand a word we said. But hand signals help us communicate. 

The landscape around where we went diving, shortly before the rain hit us.

Our traditional Spanish homemade diner, for special occasions.

Komodo, Indonesia

Hello :)

It has been a while again. I came to Flores in Indonesia to do a diving course, which I have succesfully accomplished. I am now a diving Instructor :)

I started working here in a diving shop, it is a lot of fun working as a dive Instructor specially since I get to work with really good friends :). I meet a lot of really interesting people with interesting occupations. People that have left their well paid jobs to travel, to meet new people, to discover what is out there.

Sunsets

Our trip here seems to be ending. I only have two weeks left before going to Indonesia to finish my diving course. I am sad to leave but also excited to keep on with diving.
Simon has a bit longer left and is still bouldering hard as ever.


We have had amazing sunsets lately, this two I took on the way to Arapiles a few days ago.

Bouldering Pictures

Simon reading the only book he ever owned: Grampians Bouldering

A different way to carry the crash pad.

Jay trying a new problem. Dynos, heel hocking knee bars... Everything at once :D

Sometimes two spotters and a crash pad aren´t enough.