Sumbawa

9 April 2010

I had wanted to fly direct to Labuan Bajo on the western tip of Flores – which is the place to get boats to see Komodo Dragons but as this is what most tourists who are going to venture outside of Bali want to do the flights are very expensive a book up early. I therefore flew to Bima on Sumbawa – for half the price; even with my other transport and accommodation costs I saved over 400,000Rp. Bima has extensive salt pans and is quite spectacular from the air – although a little unnerving as you are coming into land so low over the water.

I got to the bus station and the familiar pattern began – wait, wait a bit longer, off round the town, wait a bit longer. At least by the time we set off I knew a lot about all my fellow travellers and we had shared various food items. The main local transport here are horse drawn carts which buck dreadfully when loaded.

I stayed right next to the port and chatted to the locals including an ojek driver who wanted to practice his English – he took me to his house which was a traditional bamboo structure. The family obviously have very little money but still insisted on giving me a snack and a drink.