We have internet and I have a moment to write you a note.

Prior to arriving in Alor, we had used up all of our internet wifi credit – so late the first afternoon we arrived, we headed out to buy some ‘pulsa’ or phone and wifi credit for our devices. It’s all working great  now.

What a great few days we’ve been having since we arrived here in Alor, number four of the best dive sites in Indonesia. The first afternoon, after motoring just about all the way from Wini, we arrived around 2:30. We were anxious to head ashore, so the boys quickly unloaded the dinghy and attached the BIG outboard. We buzzed over to shore and were greeted by the tourist people who gave us the lowdown on the activities they had planned for us, where to pull out cash, to get diesel, to buy ‘pulsa,’ to get a friend’s front tooth veneer re-glued, to book a tour of the area for the next day and a scuba dive for today. So much to do!

 Yesterday’s tour started up the mountain to visit a rustic village. Not many people really live so rustic today, but it gave us an idea of what their huts looked like (raised with bamboo floors, a short ceiling on the first floor with a reinforced stone area for cooking all open air with a couple low partitions to designate kitchen and living spaces. A wood ladder directed to the second floor, where I believe they had their beds. A rather flat yet pointed in the middle thatch roof topped off the structure. Neat. There were women selling their wares and I bought an intricate bamboo specimen that I just couldn’t resist.

The sights of the hillside were beautiful and then off to the hot water springs which were located very far inland via rough roads. It was rather underdeveloped as a tourist place, but interesting. Hot. Then to lunch on the beach. Lovely views under the shade.

After lunch, we headed up the local hillside to a waterfall hike which was too much for me at a certain point wearing a dress and flip flops. The path was covered in slippery leaves and steep with no steps plus nothing to hold onto. I was certain to fall and didn’t like that prospect. The guys went (Eric was wearing his Teva’s and work shorts – well, and you know the boys – sure footed as goats). Off they went and had some great exercise visiting a small yet charming waterfall while I chatted with Ocelot’s Sue and John who are aunt and uncle to Rainer.

Today, we climbed aboard a very cool scuba dive boat, Indonesia style but designed by a German. The all day tour was GREAT – perfectly organised and wonderfully safe. The first dive was a fast current drift dive. I was wearing too much weight, so couldn’t get balanced right – yet I still enjoyed the absolutely stunningly glorious coral. The soft corals were the most alive and diverse I’ve ever seen. The second dive was even better as we swam about 55 feet down along a coral wall where the most beautiful ferns and glowing coral reflecting all colors of the rainbow were thriving from the cleanest and clearest water imaginable. Wow! The boys did great too considering how little dive experience they have had!