![]() ![]() Heads lifted with interest, surveying these visitors who had the audacity to visit their domain. Long, yellow tongues flicked out like tendrils of flame, tasting the air and our unusual odour. Before we'd even departed on our longer treks, we encountered a group of dragons, some lying alone, others sitting in small groups (by the kitchen, not coincidentally), and they did not disappoint. We passed through an archway flanked by two large Komodo dragon statues, the sign above which may as well have said "Welcome to Jurassic Park." Dinosaurs lurked here, and it wasn't long before we spotted them lumbering around in the distance. On these islands, the dragon is truly a master of its domain, and filled with tales of these magnificent monsters, our guests made their way in the early morning to the island of Rinca. When sea levels rose these reptiles became stranded, and while extirpated from much of their former range, dragons are now endemic on a handful of small islands sandwiched between the Indian Ocean and Flores Sea. Now thought to have first evolved in northern Australia, along with similarly gigantic megafauna, it was able to spread throughout the islands that now comprise Indonesia when sea levels were much lower over 900,000 years ago. The so-called Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ) is the world's largest lizard, a "monitor" of fearsome repute, capable of hunting down prey much larger than itself, and indeed occasionally even of killing a human. Today National Geographic Orion sailed into Komodo National Park to visit a group of islands upon which dragons really do still exist. Today we know that dragons don't really exist, right? Surely not the mythical, fire-breathing versions of our most fanciful tales? Fortunately not, perhaps, but that doesn't mean that the wondrous creatures that probably inspired them-at least in part-can't still be found. "Here be dragons!" Such words were written into the corners of old mariner's maps, hidden on the edges of the known world beyond which monsters both magnificent and terrible lay, creatures of nightmares that only the brave and foolhardy would seek out. National Geographic Orion Komodo National Park Once again it did not disappoint with endless fish and coral to be found by all who ventured into the water! We wrapped up the evening with our new found friends at the Captain’s Farewell dinner! In the afternoon the National Geographic Orion relocated off Moyo Island and we had one last opportunity to go for a snorkel in this area that had such diversity of marine life. The water buffalo are beautiful creatures perfectly suited for being in the water and it was easy to see why these people have utilized their skills for centuries. The highlight of the morning was the traditional water buffalo racing. We started the day with a visit to Pamulung Village where we saw firsthand how people lived in this quant village and got a taste of their culture. Today we found ourselves at Sumbawa Island in Indonesia. Then, travelling north, we are ending in the vastly different but equally beautiful Indonesian Islands. We had travelled through the region of the Kimberley Coast, which even with all attempts, the beauty couldn’t quite be put into words. TORRENT LONELY PLANET INDONESIA PDF FULLWe were no longer a ship full of individuals as we started, but we had become a tight group of people on an expedition that took us through different times and worlds. The thought of no longer travelling together was a glum one. It’s a strange thing, being sad in paradise, but we have all become close from the amazing experiences we have had together since leaving Broome, in Western Australia. ![]() On this day we found ourselves enjoying the last full day of the expedition. ![]()
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