06.00 We are up early here in Mataram and Crown Hotel. Imagine that soon has the whole of July gone! It’s been a long month. Today a new phase of our travelling begins. The four of a kind will be split into two separate pairs. Patricia and Susan will go in one direction, home to Bandung, and Christer and I in another direction.

06.36 Patricia arranged yesterday afternoon so that we would get our breakfast served at 06.30. That time is passed but no breakfast is in sight.

06.40 Patricia just came with the announcement that breakfast is on its way. She has asked about it several times and got the same answer every time, it is here in five minutes. Have they forgotten about it or what? Now there's a knock on the door.

07.14 It was indeed breakfast in bed. I didn’t pour it out on the bed but sat in bed and ate my breakfast. There is no abundance of chairs in our room. Our transport will soon be here.

07.29 ZF 106 is written on the taxi that arrived. Darman is the driver’s name. There is a sound from Darman´s radio. We are heading towards the airport.

07.58 The journey to the newly built Lombok International Airport in Praya went quickly and efficiently.

08.16 Now we and our luggage are ready to check in. It's nice and cool here at the airport.

08.41 It was also easy to check in. Now Christer and I are having some coffee.

Early breakfast at Crown Hotel.

The passengers are heading towards the plane that will take us back to Bali.

09.52 The four of us are sitting in row 7, near the wings, but not at the emergency exit this time. This is a smaller plane from the company Wings Air. They have a partnership with Lion Air. Suddenly, a reservation with Lion Air has become a trip with Wings Air. It is time to buckle up and relax. The aircraft is of the model, ATR 72 500/600.

10.16 The propellers keep spinning and out between the clouds ascends a mountain/a volcano in Bali. I am reading on the seat on front of me, Pelampung adadi bawah Kurst spirit. That is, the life jacket is available under the seat.

10.32 We just got a perfect view towards the cliffs at Uluwatu where we met monkeys and looked at the view five days ago. Much has happened since then.

10.45 We have once again landed at Denpasar airport, Ngurah Rai International Airport. Information is given in Indonesian and English. The language does not matter to us; we can not hear what is being said. It all depends on the conductive hearing loss, loud engine noise and/or weak sound from the speakers.

A short flight (Lombok-Bali) with Wings Air.

We are soon landing on Bali.

Susan and Patricia are having lunch with us at Ngurah Rai Airport.

We visited this airport often this summer.

11.18 Christer and I followed the ladies out of the arrival terminal. Now we are sitting in the restaurant Bakso Malang to eat a light lunch. Christer's and my backpack will, hopefully, be transferred to our latter destination that we´ll reach in the afternoon. I hope that we get to board the same plane as our backpacks.

12.08 Lunch is over. We have, since my order took some time and we do not want to rush things, once again postponed the Starbucks visit here. Christer has also found a mailbox that we can put our Gili postcards in.

13.00 We talked further with the ladies before we all went to the domestic area. We said hello and goodbye, thanks for everything and hugs. Susan and Patricia will take another plane to Bandung later today. Now, Christer and I have passed two security checks and are at the gate that appears on our boarding passes. Our flight has not yet come up in the display. There is some rebuilding here at the airport as part of the terminal was provisionally constructed.

13.46 Now we boarded another aircraft from Wings Air. This is the model, ATR 72/500. When we boarded at the back, we saw that Christer's backpack lay on the floor there. Was it being loaded into the luggage compartment or was it brought out? People are struggling to put up their hand luggage on the shelves. Is it as easy to get it down again?

14.57 We fly eastward, passing Lombok and are now above the island of Sumbawa. The plane flew right past the volcano Tambora. In 1815 it got an eruption that buried villages and people to ashes. The ash that didn’t bury people was spread in the atmosphere and cancelled summer the following year. The total volume of all materials volcano hurled out has been estimated to at least 100 cubic kilometers, but by some estimates there may be 150 to 160 cubic kilometers, making the outbreak the largest one knows during historical times. For comparison Krakatau hurled at the huge outbreak in 1883 approximately 20 cubic kilometers of ash, lava, etc. into the atmosphere. The outbreak killed at least 71,000 people, of which 11,000 to 12,000 were killed directly by the eruption. Its aftermath may have taken nearly 320 000 people's lives. The eruption was heard up to 2,600 kilometers of Sumbawa and ash from the volcano fell up to 1300 kilometers from the volcano. Indonesia certainly has a tradition of huge volcanic eruptions.

We are looking down on Flores, the island we will visit the coming week.

We have landed in Maumere.

15.36 Right now, we see mostly white clouds. Before the clouds we passed the island of Komodo. It is not known for its commodes but well for its large lizards, Komodo dragons. If the flight information is correct, Flores is incoming.

15.49 We have flown along the north coast of Flores and are approaching the place where we should get land under our feet again.

16.13 I and a few others stand at the baggage carousels at Frans Sema airport in Maumere. The band is about 5-6 meters long. Out there, there are people waiting for us waiting in here, probably taxi drivers.

16.31 Christer’s backpack came on the carousel and was lifted down by a French tourist. The backpack was brought back to its rightful owner, Christer. The French man apologized. Now we get a ride to the hotel. We also get information by Hieronymus who is from the hotel we booked. He was at the airport to find potential new guests. He welcomes us and tell us some historical facts, including that Maumere means great beach and that Flores is Portuguese and means flowers.

16.43 We have arrived at the Hotel Gardena. Mr Hieronymus have not heard of the advance booking we have made here. However, there is a room with double bed that we can move into. The room has number 2. Now we are considering the future matter of transport. Will it be a private car at 10.00 for 750 000 rupiah (expensive!) or a shared car at 8:00 for 250 000 rupiah?

16.59 Our neighbouring room seems to be empty and has two single beds. What’s going on anyway? Why can´t we stay there? We accepted the transport at 08.00 tomorrow. The price we paid for the room is less than the reservation claimed. It also includes breakfast, something it should not according to the same reservation. Hm, we are not at all registrated here, the prices are different from what is said, and so this with breakfast. Are we in the right hotel?

17.37 We can´t remain in the room any more for a while. We're going to find internet, a supermarket and restaurant.

18.21 It was full and crowded at Flobamora Net at Jalan Sokarno Hatta, so there will be no internet tonight. However, we have bought beverages at the supermarket Roxy and taken some pictures in this small town.

A large tree close to the church in Maumere.

Christer is having a good dinner at My Resto in Maumere.

19.15 Bread for tomorrow, breakfast and something for the evening was bought at the bakery My Bread. This was followed by a walk in the evening darkness. We looked for a dinner place. They were either closed or just had plastic chairs. It was just small sheds. Wherever we went the motorbiike-riding youths shouted loudly, "Hello mister." Young children have more calmly greeted us. How can they see us in the dark at all? In the dark something else ran, rustled to a small ditch. Was it a rat, lizard or what? We finally found the restaurant My Resto located diagonally on top of the My Bread. This we needed. How did we miss this before?

19.39 This was yummy. Food is good. We keep talking and are wondering what we're going to show Patricia if she comes to Sweden.

20.38 There have been plans made for tomorrow. We get up at half past six, have showers, eat breakfast we bought this evening, eat what is offered, get ready, wait and depart.

22.33 A quiet evening draws to a close. We´ve had something to drink and pastries have been enjoyed. Our door is locked. Speaking of locked, there have been various types of locks on doors journey. Cards only been demonstrated for an optical reader, card in a slot, " regular key ", a flat variant inserted horizontally and so now an "old " style of one of those keyhole that you can look in/out through.

Peter is relaxing in front of a small TV in a small room at Hotel Gardena.

Monday 29th of July

06.48 A simple shower and breakfast is over for me. Christer is heading for the shower. After that, we might take have the breakfast that is included here at Hotel Gardena.

07.11 There will be no breakfast here, just a quick cup of coffee for me. The reason for this is that our car is already here. Just pack up and go. It was a good idea to have our own breakfast.

07.25 I had some coffee on my part. It consisted of 3/5 water, 1/5 coffee powder and 1/5 sugar. This is not an early departure as we first thought. It's just an earlier pickup. We sit in the middle seat of a seven seated minibus. Now it has just been made a stop to, well what do I know? It is full in the luggage section. How are the descendants luggage fit?

07.32 These two issues have received a reply. We stopped to give space to the luggage by tying down our backpacks on the roof. On a hill a short distance away is a statue of Jesus and he is looking at us.

Christer is waiting inside our black car.

07.49 Now we roll on. It is no more and no fewer passengers than before. Now we say goodbye to the guy on the hill. We also say goodbye to Maumere, a town that got little time from us but also did not give us that much.

08.04 With a mobile phone in one hand, a cigarette in the other and Dolly Parton in the speakers our driver has taken us up to a village. Here, a girl in red has boarded the car. Now Christer saw a bare-chested man wearing a cap from the Croatian football national squad.

08.12 There has been a driver change. A young smoker has walked up from one house to the main road and he takes us onwards. We have just heard a German speaking lady sing a ballad in the car's music system.

09.05 The island is crossed from north coast to the south coast and we can again see the ocean. The water has withdrawn. In the air there is a scent of sea and burned grass. We are near Paga.

10.07 We have, on our onward journey, passed cows, dogs, goats, villages, beautiful views, a monkey and an incredible number of curves. Now there will be a short stop for rest and food in the small town Wolowaru. The girl sitting next to Christer in the car has been feeling sick/motion sick because of all the curves and now sits on the ground and rests.

10.36 Our journey goes on. You can, in the absence of a helmet, do like the old lady who was sitting on the back of the motorcycle we just passed. She had a large wok pan on her head. This was a sight that drew laughter and merry shouts in our mini bus.

We are traveling through the beautiful nature on eastern Flores.

Problems along the Transflores Highway.

We are making a short stop in Wolowaru.

Bintang Lodge in Moni. Here we´ll stay two nights.

11.00 We have arrived in the village Moni. It was a market going on and the road was filled with people. We took us past and are now at Bintang Lodge (http://www.s358374128.online.de) where we had booked a room. Then we waved goodbye to the driver and the travelling party. We also delighted an elderly lady on the village road who cheerfully waved back to us. Now the backpacks are in the room that is being prepared and we are on the terrace overlooking the village road and the valley below. Now there’s coffee.

11.31 Our room is ready. Now that we’re in it, we will make ourselves ready. There is a village to see, Moni. Here we will have a great time. Our address is Trans Flores Highway 54 km. 54 km from what? Probably the main resort of Ende.

13.04 Clothing and bodies are washed. Now we have once again set ourselves on the large terrace. This time, it's time for lunch. There is no fresh pineapple available so there is no pineapple pancake. It’s a bit overcast and is actually pretty cool.

14.52 They apparently found the pineapple after all. I got my pineapple pancake and chicken and noodles was served to Christer. We have once again heard that German ballad. After that, we have walked to the ends of our village, first the west and then the east. There we have immortalized the beauty that is there. Now we are sitting outside the room and have been looking at a dog looking for food in a garbage can. Now the dog was joined by another dog. That's right; we have also booked a tour for tomorrow.

Moni, Flores.

The road going west from Moni.

Two girls walking....somewhere.

Rice fields outside Moni.

Distance sign, indonesian version, 53 kilometers left to reach Ende.

15.21 It's reading time on our patio. For the third time today we have heard the German ballad played. Is it a hit? A small boy, a couple of years old, has swept the front of the neighboring room. He has also tried to shake a rug. I guess that he belongs to the younger generation of the ownership of the property. The German ballad woman is singing about”Ohne Dich”. It is, according to my thermometer, +22.5ºC, a really cold day.

17.53 We have rested. Early mornings and travel depletes the body. Soon it's time to stock up on energy.

19.10 Tonight's waitress at the restaurant Chenty was somewhat younger. I chickened out as I was ordering and dared not order the specialty here, Moni Cake. It is moist and actually almost chilly out tonight.

20.16 Our small, young waitress counted on paper and fingers before she wrote down the sum. We paid and the small girl continued counting. We set out on an evening walk. Just as we got back to the foot of the stairs leading up the slope to our accommodation so there was a power failure. With calm strides we searched ourselves in the darkness. We had only just sat outside the room when the light returned. Now we have a little evening snack.

21.34 Now it is evening for me. An early morning is expected. Christer will read ahead and then get ready but for me it's thanks and good night.

Peter in our room at Bintang Lodge.

Even dogs can steal.

Cleaning service?

Tuesday 30th of July

04.01 All that we can hear out there are crickets and roosters. All that we can see out there is darkness. The reason for this early morning is that we are going on an excursion, an adventure. To get the most out of it, we should be there at sunrise. Now we will treat ourselves some bread and something to drink.

04.20 It feels so weird. First, it is the early hour but also the fact that I’m wearing my tennis shoes. Until now, there have been sandals that have applied. Now we must leave soon.

04.30 An orange vehicle, a bemo (small van) with a driver in a quilted jacket and knit cap was waiting for us down at the road. We are now heading into the gruesome misty rain as the weather. We are climbing increasingly uphill. The road is sharply curved.

05.01 Tickets for us and our cameras are bought at the border of the national park we´ll visit. Now our vehicle stopped on a large parking place. It's time to go out and set off into the darkness. We see almost nothing.

05.16 We grope our way along a path in the fog and darkness. The only light there is, is what we get from our mobile telephones screens. It rains a bit and the path is slightly hilly and uneven.

05.24 Behind us, people are walking in higher speed. We hear conversations in French, German and English in the fog and darkness. Most of these tourists are equipped with flashlights and/or guide, hence their higher tempo.

Finally we are there and we see.....nothing!

Peter is describing the truth, the lakes can´t be seen.

The monkeys are awake early.

Out from the mist they came, monkeys asking for food.

05.41 Now we have finally found the place. It was a good path, staircase at the end. We are at the top of the Kelimutu volcano. Now we just need to have more light and less fog so that we get something out of the long trek here.

06.02 It brightens more and laughter can be heard around us. It is still thick fog in the valleys below us. When and if it eases all of us will see what we came for, Tiwu Ato Polo, the enchanted lake, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai, the young men and women lake and Tiwu Ata Mbupu, the old people's lake. Kelimutu is world famous for the colourful lakes which sometimes changes colour. The ancestral spirits, according to folklore, live in the lakes and the colours change depending on the spirits emotions.

06.35 It has brightened but the fog, the clouds remain over the lakes. Not so many of them that came up here an hour ago are still there. Such an anti-climax, such a disappointment. Up in the middle of the night for this. Now I have at least bought and drank coffee.

06.55 We did not see the three lakes. We did however see about ten monkeys, Macaca fascicularis, macaques of the mist. This was not at all planned. We have been looking forward to see the lakes. Now we are on our way downwards again. Recently we met a Dutch couple staying in our accommodation. Christer recognized her on the perfume. Not so easy to see something in the mist.

07.30 On the way down to the base station, we listened to beautiful birdsong and were surrounded by rainfall. Standing in a quiet forest surrounded by fog and listen to an amazing bird song such an experience that it was almost worth the excursion here. Now we roll in our bemo downwards the mountain and home again.

A monkey looking for something valuable.

Christer starts the long walk back.

Christer in the vegetation at Mount Kelimutu.

We walked through the mist on our way back.

08.04 Dream sleep is singing about religion lost. For our part, we have lost dreams, sleep and beautiful views. Now we are, four hours after we got up, about to eat breakfast. It is rain in the air and on the rack. Moreover, it is actually R.E.M performing ”Losing my religion” on the radio.

08.44 That's it! Here we have been in the country for five weeks and have never such bad weather as today. That's fog down here in the village as well or is it clouds creeping down the valley. Now let's think about tomorrow.

10.31 We continue moping over this morning's fiasco. Should we give up or try again, today, tomorrow or in another year? We'll see.

10.51 We are in our room and out the rain is pouring down. We didn’t have this weather when we were up in the mountain.

12.11 At a table there are three Spanish ladies, smoking and laughing. To my left is a small path. We are at Rainbow Café for lunch. Here we ordered pasta. The restaurant is located in the western part of Moni, just where the path to the waterfall starts. The Dutch couple we met in the mist has previously checked out from Bintang Lodge.

A disappointed Peter is having breakfast after the misty experience on Mount Kelimutu.

Rainbow Café.

The waterfall in Moni.

A camera on a stone took photos of two men by a river.

Bus meeting in Moni.

13.08 Lunch is completed and a new tour is underway. We have walked down the path and to a waterfall. It is not as mighty as the Victoria Falls but peaceful and beautiful. We reached here via the path that I had just to my left during lunch.

13.23 We have photographed and enjoyed the sounds of nature here at the waterfall. It is time to end this mini excursion.

13.33 The peace was broken by some yelling young men who came there. We left as they arrived. Now we are home again and I'm sitting outside the room. We have not yet made any decisions on future doing and action.

13.46 Sometimes beautiful things happen. We have, here at the accommodation, been offered a new trip up to the lakes. People say it´s clear sky up there now. I don’t know what´s said about the cost and so. But I guess we will find out. The main thing is that a new opportunity appeared.

13.54 Here we go again! We are back on the road in the orange mini bus up against the base of the national park. We still got the tickets for the fees and cameras and they are still valid. It's still the same day. Louis Armstrong sings, "It's a wonderful world” on the car stereo and we can only agree.

The beautiful nature on Mount Kelimutu.

The lake Tiwu Ata Polo has a really bright colour.

Christer can finally see the lakes at Kelimutu.

The long climb up to the viewing point on the top of Mount Kelimutu.

14.17 We have started the same hike we did in the dark this morning. The place is familiar yet not. Everything is so different in the daylight and clear weather.

14.31 I'm taking a break in a small gazebo. In a similar one we stood this morning and took shelter from the rain. We can hardly believe we're back here already. For a little more than seven hours we were last here. It is clear now, clearer. It can be a fantastic day despite all this.

14.38 Behind me, down in the volcano crater is the beautiful lake Tiwu Ato Polo. It is not red as one of the names claim. Rather, it is blue-green and next to it is a turquoise lake.

15.03 We're back on top of the stairs. The fog over the lakes is gone and the view is incredible. This was worth all the extra steps. The fog world this morning was powerful in itself, but this is something extra. The colours in the water are believed to be due to minerals. What is interesting is that the lakes sometimes changes colour. You can sense a touch of mustard yellow on the surface of the turquoise lake. To look at the lakes almost feels like looking down into paint. Now I leave my pants as a gift. Well, not the ones I´m wearing but an old and worn pair will stay here in the trash bin.

15.12 We could stay here for hours. It is quiet, peaceful and the views are magnificent. We’re all alone here, no monkeys, no tourists. We see two figures on their way further down the trail, but they are far away. We should probably still turn back because we have a man with a car waiting for us.

A view of the valleys at Mount Kelimutu.

The black lake is called "old people´s lake".

Peter in a fog-free environment at Mount Kelimutu.

15.15 Goodbye colourful lakes. Now we will leave you again!

15.41 Once again we travel the curvy road down the mountain. With us in our familiar vehicles, is a small boy. Well, he is not driving. He sits in the passenger seat.

16.36 The boy jumped off in Moni just before our accommodation. Once home, we booked a trip from here tomorrow at 10.00. Then we paid for the trip, the one we just made up on the mountain and for the last night here. We returned into the village to buy drinks. When this was over a happy man showed us to his restaurant that he built himself. The restaurant is called Bambu. We booked a table at 19.00 and left a deposit, advance payment of 100 000 rupiah so that he could buy the ingredients.

18.24 We have been reading in books by Stefan Tegenfalk. Soon we will start to move towards Bambu for tonight's interesting dinner.

19.01 Now we have arrived at Bambu. It sputters from the kitchen. Our host has just offered us two his special drink, Black Lemongrass. The other four guests here did not get the same deal.

20.43 We have been served some delicious food and drink. We have received tastefully rice, fabulous good vegetable soup with creamy broth, and a mix including papaya and banana flowers and finally the chicken. Afterwards we got fried balls of seeds. It crackles further from the kitchen; is more to be expected? During the meal, it has been full life from the local and the neighbourhood dogs. Apart from us we have a French family sitting here and a company of Americans and Slovenians.

21.11 Nothing more came to us. It feels like we made a good effort today. We’ve decided to eat at local place. It has indeed been injected money into the monetary bloodstream. Now we plan for tomorrow. Something that is certain is that we sleep longer than this morning, much longer. We will not sleep past 10.00 when our transport leaves though.

22.24 We have talked about memories from our time at university. Now, however, we must do something to be able to sleep late. We have to actually fall asleep.

The owner invited us to his restaurant, Bambu.

The dinner at Bambu Restaurant.

Wednesday 31st of July

08.27 It is nice to have a sleep-in. It was a good idea to make our second trip to the lakes already yesterday. It has rained all night. Now it is holding up but it is overcast and certainly no good views. Today is July's last day. In a week from now, we are in Dhaka and are preparing for a flight to Doha. Has the return journey begun already?

09.04 The rain is pouring down, the breakfast is ordered and a plan how we should act between check-out and departure is made. It is fortunate that we have our own minibus and may have the backpacks inside the vehicle. I do not want to put the backpack up on a roof today.

09.58 We said goodbye and once again got inside the orange little mini bus. Small places have their charm as you become one of the gang, it becomes personal in any way. The weakness lies in the rooms, the beds, the towels are not refreshed. Big accommodations, hotels have those fresh options but it fails the personal touch. You become one with the crowd. So which is the best? Well it depends on the circumstances, what one needs and what is on the current place of residence. It is a fly on the outside of the side window.

10.12 The driver's phone just rang. It was Tobias at Bintang Lodge who called. The phone was given to Christer. He got the message that Tobias found a book that I had left in the room. Tobias wondered if we wanted to have it or not. I told Christer he could tell that they were allowed to keep the book. See, a clear proof of the personal with small accommodations. Talk about caring!

Our "Kelimutu-driver" takes us to Ende.

10.40 Well, now the fly left us. Was it sick, lost the grip or simply lives here?

10.51 Two bull calves are grazing grass and looks at us. The driver has stepped out to take a leak. The scenery is beautiful and the road is, as so many times before here on mountainous Flores, curvy!

11.29 The end of this trip is near. We travel through villages with small single storey houses. Outside of some of the houses we can see graves. I avoid, however, taking pictures of them. I want to show respect for those who rest there, and also for their relatives.

11.55 The bemo stopped in front of Al-Hidayah Guest House in Ende. Here we first went to room 7 to inquire about rooms. The reception is in room 7. Then we went to room 2. There was a double bed. We switched to room 5 which offered two single beds. There was however no shower. Now we are, after paying, back in the room 2. Here we are missing towels and to watch TV, we have to give a four digit code.

Al-Hidayah Guesthouse, Ende.

12.22 Now we can watch TV. I can not disclose the code. One reason is that the code is secret. The second reason is that I simply do not know it. The woman in the reception came around and shoved it in without us saw what she typed. They don’t have any towels. Everyone is in the wash. The number of guests here are probably modest when doing such a thing.

12.26 We know nothing about who owns this property but it feels very Arabic here. The woman who checked us in do not look Indonesian and she was wearing the muslim headscarf like they do in the Middle East. On the TV there are many channels from Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East.

12.43 We have made some economic plans. Now we think we khow much we shall withdraw. There are also plans for what we will do today. What we know is that we'll wander through the city. It was not yesterday we were in a real city.

12.58 We have moved a few streets closer to the center and are at the tourist office to check about the transport to Bajawa tomorrow. There seem to be a bus terminal with buses which leave in the morning. It's good to know.

13.34 After buying drinks and bread from a happy old lady at a kiosk, we are now at the restaurant next to the accommodation. It's called, RM Salyo, RM is short for Rumah Makan, "house where to eat." Through some questioning and pointing we´ve arranged with lunch from the little buffet.

Ende

Peter is having lunch at RM Salyo.

13.57 It was good, cheap and in some way even filling. Now we are back in yet another place where children greet us with "Hello Mister”. The young and middle-aged ask us ”Where are you going?" It 's almost as if I miss it back home, a world where people most care about themselves and are afraid to talk to someone they do not know.

15.07 After some cooling down in the room, we are now at an internet cafe. The monkeys in the mist, was just like the monkeys we saw earlier this year, long-tailed macaques.

15.51 We finished the internet visit and went for a city walk. We passed a mosque that may be named, called, Darul Yaqin. A young man asked if we wanted a ride to the airport. Why should we? The only thing that we carried around was the small backpacks. A small boy looked at us and cried cheerfully "tourist”. We bought bread and beverage for the future at Toko Sinar Surya and saw goats stroll in the city before we passed the football ground and went home. It is an insect inside the packaging that surrounds Christer's newly bought bread, too bad for the insect.

16.31 After a good shower and washing the day's used clothes should I do now Christer joined on the patio. It's time to vanish into the literary world for a while. It’s in little moments like this that make your holiday feelings come. It is not always there during busy transport days.

Christer is exploring Ende.

Sinar Surya had all the things we needed.

Goats, and people, are walking on the streets in Ende.

An unknown man is walking along Jalan Soekarno.

19.09 We will bring the malaria tablets with us as we head out. It's time for dinner here in Ende. Some people who live here have probably already eaten and others are waiting until later.

19.30 Now we have finished waiting and wandering. We first tried to go to a fancy hotel but their restaurant was closed. Now we are instead at Rumah Makan Istana Bambu Restaurant. For the second night in a row, we eat at a restaurant with bamboo in the name. Here we have just written down our orders on a paper. Juice Markiza, passion fruit juice is translated into English in the menu as "poison juice". The place is a combined restaurant and hair salon.

20.30 The thing with combined restaurant and hair salon, although in separate rooms, has its downsides. There was hair in my rice. On the way home we tried to withdraw money from any ATM machines. It didn’t work. At one of the ATM:s was a tall man. He looked at the display, crouched down and looked even more. Now we are home and will plan and recharge for tomorrow.

22.58 No mountains and no valleys today but a new place to stay at that offered shelter, meals and no ATM withdrawals. This is the day in compressed form. All that remains is to curl up under the covers.

Istana Bambu Restaurant, Ende.