Day 12: Raja Ampat

Day 12: Raja Ampat   

Snorkel overview...that's a lot of detail for just jumping off the tender and idling away. It's because we're hoping to see gigantic manta rays

Quote of the Day: 

Let me please introduce myself
I shouted out
Who killed the Kennedys?
When after all
It was you and me

Weather: Sane-same

We're snorkeling just off this beach

Breakfast same-same. Snorkeling at 9:30, another candidate for best ever: oceanic  and reef manta rays (some with 15-20 foot wing spans; they were in deeper water, thanks goodness, the rays were very intimidating), a huge puffer fish undergoing a spring cleaning (including teeth!) by a cadre of smaller fish, myriads of other fish in small groups or 1000s, and lots of  alive coral (less than 10% bleached/dead) in different size, shapes and colors. We also see our 4 divers down below us when looking at the rays. It felt like the sun was just right and the fish and coral we’re popping. Awesome, dude!!

Lunch is a buffet, mostly the things you would see at Vietnamese place if you ordered bun (boon) except instead of rice vermicelli Aqua Blud subbed turmeric rice. It is so hot that we decide to eat just inside in the a/c (the huge glass doors are open so you might think they are wasting power except the entire ship is one on large system and using the opening and closing of vents they can move cooler air around).

How hot was it? When they brought our place mats in off the shared large table (all the settings we’re in the shade) they were maybe 120 degrees. Hot! In the shade!

Ed note: There were four consecutive seats left open at the communal table and that meant THB (or DB) would be sitting next to a couple that THB is sooooo not fond of. She doesn’t listen and he a oafish lout who doesn’t listen and thinks he is full of deep wisdom. He’s also the guy who complained about one the other diver’s using up air too fast and thus shortening their dives (which he didn’t pay more for, because snorkelers we’re subsidizing his more expensive outings, snorkeling is low-tech).

Ring of Fire Episode 2: the bros are on Komodo, Bali and one other island. This island THB can’t remember has a huge spear/horse jousting event, inland vs ocean villages. It’s gonna be a good year because one of the contestants is killed! This is really a old-style travel blog, pretty well done.

Apparently the sign sez "Welcome"

Graffiti in this little village

The band was quite good, and rockin'

Spear-chuckers join the dancers

Now the cruisers are joining in...even THB and his no-rhythm movements 

There is visit to a local village, appears to populated mostly by children under the age of 10 (most under 6). There’s a welcoming dance group backed up by a rockin’ band. Then the cruisers are solicited to dance too (THB gets up and walks around, nobody claims to actually have seen him dance).

SAS doing close-up magic...baffling the local kids

Fashion for the boys: long pants...amazing given temps and humidity

At this point THB is boiling over, mild heat prostration, and goes back early with a cruiser that doesn’t want to miss his massage. THB gets some ice, wraps it in a towel, and lies down with this cooler on the back of his neck: very effective.

Dinner was okay, THB did not think it up to the standards of our prior meals.

Up really early tomorrow for our last full day in  Raja Ampat.

Book Review, The Secrets We Kept, Lara Prescott (novel): A light retelling of how Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago was smuggled out of the Soviet Union, became a big bestseller, and mild intrigue of how the CIA smuggled back in copies. Not very convincing, the author should’ve skipped the CIA part and spent more time in Russia. Neutral