Monday 11/27/23
I was weirdly calm traveling to the airport. I feel like I have been through so much this year that I can pretty much handle anything now that is thrown at me.
This is the 10th time I’ve been to Indonesia:
January 2006 Tulamben (Scuba Seraya)
February 2011 Wakatobi, Tulamben (Scuba Seraya), Ambon (Maluku Dive Resort)
Sept/Oct 2012 Sangaeng/Bima (Cheng Ho), Tulamben (Villa Markisa)
Feb 2014 South Rinca (Cheng Ho)
Sept 2015 Beyond Komodo (Cheng Ho), Tulamben (Villa Markisa)
Nov/Dec 2015 Raja Ampat (Arenui)
Nov 2017 Lembeh (NAD)
Nov 2018 Alor, Indonesia (Alami Alor), Komodo, Indonesia (Aggressor), Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia (Villa Markisa)
Nov/Dec 2022 Indonesia (Alami Alor)
Nov/Dec 2023 Indonesia (Alami Alor)
Pirjo messaged me on the way to the airport and said that she needed a battery for her computer. It took me a minute to realize that she meant the dive computer. We have the same one. I realized that this the battery I just ordered recently. It was hard to find, expensive and still hadn’t shown up yet. I need to follow up on that.
She also mentioned that something is malfunctioning on her camera. Bummer.
My first flight was 13 hours to Tokyo. It wasn’t too bad. I didn’t have anyone in the seat next to me and I watched a lot of movies.
Tuesday 11/28/23
I actually went to find the United Club so I could use one of my passes. It was far from my gate but I did it and I have to say it wasn’t really worth it. Free Coke Zero maybe but that’s really it. The food is terrible.
I also had this realization that on my first flight there were more people in first class and business than coach. Back in coach there was plenty of room to stretch out and sleep. I found the same thing at the United Club. It was packed in there and I could barely find a seat.
But at the gate and in the restaurants it was pretty empty. I feel like flying coach is the new luxury. I am so glad I never pay for any upgrades or club memberships.
However, I am glad that I paid for an escort to do my transfer in Jakarta. The flight is getting in late and I really want to make the connection to Kupang. I am not sure what I am going to do if I don’t make the connection.
It is amazing how many things have to go right to make a successful dive trip. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this one will be great!
Wednesday 11/29/23
OMG. I cannot believe that I made the flight from Jakarta to Kupang. The flight was late getting in. Then I went to immigration and looked for the agent who was supposed to fast track me. I swear last time they did everything for me… but they were nowhere to be found.
So I stood in line at immigration… it wasn’t that long. When I got to the front, the guy asked me for my Visa. Ugh. So then I had to double back and buy the Visa and come back to stand in the immigration line again. No big deal. I had the exact change of $35 and the line wasn’t long again.
I finally met up with the agent after immigration. I thought, well, what do I need you for now? Ugh. But it all worked out because it took forever to get my bags. Luckily both of them showed up. He got the cart and loaded them up… got me checked into my domestic flights online and thru customs then we hustled out to the private car they had waiting for me. It was 1:04am. The flight leaves at 2:00am.
We got over to the Domestic Terminal in no time, but then nobody was checking in Kupang anymore. Argh! But this guy knew exactly what to do and who to talk to. And they didn’t charge me any additional excess baggage fee. And the bags are checked all the way thru to Alor. Yay!
What I forgot though, after I said thank you to the agent… was how long of a walk it was to the actual gate: D2. Literally, there was a sign that said 15-20 minutes to get there. What!?!?!? I was now cutting it really close. I was hustling.
Then after getting through security, I made it to D2 and NOBODY was there. Ugh. I thought I heard over the loudspeaker something about Kupang now being at D4 and I saw activity over there and sure enough, that was the gate. I wasn’t even the last one boarding.
I collapsed in my middle seat. The plane was packed. But luckily I got an overhead spot for my camera rollerbag. By this time I was sweaty and wide awake. I read my book and only slept a little bit of this three hour flight.
Once I arrived in Kupang, I hit my favorite place for coffee called Bread Bakers. For some reason the WiFi here isn’t really working. So annoying. Oh, and in Japan I went to download some of my books on the Kindle and it didn’t work. I sure hope it works at the resort. I’m so pissed at myself that I didn’t download all the way to my kindle when I was at home.
One more flight and I’ll be in Alor. It is a short one… a little less than an hour.
I finished my second book of the trip on the plane. I grabbed my bags and then it was another 50 minute van ride to the resort.
By the time I arrived and said hello to Rhome and Max, I was so tired. I couldn’t remember the name of Jakarta and I called a “dive” a “flight”. So, when Rhome asked if I was going to dive today, I said definitely not. I felt like I would make a stupid mistake.
I took a shower and realized that my calves had swollen up like Dad’s used to. Ugh.
I got the room right next to the camera room. Woot! I always wanted to stay there. I took a shower and crawled into bed. I knew I needed to drink water, so I did that... but proceeded to break a glass in the process. Doh.
That was somewhere in the 11am hour… I didn’t really wake up again until 6pm. I am a little worried I won’t be able to sleep well tonight, but I’ll try.
I worked on setting up my camera. Then we had a really nice dinner with the corn fritters and spinach curry.
I showed everyone my new nudi swatch. It sounds like Max and Francis are going to buy one too.
I talked about how out of it I was when I arrived and that my legs were swollen. Everyone (even young people like Max and Rhome) said that they wear compression socks when they travel. I guess I need to look into it.
I also found out that they have Coke Zero at the resort this year! Woo Hoo!
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