I boarded a plane headed for a small fishing town located at the western end of Flores in the Nusa Tenggara, by the name of Labuan Bajo, with hopes of living out my Land Before Time dreams. Sadly, I wouldn’t find Petrie or Littlefoot waiting to greet me, but what I would find seemed equally out of this world.
I boarded yet another boat, just before sunrise, with three companions in tow. We first set sail to the picturesque island of Padar to take in the views from up top. The hike was steep, but well worth the burn, for there were blue skies and beautiful lagoons in every direction.
Next on the list — and my main reason for boarding — Komodo Island. The Komodo dragon exists only in this part of the world on a few small islands within the National Park. The animal’s isolation from the rest of the planet is what has ensured its survival for so long. It had no predators and was not discovered by the Western world until 1910.
Stepping off the boat and walking down the small wooden pier, into the forest, felt like a trip back in time. We were greeted by a handful of young rangers in army green uniforms holding long wooden staffs used to fend off the dragons, should they become aggressive. And when that’s not enough, we’re told they run. While the Komodo dragons look docile and slow, often lying on their bellies, basking in the sun, they’re anything but. They’re calculated and extremely dangerous, and they certainly call the shots in these parts with their giant claws, serrated teeth, and venomous bite.
Being somewhat facetious, I turned to the ranger and asked what would happen if I should touch the dragon and our conversation went something like this…
Ranger: “It bite. You die. Maybe in 3 days or 1 week.”
Me: “Ooooh. So, bad idea then?”
Ranger: ”I think not so good. You can touch with stick.”
Me: “But won’t that upset him?”
Ranger: “Yes. Komodo not like stick.”
Me: “Then, no. No, I don’t want to poke the dragon with a stick.”
Perhaps my favorite exchange since arriving, making me laugh my way back to the boat.
Even though I would have enjoyed a little more action, it was quite a special experience knowing that this is the only place in the world where you can see these animals in the wild, and that there are only a few thousand of them left. The species has been around for 20 million years and only the tiniest fraction of the world’s human population has ever laid eyes on them… and now I am one of those few. And that alone makes me smile inside.
In desperate need of a cool down, we made our way to Manta Point for a snorkeling stop. Even though all aboard were experienced in the water, life jackets were strongly suggested by the crew due to the exceptionally strong currents. We geared up and one by one jumped off the side and into the deep blue.
I hit the water and my body goes under with arms above my head. The oversized life jacket unfastens, falling off quicker than I can take a breath. I scramble to grab it, but I can’t get it to latch, so I return to the boat in hopes of exchanging. Unfortunately, they didn’t pack extras, so I had two choices: tie the straps or go without. I went with the latter.
Swimming in a pool, lake or lagoon, is far different from this, and I’m quickly reminded as I make my way back to the group. I was more concerned with reconnecting, that I neglected to look below at first. But when I finally peered down… holy shit! There were huge manta rays gliding beneath me!
Now, I’ve seen some cute and colorful fish in my time, but nothing compares to these gentle giants. Once I was positioned close to the others, I’d dive down as far as my lungs would allow at the chance to be closer. I did this again and again, until my limbs grew too tired. Collectively, we had drifted far from the boat, so swimming back was a bit of a stretch, and by the time I reached for the ladder, I was spent.
We stopped at a sandbank — a powdery white stretch surrounded by crystal clear shores — to rest and recoup, before sailing back to the mainland. Knowing my time was coming to a close, I walked until I was waist deep, then kicked up my feet. For a while, I just stared at the bright blue sky before closing my eyes and revisiting the year, and this trip. I thought about all that I’ve seen and experienced in this short time. I thought about my sister, Michelle. I thought about Ian. I thought about my mother and father. I thought about the love that had once occupied my heart, that I didn’t fully understand. And I thought about how I want to do better — be better — for myself and those around me.
And from the corner of my eyes, I could feel the tears start to fall. I can’t say if they were happy or sad… perhaps a little of both. But, I suppose it doesn’t really matter. All that truly mattered was my being there in that moment, and recognizing just how lucky I am.
