Secret beauties of island Flores, Indonesia
Success story before the TC platform
These kinds of amazing experiences can certainly happen without this platform, but it may require more effort, be more challenging, and less secure..
First things first – Indonesian island Flores is very famous for its Komodo national park where you can see Komodo dragons and it is one of the best diving spots in the world. I definitely agree, I think it was my best diving so far, ever, it was purely amazing, the feeling of 7 mantas flying right above your head.. oh the beauty of nature. Komodo dragons, also, amazing creatures that you have to respect. But Flores is so much more than just Komodo NP.
I was traveling with my new friends, Camille from Réunion island and Rafael from France. I met Camille on the island Nusa Penida and we met Rafael on the bus to the village of Bajawa, where our adventure began. After finding a place to stay, we wandered around the village, looking for a guide who could offer us an authentic experience. Luckily, we stumbled upon Jeremy, who eventually gave in to our persistence and offered to take us to his father’s village. We were the first travelers he ever took there! How cool is that?
The next morning, Jeremy picked us up and we embarked on an unforgettable journey. We learned a lot about traditions, way of living, weaving traditional patterns, we went on Holy Communion celebration of his niece, swimming in hot springs and on the local market we got a chicken for traditional rituals we had to go through as new visitors of the village.
The first thing we did when we arrived was a ritual. It does involve killing an animal so I will not get into details. As a vegetarian, I felt a bit uncomfortable, but I respect their religion and the significance it holds for them. And I do believe that the spirits of their ancestors are looking after me from then on! After the ritual, we cooked dinner together, they taught us how to use all their spices, that special kitchenware they have and how to prepare their delicious traditional food. We shared a lovely evening together and felt like part of the family. We slept on their terrace, which they made super comfortable for us. In the morning, we enjoyed a breakfast of fresh fruit, the best breakfast you can imagine, and set off to make more memories.
Looking back on this amazing experience in 2018 just goes to show that you can have the most incredible adventures when you step out of your comfort zone and embrace new experiences. And with the TC platform, you can make sure to travel a bit more safely and confidently.
This story is a good example of learning traditional crafts, cooking in this case, and having an authentic experience where you can really indulge in the traditions and culture of local people. These are the memories that you never forget, they just bring a smile to your face every time you think about it 🙂
Maja, Founder of TC platform
