At 8 AM the boat boys arrived with our diesel and very efficiently filled our tanks from several large jerry cans. Although we did use the filter it was hardly necessary. Frank ordered some beer, sodas and whatever else he felt we needed and while he was negotiating those transactions I caught a ride into town with Stuart and Sheila's boat boy for our spa appointments. We were early, so we popped into the Bajo Bakery to order some freshly baked breads to be picked up that afternoon. Visiting with folks who had been here for several days we discovered that we could charter a large boat to take us to the Komodo Dragon National Park on the island of Rinca (in Indonesian: Rinja). Sheila got the name of the tour operator and arranged for a group of 10 of us to go on Sunday, Sept. 2nd.
The Flores Spa is a world-class affair, owned and operated by an Italian expatriate who speaks both fluent Indonesian and English. My three-hour indulgence included a 30-minute reflexology, followed by a one-hour Balinese massage, and then a one-hour body scrub, ending with a 30-minute facial. The cost of this incredible pampering? Approximately $29 USD! Unbelievable. I tipped my gal 10,000 IDR ($1) that darn near made her swoon. Afterward, as we all relaxed over an aromatic cup of tea before leaving, I commented to Stuart and Sheila that I didn't think I was capable of much physical effort. They laughed but agreed that we were all so relaxed we'd been reduced to "useless". Wow, what a way to spend a morning. They returned to Imagine immediately because they had to get their fueling done, while I moseyed down to meet Frank at Mediterraneo. He had brought his new iPad and was snuggled into a large beanbag chair on the upper deck, beer in hand and surfing the internet when I arrived. We moved down into the restaurant ordered lunch and then visited with the familiar faces that came and went over the next couple of hours, hearing of great anchorages and good adventures to look forward to as we head west. It was nice to have a cozy spot that felt like home to enjoy and just kill time. Afterward, we strolled the streets looking for bits of this and that at the various storefronts before the dreaded ride back to Destiny in the taxi boat.
Mediterraneo also owns a restaurant/bar across the bay on the beachfront in the resort area of LBJ and because tonight is the full moon, are hosting a big party. Several of us agreed to attend. This is a 5-star restaurant. It not only sits along the best part of beachfront on the bay, it boasts a pool, a lounge area with sand floor and giant beanbag chairs, a massage area and then formal dining. We joined Stuart and Sheila for pre-dinner drinks in the beanbag lounge before moving over to the dining area for our incredibly fresh and delicious dinner. I feasted on tri-colour salade and tiger prawns. Frank had a seafood risotto that left us both drooling for more. We ate, drank and enjoyed the night away for under $20. Again, unbelievable. Our bank account loves this country! After dinner we joined a large group of cruiser friends who were reclining in the beanbag lounge area for after-dinner cordials. Frank and I decided that if we ever move back home and build a house near the water, this is exactly how we want our back yard to be.
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