Around the World With Uncle Moose: Days 9-15: Cruise (part 1)

Day 9: Boarding the Star Clipper

We boarded the Star Clipper at Benoa port in Bali. Apparently not many cruises leave from Bali because neither our taxi driver nor anyone in the general vicinity of the port could tell us where it was.

The Star Clipper

Our cozy cabin

Below are some scenes from around the ship.

The main deck

Our massive swimming pool

The main bar on deck

Another bar, inside

Main dining room

Day 11: Komodo Island

Our first stop was Komodo Island, home of the Komodo Dragons (great name for a baseball team). Since the dragons have been known to attack people, tourists could only venture out on the island accompanied by park rangers carrying long forked sticks for protection.

A park ranger

Photo opportunity for a dragon

Me and a dragon

View of the Star Clipper from Komodo

After seeing the dragons, we did a short nature walk accompanied by a park ranger and his stick.

This spider is about the size of my hand, which I did not hold up for comparison

View of neighboring islands from Komodo

Back on board the ship, the passengers got to help the crew raise the sails before setting sail.

Peter the cruise director leads the volunteer crew

Day 12: Sumba Island

The ship anchored off Waikelo, a small port on Sumba Island. To get to Waikelo, we had to take a tender from the ship to about 100 yards from the beach, and then take a Zodiac from the tender to the beach.

Getting off the Zodiac near the beach

Some boats along the beach

From Waikelo, we got on small buses and headed towards the interior of the island.

A house on Sumba

Our first stop was the Sumba Cultural Conservation and Learning Institute

Cultural Conservation and Learning Institute

A church in the middle of Sumba

Most of the houses on the island have above ground tombs in front.

House and tomb

Our next stop was the traditional village of Ratenggaro, where the houses have high thatched roofs, and are built without nails.

Some local villagers led us into Ratenggaro

A local resident

Entering the village

Some local performers

The locals (particularly the women) chewed betel nuts, which produce a mild high and stain their teeth red.

We were offered Betel nuts, but I declined

Betel nut residue--this is why I declined

Inside the houses it was very dark.

Inside a house

Local residents

A local street

Although it seemed primitive, the village had all of the modern conveniences, including satellite TV and cell phones.

Note the satellite dish and utility wires

From the village, we went to a local market.

The local market

Next we went to Waikelo Sawah Waterfall, which was surrounded by rice fields.

Back on the boat, checking events of the day

Day 13: Wera village, Sumbawa Island

Today we stopped at the boat-building village of Wera, on the Island of Sumbawa. There were no tours, so I just wandered around the village. Despite the relatively primitive look, the village had most modern conveniences, including cell service and satellite dishes.

Wera Village

Note the satellite dish

The village had a nice, although garbage-strewn black sand beach.

Welcoming committee

Day 14: Labuan Haji, Moyo Island

Today we visited Labuan Haji, a small village. We wandered around the village and then spent some time at a (very) small beach hotel.

At the dock in Labuan Haji

A cow pasture in the middle of the village

The village mosque

At the beach hotel

After returning to the ship, I took some shots after the sun went down. On most nights, we just sat on deck and gazed at the stars.

The bridge

Inside the bridge

It doesn't get much better than this (if you like that sort of thing)

Later that night, an Indonesian orchestra and dancers came on board and did a show.

A smoke break after the show

Day 15: Senggigi Beach

Senggigi beach is shared by a public beach for locals and a beach associated with a resort. On arriving on Senggigi Island, we walked through the public beach to the resort beach and hung out there.