It’s 4 am and we’re loudly cursing out the muazzin. He can’t hear us of course, but oh man do I wish he would answer our prayers by ending his. 

That was our first night in Labuan Bajo, lots of mosquitoes and not a lot of rest. 

The lack of sleep couldn’t dampen our spirits though as we arrived at the harbour the next morning, bubbly and bright eyed with anticipation like a couple kids on Christmas Eve. 

We were getting our own boat! With crew and all! And our first destination was an island with actual dragons on it, who were we to complain. 

So off we sailed, into Komodo national park, into the brightest, sparkliest, most magical waters I’d ever seen. 

(this is the boat. and me :))

The dragons themselves were our first stop and, I hate to say it but, they were kind of underwhelming. I mean they were cool! Just chillin there in the shade next to the toilet block and whatnot, and I definitely wouldn’t wanna get on their bad side with those teeth and all, but the entire experience felt a bit like a zoo. Except for the fact of course that the animals had full access to us if they ever fancied a Miri-Hazel-flavoured snack. 

It was still fun tho! Posing next to a real life dragon is an opportunity that doesn’t exactly present itself every day, after all. 

We were after different things however, and those were hidden under surface of those sparkly,  turquoise waters. 

They would have to wait another night though, as the sun was already starting to set, painting the water around us rich shades of pink and orange. 

We spent our first night stargazing, telling each other stories of our travels (of which Hazel had a whole lot more than me) and eating obscene amounts of rice and tempeh. 

The food on the boat was incredible, you would not believe the delicacies that our crew whipped up for us in that tiny little kitchen. The juiciest fruit, fresh, flavourful veggie dishes, tofu, tempeh, tuna satay for Hazel, heaps of vegan options just for me. Basically, an absolute dream for breakfast lunch and dinner. We both agree that the boat food was some of the best we’ve ever had in Indonesia. Even tho the stunning views and well, the fact that we were on a private freaking boat might’ve played a role. 

 We got up before sunrise the following morning, with the moon still bright and the birds asleep. Our boat was gently rocking back and forth in the bay of Padar Island, which we were about to climb. Alright, climb might be a bit of a dramatic description for the 30 minute stroll it took for us to reach the top of the hill. For the view however, it’s the most accurate word I could find. 

What followed was the most magical breakfast and one of the most magical beaches I’ve ever experienced. 

We finally got to jump in the ocean! (For the first time of many that day) 

And as we jumped in, the first thing we saw was eight (yes, 8!!!) Manta rays around us, floating, effortlessly flying through the sea like angels. 

And as soon as I was in the water, I felt it again. That tangible, buzzing connection to everything. 

I remember it so vividly, the first time I saw a reef, with corals and schools of fish and so many colours! I was nine I think, and I don’t remember much about being nine, except crying on the last day of school even though I’d always hated it there, and that first time, in what felt like the middle of the ocean. 

I’d never felt so safe in my life. It’s hard to describe, but it felt like the universe was hugging me. 

Like it was reaching out to me through water, telling me ‘hey, i’m your friend.’ and i trusted it, completely. 

That trust in life comes and goes, but the ocean has this magical habit of bringing it back to me. Diving down, and seeing nothing but blue, the way the light and the water play with each other, the bottom of the sea too far to even think about.

There’s nothing more peaceful in the world to me. 

It might be the uncertainty itself, the sensation of being so small and helpless in the midst of it all, that almost forces me to sink into complete trust. 

And then there’s this sense of being embraced be nature herself, of being so at home, of feeling a tangible connection to it all. It allows me to flow into a state of complete acceptance, of complete presence (are they the same thing?). 

You aren’t a drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in a drop. 

Theres so much more I could write about Komodo, but I think this just about sums it up. Playing with turtles and swimming with Mantas, star gazing, story telling, dance parties on deck, and all of it with one of the most magical humans I’ve ever met. (And the best crew ever! Thanks so much I luv u) 

It felt like a taste of a dream. 

Pure fucking magic. 

Love and hugs,  

Mira