Category: Travel

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Against the Current: Diving Komodo

“Manta, Manta!” somebody shouts, and the whole boat rocks as BCDs are thrust on and weight belts collide. Those who are already ready are already in. The water is clear, but the current is strong. I rush my BCD on, go through the buddy safety checks, and try to hold myself as I realise that this is a first for me – diving with manta rays. Looking from the boat, large black silhouettes break the blue and drift below like kites. I bite the feeling, I bite the excitement and I jump. Into the blue, into Komodo, into the wild world.

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Keeping to a Culture: The Sasak People of Lombok

It’s like a mechanical bull ride. I’m tilting side to side trying to master this rented moped. The roads are uneven, I’m embarrassingly inexperienced, and the sun is setting. If it wasn’t for the warming smile of my guide and the desire to feel a part of this serene island landscape on Lombok, I’d be chasing down a taxi for a safer, more comfortable ride.