To do something more active on Flores, we decided to visit the Kelimutu volcano on our way to Maumere.
We took a Bemo (public minibus) to the village of Moni, located on the slope of the volcano. The homestay where we stayed had another room, and it turned out that our roommate was an Austrian named Wolfgang, a nice, sometimes talkative fellow about the same age as our parents. We talked a bit and decided to go to the summit together the next morning. We booked a driver who would take us up. We spent the rest of the day in the sleepy village.
The alarm clock rang at 03:30 in the morning and at 04:00 we were in the car. Our driver took us 800 meters up the volcano to a parking lot where we could walk the last half hour to the crater rim. The special thing about Kelimutu is that there are three crater lakes, each with a different color. Although it is better to see them in the midday sun, we didn't want to miss the sunrise. In the high season, it's supposed to be crowded here, but we could count all the other visitors that day on one hand. We stumbled through the darkness and took our position between two of the lakes. As it got brighter, a surreal view of the two lakes in the crater gradually opened up, which despite their proximity had really different shades of color. Unfortunately, some clouds rolled in, so we couldn't see the sun rise, but they added to the mystical atmosphere.
After enjoying the view from here for some time and taking what felt like hundreds of photos, we walked a little higher to get another view of the third lake. It was much darker and the dense forest around the shore reminded us of a mountain lake in the Alps. By now, the sun was showing a bit better and together with the clouds it created a beautiful picture.
After we had seen enough and had what felt like hundreds of photos, we walked back to the village on foot. The path wound its way downhill for 8km, mostly along the road, but later on narrow paths through the greenery. This hike unexpectedly surprised us in the following days with quite strong muscle soreness. Although we are used to walking long distances, walking downhill apparently used muscles that were otherwise unused.
Back in the village, we had a fruit breakfast at the homestay before we stood by the roadside waiting for a Bemo. In the end, no Bemo took us, but a more comfortable minibus that only cost a little more. In 3 hours, we arrived in Maumere.
Our plan was to take a ferry to Sulawesi from here. Since the connection, which had suddenly disappeared from the ferry provider's website a few days ago, was still available on another booking site, we wanted to play it safe and book directly at the official office. When we arrived there, it turned out that the ferry was running, but it was already fully booked. That's too bad! Well, deep down we were a bit happy because it meant that instead of a 15-hour boat ride on a crowded ferry, we had to book a 1 ½-hour flight. So we paid 80€ for two people instead of about 25€ for the ferry... but our eco heart is a bit broken because we know that more flights are in our near future.
Before the flight, however, we spent a whole day in Maumere in an accommodation right on the sea. Although it was quite hot and sweaty and there were mosquitoes all day long, the hostess was so nice and welcoming that we felt very comfortable. She also made an effort to provide Lea with vegan food, which consisted of more than just a fruit plate for breakfast. The sea right in front of the accommodation wasn't the most beautiful, but it was enough for a short swim.
The next day, we went to the tiny airport in Maumere. When we wanted to check in our luggage at the tiny counter, it turned out that we were each one kilo overweight. So we were allowed to quickly pack some stuff into our carry-on luggage. We were really lucky because with 2 kilos overweight on the plane, we wouldn't have felt comfortable enough to fly in this small propeller plane...
