Traveling Tolins 2

Today is Day 70 of 140; at midnight we will have completed half-way time wise.  We will arrive at our thirtieth (of sixty three) port stop in the morning.  We will be anxious to receive our cruise summary at the end to see how many miles we traveled and how much fuel, food, water, etc. was consumed. Early inhabitants of Australia may have “island hopped” from Indonesia across the shallow waters of the Timor Sea.  It is possible that Australia's first inhabitants crossed the Timor Sea from Indonesia at a time when sea levels were lower.   The sea’s name closely translates in Malay to “east,” for its location relative to Indonesia’s Sunda Islands.  The body of water shares its name with the independent state of East Timor to its north.  In the late 1980s, skilled sportsmen and women raced 1,000 miles by junking, or outrigger canoe, across the Timor from Bali, Indonesia to Darwin, Australia.  Using vessels fashioned after traditional Bali...

  As we departed Darwin, we noticed this lone oil rig all by itself.  Our initial views of Indonesia at Komodo Island.   Our shore excursion included a 2-mile hike on trails; our guide took us on the Long Trek.  Missed the name of the fruit below but numerous animals on the island like it.  We were happy this old bridge had been replaced.  Snail.  Caught the bee below in the air!  Wild orchid.  Dead palm tree next to a live one; remember the live one.  "Magic Mushroom"  Bird nest above. Komodo Island is one of the world’s most unique and prehistoric-feeling national parks, a magnificent menagerie of wildlife.  Its most famous denizen is the legendary Komodo dragon, the largest lizard in the world.  These breathtaking creatures can grow up to ten feet long and weigh as much as 150 pounds.  Gentler-looking animals also roam, including the island’s gracef...

Darwin, Australia is the cultural hub of the continent’s Top End, named for its northern most location.  The laid-back city got is name after the HMS Beagle sailed into the harbor during a surveying expedition in 1839.  The famed naturalist Charles Darwin, who had sailed on the ship’s previous voyage of five years, was so esteemed that its captain named this newest discovery for him.  This lively center of arts and culture is the largest city in the thinly populated Northern Territory state.  It boasts a rich and lively arts and culture scene, much of it centered on the MAGNT, or Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.  Its excellent collection of art and artifacts reflects the region and its indigenous people. We started our shore excursion at lookout point at East Point Reserve to take in sweeping views of Australia’s Top End, the Timor Sea, the city, and Darwin Harbor. Darwin is one of Australia’s most successful and engaging m...