Trailblazers

Jonathon arrived in Bali to find them himself in the middle of a four day festival - temple birthday. 

The team reach their first base and take a well earned rest. At 3pm they had climbed 6000ft. The guides prepare a meal then its off up the mountain again as they have to reach the second base before dark. As they had started the morning climb later than expected they climb the last two hours in the dark. 

After another 3 hours of climbing they have now reached 8000ft and the weather is freezing.  Time to get some sleep if that's possible. It's an early start in the morning. They rise again at 4am and begin the last leg of the climb.

 Eventually they reach their final destination, the still active volcano at the top of Mount Rinjani. The volcano is 1000ft below. It last erupted in 1994.

They won't make the summit on this trip so after some breathtaking views it's back down the mountain and on to Sumbawa.

Following a two hour flight to Sumbawa by plane, the  team head out on yet another boat trip. This time to the Island of Komodo.

They load a boat with supplies and spend much of the 100 nautical miles sailing in the dark.

On reaching Komodo (another extinct volcano and now national park) they spend some time in the waters surrounding Red Beach, on the eastern side of the island. A chance to view some of the exotic marine life. There are over 1000 species of fish in the coral reefs.

OK so it was an excuse for Jon to top up on the tan.

Komodo is home to the prehistoric looking lizards - Komodo Dragons. Rather you than me here I think! Park Rangers take tourists around to see the dragons in their natural habitat as it's too dangerous to go it alone..

Maybe Jonathon thought the T-Shirt would keep the dragons at bay!!

Before leaving Komodo, Jonathon takes a boat trip down river to see a colony of Flying Foxes - Fruit bats. Here's where I turn a shade of green - not sick.........envious!

They have been travelling for 18 days and it's time to do the washing - about time too!!

Three days later they arrive at Flores where they spend the night.

Now comes the tricky part - finding a boat to take them over to Lamalara on the island of Lembata. At Larantuka harbour they met a British couple who had waited days for a boat to bring them back to Flores. Not unusual out there. Eventually, after six hours of trying, they find a small passenger freighter that agrees to take them - for a price. One of the team refuses to board and stays behind awaiting their return.

Lamalara is a traditional fishing village and there are only around 1200 living there. They are very primitive with no electricity, phones etc.  Their main food source comes from the fish they catch. The people of Lamalara are hunters of the Sperm Whale and Jonathon goes out on a fishing trip with them.

These guys really do have to live on fish alone as the land is so dry and sandy, no vegetables can be grown. They trade their fish at the markets for anything else they may need.

At the end of the fishing trip one of the fishermen hands Jonathon fresh fish, part of the day's catch.