After three sea days that allowed us time to relax and reflect on our exploration of the Kimberley, we arrived at the city of Kupang on the island of Timor, our first stop in Indonesia. After some incredible welcome festivities, we loaded into mini vans and drove to the main market. Walking through the stalls was a full sensory experience and we could have happily spent more time there.
At the beach, we had the special treat of watching dance groups from a number of islands in the province perform as we settled in with a freshly opened coconut. After a phenomenal lunch back on board National Geographic Orion, we found ourselves at Pulau Kera, a small island off the shores of Kupang. We geared up and went for our first snorkeling excursion of the trip. We saw some beautiful reefs and were able to get a taste of what’s to come when exploring the underwater world.
During a lively cocktail hour, Hotel Manager Fran showed us photos from the galley crew’s shopping mission at the market today. We are thrilled to be here and can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!
