Island life is very stressful so I took it easy today. Here is what I did from dawn till dusk, hanging out with Mardie, a fun solo Dutch traveler I met who arrived on Flores the same time I did. (In addition to everything below, I also took three cold showers to wash off the intolerable humidity.)

Started the day off with breakfast of champions: mango fruit juice and a plate of fresh cut tropical fruits.

After sitting around reading and relaxing, it’s time for lunch. The hotel girl fires up the grill,

cuts open the fish I just selected,

and prepares what was truly the juiciest and best-tasting fish I’ve ever eaten, really.

Then more sitting around.

We decide to be productive, and ended up finding a completely secluded beach to the north, with very warm water and this great view.

I now sit here in The Lounge, drinking an arak ginger (essentially a Moscow Mule but with locally produced alcohol), eating a pizza covered with chilis, and enjoying the tropical rainstorm outside.