Finally.  We made it!  After scrambling to find a flight out of Darwin, passing through Singapore, one day in Jakarta, two in Makassar, we finally caught a break.  The uncertainty surrounding the volcanic eruption on Bali prompted Wakatobi to change their charter flight from Denpasar (Bali) to Makassar.  Instead of a local flight to either Kendari or Wangi-Wangi followed by several hours of bus and boat travel, we were able to fly from Makassar to Tomia (one of the four main Tukangbesi Islands that give Wakatobi—Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, Binongko–its name).  From Tomia, it was only a short ride from the airport to the dock where two dive boats were waiting to take us the last 20 minutes to the small neighboring island where the resort is found.

Nothing says “Welcome” like a personalized, hand-carved mahogany placard over the door of your villa.

It wasn’t hard to settle into our 2-bedroom villa with a private pool overlooking the ocean (believe me, it’s better than it sounds)!

I think we have found paradise!

After a nice lunch, Alex, Maile and I met Yono–our private dive guide–for a briefing.  Twenty minutes later we were in the water, diving Wakatobi’s House Reef.  It was only the three of us.  Unfortunately, by the time we arrived Stacy was suffering from food poisoning.  Since we never made it there we can’t rightly call it Bali Belly; let’s just say it was Makassar’s Revenge.  Hopefully, a good night’s sleep (and a couple of Cipro) will take care of it.

House Reef, Wakatobi