After three weeks in Bali, we're excited to see another part of the Indonesian archipelago. We were told that Komodo is much better before tourist season heats up, so we decided to go to Labuanbajo next. Labuanbajo, on the island of Flores, is the jumping off point for diving and exploring Komodo.

But sometimes plans change . As we neared Kuta in our overpriced tourist shuttle, both of us felt a sense of dread at spending another night in South Bali. Kuta is right next to Seminyak, and is known as its bigger - and crazier - older brother. We had planned to drop our things off at a hotel and go to the airport to buy a ticket for the next day. Instead we went straight there, bags in hand, in the hopes of getting directly on a plane. There were no more flights that day to Labuanbajo, and the morning flights were full. Both of us had the same thought: We don't care where we go. We will go literally anywhere, as long as it's not back to Kuta.

So we split up and walked from counter to counter, looking for open flights. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Do you have any flights going out tonight?
Agent: What is your destination?
Me: Anywhere!
Agent: I'm sorry, where are you going?
Me: Where are YOU going?

We got a lot of smiles ...and a flight to Sumba. We still don't really know what happened - there was a flight available, then there might not be, then we were told to come back several times, then all of the sudden we were rushed onto a plane. When we paid we were only charged 2/3 of the quoted price (not complaining, just puzzled!). We weren't counting any chickens, given all the uncertainty. But watching islands float by beneath us, it appears we're going to Sumba.

We don't know a lot about it, but it's not too far from Flores, and they have ferries once or twice a week. It's also off the tourist track, which we're very happy for. Bali has been wonderful - sunny, lush, beautiful, and full of interesting people, rituals, artwork, and monkeys. But for the most part, when people go to Indonesia, it's to Bali. I'm not opposed to traveling in tourist areas - there are often good reasons why people flock there. At the same time, the dynamic with local people is very different in those places, everything is often overpriced, and it can be very difficult to break free of the momentum of the tourist routes. Also, one of the attractions of Indonesia is its incredible diversity, so why not get into it asap?