Written July 22nd
Our last leg of the trip was a wonderful closing to a great trip. We visited Seribu Islands, a national park north of Java. The Seribu Islands are known as the Thousand Islands, but really there is a little over 100 islands. We stayed on Palau Pramuka, which most Americans would consider remote, but after my experiences the weeks prior, the air conditioning and working shower were luxurious.
Ending the trip on an island setting was beautiful. The water was bright turquoise and crystal clear, and the ocean breeze was a relief from the sun and humidity. During our stay at Seribu, we visited an eagle rehabilitation center, a sea turtle rehabilitation center and other remote islands and coral reefs. We got to plant mangrove trees and transplanted coral to try to create a new reef. At the turtle rehabilitation center, we each got to release a baby hawksbill turtle into the ocean!
Of all the amazing things we got to do on the islands, my favorite was when we went snorkeling at a coral reef. I spent hours in the water, watching the fish and marveling at all the coral. It was awesome to dive down and get a closer look at all the life. Afterwards, just swimming and doing flips off the boat was a great finish to the day.
Photo credits to Alli Burchardt for the great underwater shot!
The whole trip was amazing, but I am excited to be back on a plane tomorrow morning headed back to America. It was a long trip with less relaxing than one might have initially expected. I am excited to share my stories with family and friends and reflect on my trip as a whole.
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