London to Sorong

Oh, I forgot to mention that our luggage was delayed at Jakarta on the way out and Merpati took SIX days to get it to Sorong.

That is why I suggest MDC-SOQ. SIN-MDC has a good record for bags so even if there are delays, the Silkair rep will do the pushing of Lion or Merpati for you and it should get to you sooner since there's only 1 leg. JKT-SOQ has a stopover in UPG and who knows what can happen there! I always suggest Lion Air and Garuda over Merpati if there's a choice.

That is why I suggest MDC-SOQ. SIN-MDC has a good record for bags so even if there are delays, the Silkair rep will do the pushing of Lion or Merpati for you and it should get to you sooner since there's only 1 leg. JKT-SOQ has a stopover in UPG and who knows what can happen there! I always suggest Lion Air and Garuda over Merpati if there's a choice.

I think we are all agreed on the sense of going via Singapore/Manado and doing the last short leg with Lion/Wings.

Just to throw another idea in the mix... you ever thought about doing Bunaken? There's fantastic diving there as well - walls, slopes, seagrass, sand, big fish, little critters. I've dived with Thalassa who are bang in the middle of the National Park (sites 5-10 minutes away by boat) and they do day trips to Bangka and Lembeh too. This way, you get to be really greedy with your diving! If you want to check them out, they're here: www.thalassa.net

Bunaken? Big fish? Have you any photographic evidence? I was there over a year ago at Tasik Ria for 3 weeks, biggest fish I saw there was a rabbitfish! All the bigfish are the barracuda at the fishmarket!

big shame