The morning sun of Labuan Bajo greeted the group with friendly warmth as they enjoyed breakfast on the gently rocking Pinisi ship deck. Andrea’s trauma regarding the Komodo dragons had slightly subsided (though she still occasionally glanced warily toward the nearest land), and Jim seemed to have moved on from the theory of ancient Komodo DNA to a new topic: the geological formation of the karst islands around Flores.
"Our agenda today is a little different," Nisa announced while sipping her morning Flores coffee. "We will briefly leave the beauty of the sea and explore the land wonders of Flores. We are visiting Batu Cermin Cave!"
"A Cave? Stone Mirror?" Caroline repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Is there a magic mirror inside like in the Snow White story?"
Nisa chuckled. "Not a magic mirror, Caroline. But it is said that the stone walls inside this cave can reflect sunlight like a mirror when struck by the rays at certain times. Besides that, the cave also has beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, and, of course... the cave's original inhabitants."
"Original inhabitants?" Andrea asked suspiciously. "Do you mean... giant spiders? Python snakes? Or... mini Komodo dragons that live in caves?"
"More like... bats," Reza answered casually, which immediately made Andrea and Caroline's faces slightly change color.
"Bats?! Vampire bats?!" Andrea shrieked.
"Not vampires, Andrea," Nisa soothed. "Just regular bats, fruit or insect eaters. They are harmless, just... perhaps a little noisy and they have a distinct aroma."
The journey to Batu Cermin Cave from Labuan Bajo harbor was not too far. The cave is located in the middle of dry limestone hills. Upon arriving at the quite large cave mouth, the cool and damp air immediately felt in stark contrast to the hot air outside. Several local guides were waiting, carrying flashlights and safety helmets.
"Okay, everyone wear a helmet," Nisa instructed. "It's a bit dark inside and the ceiling is sometimes low."
The Corrs wore their helmets in their own style. Jim’s helmet was slightly too large, making him look like a mad scientist ready to conduct a dangerous experiment. Andrea's helmet was decorated with pink flower stickers (who knows where she got them). Caroline wore her helmet tilted slightly like a rockstar. Sharon's helmet was the neatest and fit perfectly.
Entering the cave, the atmosphere changed drastically. Dark, damp, with the faint echoing sound of dripping water. Flashlight beams illuminated the strange and stunning limestone rock formations. There were stalactites hanging from the ceiling like giant stone curtains, and stalagmites growing from the cave floor like ancient mushrooms. In some parts, the stone walls glistened when hit by the flashlight, reflecting light like thousands of tiny crystals—this was likely the origin of the name Batu Cermin (Mirror Stone).