Lovely,
Laid-back, Lombok
After lively,
popular Bali, Lombok seems like a secret hideaway. At the port of
Pandangbai and on the huge ferry connecting Bali
and Lombok, there were only a few other tourists. In preparation for
the four hour cruise, we stocked up on Nasi Campur from the women
selling food before departure, the rice and chicken mixture neatly
wrapped with banana leaves and brown paper into a cone shape. The
locals sharing the long wooden benches with us on the ferry deck didn't
speak much English, but we still shared a bag of green apples and
listened to the singing and guitar playing of the young boys. Many
of the men stretched out on the benches for a nap, while their toddlers
played on the rusty, old floor. Once on land in Lombok, the drive
along the coast was a feast for the eyes. Farmers
and water buffalo worked in bright green farm lands and tropical rice
fields. Families walked the streets of dilapidated Muslim towns, the
white minarets of many mosques glowing against the fading sunlight.
Further up the coast, cows and goats grazed in coconut farms, hundreds
of rows of palm trees sandwiched between green mountains and turquoise
bays. We were so excited by each new sight that we hardly cared that
we were bouncing all over the back of the bus! The Gili Islands
We stared across the water at the three small islands as several
young boys gathered around us selling their wares. The Gili Islands
lack police, fresh water, roads, and vehicles, being small enough
to walk around or travel by horse cart. We crammed into a small
wooden boat with 25 locals, baskets of spinach, bags of rice cakes,
and a bicycle. In 45 minutes, we were at Gili Meno,
wading through the crystal clear water to the shore of the deserted
island. We had expected solitude, but Gili Meno was nearly a ghost
town. It took an hour and a half to stroll around the dry, desert
island ringed with heaps of coral and brilliant shells washed up
from the ocean. Many of the huts and bungalows that we came across
were deserted, others had a few people relaxing in hammocks or pillow-filled
bales (gazebos), staring out across the blue-green water to the
neighboring island. At our own Amber House bungalows,
we enjoyed absolute silence, aside from the occasional cry from
a rooster or cow. For the first time since we left Tokyo, we just
sat and did nothing but stare at the varied desert plants and the
sea beyond. During high tide, sitting in the shallow water, we were
at absolute peace without a soul around. The still ocean water was
only broken by groups of flying fish and silohuettes of local men
diving for tonight's dinner. While waiting for the host family to
kill and grill our chicken, we watched a show of sheet lightning
across the pitch black sky. The tranquil morning brought starfish,
urchins and sea cucumbers in the pools left by low tide and a brilliant
sunrise from behind the mountains on mainland Lombok. After huge
pancakes at Jali's Cafe
(the cafe is simply seven pillowed bales), we caught the "hopper
island" boat over to Gili Air. Gili Air turned
out to be an island that we could have lazed around for weeks, but
two days would have to do this time. At the Gili Indah Hotel,
we relaxed with our adopted cat, "Mango" on our bungalow
veranda's huge couch, and at our Corner Cottages,
we chatted with the locals around Uncle Bob's beachside bar. We
toured the perimeter of the island by horse cart, then got pleasantly
lost in the island's interior, observing the primitive Muslim villages
and joining the local volleyball game. The wet season's rain showers
kept us from snorkeling, but we were perfectly happy to enjoy great
food, delicious tea, friendly conversation, warm winds and island
life on cruisy Gili Air.
Kuta, Lombok
Back on the mainland, the tiny town of Kuta is nothing like its
party town Bali counterpart. Just a lazy bay, stretch of beach,
a few bungalows and local village. From the other nearby primitive
village of Gerupuk, the local surfer boys took us on long boats
out to the waves, where Brad had a chance to use the body board
he'd been carrying around, so eager to use. The village women grilled
mackerel on a stick for my lunch, and the young girls weilded large
knives to cut up sweet baby pineapples to sell us. At Anda
Cottages, we watched surf movies while feasting on their
sampler platter of satay sticks, grilled fish, rice and vegetables,
and slept well on firm beds under the trusty mosquito nets that
we'd already become so accustomed to. We spent time with Rich and
Roz, English friends that we met on Gili Air, listening to stories
of many adventures on their world trip, and getting excited for
the rest of our own adventures to come.
Travelers
Tips:
*It sometimes pays to
get an inclusive car/boat/hotel deal from a tour company like Anjani
Tours in Padangbai instead of buying each separately.
*Buy food from the vendors on the ferry in
Padangbai before departure. They won't be coming with you, and the
ferry snack bar only has sweets.
*Don't believe what touts and hawkers say
at Bangsal about not being able to get amenities on the Gili Islands
or the amenities being too expensive.
*Surfing in Lombok is a dream come true.
High season is July-August but there were plenty of great waves
to be had whilst we were there. The Gili Islands have some waves,
the better being at Trawangan Island. Take care when walking out
on the reefs and even swimming, as there are plenty of black spiky
sea urchins lurking about. For surfing around Kuta and Southern
Lombok, take a cheap local bemo or hire a motorbike to get to neighboring
villages, then charter a boat from there out to the waves.
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