Gili Islands

So we went to the Gili Islands. When I planned this jaunt, I booked a hotel through trusty Trip Advisor. When I got my booking confirmation, I did as usual, e-mail the hotel to ask for airport pick-up. I didn't hear back within a day, so I called them. Am I glad I did that. They don't do pick  ups from Bali Airport, where we were flying in to. We had to buy another ticket, from Bali to Lombok. There they would provide pick up. I was very happy that there were two seats left on the connecting flight. All's well that ends well, and we were met and transported to the hotel from the Lombok Airport.

What I didn't know was that we were going to just where I had been a year ago, on the yoga retreat I did. I should have known that because we had gone by boat across from Lombok to the Gilis to snorkel. What confused me was that there was a fast boat Bali to Gili Trawangan, where the hotel was, but it only departed Bali once a day, an hour before we arrived in Bali. So we missed it and hence another airline ticket to Lombok.

I thought I might give a little info on Indonesia. If I find it confusing, and I am here, you might need a little background. The reason I find it confusing is that some of the islands to the east of us are Indonesia, (we see Indonesia from our balcony on a clear day) but east of us are islands of Malaysia. But Malaysia is to the north of us. Okay, the islands to the east, some belong to Indonesia, some to Malaysia. I was in Kuching, Borneo, and that was Malaysia. Bali, known to most, is Indonesia. We were just to the east of Bali, flew in to Bali and then island hopped to Lombok, and by boat island hopped to Gili Trawangan. Indonesia.

Indonesia is an archipelago of 17, 000 islands, population 238 million. The capitol is Jakarta (which I will be flying in to next week!!!) The Dutch held Singapore, Sukarno took over in 1945, and Suharto in 1965. In 1998, Sukarno was unseated, and an election was held. Indonesia is rich in natural resources, and yet has extreme poverty. It rates 2nd highest country in the world in biodiversity. It is mostly Muslim.

As we drove from the airport, we could hear the call to worship in any and every small gathering of homes. The voices of these men who sing the call to worship, they are good. It is really a beautiful sound.

On our boat ride over to our hotel, the driver (captain?) had no lights on his boat, but he did have a small flashlight in his mouth. Until we hit a really big wave, and it was knocked out of his mouth (as we were knocked out of our seats) and full speed ahead, he bent down, in total darkness to find the flashlight. Certainly regained my confidence when he had it back in his mouth!

The waves were huge, and we arrived to a floating dock, in the dark. It was a precarious walk to solid land, suitcase in hand, rolling up and down on the moving dock.

The hotel was great, beautiful grounds, spectacular beach, outdoor shower, working aircon ( I say that because it was stinking hot) and on the edge of a strip of restaurants, bars, and souvenir chutchka shops.
We went on a dive, or Tim dove (dived?), I snorkelled. His dive was good, my experience was awful. They let me in in big waves, to snorkel, by myself, in the ocean. Then they TOOK OFF! I was not happy. I was not comfortable. So I snorkelled over to the nearest boat, swam up the outrigger of the boat, and asked them where my boat was. It was a ways away. Me, without my glasses, it was the blue one further away. So I snorkelled over to the blue boat, got out, and pouted. I was furious I had been left alone, no buddy, ("never swim alone") in the G.D. OCEAN. When I got back to land, I told the diver master how I felt, and he said, "Well, did you ask for a guide?" ???  No. When ever have I had to ask for a guide when I have paid to go snorkelling. He did not charge me.

The next day I  went snorkelling with a different company. There was a family from Australia. A mom, a dad, and 3 year old. It was big water. Waves higher than the side of the boat. When we were in the trough, you could see nothing but the wave coming. It was awesome. These boats they use ply the water beautifully. Basically  a big dugout with outriggers on the sides. The little girl was trying snorkelling. But she just wasn't ready for the equipment. So there she was sitting on her mother's back, Mom snorkelling, she revelling in the huge waves. It made me think of the wonderful Australian movie, The Whale Rider. We were in mighty big water. And did I say, out in the middle of the ocean? I did see wonderful fish, and a turtle. It is so special seeing a turtle. Way down, they are supposed to be breathing oxygen, what are they doing way down there?



Jane, very happy to be ON the boat after the swim alone. Tim in his cute little diving suit

A lot of fire wood to be carried by this poor chap

Don't you love the island mentality?

A coral tree. And I thought that hard coral I saw was dead. It is alive and growing on trees

A typical boat, outriggers, narrow body, wonderful in the big seas.

Our outdoor shower. The gourd was our one tap of fresh water. All other were brackish. So you shower in salt water, then with the gourd, rinse yourself off with the fresh water. Washing hair is a bit of a procedure. But you are outdoors.

I know, I know, looks pretty hard to have to put up with.

It might be the next time is after my yoga retreat. We have good friends coming October 28. Rae and Brian Jensen, our neighbours and very good friends from Vernon. But they arrive and I leave. Oct 30 I have a 5 day yoga retreat in Java, on a tea plantation. More suffering for me.