July 2008. Well now back at work after our holiday in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands. The weather back here has been hard to come to grips with after some five weeks of low humidity and a very pleasant 30 degrees C every day.
Our trip started with an overnight stay in Adelaide as had to be at the Airport at 5am the next morning for a 6 am domestic flight to Sydney. Transferred to the International Terminal and flew with Garuda Airlines to Denpasar in Bali; Indonesia. (Bring back direct Adelaide to Bali flights.)
Arrived at 2.30pm local time, already had our Visa's as staying longer than 30 days. Headed on up to Ubud for the first few nights. Stayed at delightful boutique hotel 'Tegal Sari' overlooking rice fields, near the monkey forest and some twenty minutes walk from downtown Ubud. Had a good time looking around the markets and tried the legendry 'suckling pig' Babi Guling at Ibu Oka's Warung.
Headed off to Tanjung Benoa for a couple of days before catching a fast ferry to Senggigi in Lombok. No Bacon or Suckling Pig here Muslim country. The local Mosque gave you a wake up call a 5.15am every morning. For supposedly the most developed tourist strip on Lombok Senggigi was relatively quiet. In fact over seventy percent of the shops were vacant; apparently been this way since 2000 when there was some riots in Mataram. Local Muslim's attacked Christian Churches and homes of mainly Chinese Christians and some of the rioters were killed. The tourism here has not recovered unlike Bali. No beamos here but plenty of Cidomo's more on them later.
Went on a couple of day tours seeing local industry, pottery and weaving and the surf breaks of Kuta in the South. Also went up north to Mt. Rinjani, Lombok's highest mountain and the Sendang Gila and Tiu Kelep waterfalls very picturesque.
Next off to Bangsal and a wait to catch the public ferry to Gili Air for two nights. The ferry doesn't go until there are twenty paying passengers. On arrival had a quick tour via Cidomo around the island very expensive at $4.50 for the two of us. Stayed at the Villa Krang for two nights and then it was via the Island hopping shuttle ferry to Gili Meno for a night. Visited a local bird park and had some wonderful seafood at a local Warung.
Island hopping shuttle ferry again to Gili Trawangan for the next five nights. The busiest of the Gili's and a fairly young crowd many who come from Bali without going onto Lombok. Known as the Party Island with Big parties Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights at different establishments. Great seafood an evening meal of barbequed fish and rice cost about $9 for the two of us. Another Cidomo round island trip via a sunset stop set us back at $5.50.
The Gillis are all slightly different but in common is a lack of fresh water...get used to showering in salt water and there are no motor vehicles cars or bikes on the islands. Transport is via Cidomo only or bicycle. No police and drugs freely available particularly magic mushrooms. The islands are fairly small. Gili Air and Meno take around an hour to walk around while Gili Trawangan takes an hour twenty a good pre-breakfast workout.
Fast ferry back to Bali and stayed in a couple of places in Sanur. Holiday coming to an end. Last place we stayed at the Sari Sanur was very enjoyable close to the markets and many restaurants including our favourite from 2002, the Kalimantan.
Well have spent five weeks doing this I reckon I could do a three month stint easy. We stayed in ten different places overall and I picked them all out via the Internet. Far better value for money than going through recommended places to stay by the travel agent. Average cost per night was about $40 including breakfast and that was for two of us not per person. Red eye special back via Sydney and Adelaide and to the freezing cold and wet. There is always next year.