The Gilis

Monday. In the bay off Sire Beach, Lombok.
Dale hired a car and driver to take us from Sire Beach to Mataram, the ‘capital’ of Lombok. We both needed to visit immigration to extend our visas. Last time Dale just hired a car and drove, but learned from that 😆😆😆! Dealing with Indonesian traffic and drivers isn’t for the faint hearted!

We took the coastal road which afforded glimpses of stunning scenery, though to be honest, I found it hard to take my eyes off the road ahead 🫣. Our driver , Randy, was actually a conservative driver - until he misunderstood a request and thought that a query about a bank was ‘go faster and scare the s$&t out of us! 😬😬.

Bank and immigration dealt with, plus the usual trip to a boat spares place, and we got back up our beach and kayaked back to the boat, laden with bags and boxes. As soon as I got to the boat, I realised I’d left my sunnies behind so while Dale prepped the boat for departure, I kayaked back to shore, found the glasses (honest people here 🥰) and kayaked back to the boat. I’m not sure of the distance but it was a good way away, (turns out 500mt each way) and seemed much further on the 4th trip!

The transit to Gili Air was an easy motor - against the wind so no point in raising sails.
We were met by Dewi, wearing his hot pink thongs, in his very pink boat complete with a hot pink outboard, who assigned us to a mooring ball and supervised tying off. Dale must have taken pity on me so asked Dewi to take me and my luggage to shore, instead of kayaking. Phew!

The village where the Gili Air pier was bustling but lovely and quiet. Only pony drawn vehicles and electric scooters are permitted on the island. Wonderful!
I sat at a table literally at the high water line with a drink, watching the local kids swim and play. The only downside was when a larger boy noticed a snake and tried to bludgeon it to death. I intervened (yep I know, right) and made him stop.
Googled the snake and it was a yellow headed banded krait - a sea snake which comes ashore to lay eggs and hunt. I explained to the boy (via Google Translate) that it was poisonous and the best way to get bitten was to try to kill it). In time he let it go and the poor thing escaped into the waves, albeit with an injury. The worst thing was how one kid being cruel turned into a group of boys trying to kill it. Mob mentality is a horrible thing.

Dale finally made it to shore and we hailed a taxi (taksi) - pony-powered of course! The roads enroute to our accommodation (splurge for a few days over New Years) were narrow, windy and varied from bitumen, concrete , pavers, sand, mud and nothing you’d call a ‘road’. But lots of fun and a fabulous way to get a feel for the community and countryside.

The resort is perfect! ‘Island View Bar and Bungalows’ is authentic, relaxed, shady and low key, and right in the white sand beach. Our room is gorgeous with pitched thatched roof, teak 4 poster canopied bed and semi-outdoor bathroom.

We arrived and unpacked in time for sunset, and dinner on the beach. The food was just average, but the staff wonderful, and the Margaritas went down well!Read more