Java, Bali and Lombok

We had a bit of a false start this morning as we tried to take the ferry boat to Lombok. Arriving at the dock at 6:10am with tickets for the 6:30am ferry, we were told that it was already gone and we would have to catch the next one at 9am. We boarded that one at 8am and it left at 10:20. Vera had warned us that the ferry schedule was made of rubber and could easily be stretched in either direction. Once again, she was right. It was a 4 hour journey and to be honest, it felt good to have some down time. Our visit en route to Kuta was a 100 person Saska Village of farmers and weavers. It was very interesting to discover their way of life , especially about the traditions surrounding marriage, and hear about the history of the community as we wandered the paths between the traditional homes. The typical ritual is for a man of around 25 to kidnap a girl, about 5 years younger. The two persons involved have discussed their desire but the kidnapping is kept secret from the parents until it happens, forcing the two families to make an agreement and give them a two day wedding 3 days later. During their 3 day honeymoon and when they wish to make babies, they go into a special private room in the family home, reserved exclusively for this purpose. The remainder of the time they sleep outside under cover with the other members of the family. Another interesting tradition was the eating of coloured sea worms every August and the ritual of the stick fighting competition that is held around the same time. The more blood, the more rain they are able to call up. We also learned that 90 percent of the inhabitants of Lombok are Islamic and their language is different from the other islands in Indonesia. When we arrived at our hotel we had just enough time for a stroll on the beach before it grew dark. Can’t wait to discover yet another beautiful island starting tomorrow.Read more