From Kuta, Bali, it took us a couple of hours to reach Padang Bai. After a quick check in to a tree house/cottage place to stay (porch downstairs with a bathroom behind, balcony upstairs and the bedroom. All made of wood with a thatched type roof) we headed to 'Blue Lagoon', a bay apparently good for snorkelling. It was pretty (see pic) but not quite what we expected. The sea was rough and it wasn't as big as expected so we made a quick decision not to waste any time and leave the next day. Better snorkelling would be found elsewhere.
The 5 hour ferry to Lombok yesterday was pretty cheap and bearable and then a 30 minute drive to Sengiggi, a good base to reach the nearby trio of the Gili islands and supposedly a nice place to stay.
There's not much here and the beach isn't too nice but we needed a rest and we've managed to do that today, minus a mosque having 3 singers in their call for prayer at 4:30am this morning which lasted for an hour and was close to deafening. Surely that's far too early to wake the whole town? Maybe it's just because it's a Sunday-make that I hope it was just because it's a Sunday as I dread it waking me up again tomorrow!
Today was a productive day as we booked a 4 day cruise! That's right! We board in 6 days. This won't be as extravagant as it sounds though and will be extremely basic compared to our trip in Halong Bay in Vietnam. We have to sleep on the floor for a start with potentially 16 other people (plus crew) and there's no shower, other than the sea! For 3 nights although we can get a 4th night free at the end of the trip (it's a one way cruise). We head from the east coast of Lombok to a couple of islands off Sumbawa to snorkel and see waterfalls and then we head to Komodo and Rinca-home of the Komodo dragons before finishing in Flores. I can't wait to see the dragons! They leave some dead goats out at a certain time of day so that they come out to feed on them so we should see some! I have always wanted to see them so seeing them in the wild should be amazing!
It might not be a particularly comfortable cruise but hopefully it'll take us to where we want to go for a decent price. It'll be a long trek back from Flores though to Java, where our next flight is 9 days after we finish the cruise. It'll work!
Tomorrow we head to the biggest of the 3 Gili islands which is supposed to be the party island. Then we will head to 1 or both other islands. The quietest is called 'honeymoon island' and the third island isn't too quiet, nor is it a party island.
I'm hoping they will be as beautiful as the pictures seem. I keep expecting something from Indonesia but I'm not sure what it is. Beauty, a cheap place to travel, a Komodo dragon?! We haven't witnessed any of them so far but I'm hoping that will change soon. Maybe it's the constant hassling that is taking it's toll and nothing has been worth enduring that hassle as we haven't really done anything here. You can't take a step without someone offering to give you a piggyback (at a large price obviously) along with a boat, bus, sarong, fried rice and a pair of sunglasses offered to you in the same breath. Very tiring! Even walking into a hotel someone will jog in just in front of you to make out that they've brought you there so that the price you're told is the price for a room actually includes a nice little sum for a tout that's done nothing but follow you!
I'm hoping my next blog I will be less bored of being hassled.
The islands have no roads, ATM's, a lack of electricity and internet so hopefully I'm loving Indonesia a little more next time I blog!
P.s. We both left our exceptionally handy travel towels and I left a bikini and dress drying in Kuta:( but it's quite funny to see Ben rocking the sarong look like Becks 97 style!