Sunset in Lombok, en route to Gilli
Introduction to Lombok: beautiful rice fields.
BUT, when we are in any major town, the locals can be so pestering and insistent on what we know to be scams. Many are hassling us constantly to buy their goods or give them money for no reason. They have been scheming and aggressive at main attractions and at docks. Tried to trick us into taking their advice at a cost. etc. They have followed us after we get out of our minibus or local bus and blatantly try to rip us off when we actually need to buy something.
children walking to the open field to fly their homemade kite.
tobacco fields
We really enjoyed our time at Gilli Air and the hours we spent on Gilli Meno.
One huge factor of having a great time was hanging out with 2 people we met on the adventure to the island. They were so similar in personality and sense of humor we spent almost every waking moment together. We then met a couple from Montana who were wildly entertaining and kind.
sunset on Gilli Air
our patio on Gilli Air at "Matahari"
So when it came time to leave Gilli Island it came to no surprise when the 4 of us decided to go together. From Gilli we took a horse carriage, to a boat "ferry", to a minibus to Senggigi, Lombok.
After looking at a guesthouse with awkward rooms that varied from a bed on the floor covered in mosquito net to hide the lack of space we left our bags with one person and set on foot to find a better hotel. Two nasty brothels later we took a bima (public truck for 3,000Rp/40cents) to the greater Senggigi area.
Exhausted, we took a break from looking at guesthouses and had lunch. We were oddly approached by a man who asked if we needed a place to stay. While waiting for our food Kevin and I looked at what he had to offer. The rooms at Astiti were acceptable but some smelled of mold.
We returned to the restaurant with neutral news.
After lunch we looked at Elen and it wasn't anything spectacular for the price. Aside from the nice fountain and coy pond the place was nothing special. We wandered back down the green alley passed Astiti to Raja's. A wonderful guesthouse with gardens surrounding everything. Our rooms were so nice, clean and decorated with nice art. Our bathroom was half outdoors and full of plants.
In Senggigi, we took a one day private car tour which was very reasonable for 4 people and 8 hours. We were taken to a Chinese cemetery, the local market which had no tourists.
Much of the day was spent getting to Tetebatu area where we went to a waterfall.
A beautiful walk to the waterfall with no split tracks as the locals insisted there were (to pressure us into getting a guide). We dipped our feet in the fresh freezing water, took photos and went back. Then, we stopped off at rice terraces and took more photos.
Mosques everywhere
cow in a Chinese Cemetery
rice fields in Lombok, more specifically, Senggigi
The side views of the market.
The inside of the market. Ladies shuffling rice.
A man packing bananas from the market.
Our warning before we enter. This sign is posted outside almost all Hindu Temples.
People awaiting the wedding party parade.
a man walking to the local celebration of a teenager getting married.
the wedding
children walking to the open field to fly their homemade kite.
tobacco fields
our day ended with another beautiful sunset!
Senggigi Beach
After Senggigi, the four of us still couldn't part. We all went by minivan, to the ferry, after the 4 hour ferry we got on another minivan passed through Ubud in Bali and made our way to Denpasar. In Denpasar we looked around for a good deal on an overnight bus to Probolinggo in Java. We found a decent deal after haggling. At 10pm we left, without getting our promised free dinner we woke up to our surpirse free breakfast instead. We got to Probolinggo, Java at 7am.
There was one public minivan going to Bromo, but it was only going to leave when it had 14 passengers. We walked around trying to figure out if we were yet again being ripped off. This seemed reasonable and when the bus organizer found us at the station and told us there were already 4 other people ready to go and with the 4 of us we'd soon leave. We followed him back.
Took a ferry from Lombok to Bali before getting to Java
the ferry from Lombok to Bali.
A truck FULL of bananas on the ferry.
Got to JAVA:
We eventually made our way up the hill to Bromo. What was supposed to be a 1 hour ride turned into 2 hours with a bus filled with so many people I wasn't surprised when fumes of fish and stank filled the vehicle.
oh, smog.
Thankfully, I had a seat with a window, no coincidence after 9 months of traveling. I stuck my head out the window and took photos almost non-stop. Ducking my head in when another car passed, just saving my head from seemed like a close call of decapitation.
Bromo was breathtaking. We got dropped off on the top of the hill and again checked out 5 places in research of where to stay. The places were filthy and charging 10$ which was way too much for a shared bathroom, one room that only fit a bed and a window the size of your hand.
Eventually, we checked in to one of the cheapest and walked down the hill to take photos.
We randomly decided to get a ride to "Yoschi's" Guesthouse. This is when we realized we were staying in the wrong place. We negotiated with our private jeep driver and made a deal to get our stuff from the last place. Pay for the freezing ghetto shower we had and technically only storing our bags for a few hours. We got our way. Hot shower, nice breakfast, a wonderful place to stay with tons of character and cleanliness. Yoschi's is the way to go.
If the guidebook "The Lonely Planet" wasn't so inaccurate on the prices for Yoschi's we would have gone here first. Instead we walked in the rain in search of a cheap place, settled on a dirty one, paid for checking in, paid for private transport and made our way to the best option after all of that. Thanks for nothing Lonely Planet. haha
So we woke up at 3am for the sunrise tour of Bromo.
Went to the viewpoint then drove down to the crater. When we parked we took off by foot.
In the fog, there mystically appeared the crater temple. It was a nice surprise that seemed to sneak up on us behind the foggy morning. Then, this is where I rode a horse for the first time. up the crater hill.
We walked up some 200 steps and got to look into the steaming crater. Out of this world.
The next day one of our "Cynical Four" took off to continue our trip. This left us with the Three Goofs. The next day we took off to Yogyakarta.
Yogyakarta, interestingly enough, pronounced jog-jakarta was another busy town.
It was neat with art and color, but the busy life was a huge change coming from the green mountains of Bromo/Probolinggo. Yogyakarta was full of local batik, real and fake. Tons of scams to check out "art shows" after a stranger oddly instantly befriends you on the street. We avoided that at all costs and did some shopping in the mall. I found a nice shirt and pants for colder weather of New Zealand and hopefully for work in Australia.
We woke up at 4:30 and took a sunrise tour of Borobudur. An amazing temple where the pictures did it no justice. It was massive and full of buddha figures. Once to climb the tall steps to the top there were unique bell shaped structures with more Buddhas inside. Some bells with a checkered design of squares and others with a diamond shape.
The most memorable experience of Borobudur was being a Western Celebrity.
Apparently, this is the site where many school children take a school trip.
They say things like "May I introduce myself to you?" and "I am practicing my English, how do you do?" After some questions, where sometimes they write things down and sometimes they don't they may say something like "To prove I have done this assignment, my teacher requests I take a photo with you do you mind?"
The funny part is when you say "Sure, you can take a photo." A mob of children groups in behind you and photos are flashing like paparazzi only, with cell phone cameras. When you say "Bye" you hear what sounds like a stadium or assembly of children all at the same time "byeeeee!"
A family in our tour car from Holland joked about going to Borobudur when you are depressed or feeling sad about yourself. It sure is a self-esteem boost. Be a celebrity at Borobudur.
When the third of our group took off. It was just Kevin and I left and we took an overnight train to Jakarta. for 2 nights we will stay in a luxurious hotel for 40$ a night, with buffet breakfast, a/c and a shower head the size of, my head. nice.
We fly to New Zealand on May 26th and we are on to more adventures out of SouthEast Asia!
Yikes!
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