After a 4 hour "slow boat" ride we arrived in Lembar Harbor on Lombok. We were squeezed in a shuttle van with 10 other travelers, bags overflowing, and made a hasty horn-blaring journey north to Senggigi, passing motorbikes and horse-drawn carts along the way. Senggigi brought us trouble finding accommodation in our price range, but we lucked out by meeting a family who rents out rooms in their house in the village during busy times. The 14 year old son even rented out his room to another couple so his parents would give him money to buy new string for his kite. That evening, we stopped by the beach to watch the locals' football (soccer) tournament and a great sunset before heading to a tent - literally - to eat some fresh local seafood for dinner, cooked in honey and oyster sauce. Delicious!!
After 2 nights in Senggigi, we said goodbye to our temporary family and journeyed to the Gili Islands via shuttle and boat. The boat barely looked seaworthy, but we crowded in with about 20 tourists and locals with produce and supplies, and set off to Gili Trawangan.
Gili T is one of three Gili Islands off the northwest coast of Lombok. The Gilis are a popular vacation spot and excellent for diving, snorkeling, and soaking up the sun. Gili T is also known for its great bars and restaurants. After taking the slow route here, we wanted to stay for awhile, so we pretended we were on vacation, although our budget couldn't tell the difference. We loved the snorkeling, and although a lot of the shallow coral is ruined from the anchoring boats, we saw lots of amazing fish and sea turtles. The culinary highlight was when we feasted on our choice of the fisherman's daily catch barbecued for us while sitting amongst tables on the beach. We took a different route back to Bali, the fast boat, but with the rough seas, it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. We spent 2 nights in Kuta before catching our early morning flight to Singapore.
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