I woke up the morning of my last full day on Gili Trawangan with a new sensation - energy!

Apparently, a night without alcohol can do that for a person. I walked through "town" and got an Indian chai tea and mini croissants from Scallywags - an organic restaurant I'd heard good things about.

While I was contemplating life over said tea, and the view, I decided to invite Jessica and Laura to my bungalow for a bottle of wine given they were leaving the island the next day as well.

They were up and about when I went over, so we chatted for a bit over tea and breakfast, before agreeing to walk around the island.

The walk was nice and relaxing in comparison to the breakneck bike rides.

I provided some comedic entertainment when I stepped in the island's biggest pile of horse shit while going over the differences in the sands of the various Australian beaches I had visited.

Embarrassed, I scuttled over a dune to wash my ankle in the sea.

Meanwhile, the girls were examining little hermit crabs. As I walked over, I painfully stubbed my toe against a piece of driftwood.

As we were finishing up our walk, we stopped for (more) tea at a beautiful spot on the north of the island.

I don't know how long we were there, long enough for the winds to apply a layer of sea salt to our skin. If I could slow down time, this would've been the spot to do it.

After our walk, we ended up back at Scallywags for lunch.

The day was slowly creeping by and we were simply changing environments while carrying on with fun conversations enjoying one and other's company.

We picked out a bottle of well known "Jacob Greek" Shiraz Sauvignon from a nearby wine shop, and headed to the island's fastest internet cafe (which wasn't that fast).

Once there, it started to pour rain so we tended to our Facebook accounts and photos. I left to obtain glasses from Sama Sama, where the bottle of wine was also uncorked.

The bartender invited us back later in the night for a "goodbye" song from the band.

Soon after, the girls arrived and we enjoyed a few glasses of my favorite Australian red wine.

After finishing off the bottle, we headed to (I know you know by now) The Beach House for our last dinner on the island.

There we ran into Ashlyn who stopped to chat. She and her husband Tim were leaving the next day as well. They're possibly the friendliest couple I've ever met.

Every time I bumped into them it always made me feel happy.

It felt right to leave at the same time. I didn't want to stick around the island to the point where I began to take it for granted.

Besides, my experience was so great because of the people I shared it with, not the island itself.

After dinner, we headed to Sama Sama where the band played "Leaving On A Jet Plane" and invited us to sing a song.

I'm a somewhat accomplished karaoke singer, however, singing to a live band would be a first.

I looked around, noting barely anyone was at the bar, or even on the island, and said we need to do this.

After much debate, flipping through books of lyrics written in somewhat broken English, we settled on the classic "I Will Survive."

I didn't know the lyrics or the timing, and soon let Jessica and Laura carry the song.

We said goodbye, heading in opposite directions with plans to meet up back in Kuta, along with Linus whose trip to Komodo was a bust.

I could skip over the next day, pretending I didn't feel a bit lonely after Linus left the island (for Komodo), except it wouldn't be true to my experience. I did feel like something was missing after he left.

I took the opportunity to upgrade to a stand-alone bungalow at about $15/night. It had a truly outdoor bathroom - you could get a sunburn on the toilet in the morning if you weren't quick about it. I do enjoy taking a shower in the open air though, maybe because the water doesn't feel quite so cold.

The day seemed to pass by. I played a bit of ping pong at the invitation of Joe, the owner/manager of Beachwind Bungalows. The entire staff at the place were so friendly, they made my stay on the island all the better.

In the evening, I rented a movie at one of the huts with TV/DVD players by the water. I watched Alfie, and since it began to pour rain, Superbad. The party spot on this night was at The Blue Marlin, which was right behind me. I could hear the pounding house and trance music while I watched my movies. After the rain let up, I checked out the scene and it was dead.

It's nights like these which remind me to appreciate all the more the ones I previously wrote about. I've been writing a lot about what I've seen and done as it's frankly easier than writing about how I feel. Traveling alone continuously reminds me to recognize the good moments - when you connect with a person, see an amazing new environment, or overcome a fear. The sooner you sense the good moment, the sooner you can fully immerse yourself in the experience or feeling. And like the line from The Beach, those moments can last forever.

And me, I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it's not some place you can look for, 'cause it's not where you go. It's how you feel for a moment in your life when you're a part of something, and if you find that moment... it lasts forever... --- Richard, The Beach

After a late first night on the island, I started to feel sick the next day (a la Sydney), so I stayed in while everyone else partied at Rudy's, one of the bars on the island.

The next morning, I was happy to find I didn't feel as bad as I was expecting.

Linus and I ran into Jessica and Laura in the afternoon, and they invited us on a bike ride around the island. We picked up our mountain bikes at Beachwind and headed north.

The road quickly gave way to sand, and we all found the pedaling to be difficult at times. It took about 40 minutes to make the journey.

After working up a sweat with the bike ride, we had some tea at Juku.

The restaurants and bars on the island all have thatch-roofed, raised platforms with cushions you sit on.

Some are more comfortable than others, though I loved the whole concept and feel to them all.

We reunited at 8 pm for dinner where we first met, The Beach House. We'd eat there many times, and the food was always outstanding.

They set up fresh seafood for you to choose from, and then they'd barbecue it right by the road, across from the seating area. I ordered the barbecued tuna while the girls went with salmon.

After a short walk along main street on Gili T, Linus and I washed up and headed out for dinner. We noticed the most crowded restaurant to be The Beach House, so we headed for a table - well Linus did. I stopped short, next to two Danish girls. I looked at Linus, then at the girls, figured what the hell, and asked if we could join them.

After getting to know Ann and Ulee a bit over dinner, Linus invited two English girls at a nearby table to join us as well. Jessica and Laura were soon in the mix. As laughter and good conversation ensued, one of the guys I noticed from the ferry ride asked if he could join us. Tim and Ashlyn were soon at our table, and Tim returned the favor by inviting an American woman over, just as she was leaving her table.

Forming new friendships while traveling alone can really be this easy, when good times seem to materialize out of thin air. We'd spend the night getting to know one and other. Linus had a life-or-death experience surviving the 2005 Tsunami in Thailand (a story that had the entire table in awe). The Danish girls were leaving the next day. Jessica and Laura had arrived a few hours earlier than Linus and I . Tim was a professional soccer player with Wellington, NZ's team (part of the Australia A-League) and had lived in Richmond, VA during his college years. His wife Ashlyn had just finished a 5-year run as a dancer with Riverdance, and had a great opinion of Wolf Trap, the amphitheater where I saw the show in 1999 (Fairfax, VA). And the American woman was a trauma surgeon from NC.

And every now and then you just click with certain people, and amongst the lot, Linus and I would click with Jessica and Laura. Good times would be sure to follow.

Gili Trawangan is a small island off the coast of Lombok, an island the size of Bali just to it's east. There are many small islands (gili's as they're called) around Lombok, however Gili Trawangan is the most popular one. It is 8 km in circumference, and there are no motorbikes or cars, just carts drawn by small horses, bicycles, and foot power. There are no police on the island, and drugs are widely available (especially, magic mushrooms and marijuana). It reminded me of Caye Caulker, Belize. The small community seems to police itself, as a local told me the punishment for theft is a potential beat-down, followed by banishment from the island.

Most of the development is on the east side of the island, including all the dive shops which include attached restaurants and pools for those learning to SCUBA dive. I was keen to stay at Beachwind Bungalows as it was right across the "street" from the water. Linus joined me and we continued to share a double room.

It's not quick or easy to go from Kuta on Bali to the Gili Islands off Lombok. The regular (cheap) way takes a full day of travel leaving at 6am from Kuta, minus any unforeseen delays. As a result, it is much less visited then Kuta, and it felt as though we had the island to ourselves (this was especially the case as it was the rainy season). There were just enough people to keep my week-long stay fun and interesting.

Linus and I were picked up by our shuttle in Sengiggi, and whisked north along the coast to a staging area 200 meters away from the beach where we'd be boarding a small wooden boat to ferry us over to Gili Trawangan.

As we sat around, the "boatman" who would take us the rest of the way was chatting. Among other things, he mentioned mosquito coils. I knew what they were, though never bought them myself, so I had no sense of their regular cost. The boatman said they were not available on the island. I'm all about avoiding malaria and dengue fever, which meant I was about to make yet another foolish mistake.

The Lonely Planet speaks poorly of the port area, and it's a well deserved reputation. The people are very aggressive about picking up your bags and carrying them to the boat without your approval, in search of a tip. In fact, you had to cross a small stream to get to the boat and two guys literally carried Linus over it so he wouldn't get wet. It's not like he wanted them to be doing it either!

Back to the mosquito coils, the quoted price for a box of 10, with lighter, was 95,000 rupiah (about $10). Being that we were in transit, and I was concerned about the hijacking of my stuff as it was, I paid the piper. Supposedly my quoted price was lower than what he asked of the Spanish. The boatman also reassured me that it was the "regular" price.

A 40-minute ride in a long wooden boat with 20-25 people brought us to our island destination, where mosquito coils were available in every shop for the local price of about 30 cents. The screens were so good on the two rooms I had during the stay, I only used one full mosquito coil.

The lesson I learned on this one was to think of products and services in terms of the price locals would have to pay.

It felt fortuitous to be leaving Kuta, Bali the morning after the theft incident. Leaving for a new destination always feels empowering, and I was heading to Lombok to experience the potential tropical island paradise I had pictured when coming to Bali.

The first person on the shuttle after me was a guy named Linus. You'll hear more about him soon. At this point, he just happened to be the first person I could share my experience with from the prior night. I let it out, which was cathartic.

Soon after, an American couple joined the shuttle, and I'd end up speaking with the guy much of the ride. They were from North Carolina, and would work in bars to save up for 3-month trips in the off-season (winter). I've met so few Americans, I find myself jumping at the chance to talk to them when they present themselves.

After the shuttle to the ferry port in East Bali, we boarded the ferry to Lombok. It was a slow beast of a ferry, taking 5 hours to make the crossing. The lower levels were hot, humid, soon filled with smoke, and all around gross. Most of the backpackers ended up on the top deck with the fresh air.

Along the way, I got to know Linus a little better. He was a dive instructor originally from Sweden, who worked for 1.5 years on a popular island in Thailand. He was currently touring Indonesia, before a short stop back in Thailand on his way back to a job in Norway. He was carrying all of his own dive gear with him - about 50lbs worth I believe.

Upon arrival in Lombok, night had fallen. We hopped on another shuttle that was awaiting us, and careened north toward our stop for the night - Sengiggi (a popular resort town on the west coast of Lombok). The area felt very dark, except for the bright white headlights of oncoming traffic. Once we were dropped in Sengiggi, Linus and I decided to share a sparse room at the Hotel Elen across the street from our pick-up point in the morning. We went out for dinner, however after looking around, there didn't seem to be much happening in Sengiggi.

The Lonely Planet warns readers against prostitutes that ride around on scooters and hassle men walking around alone at night. It specifically warned of one gang (alley), so I made it a point to stay clear of it. At the same time, I had little sense of how this "danger and annoyance" might present itself. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way.

I had found what I thought to be the fastest internet cafe in Kuta, so after being frustrated with slow speeds elsewhere, I decided to spend several hours at it before I left Bali for Lombok the next morning. My accommodation was about a 7-10 minute walk through a few winding gangs. I'd done it several times during the day, and knew where I was going, and how long it'd take.

I left the internet cafe around midnight, and the gang it was on had restaurants so it was still a bit lively. I made my first turn onto the second gang and noticed the shops that had been open earlier were closed, the street was rather empty, and not well lit. I puffed my chest out, and continued to walk at a quick pace trying to look imposing.

A woman on a scooter came up from behind me, and parked it about 15 feet in front of me, in a dark shadowy area. She got off the scooter, and as I walked past her, she grabbed me below the belt, which of course startled the hell out of me. At the same time, she was soliciting me, and I was saying "no, no, no" as I kept walking. She went back to her bike, drove past me again saying "bye, bye" and then stopped another 15 feet ahead of me.

This time, she motioned to a pitch-black alley, and as I walked by, she grabbed my right arm tightly, and went below the belt again. I firmly told her to "get off me" and pushed her away. She got on her bike again, rode past me saying "bye, bye" and this time she kept going.

It wasn't until 2-3 minutes later when I was getting they key to my room out that I realized the 70,000 rupiah (about $8) in my back pocket was gone. My money belt finally showed it's worth, as it contained much more cash, credit cards, and my passport. I was thankful she didn't try to take my backpack which had my camera and mp3 player, however I was angry at the woman for what she did, and myself for being too complacent. Looking back, as you can see from the photos, I had nowhere to go except forwards or backwards, and she surely knew that from past thefts of this nature.

I considered reporting the incident to the tourist police the next day, however after hearing corruption stories about them, and thinking it'd do little good since I couldn't see the woman's face (she was wearing a helmet, besides the fact that it was pitch black), I decided to carry on to Lombok the next morning.

 

I found nomad4ever.com in early 2007, when I first entered the world of travel blogging.  The man behind the scenes is Chris, a German expat who retired in his early 30's to live the good life in Southeast Asia.  After a stint in Thailand, he moved to Bali where he's been living for about a year with his girlfriend.

Gary from Everything-Everywhere.com responded to a post I made on BootsNAll, and since we would be in Bali at the same time, arranged to meet up.  Gary is about 12 months into a 3-year trip around the world.  He thoroughly covered the tiny island nations of the Pacific, and is now tackling Indonesia and Australia.  Check out the Google map on his blog if you can - very cool!

I hung out with Gary for a day before all three of us met up at the Kuta Food Court across from the beach.  The food was good, and the conversation fantastic.  Three guys talking about the life on Bali, Indonesia, various cultures, working life...and the desire to abandon it for travel!

Before anyone got to the food court, torrential rains began and it guaranteed we'd be almost the only patrons.  We didn't care though - just kept talking and drinking Bintang beers as the staff used a broom to push the rain water off of the tarp above us every 10 minutes.

After getting a feel for life in Kuta, I decided to bite the bullet and venture inland for a day-long tour. Believe me, it was hard after all those spa treatments to tear myself away for some sight-seeing, however I knew it had to be done.

Our itinerary was a bit flexible, however the first stop was a cheesy display of wax drawings on tourist shirts. The Asian tour buses seemed to appreciate it though. Luckily, the next stop was more my style, though surprisingly so. We went to a silver shop, where I was about the only customer. After a short talk about silversmithing, I browsed the jewelery cases until I came upon some rings which caught my eye. The salesperson clearly told me I could negotiate down from the list price, and my natural indecisiveness seems to work wonders because he brought the price down by 50% to about $17 for a sterling silver ring. The middle section rotates, so I spent the rest of the day spinning it around incessantly.

The third stop was unexpected - The Bali Zoo. At $18, I was a bit unsure of whether it'd be worth it. As I walked through the entry, I quickly realized this was a zoo unlike any other I'd been to. Music was playing, gigantic (probably man-eating) spiders were in webs near exhibits and under some paths. On two occasions I was quickly given a bird or lizard (or both) for photo-ops. I saw my first albino Bengal tiger and Komodo dragons, along with a few African lions, and Javanese spotted and black leopards. Tons of monkeys and exotic birds, and a few snakes rounded out the highlights. The zoo was private, and all the animals looked healthy and well-taken care of.

The blazing heat and muggy humidity soon gave way to massive rains. Streets flooded with water, debris, and trash. Spouts from homes and temples along the roads spit out tons of water. My driver and just about everyone else slowed down accordingly.

As the rain stopped, we emerged near the north of Bali to a stunning scene - two massive and misty volcanoes around a lake, on the opposite end of a lush, green valley with little tropical birds flittering around. My lunch stop was an Indian restaurant perched atop a ridge line (amongst many others with the same view). I ate my money's worth at the buffet, and we were off to a nearby temple.

I had to rent a sarong to access the bathing area of the temple. My driver/guide joined me as I knew I'd have questions. He said people go to the temple daily, and even bathe in it daily, as the water is thought to be coming from the Gods. I thought that was a rather impressive act of devotion.

Though my driver offered to stop at another one or two places, by mid-afternoon, I was ready to head back south to Kuta and unwind - culture, volcanoes, and giant Indonesian spiders now checked off my "to-do" list for the 3-week stay.

The good life for Westerners in Bali includes massages and spa treatments, and I was ready to feed the local economy with my hard earned greenbacks. My daily schedule in Kuta was rather simple:

AM

• sleep in
• enjoy free breakfast at accommodation (very common offering - usually some combination of eggs, toast, pancakes, coffee/tea/juice)
• use internet
• spa treatment (something different each day - haircut, manicure, pedicure, aromatherapy massage)

PM

• traditional Indonesian food for lunch at restaurant for $2
• hang out, siesta, nap, shop
• go to beach if it looks like a good night for a sunset (tons of locals and tourists alike would head that way once the sun headed down, and it became cooler out)
• eat a $2-3 dinner, with $1-2 drinks optional (while watching a movie if eating at Swell - I caught 40 Year Old Virgin, Anchorman, and Dodgeball)
• sleep

I learned a difference of only a dollar or two can really change the quality of the massages. The cheapest are offered by the ladies on the beach, who can be rather aggressive. Those are a negotiable $5/hour. The beach is too hot, sandy, and hot for me to enjoy it though. I had one by a pool for about $5, which was OK, however I decided to take it up a notch and go indoors.

The little menu above was for a place in the shopping area known as Kuta Square that struck a good balance between cost and quality. Air conditioning, aromatherapy, candles, and a comfortable table were well worth the extra few dollars ($7-8 total).

Yes, you can live like a King (or Queen) in Bali if you have a bit of money. If costs remain so low, I may need to build a spa component into my Asian budget!

By my second and third days in Bali, I was starting to fall for the place.

I figured out the various ways to escape the street vendors and intense mid-day heat - hanging out in your accommodation which would have plenty of shade around either a pool or garden and ducking into restaurants and internet cafes.

I also walked past them with purpose and found I was hassled less.

I learned that around 6pm, close to sunset, locals and tourists alike head to the beach to watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean.

Surfers catch their last waves while little kids play on the beach.

Locals start up soccer games or try to entice the Western women to knock a volleyball around with them.

The night I snapped the sunset photo above, the beach was also chock full of Indian sailors in their white uniforms (3 battleships were docked for 5 days). I'd never seen a scene like it.

I could buy a filling lunch or dinner for the cost of a Cadbury chocolate bar in Australia.

I could buy snacks without feeling like I'm breaking my budget (not that I worried too much about that when it actually counted!).

I admired the devotion and religious practices of the local Hindu population.

Their offerings to the Gods were everywhere.

They were placed outside shops, in alleys, in cars, on motorbikes, in front of statues, and often with incense which wafted throughout the air.

Bali is filled with great surf spots, and Kuta and nearby Legian beaches are considered great beginner breaks.

People from around the world come here to surf, and I just didn't have the energy give it another go.

My plan in Bali is to r-e-l-a-x. Luckily I'm not alone!

My flight arrived in Bali late at night which was not my preference. After clearing customs, I picked up my bag and made a quick stop in the bathroom which was opposite a prayer room. It was small, with both a Western and Eastern (ie. squat) toilet. The urinal had a white flower petal on it. Clearly I was in new territory.

I grabbed some cash from an ATM in the terminal and headed out into the night. Once past the ubiquitous crowd of people that gathers outside smaller foreign airports, I hit the taxi drivers. I took my third offer, which was the same as my first, and none were in the mood to bargain with me. I wasn't in the mood to haggle so I agreed to pay the $7-8 or so for the drive to nearby Kuta.

Kuta Beach is *the* tourist spot in Bali, and the temporary home to many a surfer and backpacker. It is also the sight of the two terrorist bombings, most notably the one that killed over 200 people in a club back in 2002. I can still remember the image on the news of the building on fire, and I was a bit anxious about the safety situation prior to arrival.

As my taxi driver sped toward my bungalow accommodation for the next 2 nights (right across the street from the beach), I tried to take in all the bars and restaurants lit up at night, and the constant buzz of motorbikes whizzing past us on both sides. The ground was wet so I could tell it had just rained. My taxi driver was kind enough to offer to arrange a "complete" massage, which I was kind enough to decline. He dropped me at my accommodation, and I was met by the security guard as the reception office had closed.

The security guard showed me to my room, and along the way, offered to arrange a "complete massage" or a program (ie. tour package). After dropping my stuff off at my nicely decorated room, I walked next door to the "K" convenience store to get some water. Along the 10-feet of sidewalk to get there, I was offered drugs. I was getting quite the introduction to Bali. The convenience store was blasting Guns 'N Roses. They were out of the cheap 1.5 liter bottles of water (about $0.30 apiece), so I had to cough up a bit more than $1 for Evian. I returned back to my room, and was out like a light.

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PS - for all those that voted for me to splurge on a nicer than normal accommodation since reaching the 200 subscriber mark, this was it! And it only cost $24/night, including free breakfast, towel, soap, and toilet paper!

Journal Entry from January 29 @ 5:41pm -
I'm at the airport ready to board a 6-hour flight to Bali.  The Lonely Planet speaks of $5 massages on the beach, personal bungalows with ocean views, $1 meals and beers, and beautiful sunsets with friendly travelers and locals alike.  Sounds perfect!

I'll miss the cappuccinos, cafes, accents, and ease of travel in Australia.  It has come at a high cost ($$$).  In exchange, I always had Western toilets, relatively safe surroundings, and most of the comforts of home.  I think I'm not yet prepared for the culture shock I'm about to experience in Indonesia.  Being polite (as usual) should help cover for any blatant ignorance of local customs - at least until I get my bearings.  And then it will be time to leave again.

Staying for short periods in these various countries is good practice for non-attachment to say the least.  I've found my final thoughts on each country help me deal better with the departures.