Visit Indonesia Year 2008!

I cannot believe it has been almost 2 years since I last babbled about anything here. Not that I was busy though, I was just being lazy.

Okay, now for up-dates:

Been back to Bali 6 more times (YESS,6x!!!)

My sister got hitched! (yay, I want a niece!)

Been in 2 jobs (not a good sign hiks)

Still not in any relationship.. (now this is a really bad sign!)

So you might want to guess what I have been up to this past few years that had took me off writing my blog. Well, it's either looking for a job, or being a roadie for my cousins dance group or just simply procrastinating. The last would be the most common. But enough about me doing nothing, this time I wanted to share about my recent detour to Gili Trawangan.

We took the perama boat from Padang Bai (Bali) at 2:30 PM. It should've taken about 4 hours to reach straight to the Gilis, but apparently the current is not on our side. So lo and behold, victims comes tumbling down since the first hour of the boat ride. And by victims I meant people who gotten sea sick and had to vomit. And yes, one of them was me. But at least I still have my dignity and threw up in the toilet. There was a big french guy who keep sitting on the upper-deck railings so he can easily throw up to the sea. This guy was in bad shape though, when a cabin crew came up to him and told him that dinner is ready, he threw-up again. Poor lad.

So finally after a tremendously difficult ride, we made it to Gili Trawangan at around 7 PM. We got off a smaller boat that brought us to the shore and took a cidomo that'll take us to our hostel. Now, as it turns out, our hostel is less than 1 km away, but had cost us Rp. 30.000 for the cidomo ride. Such a rip-off but since we don't know the area, I guess we can't argue. Our hostel called Pondok Maulana. It has only 4 rooms but it is clean and nice for Rp. 100.000/R/N. The guy who waited the place, Pras, is very chatty and nice, made us welcome hot tea drinks and tell us stuff to do for the morning. Surely what we wanted to know is where to party that night. Haha, no wonder.. So we cleaned ourselves up and went for supper in Tir Na Nog, the renowned Irish Bar (well, there has to be one in every place, doesn't it?) in Gili T. The meal was nice but the view is better. And yes, what I meant was the people! At around midnight we went to the party scene of the night: Rudy's Pub (In Gili T, there could only be 1 disco open on a daily basis with Saturday and Sunday nights off, but bars are allowed to open till 2 AM). The place was crowded when we got there but what's amazing is that the booze is cheap. The ever famous Bintang cost Rp. 12.000 and when I ordered a whisky cola I was stunned when the bartender told me I have to pay up Rp. 7.000. WTF?? Okay, it's probably not the best whisky around and the cola mix was more than it's suppose to, but still... So me and my cousin Liza stuck around since the night is young and all. But we have to do some snorkeling tomorrow so probably best to calm the alcohol down. Then a drunken fella came-up to me. We chatted a bit, told me that he's a Swedish born türk and surely he's just 24. What is wrong with me?? Nevermind though, what does a night out mean without a cute flirt. Then I decided to stay up and watch the sunrise which is something I will not regret. It was spectacular. 

Then I sleep in for 2 hours and was waken up coz we have to do some snorkeling around the Gilis (Trawangan, Air and Meno). The water was so nice. I had the best time feeding the fishes and now understood why people go diving all the time.. It's is another world down there, so peaceful and colorful. It took us about 3 hours of snorkeling and then they glass boat tour guys took us to Gili Air to have lunch. Went back and rest a bit. Then Pras from our hostel took us trekking to the hilltop (small hill, mind you this marlboro breath can't take hiking seriously). Another breathtaking view. And the sky is as clear as the waters, beautiful sunset gazing. Some people that was sunset gazing in front of us even brought wine to sip while waiting for the sun to escape from our view.. Why didn't we think of that!?!

After a very long trek back home (yeah right hehehe) we decided to take our lovely naps just to woke up and getting ready to party to found out that there was no partying on Sat nite. Bummer! So Tir Na Nog again it is..

We headed back home the next morning. I was in love now with my Indonesia. And vowed to travel more in my homeland. So much more to see and so little time. I better get ready again!

PS.: Stayed one more night in Bali before our flight home on Monday. Went to the Bounty, naturally, just happens to bumped into that young Swedish born türk again. What are the odds? ☺