YA LEUM.36 — Two months later in Indonesia…
I loved the time we spent in Kuta. The night with the fireflies on the beach, the taste of home I felt when my dear friends visited me, the slow pace of the place, and, above all, the good mood, happiness, and the curiosity we kept during the entire time.
Whenever you ask someone their opinion about a place in the world, instead ask how it made them feel, who they met, and how available they were while discovering the place.
The experience of a country or a city depends, above all, on how open-minded we are to receive it.
A turquoise sea, palm trees, and coconut water are not always a sign of happiness and inner peace.
Yet, in Kuta, I felt present, confident, and at peace. It is one of those memories I enjoy recalling.
Two weeks later, we got on our motorcycle and continued to go around the island. We went directly to the Rinjani volcano, which is in the north. Yet, when we arrived at the village that hosts the highest volcano in Indonesia, we noticed that we had a challenging trek ahead. I had felt on the volcano the previous month and my knee still hurt… so we decided not to risk a visit.
The village had little movement, some restaurants, accommodations that looked like a guest room in your own home, and nearly no tourists. When that happens, we prefer to sleep in our tent. We feel more relaxed. With the motorcycle, it is easy to find a place, out of the city, where we can spend another night in the tent.
During our motorcycle ride, we found an accommodation with gardens, a big green area, and small houses. It looked like it was once a business… Yet, now there were only a few people working on constructions. We could not understand what was that place so we decided to ask.
Nino, a good-looking man who speaks fluent English, was on the top of a roof, fixing something. We were separated by a ladder but Nino waved from up above and made us a sign to let us know he was “going down”.
We asked him if it was possible to stay there, to rent a room or to set our tent outside. Although it was an empty place, the energy from the trees, that man, and the bamboo rooms made it seem like it was the ideal place for us to stay.
“We are rebuilding this hotel. I am the owner. We dont have any room ready yet but, of course, you can set your tent here. Naturally, you do not have to pay a thing. Up ahead, you will find a bamboo coverage and I think you will do fine!”.
This is how we spend our nights in safe places, inside our tent, in the home of the locals who never refuse to welcome us.
Once again, we felt exhilarated!
In that night, we had dinner and had drinks with Nino. He told us the story of that place and we got to meet another intelligent, sensitive, and hardworking person. We wanted to meet a different Lombok, more sophisticated and conscious.
On the next day, we woke up early to visit the waterfalls. Yet, before leaving, Nino invited us for a delicious breakfast with his family.
It was gratifying to meet this man. A man of the world, with a calm voice and fire in his hands.
We left towards the waterfalls of Tetebatu! We arrived at the natural reserve on the motorcycle and we had to hire a guide to take us to the waterfalls because it was not easy to get there. I took my flip-flops and a dress as I thought I was going to arrive, take some pictures, and go for my classic dive on the waterfall. Instead, we walked on a wet floor and dirt tracks on slopes. It was challenging but we were almost always alone and we saw magical streams of water in the middle of nature.
We felt refreshed. Ready to continue our trip. From Tetebatu, we went directly to Senggigi, a tourist hub. Although it is a place filled with tourist attractions, outside of the city tourists can visit wonderful beaches and restaurants, all while crossing a road filled with tall palm trees.
We stayed in the house of a couch surfer. Our host worked for the government of Lombok but was born in Java, where her family lived. She was single, calm, smiling and welcomed us with open arms in her beautiful home. With her, we tried Durian for the first time, a fruit that is known for smelling so badly that it is forbidden to eat it in public places. The taste is not bad… but it is different! And the price makes it accessible only for a few. Eating durian is an experience on its own.
Senggigi makes the connection point between the famous Gili islands. The Gili Islands are an archipelago of three islands, all of which are quite famous: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. Since we did not have much time, we only visited Gili Trawangan, which is the biggest of the three.
Gili Trawangan was our last destination in Indonesia. Thus, to say goodbye in style, we enjoyed the best the islands have to give: cocktails, awesome sunsets, hot water, bikinis, and nice walks along the beach.
We had pictures, conversations, and amazing memories. We said goodbye to Indonesia with a foot on the sand, holding a drink, and carrying a tear on our hearts.
For two months, we traveled through a country full of history, culture, and wonderful people who taught us the power of kindness and trust.
November 2017,
Patricia Assis
