Day 238-239: Motorcycle Diaries; Greens and Blues

I was not sure what to expect when I arrived in Lombok after a rolling ferry journey and a bus ride that lasted 5 hours instead of the promised 2; but I was happy to be here and back with Rob. He'd even, ever so kindly, put in the ground-work and made some new friends as well as bumped into an awesome couple that we'd met in KL who had promptly checked into the same guest house.

After a few days of private refection this was exactly what I needed and after a quick ride around Singgigi, on the western coast, and a delicious barbecued corn-on-the-cob (there are dozens of little stands on the road side where diligent fanning of coals and a hot chilli sauce produce amazing cob-based snacks) we all headed out for dinner and a few Bintangs..

The following morning began, as all days should, with a banana pancake and a hot cup of java before Rob, Brian and I set off on motorbikes in a northward direction to see what we would see. And there were some spectacular sights; a smooth road drew you into generously curving bays before sweeping you out again to the edge of the blue ocean like the curves on a never-ending jigsaw piece. Literally every bend in the road presented a picture-perfect view of another bay, endless ocean and even – because it was a incredibly clear day – the Gili Islands sitting like green smudges on the blue horizon.

Needless to say we stopped in a few of these coves for a dip in the clear sea before the smooth road gave way to a more familiar bumpy track, beach views became luminescent green paddy fields and mountains loomed large and grey in the distant, surrounded by heavy clouds. Quite without trying we even found a waterfall, a host of over-excited waving school children (the kind of which we hadn't seen since India) and an enthusiastic guardian of the magnificent falls who showed us around.

It was another fantastic day on two wheels, but our last for a while since we were heading for a strictly no-motor corner of the world.

***Apologies for lack of photos, the internet is tooooo slow***