05-05-09

Departure at 8 am from Tetebatu for a transfer day with some stops to start with Taman Narmada, a park around a scaled-down version of the summit of the Gunung (= volcano) Rinjani and its crater lake Segara Anak (one needs some imagination). Good to see that Indonesians at this part of the country are able (or rather: willing) to maintain a nice park with lots of blooming flowers. Very pleasant to walk around in the shadowed lanes, because it is another VERY hot day.
Then a visit to (Pura) Lingsar, a large temple compound, the holiest in Lombok, with its holy eels. It combines the Bali Hindu and Wektu (or Welu) Telu religions in one complex. Wektu Telu is an indigenous religion unique to Lombok, though it bears many similarities to Agami Jawi, the Javanese Islamic syncretism. Finally some culture after all our snorkelling adventures and beautiful scenery. For culture one needs to go more to the western parts of Indonesia. We made as well some short stops at a local forge (incredible working conditions going back to like it should have been with us before World War II) and a pearls shop.

Our guide invited us to have lunch at Mataram with his family: wife, 3 children and parents. Though we still doubt about his intentions (we actually think that the way he is acting, is a typical way for - poor - Asians to survive), it has to be said that this was very kind of him and an unique way to see how people are living in the kampong (= typical Indonesian village). Saving money to start his own travel agency and thus not investing it in housing, he has a very simple house with little luxury, but his family and some neighbours managed to serve us a very tasteful lunch incl. sateh with delicious peanut sauce!

Off for our last stretch by bus to the little port Bangsal to take a local simple (gosh, all the dangers we have to battle :-))) boat to Gili Meno, where we landed right in front of our accommodation. We are lucky with our bungalow, everything worked pretty well. A couple from our group had to let do some plumbery in the bathroom.....We both jumped right away in the sea; it is so hot..... and did some snorkelling, preparation for we hope a great snorkelling day tomorrow.

There is Internet down here, but I keep on using my distant editor Lilian, because it is too hot inside that place. I did not have access tonight to my personal email, but we have access again to your possible comments. I still have a serious cold with sinusitis and our tourleader recommended me a 'voodoo' trick consisting of tiger balm to be applied on my back and then move in a certain coin; a sort of Indonesian hidden power (in Dutch: 'Stille Kracht')?

Right now we are sitting in a private open air cabin on the beach, listening to the waves (Arjan is half asleep) and some music and singing not far from us, enjoying the sea breeze and our dinner (some excellent curries, hot in temperature and in taste!). It looks like we are on holidays!! First time I actually enjoy these beach places: such is because of the excellent snorkelling in remote quiet areas. Down here at Gili Meno there are some tourists, but happily we are not on the neighbour party island Gili Trawangan. Also nice of the Gilis: no cars and no motorcycles.