This gallery contains 11 photos.
After breakfast, we left the hotel with a local guide, made our way into the National Park to get to two waterfalls. We first went to, what they referred to as second waterfall following a path into the jungle. After … Continue reading
After the cidamo ride and the visit of the villages, another long trip on the van was ahead of us … heading for Senaru.
On the way we had a stop at one of the oldest mosques on Lombok.
After arrival in Senaru we could sit back, enjoy the scenary and enjoy a nice Bintang.
This gallery contains 16 photos.
This morning we were picked up by the most local form of transport available – Cidamos (horse drawn carriages, also dubbed Lombok Ferrari in the Intrepid material). We made our way through town (with people staring at us for a … Continue reading
After we got back from the rice paddy/ waterfall walk, we had a short break at our guesthouse (basically to change) – before we jumped on the van to get to nearby Pringgasela village.
After a lunch buffet with local Sasak dishes, the travel agent ‘counter’ (aka tour desk) opened with ferry and plane tickets (back to Bali) on offer.
After lunch (and getting set-up on the tickets) an extensive tour of the village was ahead of us – this included an introduction to songket weaving and yet another opportunity to get some souvenirs.
From the weaving village we got to a nearby pottery village. Here – once more – we got an introduction to the process, Anna had a chance to try herself – and then – once more we had the chance to buy more (this time clay-made) souvenirs.
This gallery contains 24 photos.
This morning – our first morning on Lombok – started with yet another walking tour. We walked through villages, rice paddies and fields, though with different views and a different cultural background compared to Bali (i.e. Hindu temples replaced by … Continue reading
It was time to say good-bye to Bali …
We left Bali on the slow ferry heading for Lombok (takes around five hours). We were lucky with the ship, a relatively new one – even with a sun deck and deck chairs.
Interestingly those were only used by the tourists (it would probably be fair to call that deck the Westerner meeting point), while the locals remained inside or in the shade. For me inside was not really an option – due to the scent of durian hanging in the room (check my previous comments on durians … or take brie/ camembert add some onions and garlic and put it into the sun for some days and you get a feeling of what I am talking about).
On arrival on Lombok we were picked up by yet another van – we still had some hours drive ahead of us … all the way to Tetebatu at the lower slopes of Mt. Rinjani.
On the way we were lucky enough to witness traditional wedding parades; we stopped (the vans had to pass-by anyhow) and had a closer look. The parade is basically the bride being walked to the home of her to-be husband – the moment in her life, where she gets separated from her family (after years together under one roof) .. so if you see someone looking sad … it’s probably the bride.
This gallery contains 24 photos.
This morning – the morning of our last full day on Bali – we started with a visit to the Bali Botanical Garden. For me this garden seemed not to be more than a usual park; the garden of most … Continue reading
We left the coast again and made it back into the heart of the island, Bedugal being the destination of the day.
On the way we had numerous stops, the most notable one at a durian vendor to try this king of fruit. Reactions were … hmmm … mixed … those who know about durians will understand, for the rest of you, I suggest to have a read through the “Flavour and Odour” chapter of the durian article in wikipedia (which is actually quiet fun to read).
We left the high mountains behind and made our way to Bali’s north coast at Lovina – well in time to see a fabulous sunset.
Today I went for a diving trip – we headed further East along the coast, to then take a boat over to Menjangan island – one of the best diving spots in the region.
After I made it back to Lovina, there was yet another sunset to enjoy – this time the British way … with tea followed by a Gin Tonic.
Dinner today was at a local family’s home – with home-cooked Bali specialities – and the Lovina-typical offers (Massage, massage … want a bracelet? … want to see the dolphins … ) with only the offers for sarongs missing.
This was the earliest morning during this tour.
We left the hotel as early as 03:45; first using the vans to get to the starting point of the climb – and from there by foot uphill for around 1.5 hours.
I was part of the first group from our bigger group to make it up. The rest eventually arrived just 20 minutes later – as did the clouds that also did come in around that time.
On the way down the clouds moved and we could actually see that we were just getting down a volcano within a volcano.
After the hike we had earned a refreshing dip into the pool of a nearby resort (with additional smaller pools fed by hot springs.
