For those that read my previous blog and enjoyed the cliffhanger, get ready for the next instalment of “what could possibly go wrong?” – let me enlighten you! I know you’ve been on the edge of your seats!

So, after what can only be described as an absolute farce at immigration, we decided to escape to first, Lombok and thus onwards to the Gili Islands – Meno, Trawangan and Air. We had two options, both reasonably cheap – fast boat from Bali to Lombok (known to be VERY choppy, my sensitive stomach may not appreciate this option) OR a 25 minute flight from Ngurah Rai Airport, just 10 minutes down the road. We opted for the short and simple flight.. or so we thought.

At 11am we booked our 16.50 flight, including luggage and received our receipt via email, as you’d expect. We had a long wait – we could only check in 2 hours prior so we settled into the comfy sofas in Starbucks and waited…

Before ‘treating’ ourselves to a Burger King – a King Chicken Fillet to be precise. This is what I was presented with 10 minutes later:

We had to laugh. 3 mouthfuls later, I was done and we headed for check in.

All was well and good until they tried to charge us for more baggage. Hang on a minute! We had a receipt to say we had already paid, but a receipt doesnt count for much apparently. After having the same thing repeated to us for a good half hour – “We know you have a receipt but you haven’t paid for baggage on our system, you must pay”, we were realllly losing patience and patience isnt one of my strong points. In the end, we had to pay for MORE baggage (our baggage cost twice the price of the flight!) before being given, would you believe it? A receipt which we had to send to the booking company to gain a full refund. Hard work, but we were finally in and boarding our short flight to Lombok.

The flight flew by without issue and after a swift experience through baggage claim, we were on the other side and ready for the hour and a half taxi journey to Bangsal. We had opted to spend just one night here, before catching the £1.50/ 35,000K public ferry to Gili Meno.

On exiting the airport, we were greeted with the most beautiful sunset as well as what can only be described at the most aggressive and intimidating taxi selling tactics we have ever encountered. I appreciate driving taxis can be quite competitive but my goodness. We witnessed 2 young girls be hounded and backed against a wall by up to 5 different men, all with their arms crossed and standing alarmingly close. We were chased out of the airport by a few of them and after telling them a good 5 or 6 times we weren’t interested, they still weren’t getting the message, even trying to take hold of our luggage. Worryingly, it took having to threaten physical harm before they got the message – Im incredibly lucky that I have only ever travelled and experienced this with Dave by my side, but if I had been on my own, that could have been an all together different and terrifying experience. We eventually accessed the wifi and, to spite those who had made us feel so uncomfortable, booked a taxi via Grab which is considered illegal in Indonesia due to the fact they take work from local drivers. Maybe if they had been more accommodating, we would have been more inclined to spend our money with them? But, we were away and speeding towards our next destination as the sun set behind us. Phew!

We arrived late in Bangsal, hungry and tired. It was, therefore, a blessing to be staying with Demang and his brother who headed straight out and fetched us Mie Goreng (vegetables and noodles with an egg) at 10pm. What. A. Babe. Their house was as wonderful as they were. Both brothers had worked solidly on the Gili Islands for 4 years to save the money to build their Air BnB business. Despite just staying with them for a mere 12 hours, we felt like we had stayed with friends and are so grateful for the lift they provided for us the following morning to Bangsal Harbour. Demang @ Juti Bar and Bungalow, you are a gem! Thank you! 

Onwards!

Dave with the ‘iced tea’ he asked for..

And the public ferry, Gili Meno produce included.

After a 30 minute gentle boat ride and 10 minute walk through Gili Meno, we arrived at our next destination: Villa Ganjor.

Our lush breakfast each day consisted of Scrambled eggs and coffee for Dave and Banana Pancake and Orange Juice for me.

Mmmm….

We got to work exploring. Gili Meno is the smallest and quietest of the three islands and popular with honeymooning couples. With a population of just 500 people, the island is just 3km long and 2km in width – it takes just 15 minutes to walk from one side to the other – so perfect for a week of just relaxing and doing plenty of Dave’s new favourite thing: Snorkelling. As well as being repeatedly mistaken for Moto Gp champion Valentino Rossi – “Its the sideburns and the hair!”. We became accustomed to shouts of “Rossi! Rossi!” wherever we went! Uncanny:

As with some previous posts, spending a week in once place doesn’t give you much to write home about so I shall gift you with the pictures and brief explanations of our weeks stay.

Starting with the best photo of the week:

 Dave needed new goggles for his snorkelling adventures and these were the only goggles in the only shop on the island. Affectionately renamed froggles and then foggles because they steamed up LOADS! Hilarious and this picture will never get old.

We also made plenty of animal friends. Not a single dog (booo!) but so many cats, cows, chickens and goats!

These chicks and their mum climbed the 6 foot up to this tiny box, every evening and settled in for the night.

We got stuck out in the biggest thunder storm EVER! Dave grabbed the soap and had a shower whilst it rained! This storm was so unbelievably loud and bright – even more so when a strike of lightening hit the house just 20 feet away, blowing the router for the wifi out the wall. We have never heard anything more deafening in all our lives, it made your ears ring and your insides rattle!

We experienced regular power cuts lasting anything from 5 minutes to 3 hours.

Dave reading by head torch.

Fried and BBQ Squit, anyone?

Just make sure you keep your water away from smelly goods.

Our favourite Warung (small family run cafe) – Pakman, complete with pretty sky.

The only 2 forms of transport on the island – bike or horse and cart. There are no mopeds or cars on the island.

Making use of the endless bottles and rubbish found on the island.

Because, as stunningly beautiful as this island is:

 

There is always a hidden side. Gili Meno was full of rubbish. Everywhere you looked, there was plastic as well as people burning plastic. The reality of an island and its inhabitants who don’t fully understand the impact throwing your rubbish into the bushes has:

But, the island was home to some of the loveliest people including the crazy bunch of guys who run the Sasak Cafe on the West side of the island – one of the best places to view incredible sunsets like this one:

It’s been a wonderfully chilled week of lovely weather, impressive storms and skies and plenty of lush food so, I shall leave you with this – The song sung to us each evening at Sasak Cafe, to the tune of Land Downunder by Men at Work.

“We come from Gili Meno, Magic Mushrooms for breakfast (sometimes). Don’t come to Gili Meno, if you scared of mosquitos (they not dangerous)”

To Gili T, awwaaayyyyyyy…..