I woke up the morning of my last full day on Gili Trawangan with a new sensation – energy! Apparently a night without alcohol can do that for a person. I walked through “town” and got an Indian chai tea and mini croissants from Scallywags – an organic restaurant I’d heard good things about. While I was contemplating life over said tea, and the view, I decided to invite Jessica and Laura to my bungalow for a bottle of wine given they were leaving the island the next day as well.
They were up and about when I went over, so we chatted for a bit over tea and breakfast, before agreeing to walk around the island. The walk was nice and relaxing in comparison to the breakneck bike rides. I provided some comedic entertainment when I stepped in the island’s biggest pile of horse shit while going over the differences in the sands of the various Australian beaches I had visited. Embarrassed, I scuttled over a dune to wash my ankle in the sea. Meanwhile, the girls were examining little hermit crabs. As I walked over, I painfully stubbed my toe against a piece of driftwood.
As we were finishing up our walk, we stopped for (more) tea at a beautiful spot on the north of the island. I don’t know how long we were there, long enough for the winds to apply a layer of sea salt to our skin. If I could slow down time, this would’ve been the spot to do it.
After our walk, we ended up back at Scallywags for lunch. The day was slowly creeping by and we were simply changing environments while carrying on with fun conversations enjoying one and other’s company. We picked out a bottle of well known “Jacob Greek” Shiraz Sauvignon from a nearby wine shop, and headed to the island’s fastest internet cafe (which wasn’t that fast). Once there, it started to pour rain so we tended to our Facebook accounts and photos. I left to obtain glasses from Sama Sama, where the bottle of wine was also uncorked. The bartender invited us back later in the night for a “goodbye” song from the band.
Soon after, the girls arrived and we enjoyed a few glasses of my favorite Australian red wine. After finishing off the bottle, we headed to (I know you know by now) The Beach House for our last dinner on the island. There we ran into Ashlyn who stopped to chat. She and her husband Tim were leaving the next day as well. They’re possibly the friendliest couple I’ve ever met. Every time I bumped into them it always made me feel happy.
It felt right to leave at the same time. I didn’t want to stick around the island to the point where I began to take it for granted. Besides, my experience was so great because of the people I shared it with, not the island itself.
After dinner, we headed to Sama Sama where the band played “Leaving On A Jet Plane” and invited us to sing a song. I’m a somewhat accomplished karaoke singer, however singing to a live band would be a first. I looked around, noting barely anyone was at the bar, or even on the island, and said we need to do this.
After much debate, flipping through books of lyrics written in somewhat broken English, we settled on the classic “I Will Survive.” I didn’t know the lyrics, or the timing, and soon let Jessica and Laura carry the song. We said goodbye, heading in opposite directions with plans to meet up back in Kuta, along with Linus whose trip to Komodo was a bust.
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Categories: Indonesia
24 Comments
karaoke beer and babes :) nice work mate!!
karaoke beer and babes :) nice work mate!!
:mrgreen:
:mrgreen:
I have been reading your Gilli T posts with interest. I went there in 1989 and it took all day to get there from Kuta then! The boats to actually get to Gilli T (from Lombok right?) are much improved – they were just open canoes with outboards when I went – one of the few times I feared for my life and belongings – we were about 2inchs about the sea, the offsider was bailing continuously and it was pretty rough weather going over! The “town” consisted of about 6 operators running beach huts plus a food stall or 2. The beach is the same :-)The huts cost $1 / person, there were no showers -there were only mandis – a bit cistern of water with a bucket that you use to throw over yourself. The hut was rally a hut – raised above the sand but the thatch leaked – I remember it raining hard 1 night and I was cold so I stood in the sea to warm up!
The water was pretty salty and that was what drove me off the island after 10 days or so – my skin was itching from not being washed in fresh water! There were no actual restaraunts – the food supply was limited fried rice from memory – no Mexican or menus ROTFL! No bicycles either – but I dont’ remember the road going anywhere Some drugs and there must have been beer otherwise Iwouldnt stayed for a while!
Thanks for sharing what it was like when you were there. Ironically, one thing sounds the same – the canoes you take from Lombok to Gili T today are probably the same ones they used back in 1989!
I have been reading your Gilli T posts with interest. I went there in 1989 and it took all day to get there from Kuta then! The boats to actually get to Gilli T (from Lombok right?) are much improved – they were just open canoes with outboards when I went – one of the few times I feared for my life and belongings – we were about 2inchs about the sea, the offsider was bailing continuously and it was pretty rough weather going over! The “town” consisted of about 6 operators running beach huts plus a food stall or 2. The beach is the same :-)The huts cost $1 / person, there were no showers -there were only mandis – a bit cistern of water with a bucket that you use to throw over yourself. The hut was rally a hut – raised above the sand but the thatch leaked – I remember it raining hard 1 night and I was cold so I stood in the sea to warm up!
The water was pretty salty and that was what drove me off the island after 10 days or so – my skin was itching from not being washed in fresh water! There were no actual restaraunts – the food supply was limited fried rice from memory – no Mexican or menus ROTFL! No bicycles either – but I dont’ remember the road going anywhere Some drugs and there must have been beer otherwise Iwouldnt stayed for a while!
Thanks for sharing what it was like when you were there. Ironically, one thing sounds the same – the canoes you take from Lombok to Gili T today are probably the same ones they used back in 1989!
What a wonderful time you are having! Live it up!!!
What a wonderful time you are having! Live it up!!!
I do believe I’ve witnessed your mad karoake skillz and they are awwwsum…. glad to hear you shared with that side of the globe!!!
Your travels continue to be interesting and wish myself was on that stage belting it out!!!
So cool you’ve gotten to know and spend time with good people. Probably makes this world feel a lot smaller, huh?
Keep up the excellency and Safe travels!!!!!!!!
We did a great job with Billy Joel didn’t we!
I do believe I’ve witnessed your mad karoake skillz and they are awwwsum…. glad to hear you shared with that side of the globe!!!
Your travels continue to be interesting and wish myself was on that stage belting it out!!!
So cool you’ve gotten to know and spend time with good people. Probably makes this world feel a lot smaller, huh?
Keep up the excellency and Safe travels!!!!!!!!
We did a great job with Billy Joel didn’t we!
Everytime I read your blog – Green Day “Time of your Life” starts playing in my head. You’re a lucky dude… Enjoy IT!!!!!……. Karl from Dewey
Funny enough, I’ve been listening to that song now and then. It’s strange to think my daily adventures are my new reality. I love it!
Everytime I read your blog – Green Day “Time of your Life” starts playing in my head. You’re a lucky dude… Enjoy IT!!!!!……. Karl from Dewey
Funny enough, I’ve been listening to that song now and then. It’s strange to think my daily adventures are my new reality. I love it!
hahaha sooo funny hearing these stories after being there the other day!i sang with the sama sama reggae band!i wanted to sing dont worry be happy but they didnt know it!what the? so i sang wild world and at the edn he said to me one more? so i said sure well do three little birds!my dutch mate has video footage of this!hahaha!and as for the locals one of them barry!sang to me on the last night shes leaving on a small boat was very sweet!and as for crabs are the hermit ones big coz i saw a the hugest crab ive ever seen while witting at rudys!how bizarre was funny this large thing flying down the street sideways i love travel!hahah!am i boring you yet?
It’s all good :)
Thanks for reading my blog!
hahaha sooo funny hearing these stories after being there the other day!i sang with the sama sama reggae band!i wanted to sing dont worry be happy but they didnt know it!what the? so i sang wild world and at the edn he said to me one more? so i said sure well do three little birds!my dutch mate has video footage of this!hahaha!and as for the locals one of them barry!sang to me on the last night shes leaving on a small boat was very sweet!and as for crabs are the hermit ones big coz i saw a the hugest crab ive ever seen while witting at rudys!how bizarre was funny this large thing flying down the street sideways i love travel!hahah!am i boring you yet?
It’s all good :)
Thanks for reading my blog!
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24 Comments