Lombok Day Trip - Rice Fields

Jackamy
Paul & Derry Harper
Thu 28 Oct 2010 03:47
 
Thursday 28th October
 
We'd always planned on visiting Lombok and hiring a guide for the day on route to Bali but we were faced with an offer we couldn't refuse on Gilli Aer. Word got around that we were headed to Lombok and suddenly a gentlemen named Harry appeared offering his services as a guide. Paul and Gavin (Sol Maria) spent about an hour sorting out a deal and eventually agreed a price and arranged to meet Harry at 08:00 on the beach the following day. We all loved this idea as it meant we could spend one more night on the island.
 
So, the next morning we meet bright and early to catch a boat over to Bangsal on Lombok.
 
 
Getting in the boat
 
  
 
Pete and Jeremy in first class...........Economy
 
 
 
There wasn't much going on in Bangsal apart from it being the port and public transport hub, so we didn't waste any time in getting going with our two drivers, ours was called Wayan. They use horse and carts on Lombok too, they go hand in hand with the motor vehicles, it's quite fascinating.
 
  
 
A main road - stuck behind the carts.................Cart station
 
 
Lombok has a population of just over three million. Almost 90% of the people are Sasak, about 10% are Balinese, and there are small numbers of Chinese, Javanese, Bugis and Arabs. Originally hill people, the Sasaks are now spread all over Lombok and are generally much poorer than the Balinese minority. Virtually all Sasaks are muslims, but many retain much orthodox Wektu Telu beliefs and ancient animist rituals.
 
 
I imagine that a huge percentage of the population is employed in the rice industry as there are rice fields everywhere you look, every spare plot of land is put to use. Seeing all these people at work just from the side of the road was incredible and seeing the different stages of the growing process was really interesting. Something I think we'd all like to know more about as it is fascinating. We've realised that most of us had never really thought about the production of rice and found it amazing that when it grows it looks just like wheat.