Lounging Around - Gili Air, Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Thu 23 Sep 2010 03:55
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08:21.908S 116:05.010E
We motorsailed another 50 miles over the top of big Lombok
Island on September 8th, and picked up a mooring in tiny Gili Air's
lagoon within sight of Lombok. Medana Bay, on Lombok
Island's west coast (and only 5 miles from Gili Air) was an official rally
stop we planned to visit, but we were ahead of schedule, so decided Gili
Air was a good place to hang out for a while.
The island of Lombok is separated from the island of Bali 40
miles to the west by the Lombok Strait. Gili Air and its two sister
Gilis sit in the Lombok Strait and soak up leftover tourists from Bali's
overrun southern coast. Although touristy compared to so many of the
non-tourist areas we've visited so far in Indonesia, Gili Air is still
decidedly laid back. Its thirty-ish small "resorts" cater mostly
to backpackers, hard core divers and those budget conscious enough to put
up with shared bathrooms and rustic bungalows billed as luxurious
because they are equipped with an electric fan. Even so, walking
around the bungalow and open-air restaurant lined coast of Gili Air seemed
strange to us. The local people were polite, but we certainly didn't cause
a stir or generate a parade of laughing kids - a shock after feeling like
something special in all those remote Indonesian villages.
The Gili Islands are still very Muslim, but all the tourists
running around in bikinis and Speedos have definitely loosened the place
up. This was the first stop in all our Indonesian travels where
we were able to order wine in a restaurant (a severe hardship, but one we
have endured well). Up until now, only the ubiquitous Indonesian
Bintang beer has been available - and sometimes not even
that once Ramadan revved up. Speaking of Ramadan, it was here in Gili
Air that we witnessed the celebrations associated with the end of fasting.
It was like the 4th of July and Christmas all rolled into one. Random
blasts of fireworks pierced the normally tranquil Gili Air evenings and
celebrations ran a good two days as most Indonesians traveled back to their home
towns to celebrate with family. We were relieved the pressure of Ramadan
was over and commenced eating lunch guilt free in the cockpit in full view
of no-longer-fasting-locals.
Picture 1 - The Gili Air beach crammed with every form
of local boat. Sailing canoes like that in the foreground sit next to
tourist taxis and glass bottom boats, all with the same basic double-outrigger
construction. When seen head on, the double outrigger resembles a
mosquito. They don't chug out the famous
putt-putt noise since most are powered by modern outboard
motors. As much as we dreaded the putt-putt approach of the
Komodo boat boys, we did get used to that unmistakable
putt-putt sound signature and might, just a little, miss it.
Picture 2 - One of the fancier Gili Air bungalow
resorts.
Picture 3 - You've got to love Indonesian
marketing. This sign was posted on one of the thatch covered 'lounge'
tables at a Gili Air restaurant. Who wouldn't want a free movie
in their lunch or diner? We're not quite sure about
those raised platform thatch covered lounge tables though. The concept is
good, but try eating Indonesian nasi goreng (fried rice with vegetables and
fried egg) or any kind of soupy curry while in a semi-reclined position
with your feet stuck out in front of you and a cushion behind your
back. Think Rome meets the tropics and you'll probably agree
it's one thing to have a slave drop grapes into your mouth while sitting in a
semi-reclined position, but something entirely different to slop up
slurpy rice from a plate positioned two feet away on a low table
while half-laying/half-sitting. Maybe we're just getting old and stodgy,
but sitting in an upright position to eat is definitely the way to
go.
We stayed three lazy days in Gili Air's lagoon before moving
on to the rally meeting place at Medana Bay on Lombok Island. More on that
later.
Anne
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