Even though I've been traveling for several times to several places, but I can say that my Gili Trawangan and Bali trip was my very first the real traveling experience ever. Because I knew no one in those places, so I had to be ready for every things that might came towards me. The good and the bad.
First destination of my trip was Gili Trawangan. I started on Sunday, August 2, 2009. It took two days to reach there from Jakarta. Pretty long time because I took economic trains, boats, buses, and my own feet as well. Felt quite hard though because I had my first day period. Was so glad I could overcome it.
I had to stop for seven hours in Surabaya, my first time there. Just sightseeing a little bit. Continued my trip, I hopped out at wrong station in Banyuwangi, but thanks God I realised it, so I quickly hopped in to the train before it left me.
There, I met someone who was heading to Lombok as well. So we traveled together since.
On Tuesday, I arrived in Gili Trawangan. So exhausting yet fun. When I stepped on my foot on that island, I was so fascinating by the scnenery. Beautiful...
But I felt like a stranger in my own country. Guess I was the only domestic tourist there. This August was so busy. Really really a lot of foreign tourists! Hard for me to got a place to stay for two nights. Then I ended up in a not-really-nice place to stay and salty water for shower. And it was expensive for a room like that, 150.000 IDR/night. Geez! I had to take it as the part of my trip. I couldn't expect everything will always going well because life doesn't always work according to plan.
This island was so peaceful. No cars, no motorbikes, only bycycles and cidomos. You can smell the fresh air, feel the sun, walk safely, enjoy the scenery, splendid! Also you can snorkel, dive, eat, party, have fun! No wonder this island is so famous with its beautiful scenery and every night party.
I did my first snorkel there. So challenging, but I got souvenirs. I hit the reef, and my knee, my calf, my sole, my little finger were wounded. Haha I don't know why I always hurt myself! Weird! But you would never learn if you never made mistake! :)
Famous on the island, Tir Na Nog, an Irish Bar. Every Wednesday night party in that bar. Luckily, I got my Wednesday night there, so I came and stopped by for a while. Crowded! I saw a competition, drank beers from mask. Hilarious!
I wasn't partying there, I sat and drank in another bar nearby instead. Enjoyed full moon, talked to the bartenders, and tried my very first mushroom and weed! :D The mushroom which made into a banana juice was also expensive, 125.000 IDR/glass, but I got the weed for free! hehe.. Anyway, the bartender told me that before 2008, people could easily smoked weed and drank mushroom there. But the cops did an operation in 2008, so today, it's not that free anymore. But trust me, mushrooms and weed are still everywhere! haha..
Gili Trawangan is a really nice place to have fun, quit for a while from daily routines. I just made a few friends there, because I thought people who came to that island came in a group of people and already had plans to do. While me? Alone and just went with the flow...
I left Gili Trawangan on Thursday morning. Met another domestic tourists whom I thought they were not exist here. hehe.. Then we traveled together to Bali.
Hello Bali! I stayed in Tunjung Bali Inn, Kuta. The place was good. I didn't expect a good place like this with a cheap amount to spent, 100.000IDR/night. And later, this place would leave unforgettable memories for me. :)
First night, I really hate myself because my mind was still trapped in Jakarta thinking about something useless. I spent my first night, sat on the bench at the pool side, stared at the beautiful August full moon, drank, smoked, and talked to myself. Gloomy... Then I saw a guy on the second floor stood on his porch. I didn't know what he was thinking about, but I was so surprised when he came downstairs, sat next to me, drank together, and started a conversation. His name was Josh. He really opened my mind. He was a stranger so that I didn't have something to worry about when I talked to him. Then in a couple of time, another guy came, talked to us because he heard us spoke in Spanish. His name was Zbyszek. We spent a really nice night together, talked about anything, shared stories about our cultures. Cool!
Friday, I went to Ubud. Ubud was a nice place, but I thought the local people there were not really nice to domestic tourists. I don't want to talk about this, just feel free when you come to Ubud. The place is really nice and full of things to see, especially arts. I went to Antonio Blanco Museum, artsy and magnificent!
Uluwatu Beach for the next day. Josh gave me a ride. My first experience ever rode a motorbike with a foreigner. haha.. :D The beach was not so bad and Josh found a little cave there where we could enjoy the ocean. :) On our way back, we enjoyed sunset at Kuta Beach. Funny, I realised that when the sun goes down, you can easily find a lot of domestic tourists. But when the sun is on the top, it's hard to find them. ;)
For Dinner, Josh told me that Mexican food is so tasty. So I tried Vegetable Enchiladas. Yummy.. Thanks Josh, you were right! After, we walked down the street in Legian. Sat in front of unfinished temple, still full moon, nice night. Josh is really a nice guy, easy to talk to, adaptable, hilarious, always cheer me up, and I learnt a bunch of new and meaningful things from him.
Sunday lovely sunday. Josh, Zbyszek, Ewelinka, and I went to Dreamland. I thought Dreamland is more beautiful than Uluwatu Beach, yet more crowded.
Ewelinka had a same camera with me, Canon EOS 400D. Suddenly I missed Nona, I didn't bring her on my trip. I didn't know why but I thought Zbyszek and Ewelinka were very expressive. I like them a lot!
Later on that day, we spent our night at the beach, drank Arak Bali with Coca Cola. Went back to our hotel, drank beer at the pool side, talked, laugh, fun! Then another friend, Edward, joined us. It was a really awesome night and it was my last night in Bali...
My last day in Bali... We spent it with ate lunch together. And all of us ate rice for lunch, so we had to use spoon. I know they're not usual to use spoon for eating. :D Ahh I forgot to tell about my watch, Classic Casio Calculator. My watch is always be the one that impress anyone, all the way from Gili Trawangan to Bali. Even Zbyszek wanted it. While I write this, he already got his watch from Jakarta.
I spent my last hour at Kuta Beach with Josh, meanwhile the others went to monkey forest. We both were happy we met each other. Felt we've known each other for years. :)
Different person, different personality and mentality. That's what you can learn when you meet someone new. Learn not to be selfish, learn to see things in different perspectives, learn to appreciate the differences. We are all different, but unite. Respect each other is all we have to do. I was so glad I had an opportunity to meet them. Bali will always be beautiful for me and it wouldn't be the same Bali without them. I hope we can meet each other and can be all together again someday. It was really quality times with them. I miss all of you!
This trip was so amazing. A lot of things I did for the first time. I could feel a very good vibe. I was so grateful I had the chance. I didn't buy anything but priceless experiences, good moments, beautiful stories, precious lessons, and endless happiness!
As for me, this trip was just the beginning. I wouldn't know my own limit if I didn't travel somewhere. I really want to see the world, because the world is like a book. If you only see one place, means you only read a page. The one and only thing I hate about traveling is going home. I hate to go home, but I have to! Every journey has an end. However if it would be endless, it wouldn't be so much worth. So I can't wait for another trip. More and more!
See you around. :)
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