Stopover: Nusa Lembongan

17 - 19 February 2019

No regrets - that's the motto of my stopover in Nusa Lembongan. Firstly, no regrets because I decide to travel alone without Lisa, in order to not miss the chance to see the island - unlike Lisa, my current plan is to leave Indonesia on February 26th. Secondly, no regrets because I embark on this adventure with Toby, who doesn't hesitate to try new things and doesn't accept any of my excuses. Fear of heights - that's just an invention of losers.

And that's exactly why I'm standing here on the edge of a cliff, watching the Indonesian guy - who is two heads shorter than me - tighten my straps, wondering how I ended up here, and waiting for him to give me the "Go" to jump. It's called zip-lining and Toby says it's a lot of fun. I don't know how fun it is to glide over an abyss on a cable car while being strapped with countless belts. But saying "No" is not a valid answer for him. So, close my eyes and go! And what can I say - it was fun :)

Traveling with Toby turns out to be an adventure right from the start. Because until recently, it wasn't clear to me whether he would actually be on the island or if I would be on my own. I only get real clarity when I'm being transported with my backpack on the loading area of a truck from the port of the island to my hostel and he suddenly appears behind us on a scooter.

But what can you expect from a 26-year-old Australian who has only a few days left to travel alone before continuing with his wife in Europe. He says to be saying, "I have to do all the childish shit that my wife doesn't like while I'm traveling alone." So, no consideration for me. What have I gotten myself into?

The top priority of the short trip: finding the best spot for a cliff jump. He really wants to do that. But it's already late afternoon, so I'm spared for today and we first search for a good place to later enjoy the sunset. We choose a beach club located on a deserted beach. We use the associated pool to cool off, doze off, and pass the time by destroying bottle after bottle of Bintang (the local beer). That's more to my liking. Later, it's dinner time. We find a sushi restaurant where I honestly eat the best sushi I've ever had in my life. We pay outrageous prices by Indonesian standards and stuff ourselves into a food coma. But it's worth it. Yummy!

But the next day is all about action, because we have a lot to do. So, we hop on our scooters and off we go. Our first stop of the day is Mangrove Point, which is located in the very north of the island and is surrounded by mangrove forests. The waterways in between are perfect for snorkeling or kayaking or paddleboarding (SUP). We choose the latter.

For me, it's the first time on a SUP in open water - with mild waves. At the beginning, it makes me quite wobbly. And I simply lack the necessary strength in my arms to make real progress. Quickly, I realize that Toby is not the kind of guy who waits for you if you're not keeping up. So, after a short while, I'm on my own. It's not that easy. The water near the mangrove forests is not deep and the waves are usually small, but you frequently find yourself floating over minefields of sea urchins that stare menacingly at you. I can feel my muscles cramp up every time I find myself above such a field. My mantra: Don't fall now!

But of course, at some point, there comes a big wave that I don't see coming, and it causes me to lose my balance. Splash! Ouch! I don't land in a nest of sea urchins - THANK GOD! - but instead, I land with full force on a coral. Only later do I realize that I've got two pretty deep cuts on the sole of my foot. I've had enough! After about 45 minutes, I sit down on my board, enjoy the view and the sun on my skin, and wait for Toby to satisfy his childish craving. The only comment he has for my injury is, "You're so super clumsy!" I hear that from him quite often on this trip.

After that, we continue directly. There's still a lot to experience. We set out to explore the island. And it's not that difficult. With its approximately eight square kilometers, the island is not very big. Nusa Lembongan is directly connected to the even smaller neighboring island of Nusa Ceningan by a small yellow iron bridge. We visit dreamy beaches with white, soft sand - swim in lagoons with crystal clear or turquoise water - once again eat ridiculously good sushi at outrageously high prices - and enjoy the panoramic view of cliffs where the waves break with full force. And it is precisely at one of these cliffs - at the so-called Mahana Point - that the long-awaited jump finally takes place. From a platform, you can jump 10 meters deep directly into the sea and then swim around the cliffs to climb out of the water using a ladder. The challenging part is not so much the jump itself, but the fact that the waves hit the cliffs with full force at short intervals, so you should either quickly gain distance or better dive through them.

For Toby, the platform is not enough, so he jumps from the accompanying structure in his childlike recklessness. I'm handed the phone beforehand - an Instagram-worthy video is needed. I manage to do that. As long as he doesn't expect me to follow him into the sea, I'm happy. The jump is spectacular. Everyone is impressed. Some of the men present do the same - of course without the previous balancing act on the railing. Toby later admits that the jump felt like an eternity. For me, it's a successful conclusion that even he admits that something was too much for him.

After exciting almost three days, I leave the island with a big smile. I had a good time. And I'm incredibly glad that I dared to embark on the trip alone - even though in the end, I wasn't really alone. Toby's persistence and thirst for adventure ultimately led me to push myself beyond my limits several times. In addition to zip-lining, for example, I drove a scooter myself for the first time in years after my accident - on an island with left-hand traffic and no apparent traffic rules.

In addition, the fact that I had to communicate exclusively with an English native speaker for several days has contributed immensely to my feeling much more comfortable in English conversations now. I asked Toby to correct me whenever he noticed that I said something wrong - which he took very seriously. And he had to help with vocabulary gaps. It will be very helpful for me on my further journey, and I'm very grateful to him for that. He might see it slightly differently. In his eyes, I'm now a perpetually chatty person who continues to talk without pause even when no one is asking for my input anymore.

What I take away from this trip: Don't think too much about everything. Always do what makes you happy when in doubt. Dare to try new things. Grow beyond yourself. Be curious. And ....

NO REGRETS!