From Turtles, Corals and Dr. Happy

A snorkeling trip to Gili Trawangan and Gili Air was on the wish list for today.

At 10 o'clock we stand at the harbor and wait excitedly. Our homestay owner mentioned a small tour with about 6 people.... at the harbor it quickly became clear that there were a few more..... about 40 people ;-)

Onto the boat. Tine had made herself a burkini as a precaution (the UV radiation is incredibly intense here, we quickly got our first sunburn yesterday).... fashionable!

In total, there were three snorkeling stops in front of the islands.

The guides brought bread and quickly we were surrounded by colorful schools of fish. The highlight was a giant turtle. Right in front of our noses.... unbelievable!

We had expected small specimens, but not such a large one.

The last snorkeling session had everything in terms of action (a little too much for Tine ;-) : waves, strong currents, crystal clear sea, corals everywhere. A great spectacle for Iris, too much spectacle for Tine's taste. Better back to the boat.

In the meantime, Iris continues to drift with the current and chases Dory ;-) When we are supposed to go back on board, it gets turbulent. The current is so strong that getting on board becomes a challenge. Gradually, the boat crew also starts to panic. Some small delicate Asians in the snorkeling group have run out of strength and are hoisted on board with combined forces.

By now, the reef is only about 1m below us - a magnificent view of the underwater world! I lift my fins up to avoid damaging the corals. A Frenchman next to me does the same. We observe the rescue spectacle and chat a bit. We swim sideways to the boat and together we manage to get back on.

On deck, I find Tine lying down - seasick. Oh no!

I approach one of the crew members. He called himself Dr. Happy. If he's not the right man for Tine! He promptly pulls out a vial with a magic potion and dabs it on her. Slowly she starts to feel better.

After 6 hours on the sea, we're now heading back to Gili T.

We spent the rest of the evening on the beach, relaxing....

Next stop is Gili Air, where the power supply is somewhat unstable, so don't be surprised if you don't hear from us for a few days :-)