Lombok Tag 8+9 Gili Air

Finally arrived on vacation, so I quote my girlfriend. She's not completely wrong. But let's start from the beginning.

We checked out of our accommodation in Amed and then waited a little longer for our pick-up service. They took us to the Amed Harbor. Calling it a harbor is a bit of an exaggeration, it was more like a makeshift boat dock that would certainly have met European safety standards. Officially, this boat can accommodate 70 people + crew. Either I or the captain miscounted because there were definitely more. Do you pay the same price for a standing place? And how does it work with life jackets? Does everyone really need one or only those who haven't achieved gold status in swimming lessons? With a little delay, we first went by speedboat to Gili Trawangan, unloaded passengers, and then headed to Gili Air. I don't think anyone got seasick, despite a few larger waves. At the "harbor" there, the hordes of tourists and souvenirs were unloaded. Our Bambu Cottage is located at the other end of the island, so we had to walk about one and a half kilometers across the island at lunchtime. A good opportunity to get a first impression of the island. It's also incomprehensible why some people think it's a good idea to bring a suitcase to the islands. The paths here consist only of sand and, except for a few horse-drawn carriages (which you shouldn't use either), there is no means of transportation here. Even getting around with a bicycle is difficult here. But if you really need it. We checked in and spent the rest of the day in the beach bar directly opposite our accommodation due to the strains. It was really pure relaxation. Maren can't remember the last time I lay in one place for so long without complaining. But even Irwan has had enough. Since snorkeling equipment is included in our stay, we took a short trip to the wonderful, brightly colored sea. At least it seemed that way. Unfortunately, there is one point that brings down this paradise, which is not visible in most pictures. Since dynamite fishing was the most popular sport in Lombok (now officially prohibited), the underwater world looks like Dresden in 1945. And that's not even an exaggeration. All the corals around the islands have died. Among them, you can still find a few colorful fish and occasionally a turtle, but the corals are just gray. Hello? How can anyone still pay for snorkeling trips here? It's strange that some people come out of the sea so excited. But the numerous excursion boats and tourists probably also contribute to that. The non-intact coral reefs result in the disappearance of the beach on one side of the island (the shore is now protected by ugly concrete walls) and on the other side of the island, where it appears white and paradisiacal, it is covered with dead corals. Walking barefoot here is only possible to a limited extent. By the way, going barefoot in the sea is also not possible, and the ground is dotted with some minefields (sea urchins). But they don't seem to be poisonous, according to Google. The percentage of people with a bandage on their feet is damned high, and they seem to be doing pretty well. Just limping.

To go around the island, you supposedly need about 1.5-2 hours, that's what they told us. It took us 4 hours. But we had to take three breaks. Once because of thirst, once because of hunger, and once because we found a bookstore. It seems to sell donated or found books, no one knows for sure. We spent the rest of the day with pool, beach, snorkeling, reading, eating, and watching the sunset. The sunset was pretty cool, the sun disappears behind a volcano on Bali. At first, it seemed a bit crowded on this island, but the tourists are distributed quite well across the island and you always find a quiet place or the right restaurant with a sofa or lounge cushions. However, it seems that the island has reached its capacity limit, but there doesn't seem to be any tourist regulation in Indonesia in the near future. The next question is, what happens to all the garbage or wastewater? It's probably better not to think about it. After all, the sea and the beach here are not as polluted as in Sri Lanka. I also don't believe that here in Lombok, like in Mallorca or Turkey, the beach garbage is collected by beach cleaners. Here, they just try to sweep the corals off the beach with a broom. But it may be different in rough seas. I read about that.

But everything here feels even more relaxed, quieter, and slower than in Amed. As my girlfriend said: Finally arrived on vacation.