We touched down in Lombok safely on a wing and a prayer. I laugh about it now but I didn't at the time. Our next means of transport was a taxi that turned out to be a van to take us around to where a boat would take us the small distance from Lombok to Gili Trawangan. It turned out to be a speed boat and it took about twenty minutes to cross. It was dark by the time we arrived. Transport on the island is by pony and cart, so after hauling our bags over the beach, in we flopped bags and all and headed of to our hotel. “Wait , I shouted, my mobile phone is gone”. My partner phoned it and, luckily enough, it had fallen somewhere in the cart: panic over.
We arrived in Bali after a long flight via Singapore. We had booked an onward flight to Lombok with airline Merpati (no longer with us...). Well, this little plane looked like it had seen better days and as we took off, water was pouring in on the right hand side of the plane so much so that passengers sitting that side were actually moving seats while we took off. I’d never seen anything like it; talk about flight safety gone out of the window..! We touched down in Lombok safely on a wing and a prayer. I laugh about it now but I didn't at the time. Our next means of transport was a taxi that turned out to be a van to take us around to where a boat would take us the small distance from Lombok to Gili Trawangan. It turned out to be a speed boat and it took about twenty minutes to cross. It was dark by the time we arrived. Transport on the island is by pony and cart, so after hauling our bags over the beach, in we flopped bags and all and headed of to our hotel. “Wait , I shouted, my mobile phone is gone”. My partner phoned it and, luckily enough, it had fallen somewhere in the cart: panic over. We had booked a rather smart looking hotel called Luce D’ Alma Resort and Spa. After a five minute bumpy ride down dark mud tracks we arrived. Happy to see some light in all this darkness we were cheerfully greeted at reception and with all formalities dealt with, shown to our room on the right hand side of a very large central swimming pool. The room was large but not very private at night until you closed the curtains as the only thing between us and our neighbours opposite was the pool. As it turned out there was no-one. Very good. We unpacked a few things and decided to go grab something to eat so back to reception we go and was offered two bikes: the easiest way to get around Gili. Not really my cup of tea. So tally ho, off we go. Pot holes everywhere and some full of water. It took about five to ten minutes to get back to the strip of bars and restaurants so we parked the bikes and went off to explore. My first impression was how dark and muddy everywhere was but hopefully tomorrow I would see it in a different light. We had dinner in a type of BBQ place and downed with a couple of beers. Time for bed so back on our iron horses and back to the hotel. The next morning and breakfast done we decided to hang around the pool, all that really meant was opening the patio doors, very relaxed. The place seemed quite quiet with only about two other couples around the pool. Perhaps others had gone to the beach. We spent most of the day swimming and grabbing a few rays of sun. Late afternoon we went back on our bikes to grab a few beers and check out the restaurant situation. My partner’s birthday was coming up and we earmarked a restaurant at the very end of the strip to celebrate in a day of so. But what for tonight most seemed very similar and menus the same, we eventually found somewhere we could buy beers; not as easy as you would expect so back to the hotel. Dinner over with we headed to a bar for a few drinks but there was something about the place. I didn't like the atmosphere in any of the bars; I couldn't put my finger on it at that moment but all would be revealed. Time for an early night so back on the bikes hotel bound we go.
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On the second day we spent the morning swimming and reading (well, my partner did anyway). Early afternoon we decided to explore the rest of the resort. There was a large pool close to the beach with quite a few sun beds and it looked busy; well, it would to us with our posh private pool, wouldn't it. Next we found the restaurant and we penciled in a visit in the next few days. We headed down onto the beach and the sea was very rough not a chance of a swim in there. We walked to the right as far as we could before we came to a river that meets the sea, well that's what I hoped it was. We could see a large bar just on the other side so we decided to check it out that evening. The bar was called Ku De Ta. Back to paradise for a swim and a bit of sun and soon enough the sun began to set. Time for a walk around to Ku De Ta. It was a very trendy place full of people wanting to be seen, hiding behind large sunglasses. I guess a poser’s paradise but not ours, so after a drink we left. Time to choose tonight's restaurant, so Lonely Planet in one hand (this was a few years ago) and a nice cold glass of wine in the other we headed to the pavilion. I can't remember the name of this place but we chose it more for how it looked more than anything. Again we arrived by taxi and it looked like Christmas had come early with all the twinkling lights everywhere, the only thing missing was the Christmas tree. We both chose to have saté and it was a great choice. The saté sauce had an almost citrus taste mixed with the peanut sauce: very tasty.There wasn't much of a view here as it was just off the main road but it certainly made up for it in the quality of the food. Time to head back to paradise and guess what we had forgotten the breakfast menu again, so the same as last time. I decided to fill the sunken bath and use the complimentary bubble bath and have a good soak. To be honest, I always find the idea of this better than the reality because once filled, after about ten minutes I've had enough and I always get out thinking what a waste of water, but I never learn. The next morning after breakfast we decided to go into Kuta. Well, what a shock. It seemed to me like Blackpool in Bali; bar after bar with pounding music at eleven in the morning but not only that, people in there already tucking into pints of beer. I must say, I do like a glass or two myself, but the sun most definitely has to be over the yardarm before I indulge. It became very apparent that Kuta was not for us, after seeing a bat chained to a perch in full sunlight. That was it, after a quick visit to the 2002 bomb monument, we left to go back to Seminyak. You could see immediately where Kuta ends and Seminyak begins: the shops selling more upmarket goods and the atmosphere was completely different, we much preferred this. We looked around the shops for a while as it was beginning to get very warm, we went into a Birkenstock shoe shop and was shocked at the prices of them but as the sales man said, they have to be imported from Germany… we had forgotten that bit. Time for a swim. We made the easy choice for dinner that evening to eat at the resort’s restaurant, so a major relaxed afternoon in and around the pool, a few glasses of grape juice, slowly getting ready to go and eat. I must say we were pleasantly surprised; the restaurant was open sided under a Balinese thatched roof, crisp linen on the table and a good menu and views of the Indian Ocean, magical.
We ordered an Indonesian rice table (‘rijsttafel’) for two and what a delight. Never quite tastes the same at home, and with this our three days in heaven at the Oberoi in Bali came to a close. We booked this trip for a milestone birthday of mine and what a treat it would turn out to be. We chose to fly KLM as it was the quickest route to Bali. It has only one hour lay-over in Changi Airport in Singapore, whereas Singapore Airlines, the better of the two I might say, has a lay-over of about three hours. Neither of us wanted to trot around that airport any longer than necessary. The flight behind us we got a taxi to the Oberoi in Seminyak which took about thirty minutes. On arrival we where shown into a large open sided reception area and was offered a cold welcome drink. As we began the check-in procedure, I must say this seemed to take longer than you would expect at such a quality resort as this, but in hindsight they take your bags away and I guess they prepare the room. Formalities over with we were taken by a golf cart to our room. I say ‘room’ but in fact it was a thatched villa with a private swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and a high wall… wonderful...! Our own piece of paradise. The concierge showed us around inside first, the airco, lighting, shower and sunken walk in bath. Pure luxury. Next outside there was a raised pavilion at the end of the pool: perfect for breakfast and evening drinks. Furthermore, there were a double sun bed and a small parasol at the side. Soon enough he was gone, leaving us to explore for ourselves. We set about getting things out of our bags that we would need and left the rest in. Time for the pool. It was lovely and warm, the sun was shining: what more could you ask for. We spent the first day swimming and sitting in the shade on the sun bed. Soon enough the sun was over the yardarm so of we went to the Oberoi’s bar for a nice glass of white wine, this went down a treat. Next we decided to go and investigate the local area. Up the long drive we walked, turned right and found a few restaurants and the usual shops selling the usual stuff, flip flops, kites to name a few. We had other things in mind; top of the list a few bottles of wine, this was a bit of a challenge until we found a modern shopping complex a bit off the beaten track but bingo, they had wine. So everything we needed tucked up in bags we headed back to paradise. We popped the wine in the small fridge and started to look for a restaurant for our first evening’s dinner. We chose a place purely for its Indonesian name, well part of it, it was called Chez Gado Gado and a short taxi ride away. It looked very impressive, right along side the beach, lots of colourful lights: a great setting. We both like Indonesian food so choosing from the menu was easy and all washed down with a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Back to paradise and a midnight swim (I could get very used to this…). We filled out a menu card for tomorrow morning’s breakfast. We should have done this earlier but we forgot, so a phone call to reception and they came and picked it up. Time for bed.
The next morning started with a swim again for me, just enough time before breakfast was delivered and set out on the pavilion table. Well what a feast: bacon and eggs, croissants and bread, orange juice tea and coffee, jams and marmalade, to only name a few. This would easily tide us over till early evening. |
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GaryBorn in Chiswick West London, grew up in Royal Berkshire, currently living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands Archives
March 2016
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