galmc2Report

11 years ago, on our first rtw trip, I was very excited to be able to show Paul and Chloe one of my favourite places from my travels 20 years previously: Phuket. When I had been there in 1994, I stayed in a cheap little bungalow right off the main beach and it was magical – chill, uncrowded and it had a a few beach chairs dotting the beach. When we arrived in 2012, it was busy, loud, crowded and I hated it! (I was still happy we went as there were some cool islands off the coast that we visited and loved).

When we decided to head back to Bali on this trip, Paul and I agreed we’d return to Gili Air because we had loved it so much and what better way to unwind and get into relax mode. Once again, I am finding that things have changed a lot! There was an earthquake in 2018 that caused a lot of damage here on Gili, followed quickly by the pandemic, which completely shut down the island to outsiders and many businesses could not survive both of those circumstances.

On our first day here, we walked around the island, stopping for a delicious lunch and then a drink and a good chat with an English expat working at the bar she runs with her boyfriend. The shoreline is eroding in parts, in other areas the boardwalk has fallen into the ocean due to the earthquake, many hotels and bungalows are falling apart as a result of the earthquake and subsequent abandonment due to no tourism over the pandemic. There is garbage all over the island though I have heard about volunteers helping with some of the cleanup so will need to find some more information on that.

Although it is sad to see the decay and hear of the difficult times people have had, and are still experiencing, there is something special about this place. Maybe it is the many, « Welcome to Gilli » we heard as we walked to our accommodation. Maybe it is the fact that we have not experienced the “hard sell” by vendors that we did in Sanur. Perhaps that the only way to get around the island is by horse drawn cart (this part makes me a bit sad as I do not know how much care and attention those ponies get), bicycle or your own two feet.

Maybe the friendly greetings and big smiles we received while wandering around is what is making the difference. Whatever it is, even though going back can be tricky, I am in no way regretting our decision to return to Gilli Air to begin our grand adventure.

Heather