For the most part, our time here on Gili Air has been about relaxation and restoration – swimming, yoga, beach walks, morning coffees, cycling and our daily Happy Hour at Santay Bar & Restaurant. It was here that we met Aji, who presented us with the idea of a tour around Lombok.
And so we went:
We cycled to the harbour, parking our bikes at Aji’s brothers home and then we waited – 10 more people to fill the boat before it could depart.We drove up the steep road to the highest viewpoint of the pass. There were monkeys and stray dogs along the way but this was THE place people stopped to enjoy the view.Aji took us along some back roads, avoiding the traffic and also allowing us to get a closer look at the rice fields that are found scattered throughout the island.We stopped at a sarong cooperative where you can get a demonstration of the traditional process plus many options to purchase – tablecloths, sarongs, clothing et al- made by hand and/or machine.The Sasak Village. The Sasak are the indigenous people of the area and have a number of villages on the island, this one being the largest and also used for tourism and the sale of goods.Our guide from the Sasak village showing us their field where they grow rotational crops such as rice, soya beans, peanuts and sweet potatoes.The “Covid” tower was built when the gate of village was closed so they could see who was arriving. They will be dismantling it soon as they do not trust it’s stability in the long term.The kitchen inside our guide’s house.We stopped at the largest mosque on the island, in the capital of Mataram – Islamic Center Mosque.Islamic Center MosqueWe took the public boat to and from the Lombok. It was pretty rocky so we were happy to see all of the available life jackets!We had our first and only beach landings on this trip. 11 years ago, there were only beach landings so I appreciated it!And as with any tour, it’s important to keep up with the guide (Chloe has always been our family star in this regard).And finally, as with most of our days here, a Happy Hour stop at our island version of CHEERS – where everyone knows your name.
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