Indonesia: Senggigi and the Gili Islands: Summer 2019

After the week I had just had, I wasn't sure if the rest of the country would live up to my now raised expectations. I really shouldn't have worried, it really did!

I flew to Lombok and got picked up from the airport for the hour long drive to Senggigi. I feel better knowing that it is not only drivers in China that scare me. Turns out my hour drive should have been closer to an hour and a half.

I had splurged here and booked a very nice and slightly more expensive hotel. Figured a bit of pampering would be nice after the Island. As the island had been slightly rougher than expected, this really was a great idea. I had two days booked into one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in, which was unfortunately in one of the least interesting towns. These things happen, but i had a pool and my own bar so it was all

OK. The staff were lovely and were very confused by me. Every time I left my room, I go that with dozens of questions about solo traveling and living in China as a woman. It was only then that I noticed almost everyone working in the hotels were male. This was a family run place so the rules could be bent slightly.

I listened to some travel advice that failed me a bit, which is bound to happen every now and again. Especially given how much I travel on peoples advice. Never mind, it happens!

Sengiggi has a bit of  a backpack drinkers transport convenient stopover feel to it, but as I was there in the off season, it just felt sad and empty.

Gili Trawangan (small island about a half hour drive and 20 minute ferry away) really did not. I loved it!

Traveling alone, i really appreciate the type of places where I can have a chat with someone and join in with a few other people. This was especially needed after my days in almost isolation in Senggigi and on the dive camp.

Gili Trawangan (or Gili T) is a fantastic mix of exciting and busy within reach of quiet and sedate. The ferry port is roughly the middle of the "exciting" area which stretches a few hundred meters in either direction. Once you walk past that, there is very little happening. the odd restaurant or beach bar/hotel but that's about it. I walked around the whole island in about an hour and a half. Its completely pedestrianised, however in place of cars, there are demon horse and carts that barrel through the small alleyways ringing a little bell. I saw a couple of people get plowed into by horses running at the speed go light. It didn't take long for the reaction of diving for cover at the sound of a bell to become engrained.

Gili T is a main stop on the backpacker trail so it is full of cheap and cheerful restaurants and bars. Pretty much everywhere had their own bar crawl. I joined one that was vernturing to the other side of the island. It was very easy to follow. When you saw a photo op swing you had to down your drink and move onto the next bar.

It seemed like a  little to me but quickly became obvious where this rule can from. Every tree had a swing, every beach bar had something just out in the surf as well as flower arches or photo frames to pose behind. It really is the instagram motherland. In the places defense, It is stunning! My two days did not seem long enough and I regretted having to leave so soon but I added it to my "to go back to" list.