Already August

Manusia Dunia Green Lodge, Gili Air

I have no idea how it is already August.  Time is a funny thing.  Some lazy afternoons seem to last forever and then all of a sudden the plans we made and adventures we dreamed up have become stories, and photographs, and memories.  Our neatly packed bags are strewn across islands, jammed with sea shells, horse shoes, maps, tickets, and a whole lot of life. 

I'm sitting on our porch on a tiny island called Gili Air.  Jay is sleeping in while I sip tea and blog to the sound of the rooster crowing.  We spent our last days on Gili Trawangan catching breathtaking sunsets and exploring life under water.

Exile Beach Sunset Point, Gili Trawangan

Jay and I love scuba.  I think Jay's as at home in the water as he is on land and scuba is the perfect fit for us.  On the Gili Islands, you take boats out to different spots and our first stop was Turtle Point.  The boat was packed with people and while heading to the spot the locals throw wetsuits, booties, fins, and vests at divers.  Do they fit?  Well enough.  They didn't ask for proof of our certification or number of dives.  The honor system is alive and well in Indonesia. 

The dive groups are small, and Jay and I had one other girl and a "dive master" accompanying us.  (I put that in quotes because we knew he was a certified dive master about as much as he knew we were certified at all.  Honor system.) 

When it was our turn we quickly checked our tanks and suited up, sitting on the edge of the boat like we'd seen others do.  Mind you, we entered from the shore on previous dives so entering the water by boat was new.  I asked a few questions and was quickly shushed by Indiana Jay.  "Just lean back!" he said.  And we did.  And we were fine. 

Turtle Point, north of Gili Meno

As quickly as we fell backwards off the boat, our dive master said, "Let's go down," and our adventure began.  Jay and I, pun intended, dove right in, feeling grateful that we were trained by the legend, Avandy.  We knew exactly what we were doing and had a great dive.  I tend to overthink things, and this trip has been a great lesson in running on instincts and just "doing".  

So many parts of life you can only figure out as you go.  I'm learning that more every day. 

Massive turtles and eels and colorful coral were everywhere.  I can't even put into words our time under water.  It makes us awestruck every time.  Tomorrow we will dive again off Gili Air, the smaller Gili Island closest to Lombok.  Stay tuned for that.

But how did we get to Gili Air?  Funny you should ask.  There are two boat options: slow boat and fast boat done by private charters.  You can imagine which one is the bargain price, and at this point probably know that Jay and I always take the bargain price.  For about $4 USD a person, we took the slow boat (40 minutes) from Gili T to Gili Air.  I don't know that "slow" is the right adjective for the boat; I like to call it the adventure boat. 

If the boat looks sideways, it's because it is.

But we made it to the Gili Air dock

My most vivid memories of those 40 minutes are water flying in, the boat careening side to side, and planks popping up as people walked down the middle of the boat.  You get what you pay for.  I eyed the life vests figuring out a strategy to float our bags and use that flotation system like a kick board to get to shore.  Luckily, this terrible idea never had to be tested.  

The shoreline approached, and the bluish green waters welcomed us to another beautiful island.  Gili Air is even smaller and more remote than Gili T, with all the charm that comes with that remoteness and simplicity.  We are staying at Manusia Dunia Green Lodge, where there are rechargeable lanterns because the electricity often goes out island-wide.  This happened twice during our dinner last night, and the live band just kept on singing.  Jay and I, having forgot our lanterns, walked home in the dark and fireworks erupted over one of the other Gili Islands. Life here doesn't seem real sometimes.  

As we head into the last two weeks of our trip, we're soaking it all up and missing all of our family and friends back home.  We can't wait to share our travels with you.  Thanks to everyone reading along with us- wishing you a beautiful August. 

Reading deck at Manusia Dunia, Gili Air

Peace on the porch, Manusia Dunia, Gili Air

Shells of Gili

Gili Air transport