Last But Not Least: Lembongan

As I sit down to type one of our final posts of the summer, I'm at a loss for words and feeling so many emotions at once. Our final days in Uluwatu passed with the beautiful simplicity that marked all of our time here and I can now testify that you can feel nostalgia for a place before you even leave it.

I missed it as I lived it: those final days at our favorite restaurants, waving to our summer neighbors who'd become part of our daily lives, and waking up without a big plan or agenda. I missed the cows as we sped by them on our motorbike; I missed Jay's curly summer hair blowing in my face as he wove us through our familiar streets; I missed the dark walks home where you could see every star in the sky. I missed Jay's big smile as he burst in from a great surf session. I missed the wifi being unreliable and being deeply present in everything we did. I missed the sound of the morning rooster and the unknown creature that made another special noise all summer. I missed the joy that radiates from the people here, which is more beautiful than any of the breathtaking places we've been lucky enough to see.

View from our room at Song Lembung Huts, lembongan

When a place becomes part of you, you know you've been more than a tourist. You've carved out a tiny piece of your life and heart to leave behind. I think that's what it means to travel- and, for me, to live. I hope we've spread as much love and joy as we've received.

We jammed our suitcases full and took off to our last stop. Last, but not least, an island half an hour from the southeast part of Bali: Nusa Lembongan. Lembongan is commonly described as "Bali 10 years ago" and is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

The Song Lamgung huts sit on Coconut Bay, near the popular Mushroom Bay, and we can hear the waves crash as we fall asleep at night. The deck of our hut is set into the cliffside and overlooks a quiet, aquamarine bay, decorated by small colorful boats and light surf.

Yesterday, we walked about 10 miles exploring the island, crossing the bridge to the tiny sister island, Nusa Ceningan, finding secret beaches and some of the most breathtaking cliff views. We passed through tiny villages, greeted warmly by everyone, and got lost on the same paths that eventually took us exactly where we were supposed to be. We watched the ocean form whirlpools that sparkled and roared with the blues and greens that never look real in photos.

We watched waves hit the cliff so hard they erupted and misted us high above. We lay out sarongs and watched the sun drop in front of us, a ball of fire dancing through slivers of clouds and painting them cotton candy pink. We stopped taking photos because they simply pale in comparison.

Today, we explored Nusa Penida's underwater world, equally as majestic as the surface. Our "dive monster" (as our diver master at Tamarind Divers wanted to be called) navigated us through heavy currents that basically channeled us across the most incredible coral reef walls, like astronauts flying through space. We saw lobsters and eels, hidden in rocky crevices, big tunas, turtles, and so many colorful fish that it was hard to know where to look. This was the clearest of all the places we've dived, and it was easy to see why Lembongan is a world renowned spot for scuba. The locals call to each, boat to boat, laughing and smiling and endlessly joyful.

There's a contentedness here, which stems from a simplicity of living in the moment- not for a big promotion, or saving for a new car, or a bigger house. Everyone works together, and everyone is relational. They want to know where you come from, they want to share their stories, they want you to enjoy the day as much as they are. And that's how I know that joy is infectious, as much as stress and as much as negativity. It is also how I know that joy is not a better job, or a nicer car, or even the next awesome trip.

Joy is a choice and it's about people- how you treat them, how you treat yourself, and how you treat the world. If you can respect all of those things, and appreciate them as they are, then there is joy. It is not a place. It is not a different day. It is not losing 10 pounds. It is not winning the lottery. It is no more available on a Sunday than it is on a Monday. It's all around you.

So that's what we're bringing back- and hopefully a bag that's under 50 pounds.

CB & J

CB & J

Adventures Abroad

CB & J

Last But Not Least: Lembongan