After collecting some cash from a Western Union (which my parents kindly sent to me to save my butt), I landed on the island of Gili Trawangan. The place is like a vortex. It’s so easy to lose track of time. I only realised what day of the month it was when I checked into Gili Hostel, which also came with a tragic realization. I only have one week of travel left! My remaining days are feeling more and more precious.
There is a totally different vibe here compared to Bali. Gili T can certainly be labelled as a party paradise. There is no police presence whatsoever and you basically get offered drugs on arrival. I have been sensible enough not to partake (apart from that mushroom trip). Two Australian guys who I had become friendly with, clearly had drug problems. They were honking on a meth pipe daily.
I’m meeting new people all the time, including a few solo travelers. It is very inspiring talking to people travelling the world – many who are as young as 20. It makes me want to do everything in my power to keep going and do the same! I’m already thinking of where to go next.
So Gili Trawangan. Apart from being a bit of a drug den, it is extremely relaxed. It is a place where you can flop down on a beanbag or immerse yourself in a clear, open-water aquarium. I’m starting my dive course tomorrow and pretty certain that diving will become a life-long endeavour.
It seems like living in the hostel might be a bit of an experience too. There are 7 beds per dorm. So far I’m cohabiting with a super-friendly German guy, two Brits and a Pilipino girl. Earlier we could hear a couple having ecstatic-sounding sex in a nearby dorm…
There are no scooters or cars on Gili T, just bicycles, horse-drawn carts, cats and cows. To walk around the entire island takes just an hour and a half. Inland it’s more rural and extremely peaceful. It is, however, more expensive here compared to Bali. I get the impression that most travelers get sucked in fast and end up staying longer than anticipated.
A highlight so far was a day-long snorkeling trip. A glass-bottomed boat took 18 of us to all the surrounding islands, where we got to snorkel at our own leisure. I saw Lion Fish, Moray Eels and three turtles close up, and the corals were amazing. There is such a colourful abundance of life in these warm waters. We stopped for lunch on the beach of Gili Meno, by which point new friendships had been made.
Tomorrow I start diving!
Next: Indonesia 2013: Unda Da Sea
Previously: Indonesia 2013: Panic Attack!
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