Up early and off to taxi to La Lucciola and walked back to Garlic Lane and dropped into Dolphin Leather for a fitting for Leather Motor Bike Jacket. Heavy hide and a good brass zipper. $180 AUD.
I always try and use a driver I met a few years ago. He is on Jalan Melasti at the markets opposite the lane to Champlung. I reckon he looks a bit like Charles Bronson, but Bali style. So, he was there and after all the greetings and how are the families etc... I told him we are flying to Lombok today. ‘Oh, how is taking you?' You are says I. Bagus! OK arranged for him to pick us up in half and hour to get us to the Airport at 11.30am for 12.45pm flight.
Got to the Domestic at just after 11am. All the traffic was still on holiday from Galangan. No probs through security and ticketing, still only had carry on.
Chatted for nearly an hour with a Canadian couple in there 60's. The amount of out of the way places they had been to in Indonesia was pretty phenomenal. Really interesting to talk to.
Flight call and down to the bus on the Tarmac, was given a parcel on the way of small water and what turned out to be a sweet bun with icing and peanut butter in the middle. What the ........?
25 minute flight and only got to 7000 feet. Good view and lovely day.
A bit of a scrum at the terminal at Mataram, transport and accommodation etc...
Out the front and we are looking for Mohamed's brother. We figure he will find us as we stick out like sore thumbs as the only Westerners on that flight.
The bro is no show,,,,,,, ring Mohamed in Bali, oh dear says he, ring you back Ray. ‘Hi Ray, bro delayed' No probs says I we get Taxi instead..
50K for taxi from Mataram to Senggigi, nice friendly driver, my mate and he just spoke motor bike stuff for half and hour.
Lina Hotel as recommended by a friend was 100k between us for a Twin room with AC and cold water. Very basic room, food in restaurant was good, beer was coldddd!
The Hotel organised motor bike hire for a couple days, they hirer delivered the bikes and off we went to find Pusuk Pass and the Monkey Forest.
Up the coast in a northerly direction. Virtually no traffic to speak of, very good roads and the scenery was beautiful. Saw the 3 Gilis off the coast (our destination in a few days) and chucked a right on the road to Pusuk Pass.
Lombok in general really does not have much infrastructure to tourist. Ie ... rarely see a sign to say which town you are in/or going to, only saw a couple of supermarkets, no circle k's that's for sure. So needed to have the eyes peeled for stores with water and fuel. Speaking a bit of Indonesian was a huge, huge help.
Beautiful winding road up to the Pass, which was the main reason for going there, not the Monkeys. They were there but didn't notice that many.
The nice Polisi at the road block gave us a very though scrutiny and our documents, all was in order. The young Officer was very, very serious, but said off you go.
About to go and another older Officer stopped us from going, and said have you been checked, yes said I, by who said he. That guy over there said I, off he goes to talk to the wrong guy and looks a bit p*ssed off thinking I am trying to pull the wool over his eyes.
No, no not him and take him over the guy I meant, all's OK and smiles from him and we go, before they think of something else.
The Pass road takes us back to Mataram and thankfully between us we remember how to get to Senggigi again. 3 hours is too long without a beer. So beer and Gado Gado it is at the Lina.
Started talking to a local guy who happens to run a Bar called Berry's, rocked up there after dinner and had a few beers and went onto Arak Made. Very strong and very nice. 3 of those and we definitely were feeling the effects.
Wobble off up the street, paid 25K for the privilege of getting or ears mashed by a choreographed techno band that had about 4 singers all taking it turns to do numbers and dance routines. As it turns out we catch up with one of the male singers on Gili T a few days later.
Across the road back to Lina and chat to staff and few other odd bodies before hitting the sack.
Long day indeed. AC works really well.
Cheers,
Ray