Summer Vacation: Bali & Gilis part #1

Hey world,

Few days ago I promised you to tell a story about my summer vacation. Here we go! 😀

When I was in England, I missed the sun very much. So, my friends and I started planning for summer vacation around April or May and our destination had been decided: Gili Islands. I had not been there before and one of my friend’s family, Audi, has a accommodation there. It is called Omah Gili.

Since I had to finish my degree before going home and of course, travel back home was such a long and exhausting trip, I decided to meet them there (They departed before me and spent some wonderful time in Lombok). It was a huge festive around the country (Eid Mubarak) and the transportation tickets were skyrocketed and I had to find some alternatives. So, Instead of buying Jakarta-Lombok return ticket, I bought Jakarta-Bali return ticket. Jakarta-Bali is usually cheaper than Jakarta-Lombok because the flights are more frequent. However, you should consider the fast boat price too. In my opinion, fast boat is the best option because for IDR 650,000 (Should be IDR 550,000 on low season) they provide pick-up service from your hostel/hotel to the harbor and vice versa. Otherwise, you have to pay around IDR 300,000 if you take taxi from the Ngurah Rai airport to Padang Bai harbor (please take into account that Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak are not too far from Ngurah Rai airport).

Oh, additional information regarding fast boat services:

1. Fast boat depends on the nature and it is something you can’t fight. Few days before I departed from Jakarta, the fast boat service told me that the weather and the sea were really bad and all the fast boat services were not allowed to go in the afternoon. My first plan was ruined. I supposed to be picked up at the airport by the fast boat service straight to the harbor and took the boat to cross in the afternoon. So, I changed my plan and stayed in Bali for a night. That was not a bad idea, I got to meet my friend’s family, Jojo, we had Ayam Betutu for dinner, It’s typical food from Bali, yum! Finally a proper chili 😀

The fast boat service told me that I had to be ready before 7am, I texted the contact person, and finally the pick up service came around 7.30 -.-“. My precious sleeping time… In the minibus, I chatted with one guy from San Sebastian, Spain. He went around Indonesia with his partner (he said pareja instead of novia). He told me that he preferred Ubud over Kuta and Seminyak. Ubud is more Balinese with paddy fields around you. So peaceful, while Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak is more touristy and lively. He also said that the traffic in Indonesian is amazing, people drive crazily, but he has hardly seen any accident and as we saw a police in the crowded traffic, he said ‘Mira! la policia no hace nada’ 😀 😀

In the boat, I sat next to one Italian who studies in Singapore. We had a conversation in English. He asked where I come from and how many days I would spend in Gili. It turned out that he went to Bali for few days and Gili for spear fishing. Once I felt I was not in Indonesia. Where was I again? :). The weather was so rubbish and the tides were so high. We stopped chatting as the boat movement got worse and all you could do were fighting your headache and nausea, and pray perhaps…

2. Make sure your fast boat can take you to the right Gili! :D. I supposed to arrived at Gili Air, but since my friend, Varian, was the one who bought a ticket for me, he didn’t pay attention that much. The fast boat that I took only goes to Gili Trawangan, so I had to take another boat. There are several options and people there always try to rob you. For example, you can rent a a private boat, you can wait for hop on-hop off boat that costs around IDR 30,000 but only departs twice a day: 10am and 16pm. Unfortunately, I departed at Gili Trawangan around 11.30am and I was so fu**kin’ tired. I just wanted to meet my friends and rest). So, I smuggled myself into another fast boat that would go to Gili Air. My one and only fault was I asked for the price before I got into the boat and they charged me IDR 100,000 (LADRONES!) I bargained, but the guy was angry and scolded me, in Bahasa of course, but more or less like this: if you want to get into the boat, just pay, don’t talk too much. What a bastard. When I got into the boat I told them that I would be off at Gili Air and the crews said: OK, pay IDR 50,000 (It was half the price I paid! -.-” JODER). I was pissed! so I yelled: “They charged me IDR 100,000 before. Liars!” with one intention: so they would fight over the money when they knew their friends got IDR 100,000 from me. Bastards. Muahahahahaha *evil laugh*, but anyway, I had to let it go, there was no way those people ruining my summer holidays 🙂 :). I sat on the deck, enjoy the magnificent view and of course, the sun. Zen…

As we reach the beach of Gili Air, the boat was slower down and I could wait to meet my friends, Audi and Lieke were there. in the harbor. picked me up.

Finally, Omah Gili, Gili Air…