Finally with our visa extensions all sorted we leave Kuta, Bali on the 23rd December just in time for Christmas and a Christmas Eve birthday party via the fishing village of Pandangbai, ready to catch the Gili Cat fast boat to the island of Gili Trawangan that is situated on the north east of Lombok. The fast boat took two hours, skimming off the oceans waves like a rollercoaster while getting soaked through the side doors. Arriving on dry land couldn’t have happened sooner.
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| The Gili Cat |
We arrived with a nice surprise as our Indian travel buddies Danny and Kathryn were waiting for us and returning the favour of Delhi airport armed with a welcome sign. Even though we knew that being away from home for Christmas was going to be tough, from the minute we stepped foot onto Gilli Trawangan there was a feeling and an atmosphere that told us we were in the right place and were going to have a ball. The island was a paradise with beautiful white beaches and clear turquoise waters that looked across towards the island of Gili Meno. It was the ideal spot after the mayhem of Kuta, with sandy lanes and no motorised traffic just bicycles and horse and carts.
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| The Welcoming Committee |
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| This will do nicely for Christmas 2010 |
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| See no hint of traffic! |
It was surprising just how much accommodation was still available for the Christmas season because everything that we had heard on our travels suggested that you had to book ahead and early to make sure you had somewhere to sleep. Against our better judgement we did pre-book and the first night didn’t quite work out. Too many cockroaches needed evacuating from the room. This worked out for the best as we found some amazing accommodation on the second morning at Pondok Guest House. A brand new beach house with an amazing tropical garden bathroom and it was a ten second walk to the beach. This would do us nicely for the next four nights.
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| Accomodation numero uno-Not so good those pesky cockroaches |
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| Now this is more like it |
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| Check out the tropical bathroom! |
Christmas Eve turned out to be a blast, a day full of birthday celebrations for Danny. We enjoyed breakfast on the beach with plenty of surprise presents for him to open. This was followed by some much needed beach time and swimming before spending the afternoon cycling around the island and what a beautiful paradise island full of idyllic views and lunch spent in bamboo huts overlooking the ocean. The bike ride was tough in places with most of the road or path being deep sand which meant some pushing was involved. A cold beer was definitely required and there seemed like no better place than sitting at a pool bar. The evening birthday dinner was a nice contrast from the relaxing day where the small village seemed to wake up. We ate seafood BBQ before it was time to hit the bars.
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| Danny's Birthday Underway |
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| You look happy with that lad. Stick it on your new Oz bedroom wall |
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| Good spot for lunch one thinks |
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| Exercising on your Birthday really! |
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| Gili T just a stunningly beautiful island |
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| Happy Birthday to you! Now let the fun commence... |
An amazing night out followed with less beer and more spirits and cocktails for once. The local rum was well and truly out at the Reggae Bar which was packed and had a free raffle. Now to set the scene Kate and I never win anything, but that was about to change. With three prizes up for grabs and my number not looking to come out my ticket was screwed up and deposited on the floor. This is when it got interesting the next number out sounded a little like the one I was momentarily holding and it was. Fishing around on the floor the ticket was retrieved and with the four of us well and truly away on the rum a big roar was followed by me making my way to the stage to collect my winnings. The prize ended up being a Heineken beer t-shirt of all things, it must have been fate. Now hold onto your hats it gets more interesting. Before I had got back to my seat the next number came out and Kate had the winning number. Now people were beginning to think this was a fix. Especially when in the whole bar we were the only four cheering and getting into the Christmas spirit. Off Kate went to get her prize which was a free Christmas dinner for two people. Now that was a prize and what a great start to the Christmas holidays. It was time to leave the Reggae Bar after cutting some shapes to the live Reggae Band and on to Rudy’s and then the Irish Bar. Things got a little out of hand with Danny and Kathryn dancing in the street to the Macarne and Kate deciding to jig to Gasolina. Enough said 4 o’clock in the morning a Merry Christmas in deed but time to sleep once we had stopped for some male skinny dipping (No Pictures). A good day and night had by all, Happy Birthday to Miser Marsh.
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| It was time for a local rum, a squeeze of fresh lime and sprite |
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| 3rd Raffle Prize, Beer T-Shirt & I didn't know what I did after this night... |
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| My new motto thanks to Heineken & it should be yours as well |
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| Can you believe it. Kate takes 2nd Prize in a matter of seconds |
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| Marshy couldn't believe it! |
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| I wonder how Christmas Eve/Danny's Bday 2010 was going to end. Great Night |
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| The end was getting close now |
A little hung over on Christmas Day which is a first for me but two breakfasts later and Secret Santa presents opened, we all felt much better and what a clever guy Father Christmas is. Not at home and he can still find where you are. What a legend!
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| Hangover Breakfast Number 2 & Father Christmas Found Us |
A sunny, hot beautiful day was spent chilling on the beach, which was a little strange especially when for once England was a White Christmas. We decided that the best hangover cure would be some adrenaline and this came aboard the exhilarating flying fish water sport. The banana is nothing compared to this beast, the four of us being dragged behind a high powered speed boat while gripping onto an inflatable round disc for dear life. Absolutely brilliant and hangover cured. With a free Christmas Dinner to look forward to the four of us managed to Skype family and Facebook friends before heading back to the Reggae Bar for the raffle prize dinner. We should have known better. We didn’t actually win a Christmas dinner. No Christmas dinner on Christmas day that was yesterday before the raffle. How silly of us. Never mind. We left and ended up eating at the Beach House Restaurant which was lovely. Perfect setting, service, Mojito cocktails and roast chicken dinner. The closest we could get. Two great days but we called it a night after dinner, still feeling the effects from the previous night.
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| Merry Christmas. A little strange being on a beach |
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| Cocktails all round |
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| Christmas Tree just makes it |
Boxing Day turned out to be a relaxing affair, pretty much like being at home apart from the beach and reef snorkelling. It was a day of more food, a few more beers, Bintang of course and an evening film at the Perfect Life Cinema which was brilliant. A little cinema set up on bean bags and cushions while serving boxes of popcorn. I can tell you that this place was popular and the film finished just in time to catch some live Boxing Day football at the Irish Pub. Pretty much a perfect Christmas away from home even though we missed family and friends massively, and being with friends from back home definitely helped.
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| Boxing Day Snorkelling |
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| Boxing Day Movie & it really is A Perfect Life |
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| Boxing Day Football-What more do you really need |
So to wrap Gili Trawangan up the next couple of days were spent saying a second farewell to the nearly Marsh’s as they were making their way to Australia to live and work and Kate and I got ready for our New Year three day boat trip from Lombok to Flores Hunting for Komodo Dragon’s. Christmas had been great fun with some funny memories but you just can’t help missing a traditional Christmas Dinner, cheese board, good wine and a pantomime.
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| Bye Guys see you in Sydney in 6 months |
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