Gili Islands!

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Gili Islands. I have been to the Gili's before, but could not stop myself from returning. Gili Trawangan is a quiet little island with no cars or mopeds, lots of restaurants and guesthouses, and even more diving. Joanna started her advanced course here and I dove in the afternoons after reading my book all morning. Had fresh seafood every night for dinner by candlelight right on the ocean. Not a bad way to spend your 3 year anniversary! Manta Dive was our dive shop and was equipped with beer fridge and hammocks when you weren't diving! Oh yes! Did some great dives around the islands, even a night dive, as was Joanna's first. Saw some huge turtles sleeping on the coral wall. Nearly ran into a turtle when I descended. You can only see where your light points so kinda neat and creepy at same time! Watch out turtles. Lots of fun though.

The real pain in the ass is getting here. There are expensive options like direct boats and such. We don't like easy though. Hard way all the way. Nope we took the 5 hr ferry across to Lombok, then bartered our way into, nope not a taxi, into some guys truck who had been going that way, so we just paid his fuel basically. Still had to barter hard. Went thru Monkey forest on way, kinda cool. He dropped us at the Gili docks though which was nice. They still try to run the same scams here, fake tickets and such. The real tickets are at the dock, not the roadside outside!! Then a short boat trip across. It's Bintang time!!

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