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Published: June 22nd 2008
Welcome to Paradise
I know this says Bali Lombok, but when I look at this picture it may as well say welcome to paradise. That is what this place was.You've seen it on television. They show pictures of it in magazines. You then dream of going to a place like it. Maybe at this point you have been fortunate enough in your life to find that special place... paradise. Paradise can mean so many different things for different people. It could be a quiet place in your home, a peaceful view from the top of Mt. Tam, a quiet dinner in a unique part of the city.... but the paradise I'm talking about here is the stereotypical white sandy beach, quiet, isolated, amazing sunset, inspiring sunrise, banyan trees, coconut groves, water that gives you a new appreciation of the blue spectrum of color... paradise.
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May 26th - 7:30am (Laying in a Hammock on the front porch of my cottage)
The soft light wakes me up and the cool air against my naked skin is a welcomed novel sensation. The east of movement, the result of good rest and healthy living is inspiring. Rooster crowing, cows mooing, the sound of distant waves crashing are all that accompany the gentle sway of my hammock and me. Pages turn effortlessly in my book, mental clarity early in the morning… a
I arrive by night
I travel day that started at 6am when my shuttle picked me up (only 3 hours after I had left Ocean Beach Club the night before) end when I arrived on Gili Air after sunset on this small boat. terrific departure from the fog of last week. The low rising sun off the eastern island shore, the cool air, the waves still crashing… each call me towards the beach. One hundred paces, even and balanced. A woman sweeps around her beachside bar and café. Stroking nice lines in the sand, clearing sticks and leaves from the wind of the night before. Preparing for a new day, like before, but still new with the possibility of different experience. My back leans against he hard bamboo beach chair, my left arm hoisting my book up so the suns bright rays are shaded from my eyes. Again the pages turn effortlessly, one by one. My empty churning stomach beckons me back to the hammock where I’ll await my pre-arranged glass of hot water to mix my morning coffee. The neighbors are moving, the sounds of a new day beginning for them. English accents come from beyond a small grouping of shrubs; hanging cloths shelters their porch. Dad and his daughter talk, nothing of great importance, but the words are a ritual and give some stability to the new day. Dad walks in front of my view; I’m engaged in my book but
First Accomodation
I spent two nights at Paradiso Bungalows. This was my porch and I really didn't like this place at all. They were charging me too much, the guy running the place was always trying to sell me a hammock after I told him I wasn't interested, and their were serious bug problems, I won't go into details for the squeamish readers. give a warm glance and hello. Following him back to his cottage a minute later is the owner with his morning coffee. “Hot water Sir? “Yes Please.” I’m craving the first smells, senses, and tastes, of my morning brew. A cow makes another loud moo. The water arrives, and I mix the perfect blend of Nescafe and Dancow powdered milk. One heaping spoonful of Dancow goes directly into my mouth and the dry powder immediately moistens into a wet paste that slides around my teeth and down the back of my throat. I was down the rest with a sip of coffee. My eyes try to find the pages o my book but this morning coffee and the surrounding require and deserve my fullest attention. A few more workers are moving about the grounds now, emerging here and there from behind the garden of flowers, trees, and low bushes. The English father/daughter team takes up conversation next door with my English neighbor who appears to be solo. A strong scent of clean hits my nose and I cannot place the smell. But I welcome it. It is like an aromatic flower permeating my entire surroundings and everywhere I turn the
Gili Menu
That is Gili Menu in the distance, the next Island over in the chain of three that make up the popular Gili Island, located just off the Northwest coast of Lombok. smell is available. The meeting next door continues and ultimately ends when breakfast is ordered by all parties and they retreat to their respective cottages to enjoy the options of eggs & toast, fresh fruit, and pancakes. Insects buzz by my face, land on my skin, fly overhead, and add to the symphony of sounds that make up this morning. Down the walkway there is construction happening. Hammers pound, saw cutting, sanders sanding… none of it seems obtrusive or offensive. None is misplaced against this serene backdrop. In fact it is only reassuring that even in paradise the work must go on, people labor, life is not stagnant. She is sweeping, scrubbing, and preparing the now vacant room for the next guests whom I have overheard to be French. Three young English backpackers have left this morning, moving on to their next adventure. They have left nothing behind but a small mess that is soon to be clean and occupied by French people. The grass in front of me is a flurry of activity. Small butterflies or maybe moths are fluttering around with great purpose. It all appears to be a dance, with the grass playing host to this party.
Sand Art
OK... a little cheezy... I know. There were thousands of pieces of bright white dead coral and they were perfect for decorating the sand. On my first evening as I watched the sunset I got a little creative. The sky in view could not be clearer. Devoid of clouds, pollution, and the sun, all I can see is infinite blue. A couple tall coconut palms paint the blue backdrop and decorate the canvas for my eyes. Red, pink, purple, and white flowers dot the sea of green that stretches from the steps of my porch to the distance. This morning paints the picture of relaxation and paradise that I have experience time and again the last few days.
A day in the life of Gili Air (as experienced by Marcus Filly on May 27th)
It is a new day, a great day. It is 6:30am when my eyes open to the light of the new day. No alarm clock needed, just the natural rhythms of my body. The mental cloud of the last week is lifted and it is encouraging me. I walk outside of my cottage, a nice one-room place, thatched roof, and private bathroom, bamboo furniture, private porch and the necessary hammock. I lay down in the hammock and I’m called out to the beach by the sound of some gentle waves and early morning sunrays. I read my book and return to
Sunset 1
I may go a little overboard with the sunset photos in this blog but it is only because every evening they were different and magnificent. my hammock shortly in hopes of my morning coffee delivery. It comes and I drink up all the goodness that is Nescafe & Dancow. I take an opportunity to write a sensual account of my morning. I’m experimenting with description and am really enjoying writing. This is a major breakthrough for me. Writing has taken an interest in me, and me to writing. I should be and I am so grateful for this. The coffee is gone, my journaling is done for a bit, and it is time to get down to the morning exercise program. I usually do some sort of anaerobic training session in the morning that combines some different bodyweight exercise and tries to complete a certain number of repetition and sets in as short a time period as possible. In other words I follow Crossfit. The workout today is as follows.
10 Rounds for time
20 Single leg squats
20 Push ups
20 Single leg hip raises
20 Sit ups
Time: 29min 50sec
That was a brutal workout, one of the hardest I have done in a while, but I was feeling good this morning and when the body is
ready to work I let it do its thing. After I finish my workout and have built up a really good sweat it is time to take my morning walk around Gili Air. Gili Air is a tiny Island. To walk around the entire thing takes less than an hour if you walk fast. It has also taken me as long as 3 hours when I slowed way down and stopped to take in the views, chat with people, and watch the sunset. But it is morning and this is part of my daily movement so I just plan on walking, saying hello to people as I pass, and enjoying the calm, quiet peace that is Gili Air. On most of these walks I let myself get lost in thought. I find myself taking many opportunities this morning to say hello and good morning to locals. On the way around I watch an older man who has the body of a fit 20 something year old fish with a net in hand. But for the most part this walk is really about just being with me, mediating, thinking, and processing the last 2 and half months. Each time around I
Sunset 2
The sun is framed by the clouds and Gili Menu in this one. end up having sort of theme that I think about. Today I decide that I really love to write. I want to write books, maybe about my experience in medical school, or the process of getting in. I also think of how I would like to travel and interview people I meet from different cultures. How I want to ask them all question that are relevant to my life in America and see how they respond. Then I contemplate what background questions all my interviewees should be asked to help place their varying responses to tough questions. What will give their responses context? The whole thought process is compelling me further into interview design.
Soon enough my thoughts drift somewhere else and next thing I know I’m back from my walk and the lady working the shop on the corner comments on how fast I made it around. I walk directly down to the beach and slip off my shoes and socks. I head straight for the water and take a plunge in the cool ocean. Floating for just a few minutes, my body cools down and my mind, body and spirit catch up with one another. Up on
Early Morning
From my bungalow, the second one I stayed at, the beach was only 50 meters away. This is what the beach looked like early in the morning just after sunrise. I stayed on the east side of the island and could catch the sunrise every morning. the beach I go through a series of stretches and then head back up to the room where I clean up and gather enough stuff for my day out. Down at the beach I stop in at the Corner Bar and Restaurant and order myself fresh BBQ snapper for Brunch. I take my seat at a table surrounded by pillows, shaded by a thatched umbrella, and overlooking the beach and ocean. I have views of Lombok in the distance. Here I write and enjoy paradise. The food arrives with an apology from the chef for the long wait. I say “no problem” because I don’t know how to convey to him that waiting here for his food was some of the most enjoyable time I have spent waiting for food in my entire life. The food is equally as good as the atmosphere and the day. A perfectly grilled whole snapper that has been painted repeatedly with garlic infused coconut oil is served along side a plate of fresh raw veggies and a side of Lombok chili/tomato sauce that makes a perfect sauce to the fish. Each bite goes down better than the last one. With the last lick of
Lunchtime
Just down from my bungalow was also my Lunch spot every day. Right here from this bamboo table I could look out on the ocean, see Mt. Rinjani, Lombok. my plate a smile washes over my face.
After I pay for lunch it is time to walk down to the Zipp Bar. This happens to be the name of the restaurant/bar that sits right at the corner of the best daytime beach on Gili Air. I say the best daytime beach because it is sandy bottom beach far enough out that you can swim and not worry about killing coral. It is deep enough that you can actually swim, not just wade. The beach is widest here and the restaurants that make up the background play great music all day, have super friendly people working them, and you are never too far away from a cold drink or snack. On this particular day it is busy down here at the beach, but the spot I have been using every day is vacant and is all mine. I tune out the noise. All I hear are the pleasant beats that my man Diddy at the bar has selected for the day, some Latin funk sounds. The only disturbing thing about the morning is the strange beeping noise I hear which I presume is coming from the stereo. It is
My Lunch
Every day I had two meals, Lunch and Dinner, of fresh seafood. They fish the local waters and BBQ up fresh fish every day. I always had a whole fish, raw salad, and a side of Lombok chili sauce for the fish. Fresh squeezed lime added the right accent to the grilled fish flavors. so unpredictable and infrequent that I constantly look around to try and determine its location and origin. I never settle this dispute in my head. At one point the thought of a motioned censored bomb enters my brain. How silly the mind can be. I lay back on my bamboo beach chair with my sarong wrapped around my head and my sunglasses overlaying the sarong. My face is covered, my eyes are shaded and I relax into a nice tanning session. Except for the weird beep. Where the shit is that coming from? I give up again. Maybe I’m the only one who hears it. Could that be? Are my senses that heightened?
Minutes, maybe hours later, not quite sure, I decide to get back in the water and stretch my body on the shore. It feels good to move in ways that my body once knew. I’m reintroducing my physical body to old movements that have been hard to reach lately. At some point the sun, shadows, and internal clock tell me that it is time to retreat to shade and have my afternoon snack. The omelet I order is better today than it was yesterday. Today I
Diving
I went on two separate fun dives while on Gili Air. For 30 US dollars I got to scuba dive. The experience was so different from my Koh Tao certification. I was the only diver, I had two dive masters with me, a boat all to ourselves, and we went at our own pace. My dives were to depths of 25meters, each about an hour long. I also got to experience the joy of diving in a current. You just let the current move you. Floating freely like you are in space. Magnificent. asked for them to serve it to me with some Lombok chili sauce. The sauce is familiar and nice. I gobble this down and sip an iced tea with lime squeezed into it. During my snack session the Dream Divers (scuba dive company on the island) boat returns from their afternoon dive and it confirms for me that the time is just what I thought it was. So after I relax, letting my meal settle in my stomach, I decide that I’ll walk around the island again, slower this time and look for a place to sit and watch the sunset. On my walk around the island I stop to use the worlds slowest Internet. It takes me almost 1 hour to write my parents and email. But you got to keep the family in the loop, that is a must on the travel circuit and I am happy to take any length of time out of my day to do that. When I get back to the joys of walking there is little time to dilly-dally, as the sun is minutes from setting. I do make it around the bend in time to capture some final setting moments. I
Dive Masters
These were the two dive masters I went out diving with. The one on the ground was my guide. He is from Lombok and the other guy is German. spend most days on the Eastern shores of Gili Air and the evenings walking around the Western shores to catch the sunset. Internet is on the east side, so I almost missed the sunset. The sunset is spectacular tonight as it is most night I’m here. It is always different. I’m so inspired by this day and so excited that my Mother is coming to join me in one week. I can’t wait to share this Island with her, sit and watch this sunset with her.
I keep up my pace and circumnavigate the island. But the sun has been down a half hour now and the other side of the island is dark. But with only one way to go I’m not about to get lost, and walking without any light is fun and exciting. Soon enough I am back on the east side of the island where there are many shops and restaurants. This means enough lights to see the path clearly again. I drop off my things at my cottage and clean up just a little bit before heading back down to the Corner Bar for dinner. I usually don’t here twice a day but because
Local Boys
The local youth playing on one of the many fishing boats in the late afternoon. I walked around the Island in the morning and late afternoon every day and it would always bring me great joy to see these kids playing games in the water. of my long Internet session it is later than I would like to not have started dinner and I can’t be bothered to walk the extra 10 minutes to my normal dinner spot. So I settle on the freshly caught that day parrot fish for dinner. I also request a larger plate of veggies this time and all the food comes out perfectly. I let the meal settle into my belly as I listen to the waves slap against the beach, Jack Johnson tunes play on the bar stereo, and the gentle breeze cool me off. The time is somewhere around 8:30 or 9:00pm and for me that means bedtime. When the body is tired I am letting it sleep. Back in my room I lay down and listen to some beautiful Jai Uttal tunes on my iPod before falling into a deep sleep.
If you are reading this and thinking to yourself that you should plan a trip to Gili Air right away then I completely agree. It is perfect for couples, families, friends, and of course the lonely solo traveler. You can live on less then 20 dollars a day easily and for 30 or 40
Father/Son Fishing Team
I watched as this Father and Son pair fished on the west shores of Gili Air just before sunset. you can have a blasty blast. I spent two of my days there going on afternoon scuba dives with Dream Divers. This was a sweet deal. For 30 dollars you basically are renting your own gear, boat, dive master, and boat team to take you diving. On both days I was the only person who went diving with two dive masters to show me around. The dive sites were terrific and the visibility was superb. I got to go at my own pace. It was a very nice change from the dive certification course I did on Koh Tao. If you are not up for diving then the snorkeling is world class. For 2 dollars you can rent a mask and fins for the whole day. Or you could hop on a glass bottom boat and tour around the three Gili islands, stopping at various snorkel spots along the way. If some trekking is what you are after, then Mt Rinjani on Lombok is a short boat ride away and you can trek up to the top the volcano in 3 days and 2 nights. The options for entertainment are endless here. But the real beauty of Gili Air is
Stripped
The beaches were generally empty for sunset. So much sand and so few people you could almost always find a place to be alone. I set up here for the sunset, all my things spread out to mark the territory. how little you need to be completely content in this place. I just outlined a day in the life for you and it consisted of walking, lying on a beach, swinging in a hammock, writing in a journal, and eating. I was spent by the end of the day and I felt so fulfilled. I woke up inspired and went to sleep feeling the same way. People on the island made me smile and engaged me in conversations. The Island gave my mind room to expand and create. I’ve never felt this creative in my whole life.
It isn’t really a sales pitch that I’m trying to give here. I can’t tell you what paradise is. In fact I would encourage everyone to go out and find his or her own paradise. Define for yourself what constitutes paradise. Where do you get inspired? It doesn’t have to be just one place. I can think of several places that a paradise, Gili Air is just one. The whole time I have been away I have been visiting places that have left a particular impression on my that is different than what others have told me about that place. Why is
A piece of home
Hannah bear... a picture of my lovely niece traveled the world with me. Photos of home can lift your spirits when you are down, help start conversation when language is a barrier, or make for great photos like this one on Gili Air. that? Because I am an important piece to the puzzle of what will make and define my experience. Remove me and it is just a place. Put me their and all of the sudden you have experience. Since we are all so different and pleasantly unique, then each one of us will add a different piece tot hat puzzle of experience. Make each place your own.
I love you all very deeply and completely
Marcus
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