To where it all began..

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First time I went to Gili Trawangan when I first visited Lombok to see my dad who was working there. I was 17 years old. Went with my parents to the island we didn’t even stay there. In that short time I realized how much I like it and I must go back there. Since that I regularly went to the Gilis. Once a year, once in two years, everytime I do, they will remember me. The girl from Taman Mini, that’s how they called me. Because I lived near Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, the place that local people of Lombok want to go someday. Some of them been to Japan, Canada, UK and other places when they were in romantic relationships with people from there, but they never been to Taman Mini. “I went to the capital once to take care of the visa after my wedding.” Said Taka, who married a Japanese lady and opened a bungalow at Gili Air.
Their English was so much better than mine, they were always excited talking about Local TV soap operas and the modern capital life they see in tv. They went to Tokyo and lived in some of the biggest cities in the world, why would they mind Jakarta??
I went again with my dad once and stayed about a week at Gili Air. We just relaxed and did nothing on the island. One thing about having a young looking dad was people thought he was my date. How Annoying. I complained and told him to please look older as his age. Now he looks older but still looks younger than his age. That time we people randomly on the island and just hang around and chat with the locals. My dad went to fishing with a local boatman but he didn’t get any fish, he said he almost got a diver instead. The next morning we bought 2 big fish in the morning from the fishermen and grilled it by ourselves. And took them to a restaurant then ordered rice and chilies. It was almost 10 years ago.
Two and a half years since that, after too much home works at university, I spent my last semester living and working at Kuta, the most crowded tourism point of Bali. When I finished my contract and had too much of hedonic fun, it was almost Eid and I just couldn’t stand the packed Kuta. The boss gave me a bit appraisal and I straightly went to a getaway solo longer trip to Lombok. It was 2004, I had 600 thousand rupiah, I spent it for a night at Gili trawangan, then 2 weeks at Gili Air.
Not like Bali, the majority of Lombok people are Muslim. And I went there on the Ramadan month. The first time they invited to me to come to their home for breaking the fast, I told them that I’m a catholic, I wasn’t even fasting. They told me that is not the point, and it wasn’t about me. It was about they practice their religion to welcome everyone and treat them as family to live the peaceful life. So almost every afternoon I went to the center of the island, various houses, to break the fasting I didn’t do. In the morning local people met me at the beach and said “My mom wants you to come over this afternoon to our house, she made a coconut sugar for you.” Or “My daughter was asking why didn’t you break the fast with us last night.”
When I got too tired and fell asleep to join them, the owner of the inn I stayed put local cookies and sweet drinks in front of my room. They shared what they had for breaking the fast.
It was one of the best times I had. To be welcome so well.
It reminds me when I was little our neighbors would send us food everyday at breaking fast time. And my mom asked me to send the food she made on Christmas too. She cooked the food but she bought the cookies. My mom doesn’t make cookies.
Back to the island, it was my first solo trip to go somewhere, but I didn’t feel lonely at all. People at Gili Air were so friendly and sincere. At such a beautiful place with no burden, it probably the best thing you could have for a holiday.
At night they chat with me while I was having my dinner at the beach huts, and after the kids and the girls called me to make shell decorations for the restaurants and the inns, after I think about it now, they really never left me alone.
They had this jungle party every Wednesday night, there the beach boys would introduce me to their foreign girlfriends. They told me I should feel safe there because the local boys just look for foreign girlfriend, I think that make sense because a local girl like me would just bring them to Jakarta. And maybe for them Jakarta is just a place to take care your visa to go somewhere else.
For that two weeks I was so attached to the old people and the children there, because they would be there when other people are working at the restaurants or the inns. Sometimes I met some guys who sail around the world and rest for few days there. Or I would hang out with the girlfriends when their boyfriends were working. I met Tahek’s Japanese girlfriend, Yuka, who had been there for 3 months. She was actually go back to Bali to make money every time she ran out of it. I don’t know how she did. She couldn’t speak English, She already spoke with Sasak local language, I don’t even understand. She also tried to swim several time to Gili Meno from the inn’s beach. I wonder how is she doing now. That girl was really funny. I hang out several time after Gili Air when i went back to Bali, she just wanted to meet at the Reggae Bar everytime I asked her out. What’s that bar name at Legian.. Apache Bar. Hahah. Great time.
I almost cried (maybe I did) the time I leave Gili Air. They arranged so I could come with a boat who was going to shop groceries to the main island. The boat usually used for fishing but in every one or two weeks they took it to Lombok island to buy things for the inns and restaurants around there. Only two crews and me in the boat, how could I not feel special?
Then I went to Lombok three years after that, after I went back to Indonesia from China. Went with friends so I spent most of the time at Gili Trawangan.
After my friends left I decided to check Gili Meno for the first time.
Casablanca was the place I stayed. I got a real cheap deal from the manager, Pak Wayan, who actually is a Balinese. A very kind guy. There I met again with Hajj Boer, the local guy who… I don’t know exactly who he is, he’s not exactly a leader, but he built some places since the beginning, and people from three gilis know him well. With Pak Wayan, we talked much about gilis and Lombok. How it used to be and how it turned out to be. About how they vanished malaria from the islands, Gili Air’s Bugis ancestors, and the long fights to have clean water.
Especially Gili Meno, before the bali bombing, it was the most exclusive island from three gilis. They had 4 stars hotels with own jetty, straight ferries from Nusa Dua in Bali and they have the best beach and underwater too.
That’s what they told me the first time I came to Gilis. Gili Trawangan is for backpackers to party, Gili Air is for romantic couples, and Gili Meno is for people with more money.
The ferry was broken from taking too many people when the bombing panic attacked. Good thing it wasn’t drowning.
Upper class tourists have more consideration about visit the place after the bombing than budget ones, that’s why Gili Trawangan recovered much better than Gili Meno.
It was so obvious when I walked around the island. They cant take care of some of the places anymore. Pessimist about the numbers of tourists. Especially on the other side of the island. Abandoned jetty.
The Bird park was sad too. They probably managed it better few years ago, but when I went there, I hadn’t work for ornithology and didn’t know much about birds that time, but I could see how stressed the birds were. I know they tried their best to take care of them, they shared about limitations to run the place, and it used to not be like that.
I’m not sure how they are doing now but I hope the island recovers fast.
Another thing I found that time, there were so many turtles reservation points. Turtles are cute, I had some turtles satay few times back in Bali, but I’ve promised to not eat it anymore. I don’t eat meat anyway. But I eat seafood. Do you think turtles is seafood? They are endangered seafood probably. Their fights to survive life are not worth to end in a plate anyway.
Most of the local women I met offered to do laundry service. I had enough laundry to do, but too bad my money wasn’t enough to help them. It was upsetting to think about it while I was doing hand laundry.
Gili Meno has the best ambience. The island is so calm, peaceful and beautiful. Underwater was even more beautiful and calm. I snorkel on the west side beach and met a group of giant turtles, and Spanish dancers. I’m still not sure if they were real.
I met a Japanese woman back at Casablanca, she was.. as I remember.. the wife of the owner. Came there to visit from Japan. We talked and she loved it so much when I sang Doraemon’s theme song with Indonesian. She left me a very cute Japanese fan when she left the island.
After a short week at Meno, I hopped to Gili Air because I really missed it. And they still remember me.
Stayed only a night at Legend, I got to see beautiful sunset and beautiful sunrise I had been missing much.
It’s been almost another three years since the last time I went there, now I’m a beginner diver, I’m looking forward for a chance to go back to the islands. So many new places to discover, and more places to be missing for.

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Photos

my private beach
or felt like it

dinner 2004
with Tahek and Taka

after dinner
2004

free ride on the way back
i know, i looked so happy. i was.

welcome drink
from Pak Wayan. For such a cheap rate this is a luxury.

meno beach
from warung yaya hut

the cavern
was a bar dedicated for the beatles, outside the bird park.