Bali to Gili Meno

The hotel we stayed at on Bali was exceptional. The open-air lobby opened to a quaint infinity pool. Behind the pool was the stone path that led to the rooms. The path was lined with very healthy, thick beautiful foliage.

It was time for us to leave Bali. Today we travel to the Gili Islands. We've booked passage aboard a speed boat to take us from Serangan on Bali to Gili Trawangan via Padangbai (Bali), Teluk Nare (Lombok) and Gili Air. The boat ride was splendid as we hopped from wave to wave. The views of the green islands and ocean vistas was literally breathtaking, but that may have been due to our speed powered by four heavy duty outboard motors. The boat ride took three hours and two minutes. They served sponge cake and water.

Once we arrived on Gili Trawangan we had to find transportation to Gili Mano. After some negotiating we hired a small boat and driver (both were small) to take us the short distance across the strait. It became clear to us pretty quick that the seven of us, plus two boat operators, plus are luggage was over the recommended payload for the small boat. The ten minute ride to Mano was borderline terrifying. During the ride the boat lurched so excessively a couple of times that I thought we were done for. I actually thought "this could be the way I die."

Alas, we made it. We were dropped off beach side, bags in hand, all looking stunned we had survived. There are no automobiles on the Gili Islands. There are horse-drawn taxis, but that's the extent of Gili public transportation. We walked for a bit looking for our hotel. News of our arrival had spread as someone came to find us to escort us down the path to our bungalow resort.

Life here is very simple. There are limited activities. The island is so small we keep seeing the same few people (tourists and locals.) It's extremely slow paced and  relaxing.

After a relaxing lunch, of fried noodles, we followed the beach around half the island.

After some more relaxing back at the bungalows Matt, Amy, Mike and I went in search of massages. We had no luck. We had to settle for watching the sun set on the beach. We sat on the beach for quite some time before finding a place for dinner. The restaurant we choose had fresh fish displayed that had just been pulled from the Indian Ocean.