Flock into Lombok

July 27th 2010

"If you want to go to Bali, I'll come along. What can you get in Lombok?" said a friend to me.

"What can you get in Lombok?? Lombok is so beautiful!" I replied.

"Yes, it's beautiful, because you are a photographer," she said

I was dumbfounded. Is Lombok's beauty for photographers only? I had always thought that the difference about beauty to a photographer and to a non-photographer was that a photographer captures the beauty in a memory card and anon-photographer captures the beauty in a human brain. If a photographer can feel soft white sand under his feet, can't a non-photographer feel it also? If a photographer can have fun boating from one island to another, can't a non-photographer have the same fun also? If a photographer can adventure climbing the mountain, can't a non-photographer adventure, too? Ah, the life of a photographer must be a fun and exciting life, then.

I became more determined to go to Lombok. Why is everyone so Bali-minded? Is Bali all about Indonesia? Let me show you.

Suddenly I felt like checking on Garuda Indonesia's website. There's nothing to loose anyway. I entered August 14th for departure date and August 16th for return date, for Jakarta - Denpasar return, because there was no selection for "Mataram" in the website.

Hey! There's a promotion fare. But, not for first flight in the morning. I rescheduled. Departure date, August 13th. And... yes! Last flight on August 13th and last flight on August 16th, Jakarta - Denpasar return, total fare 821.000 IDR!! Can you believe that? I scrolled up and down the screen to make sure it was a return fare.

It was passed 12 midnight. I sent an instant message to Frank asking whether he would like to go to Lombok. His answer was instant: Yes!

That midnight I proceeded with booking Merpati Airline tickets for Denpasar - Mataram return.

Based on Insight Guide Bali Lombok and the information from Tamasya Magazine late edition with Lombok as its main theme, also the helpful information from Dina who had just returned from Lombok a month ago, I drew my own itinerary.

FYI, August 13th is Friday and August 17th is Indonesia's Independence Day. August is also considered as high season, I was told, because it's summer holiday in many parts of the world. Thus, there's a big chance that foreign tourists will flock into Lombok.

I was desperate when I couldn't get to book a hotel. Everywhere I read "full booked". I had came to a point where I didn't mind how much to pay for a room, 1 night in Kuta and 1 night in Gili Air. I choose Kuta for the sake of being close to Tanjung Aan. Gili Air, according to Dina, was the moderate less party island among the three gilis: Trawangan, Meno, and Air. Dina recommended Sunrise Hotel, because to shoot the sun rising was just steps away from the hotel's door step.

At last I got Tastura Hotel through Agoda. I already gave up for Sunrise Hotel, but something in me urged me to keep on searching the net. "Why don't you pray?" I heard a voice.

I realized that I had never asked God's help for finding me a place in Sunrise Hotel. So I prayed and started browsing again. It was in someone's blog that I saw the direct phone number of Sunrise Hotel. I stretched out for my cell phone. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard, "Yes, it's Sunrise Hotel here."

You know what? There were exactly only 2 rooms left!! Praise the Lord!!

The next thing was booking a car rent, because I don't want to waste time searching for the right public transportation and thus might miss a golden moment for photography. 500.000 IDR for an Avanza icluding driver & gas for 12 hours. Fine.

Now, I am ready to join the flock to Lombok.