Information re: Kuta, Lombok is at the end of this blog scroll down. If you were influenced by this info or have had similar experiences, please leave a comment.
Well today is the end of my nearly 2 months of holidays…It’s been a journey of ups, downs, and deep pitfalls…and in truth 2 months is really too long to be on the road or in the air…ya I know poor me…I am leaving Canada tomorrow early morning with a connecting flight from Vancouver to S Korea. I will be in the air for 15 hours but the total travel time to get home is approx 24 hrs, so I leave Toronto at 9am Monday and arrive Tuesday home in Suncheon, S Korea around 11:30 pm.
Quick rundown of where I’ve been this holiday….
Bali/Lombok, Indonesia Jan 13 – 23rd
Gold Coast, Australia, Sydney, Jan 23rd – Feb 8th
Bali Indonesia Feb 8-9th
S Korea
Canada Feb 17th – March 3rd.
Highlights of my trip..seeing friends, Deb, Nick and Frankie, family (neice, nephew, sister, brother in law, Grandma, Mom and Dad, old friends (Julie), new friends, and friends I haven’t seen in a very very long time (Kelly in Squamish B.C.). Travelling with Virginia, shopping, Police escorts, funny looking old ladies, 5 star resorts to Virginia and myself. Singing on the front of the boat to Lombok with the locals at dusk with the boat to myself except the staff. Jessica’s climbing light in the power outage in a mega thunderstorm…..Bintang on the honour system. Honda 100cc motorbikes..the Grotto at Alang Alang, Sengigi, Lombok.
Lowlights…hot, cold weather, Mataram, Lombok where I nearly got arrested on the motor bike for a minor traffic violation…and the Oscar goes to…Virginia!!!, rain, walking on eggshells, being watched, Virginia leaving early.
Pitfall…Kuta Lombok, Jan 18th 08, Virginia and I were robbed by machete wielding bandits on our motorbike, we were forced off the bike and a bag was cut off of Virginia, a camera was stolen, We came through with only scrapes bruises and shattered nerves and are ok, but, we were only 1 of 4 robberies we knew of in a week. 2 other friends had their hotel rooms broken into and possesions were stolen 1 while he was asleep in his room, and there was report of another. Women take caution, do not go out alone there. After I arrived home it was reported an entire group of trekkers going up the volcano in Lombok were robbed via machete including their guides and a woman had her throat cut (cut not life threatening). Security has been beefed up there and fewer reports of crime have been reported lately…I just wanted to let you know…besides its beauty, there is really nothing much to see there or do, its really not worth it unless you are a surfer…I feel bad for the locals who depend on tourists for their livelihood, but safety comes first…so be warned its the least I can do. I strictly forbade some of my girlfriends from coming after our departure…it was that bad.
Kuta, Lombok is located at the south end of the Island of Lombok, which is the Island east of Bali. We felt safe in Sengigi, Lombok, and my friends had a fantastic time in the Gili Islands. FYI.
I hope to take another trip with Virginia sometime soon, she is an excellent travel companion, and to quote her “It’s never a dull moment”.
Thanks to everyone who let me stay with them and drove me around, it really meant a lot.
oxox
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