Senggigi, Lombok

Our journey to Lombok began at 5:30am when we were picked up by the Peramatour bus, bound for the harbour. On arrival at the ferry port, our bags were taken by two people who we presumed to be Peramatour staff, but unfortunately turned out to be opportunistic porters. Debs managed to catch up with her porter and wrestle back her bag back, but mine was too fast. There then followed an altercation near the steps of the ferry, where I refused to pay the ridiculous price that the porters wanted, for a service we didn’t ask for! Following threats, shoving and the eventual acceptance of a small amount of rupiah, we were allowed to board. So far, the ferry was turning out to be a wonderful choice of transport! Four hours of loud, distorted, Indonesian karaoke music later and we arrived in Lombok, or at least we would have if the ferry didn’t have to wait for another hour to dock. By the time we eventually arrived in Senggigi, it was about 4pm and the hunt for somewhere to stay began. We eventually found the very nice Rajah’s Bungalows and checked into a lovely hut with attached outdoor bathroom. As we were off on a five day tour starting the next day, we packed smaller bags and arranged to leave our other luggage with the guesthouse for our return.
From what we saw of Senggigi on our one evening there, it seemed like a very nice little coastal resort. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and more than a few trinket salesmen; again the lack of tourists doesn’t help. We did buy a few cheap necklaces, which unfortunately had the effect of announcing our presence as people with money. A bit of a scramble ensued, but it was quite good-natured and the lads were quite happy to just have a chat. They even managed to get the hint that they should leave when we were trying to eat our dinner!

Next: Peramatour, Lombok to Flores