Sunset

It was only on our last afternoon that we realised we hadn't left a 200m stretch of sand around the harbour since we arrived. Accordingly, at 4pm we set off from Rawa Indah cottages in the opposite direction to the usual.

Over the past few days we'd all been harbouring not-so-secret desires to pack up our lives back home, buy a little beachfront plot, and open a small hotel or bar, lazing our days away on the beach with a cold Bintang in hand. These dreams were somewhat crushed by the discovery of three abandoned hotels on the west coast of the island, all clearly backed by some serious money, all now sporting some serious spiderwebs.


We later found out that the land had been bought from the local chief, but the government didn't agree and kicked the owners off. Apparently Indonesian property law is as murky as the long-unused pools at the hotels...

It was about 30 minutes up the coast that we came across Diana Bar, a roughly built collection of three huts on stilts overlooking the channel between Meno and Gili Trawangan.

















The decision to stop was made in short order, and we climbed the rickety ladder to a platform above the bar, where a low table and cushions were laid out, and a hammock swung lazily from two posts, just waiting for us. We ordered a few Bintangs and settled in to watch the sun set over Gili T.


The menu was so appealing we realised we hadn't brought enough money, and as the last red glows faded over the the sea, Leigh and Liam decided to head home and collect their cash. Luckily, there were a few old bikes leaning nonchalantly against a tree, which the bar owners turned out to be willing to lend to their customers, so off the two of them rode.

Meanwhile, the sun, which had been snickering behind its hand, not quite finished yet, suddenly exploded over the landscape, painting everything a deep red. Poor Leigh and Liam!


We waited for them... and waited... and waited... Just as Cait and I were getting a little worried (Robyn was more easygoing), two dark shapes emerged out of the darker shapes of the trees. They'd ridden around the entire island, in the dark, negotiating deep and silent sand piles and an unknown path to get back to us! Their food was cold, but enjoyed with relish anyway, while we boasted about the amazing post-sunset sunset - they'd been around the other side by then.

It was such a pleasant spot, we sat for hours playing cards and drinking our last Bintangs ever.

Night was fully entrenched by the time we ventured down to the ground again and made our way home, heading the other way round the island so we could see a little more of the place we'd stayed in for days. It was a lovely walk - the north-western side was much less developed than the east, with expansive resorts hiding in the thickets, and a couple of restaurants dotted here and there on the beach. We all agreed though that the estimate that's commonly given (of one hour to round the entire island) is a lie...