All Hail Gili T!

Trip Start Aug 31, 2008
1
25
27
Trip End ??? ??, 2009


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Flag of Indonesia  , West Nusa Tenggara,
Saturday, December 13, 2008

Welcome to paradise!  Gili Tarawanga is one of three Gili Islands just off the coast of Lombok (next island over from Bali).  The island is tiny and there are no roads, therefore no scoot scoots and no cars. Instead you arrive on the island and are faced by a row of horse (or should I say ponies) drawn carriages and bicycles. My brother and mom hopped on one to find a villa, while Dunc and I met some locals, who were quite entertaining, especially my Green Card seeking friend Wil who soon began planning our wedding. When the brother and mother returned we were all checked in to Luce and headed there.  The villas are owned by two Italian brothers and were absolutely beautiful.  Decks came right over the huge salt water pool.  So nice.  We took the rest of the day to bike around the island and check things our.  That night broski and I had our first official Gili T party night.  Each bar in town takes turns hosting a party night, so that way everyone that is visiting the island is usually in the same place (Friday night @ Rudys....Monday @ Blue Marlin... Wednesday @ Irish Pub).  Our first night out we had the pleasure of meeting team Ireland (Ross, Declan, Ronan and Sean), who became our new crew for the remainder of our Gili island days.  Night went great and we had quite the adventure doing the 4 km bike ride home at 4am.  I blamed subsequent crashes, on the potholes that came out of nowhere....
 
The next few days were fairly similar. Chris and I would rise at around 11, eat some breakfast and chat with the staff, jump on the bikes and hit the beach with the parents, snorkel and stalk some turtles, lunch, swim, shower, movie, dinner, drinks, bike ride home. Team Ireland and Team Canada soon created a new drink...powdered Gatorade type stuff with a shot of vodka.  Often this resulted in the powder going up your nose, which was soon followed by the vodka that tended to get soaked in after it. Anyways, we did get a few dives in, which were a lot different than the ones in Thailand, yet still an amazing experience.  We became friends with a few great locals and mainly spent our time in the same places (Beach House).  The staff at our villa were awesome, mostly because we were the only people staying there.  Soon we knew them all by name. This was great, except for when they would wake up upon our early morning arrivals and laugh at our state, and then report to our parents what time we came home at.  It was like staying in a large complex filled with nosey relatives!  But we loved it, and won't forget their kindness. 
 
Finally the day that I had been dreading was upon me.  After 4 month of absolute, pure fun and adventure, I was about to begin my long trip home to Canada. Funds were running dry, parents had loaned enough, and work would be starting soon.  My last few days on Gili were so incredible, yet at the same time a bit depressing.  I was not ready to leave, and the knowledge that Vancouver was about to welcome me with -19 coldness and tons of snow, did not help. But December 18th came mighty fast, and I suddenly found myself boarding the Gili Cat back to Bali with my parents, leaving my brother behind to continue the rest of his Asian Adventure....
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