Scuba Dives and Bus Rides

Trip Start May 15, 2004

Trip End Aug 20, 2004

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Flag of Indonesia Gili Trewangan, Indonesia
Saturday, May 22, 2004

S May 22 (GT, Lombok) Diving at Shark Point. In all my times diving, it seems funny to me that everywhere I go there's always a place called Shark Point, but never any sharks! Well, finally, I found a Shark Point that didn't disappoint because this place had quite a few sharks. Today we came across 3 white-tipped reef sharks, some giant green sea turtles, and many interesting fish. So, it was a rather nice dive. Strangely, I always feel a bit off or seasick after a dive, but a Sprite seems to help, so after the dive I just chilled out, in the shade because I'm still sunburned, and read my travel book and picked out a few places in Java that I want to go see. In the evening, I went on my first night dive...man, it was so cool. You ride out on the boat, it's pitch black except for the lights you can see back on the island, you have your diving gear on and this big waterproof flood light. You descend into the dark, unable to see anything that your light isn't directly pointed at and if you turn off your lights, you can't even see you fingers right in front of your face

Beautiful Colors

! And when the light is on sea creatures just appear out of nowhere. I heard that sharks like to swim at lights and then veer off before crashing into it...that would be so cool! But, we don't come across any sharks, but as we're ascending this wall looking at some corals we run into this giant sea turtle resting in a small cave. Well, he doesn't really like our lights so he comes out to swim away and he's huge! Like 4 feet from head to tail! We also came across lobsters, sea worms, lionfish, and even crabs. Once we all turned off our lights, causing it to be completely black and then the dive instructor tells us to start waving our arms and this neon blue luminescence lit up the whole area where we were moving...really cool. Get back in and I get my Advanced license and will leave tomorrow for Java. GT is awesome...the people and atmosphere are great, most people say this has been their favorite place in their travels and I agree, even though it's only been a week or so!
Strange note about Gili Trewangan...there are cats everywhere, but absolutely no dogs!

S May 23 (Bus to Java) Full on travel day. I woke up early to take the boat to Lombok, where I'll take a bus to the ferry, which I'll ride to Bali, where I'll take a bus to Java, stopping off on a ferry to cross from Bali to Java! So, a boat to Bangsal (20 min), then a bus to Lembur (1 hour), then the ferry to Padangbai (5 hours), then the bus to Probolinggo (19 hours), then a mini bus to Cemoro Lawang (1 hour). 26 hours total!

The bus ride was hell! First of all, in Bali, driving is absolutely crazy, but here's what seems to be a typical long-distance bus ride in Indonesia: constant swerving, dodging, bouncing, and at every stop there is an invasion of vendors hawking everything imaginable from foods and drinks to cell phones and they're not just asking, they're practically yelling and the rule seems to be to tell them NO at least 5 times before they will even consider that you might not buy something

Green Sea Turtle

! So, here's my journey..."it's about 2 am and I'm trying to lull myself to sleep in tune with the rhythm of the bus dodging motor bikers and massive potholes, when I decide I should use the restroom and brush my teeth. Being at the front of the bus and the toilet being at the back, I stand up and turn to see the long, thin pathway to the toilet and the obstacle course of human arms and legs that I'll have to navigate through in order to reach my destination. I plan my route and then remember to factor in the precision bus driving and quickly realize that it's impossible, so I start sliding and spinning and contorting my body through the pathway for the pleasure of visiting the Indonesian bus toilet. After piecing together the puzzle of opening the door in the darkness, I swing open the door and am greeted by the site of a 3 foot by 3 foot room with a huge barrel of water that takes up one-third of the space. In front of this huge barrel is a colored hole in the floor of the bus semi-resembling something you'd buy off the home shopping network that is supposed to give your feet a dreamy massage...now combine this with the skilled bus driving and you have this bus toilet cell, err room, with a soaking wet, slippery floor from water splashing from the barrel (you hope)! As you steady yourself to "perform" you get a nice refreshing shower from the barrel of water as your masterful bus driver hits another pothole, so your clothes get a bit wet from the shower and you realize your feet are wet as well, because as the bus hits the pothole the water barrel isn't the only thing that has just sloshed on you

Reef Shark

! Now, remember the slippery floor? Keep in mind the swerving, the fact that I have my water/toothbrush/toothpaste in one hand for fear of what might cling to it if I set it down somewhere and also that I'm desperate not to touch any of the walls or surfaces in the surrounding area. This leaves one hand free to do your business, while I attempt to balance and not further dampen my feet with residual splash! So, I'm in the toilet performing my circus style balancing act, trying not to touch anything, having about a 30 percent accuracy rate, with water splashing me from the barrel while I'm protecting my toothbrush and I have no free hands to help with anything! Exhausting! Anyway, I finish and trample and assault my way back to my seat for seven more hours of water and urine soaked comfort...ahh, the joys of the Indonesian bus system!" Apparently a change in the bus schedule as I arrived in Probolinggo, Java at 4:30 am, in complete darkness!