Gili Trawangan first impression

Trip Start Nov 15, 2010

Trip End Ongoing

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Where I stayed

Pandi Homestay

Flag of Indonesia Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Tuesday, December 14, 2010

I like this place. They do a lot better job of environmental management than anywhere else I have been in Asia. They have water bottle refill stations, recycle all plastic, glass, metal.and paper, and banned anchors in the coral reef area, with boats required to tie up to pre-existing buoys. Motorized vehicles are prohibited, just horses and bikes.

The room and the food are more expensive here, but with no motorcycle expense it is about even. And the GH gives me a washtub to do my own laundry.

There are two ATM's on the island, and no mosquitoes. Fresh water is at a premium here, my guesthouse shower is salty water.

There are two other islands in this chain, Gili Meno and Gili Air. You can tell the folks who come here from Gili Meno because they are covered in mosquito bites--more fresh water there for breeding, and it is rainy season.

Very few Americans, mostly Dutch and French travelers here. One restaurant had a special: "Order any food or drink and watch Eat Pray Love for free here". (The locals derisively refer to this colonial tome as "Eat Pay Leave".) It would be a good place for a younger guy to meet really gullible girls, but they might not make it through the movie. Perhaps the restaurant could provide free barf bags for men???

Today I had to go to the ATM. down to about $25 in cash. Both ATM's did not work because they were out of money and the money loader was arriving this afternoon on the popsicle stick ferry. Maybe.....

Met a couple from Joshua Tree, CA who complained about the quality of the marijuana here, said the climate was perfect for growing good dope here and theirs was terrible. Look for these dummies in a USA Today article coming to your town soon.

People who have come here before report that you come planning to spend a couple of days and end up staying a couple of weeks. I could very well be one of those people, provided that the money guy arrives to load the ATM.