24 December 2013 - 13 January 2014
Why this trip you may ask when the whole of 2014 is set to be a big adventure? Honest! We booked the flights two months before coming up with our BIG TimeOut Adventure plan.
The idea came about as part of 2013 sharing adventures from our pasts. In July we travelled to the Ecrin region of the French Alps, where Nigel had spent many summers. Bali is where Christine spent many months/years exploring. And Lombok and the Gili Islands something new for both of us. On reflection I think we both needed a holiday, yet we are both aware everything is prep for the Appalachian Trail.
Flight from Heathrow on Christmas eve with a Cathay Pacific free upgrade to Premium economy, old 'first' class, very welcome. Two hour transit stop in Hong Kong then arrived in Bali around 3pm after 15 hours flying. Met by our driver Swan, I'm sure Christine knows him from somewhere!! Hot & humid, Delhi heat but a lot cleaner. Nice new modern airport (shame, old one more traditionally Balinese) and wondrous new Florida style bridge/bypass over the sea across the bay (bigger shame). Loads of traffic in Denpasar area but as we head inland & uphill towards Ubud, real tropical adventure feel and the architecture, carvings, statues and temples, wow, so different.
2 nights in Ubud at Wenara Bali Bungalows = heat acclimatisation. Good restaurants, easy feel, though traffic jammed and everyone still asks if you want transport even if its obvious its easier to walk. Day trip to Gunung Kawi - huge rock carvings, Lewak coffee production and Tirta Empul - stunning temple and holy springs and finally a visit strolling around Ubuds sacred Monkey Forest.
3rd day back to the airport again to fly to Lombok - turbo prop antique short hop, our complementary box of food sliding towards us and then away as we there in just under an hour. We arrived at 6pm and were picked up by our Rudy Trekkers driver for a 4 hour drive (welcome meal stop in Senggigi half way) to Senaru village at the base of Mount Rinjani. Great accommodation but no time to appreciate it. We arrived at midnight and then had to be up at 6am for our 3 day/2 night Mount Rinjani volcano trek - most definitely the highlight of our holiday. We met the Rudy Trekker crew over breakfast and our trek shares - 3 others - 2 Scots and a Norwegian - young and fit! We took a quick drive to Sembulan village (1150m) to the trek start for 9am.
The walk started easy but then got very steep. It was misty at times and there were a lot of local Indonesian's on the hill. Approx 7 hours walking uphill with an hour of 'far too much lunch'... We thought the starter was the main! We arrived at camp 1, Sembulan Crater Rim (2639m). It was misty to start, which then cleared providing fantastic views, amazing sunset, great food and excellent kit provided by Rudy Trek co.
It was early to bed ready for a 2.30am breakfast and 3am torch light steep ascent to the summit (3726m). A tough last 300m up volcanic ash - 1 step forward, 3 back!! We took it slow and steady arriving at the summit for about 7am enjoying the sunrise on the way up. Back down to camp again for a second breakfast and then further descent to the crater lake (2007m) for lunch. More ascent up the other side to Senaru crater rim (2641m) and then down to camp 2 (2000m). A very long, tough and tiring 15 hour day, 1720m ascent, 2347m descent.
After a good nights rest we descend the final day thru tropical jungle to Senaru village (601m) finishing in time for lunch. We get fed again, tip our guides and celebrate. It was a superb trek, we were extremely lucky not getting a drop of rain even though it was during rainy season. It was not the cheapest trek package, but was very professionally ran by Rudy Trekkers.
We were then driven to our boutique hotel, D'Oria, 10 minutes north of Senggigi where we stayed for 3 nights over New Year. Nice but not 5 star and a bonkers Indonesian style New Years Eve Gala Dinner!
New Years day we went on a great little car tour of Lombok heading south to Kuta Beach via sea pearl shops, pottery making, traditonal weaving centres and a traditional Sasak village. Arriving at Kuta beach with thousands of locals - being New Years day all the locals were at the beach in force - great for people watching.
2nd January we escaped by boat to Gili Meno, a lovely quietly 'Robinson Crusoe' island just off Lombok for 3 nights. We had to wait for the boat to be loaded full of groceries before we were allowed to squeeze in and sit amongst the supplies. No life jackets, but we thought we'd be OK making a raft out of watermelons if required lol.
There's no motorised transport on the island, just push bike or horse & cart. We carried our bags to our 'shack', WeBe Cottages. 3 days of seafood, snorkelling, walking around island & chilling... Mmmm.
Fast boat (long wait!) Back to Bali and then we headed to the mountains to Kintamani to stay at Batur Mountain View Guesthouse for 2 nights. Amazing views and sunrises over the double caldera, Mount Batur, Mount Abang and Mount Agung. We spent a great day mountain biking around the volcano crater bottom, around Mount Batur, through local villages and by the lake.
We headed further north to Lovina for 4 nights stopping off for a short trek to Sekumpul waterfalls on the way. We stayed at the fabulous Rambutan Hotel enjoying relaxing by the pool, lots of seafood, early morning dolphin spotting boat trip, hot springs, Munduk waterfall and a Buddha temple visit.
The last day we headed back south again via crater lakes through the central mountains to Jatiluwih rice terraces, a UNESCO world heritage site. Not the best weather to view such beautiful rice terraces - the heavens opened. Then on to Kuta - Australians Benidorm/Costa del Sol, for our last night before flying home. Some final shopping and morning beach walk before getting a taxi to the airport.
A great whistle stop visit to Kowloon to meet a friend for some food and drink whilst in transit at Hong Kong airport.
A great adventure and a real snapshot of the variety of Bali & Lombok.
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