Sengiggi A -Last Look at Lombok

In Sengiggi –

Nice beach, not so nice town, sooo hot, apparently the most touristy place on Lombok and yes there were plenty but hardly that many. Had a few interesting places to see. Our hotel was very nice with AIR CONDITIONING, which was so necessary.

Great dinner for our last night in Sengiggi at the suggestion of a guy from Michigan who had been coming there for 22 years. I had fish grilled in banana leaves, and yes, like Clentice, I had to document its memorability.

Last day in Sengiggi – said sad goodbyes to Sukio, Steven, Clentice and Ernie who left in the AM for the airport and headed across the road to swim in the sea (FINALLY) which was calm and beautiful and all the things a tropical beach should be. Was suffering from a bit of “Delhi belly” as it is called by travelers, some from nerves, some from ordering a dish that turned out to be fried but I had an uncomfortable day of steamed rice and white bread.

Saw lots of horse carts, even on two lane highways, on way to airport – miniature breed of horses – so cute – they are really still a means of travel here.

Waiting for hours in Lombok Airport with Alan, a mentally-challenged, mostly deaf 69 year old guy who spoke unintelligible Australian English and was on our tour – we have no idea how or why he was signed up for it but Sukio was very patient with him, helping him along (at one point in Bali the previous week, he apparently laid down on a trail in the rice paddies and wouldn’t get up because he was too hot and tired). At least I wasn’t the least able of the group. But it turned out we were on the same flight back to Denpasar so I became his keeper. He is easy-going, must be used to being assisted through everything. I got him as far as Denpasar but then he was on his own – god knows how he managed to communicate and find his transfer to Melbourne after I left him.

Going through final security and they discovered my Swiss Army knife was in my bag – Indonesians and Garuda Airlines are so accommodating – after determining there wasn’t time to go back and put it in my checked luggage, they had me sign a claim form and they sent it through a special security pouch and I picked it up at the Lost and Found right next to the baggage claim – can you imagine how the TSA ever doing something as nice as that?