Travel Journal: Lembongan Island

After spending a day of the most important celebration in Islamic culture, Idul Fitri, with my beautiful big family in my hometown, Bali, we packed our bags and set ourselves to embark on one of tourist's favorite travel journey to Lembongan Island.

What excited me the most about this travel is that I get to play and have a lot of fun in the ocean, which I rarely do, even though my house is probably only 3 miles away from the nearest shore.

I remember we took a 20 minute bumpy boat ride to the island, which most of my family despised. It was bumpy, and I mean a really bumpy ride. And I remember all the passengers in the boat would shout and scream in excitement every time the edge of the boat splits the wave. 

Though I consider myself quite being experienced spending full days in small lonely island, since I've stayed a night in one of Indonesia's worst vacation facilities (Salahnamo Island), spending a night in Lembongan sure creates some fundamental problems. 

Problem number one, no signal reception. Which don't really matter if you're not one of the narcissistic people who opens instagram and youtube for a midnight snack. But in this case, I am one of those. Therefore during my vacation, I have no way to contact or even open and renewed this blog.

Problem two, there are no filtered water in Lembongan. Which means, all of us can say goodbye to nice long hot bath because the only thing that's coming out of the shower in the bathroom is salty sea water. I am telling you that you would not want to brush your teeth with it. Trust me.

But aside from all the problems, Lembongan is perfect for travellers who search for peaceful times, and also adventures to be remember forever. I remember paying 100K for renting motorcycle so I could just ride around the island with my cousin. And before taking a stroll around the island, the local guy always tell me to "turn back when you see a yellow bridge", because what lies after the bridge is yet another island. But then he told me if I hadn't yet find the bridge, I should have no worries of getting lost. Lembongan is a very small island, like you can literally circle the island by walking on the shores for a day.

Other than riding around with motorcycle, I went out snorkeling, paddling, and very fun and peaceful vacation in the island. But most importantly, I get to spend it with my family who I love very much, though at times I want to crawl under a bed every time they act in a humiliating way. But that's the point, isn't it? Family doesn't have a role to make you look good or look in a certain way. Family has a role to bring out the best in you. And though I cannot count how many times the public has given me those unforgivable snake stares because of my family, I have learned to be accepting, kind, and, most of all numb to all the nasty things people think of me and my family. 

This journey is one of the experience that I will never forget. And I am looking to spend yet another holiday at Lembongan Island with my dearest family.

The travel journal wouldn't be complete without some incredible photographs.