Sitting in a small boat on our way to Gili Trawangan Island, I suddenly remembered Eric Weiner’s story on “Geography of Bliss” when a Bhutanese questioned him, “Why do you always taking pictures or writing on your notebook while traveling? Why don’t you just enjoy the great scenery in front of you?” So I put my pocket camera back inside my bag, took a deep breath and sat back, started to enjoy the scenery in front of me. Our boat was surrounded by beautiful deep blue water, which sprinkled to my feet when I stretched them out. Above me was a beautiful bright blue sky with some spots of white clouds. And from a far, I could see the three brothers Gili Trawangan – Gili Meno – Gili Air, sat beautifully with its green coconut trees. All those colors made me could barely hold myself against the temptation to jump into the water. And all I can remember from that moment is that everything was beautiful and colorful – with majority of blue – and I was so happy.
My journey started the day before when some friends and I landed in Lombok International Airport, the sole airport operating in Lombok Island. From the very beginning we stepped in its land, we’ve been greeted by hot sunshine, bright blue sky and typical fresh air. Wherever we go, we could see the green rice field spread out.
That Friday afternoon, we headed to Sukarara, a traditional weaving village in the island. According to our tour guide, weaving has been a tradition of Lombok girls. Since their early childhood, these girls learned weaving from their mothers. They have to weave their own clothes, including the one they will use on their wedding day. So, when a girl hasn’t been able to weave yet, they’re not allowed to get married. Although the girls today are no longer obliged to weave, this tradition seems to stay and become an everyday joke among them. For example, when we watch two girls weaving in front of their house, their older sister said that these girls weaving so badly they might become old virgins, and both girl just giggles. But I think the older sister was wrong, their woven is beautiful, and they didn’t hesitate to teach us how to do it. They offered me to try continuing their woven but I said I think I’ll just simply ruin their hard work.
We left the girls and headed to a workshop in a village where we learned to make pottery. When we encircled the pottery maker, instead of learning how to put the wet clay little by little into a moving disk and gently form it into certain shape, my friends were singing “Ghost” movie soundtrack and mocking the scene of Demi Moore making pottery in the movie. The making of a pottery seems so magical, but with my friends acting ridiculous, I started to look at other direction, that was where some women drawing the pottery with a special motif of lizard and gecko. And yes, I’m afraid of both animals (even their pictures), so I just held my breath to see them carefully but rapidly made colorful pictures of the animals.
Next, we went to Sekarbela, center of the manufacturing and shops of pearl jewelry. This time in Sekarbela we couldn’t watch or learn the process of manufacturing pearl jewelry, 
we only visited the rows of shops who sell all kind of pearl jewelry, with various quality and price. From the lowest quality of pearl ring costs 5000 rupiah, to first quality pearl necklace for millions of rupiah. The prices are not the firm one, like any other part of Indonesia, we should bargain for our preferable price. And, of course, I can’t afford the first quality pearl, so I only bought the lowest quality ones: two earrings, two bracelets, 6 pins and 3 brooch for only 150.000 rupiah (with better bargaining ability - that I don’t have - I’m sure the price could be much lower). Later I’ll learn that although Sekarbela is the center for these kind of jewelry, ones should not worry if doesn’t have time to visit. There are so many street vendors who miraculously follow us wherever we go, and magically able to distinguish visitors from the natives (although we have exactly the same appearance).
Here I have to admit that jewelry really could drive women crazy. My friends and I (we are all women) spent more time than we should in Sekarbela, that we couldn’t get to Senggigi beach in time to watch the sunset. By the time we arrived at the beach, the sun had already set. It’s not dark yet; we still could see the blue sea and grey sky with ray of pink to orange light. Actually we rather disappointed, but still this scenery is so beautiful for our Jakarta eyes that we jumped madly, freely and happily in the sand!
We spent our first night in Lombok eating seafood by the sea (forgot all those d*mn cholesterols). We slept sometime in the sands, felt the grains on our feet, listened to the splash of tide when it hit the sea bank, and watched the stars in the dark sky. I felt like I want to stay there forever.
The next morning our dream 
came true: the trip to Gili Trawangan! And after a magnificent 45 minutes trip by boat from a small harbor, we finally landed in the the island. I’ve always heard that this tiny island is well known among foreigners as snorkeling and diving area. But I never thought that I’ll find so many foreigners in this small place. The pavement beside the beach that circled the island was packed by foreigners mostly in their swim suit. I could hear Australian dialect, Germany, France, Spain, Italian, Korean, and other languages I didn’t even recog
nize. They were swimming and snorkeling in the beach, sunbathing under a very hot sun, chatting in the edge of the pavement, biking or riding Cidomo (a kind of horse-drawn carriage).
Just like the foreigners, we also experience the same excitement in the island. After we landed, we just walked down the pavement along the beach to absorb the nuance of the place. Actually we could rent the bicycle for 25.000 rupiah per hour, but a friend said that it’s too expensive, and insist that we want the 25.000 rupiah for a day. Guess we bargain too low because the rental guy won’t give up (LOL).
After that, two of my friends went for snorkeling. Remembering my temptation to be in the deep blue sea, I almost join them. But then the logic hit me that I can’t swim. The instructor said it’s OK if I don’t swim because they will provide me with life jacket. I was almost tempted to go before I saw how the snorkeling equipment works: it covers our nose to prevent sea water entering our circulation. I could imagine myself alone out there in the sea, with my zero ability of swimming; moreover I have to breathe with mouth! I could see myself gone panic and drawn! Ok, I’m a drama queen. Or maybe I’m just a coward. So I decided to stay in the beach watching their boat slowly left me.
With my other friends busy with their own choice of entertainment, here I am, alone in this beach. I then sat in the white sand, with some half-naked foreigners sunbathing around me. Being alone in front of this green-to tosca-to blue sea, with boat containing visitors come and goes, and children swimming and shouting happily, I almost cried for I could feel God grace and love holding me and remind me of how beauty is God’s creations. And inside of me, my love for Indonesia is going stronger and deeper.
That noon, the sun is extremely hot resulted in a slight migraine and something worse yet expected: pigment activity on my skin (which sadly lasted until now). After sometime, I took shelter under a tree and wonder how could those foreigners sunbathing for days without being struck by heat stroke.
Just like every dream which end every time we wake up, our Gili Trawangan day should end too. With some friends throwing coins in the hope for we could be back there someday, we left the island by the same boat. I could see my friends also feel very happy and peaceful that day, because they all slept soundly on the way back to our hotel. 
Our guide asked if we had ever seen the same scenery like Lombok beaches in other part of Indonesia. His question reminds me of my beloved Gunungkidul with its hills and beaches which for me always become the most beautiful spots on earth. But I don’t know, somehow the Lombok beaches offer different kind of beauty, their very own special beauty which makes me want to freeze the time.
And as we flew back to Jakarta the next day, I pledged that I will learn to swim so I can explore many other islands in my lovely Indonesia.
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