This Side of Paradise
The Gili Islands, Indonesia
Greatest Moment: This was the most beautiful island, in Jamie’s opinion, that we have been to yet! Could it have been that our hotel overlooked the sea, viewing Rinjani Volcano in the distance? That at the beach, skirting the breaking water next to where we ate breakfast, there were enough shells to make a collector blue from exertion—provided a delightful sea turtle to swim with—or accommodate days full of reading, writing, and card playing? It was absolute relaxation. It was remote and undeveloped. You felt instantly as though time passed differently here, as if minutes were measured by the depth of high tide and hours by the clearness of the water. This was also the first place we saw sea turtles! We swam with them as they floated casually to the surface, so unaffected by our presence and electric excitement. In paradise we stayed for four nights, and here there is a oneness with nature that no beach has yet to offer!
Worst Moment: Animal cruelty is getting to a point that Kathy is ready to quit being a chiropractor and work on animal suffrage. On this island, the only way of transport is by horses and a small buggy. Besides that, locals use horse-n-cart to carry around resources and transport goods. You take one look at these horses and already regret that you cannot outwardly attack the owners. The horses are dehydrated and foaming in the mouth, and they stand in the sun as their owners bask in the shade. No where do you see them graze or rest. They are a fixed image of majestic creatures harnessed only for their work, their strength, and their inability to break free from it all.
Lesson Learned: Cinnamon and Caramel ice cream together tastes like Halloween and HEAVEN.
Cultural Insight: We do not have a definite cultural insight—as in, our observation has only lead us to assumptions. When 5pm sits in its normal place in the sky, you would be able to find us in our normal recline by the beachfront. At this time the tide would go down and the water would begin to recede. Kathy would get ready to search for shells and ‘Shiva’s Eyes’. As evening drew on, the water would get very shallow and parts of the reef and grassy patches would show. That was when we saw a significant amount of local women and kids walk out into the water and begin collecting things from the water. Was it tiny fish that we saw them collect? Or other sea-life? We imagined it was either or, but was convinced it would be a part of Jamie’s dinner order that evening.
