Arrival on Gili Trawangan

Where to start? Gili Trawangan, aka Gili T, was soooo much fun—well, for me at least. Unfortunately, Cass came down sick on our first day there. She tried to save some money by getting a cheap dish for lunch. Let’s just say she’s never skimping out on food again, lol.

We stayed at Jati Village Hostel, a lovely spot where we met many fellow travelers. Gili T is a unique island as there are no motorised vehicles, so the only ways to get around are by horse and cart or bicycle. It’s a peaceful way to experience the island, and with only cats roaming around (since the island is predominantly Muslim, and dogs aren’t common), it adds to the charm. 

Nonetheless, as Cass lay in bed, I went out to explore, as all good boyfriends do. I rented a bicycle from our hostel and set off. It only takes about an hour to ride around the whole island, and that’s pretty much what I did. The coastline is filled with so many restaurants, bars, and shops overlooking the crystal-clear water; it was truly stunning. As the day came to an end, I found myself lying on a sunbed with a bucket of beers, watching the sunset in the distance—it was breathtaking.

It felt weird not having Cass by my side with a drink in hand, and I’m sure the waitress thought I was a lonely drunk (which, to be honest, probably wasn’t far from the truth, lol). I stayed in touch with Cass via text, and as her condition worsened, it was time to pack up and find a chemist. My first stop was the local 7-Eleven, where I got caught in the drinks aisle and grabbed a seltzer (because, why not?). I also asked if they had anything for Cass, but unfortunately, they didn’t.

Next, I headed to a medical center called ‘Pandawa Medical Sunset,’ located down a very rocky and ominous-looking alley. After almost losing half my drink (try riding a bicycle down a dark, rocky alley while holding your phone for directions and a flashlight in one hand, and a seltzer in the other—doesn’t really work). Eventually, I made it and met Dr. Beni.

Dr. Beni was the kindest and warmest doctor we could have hoped for. After speaking with him, he insisted on checking on Cass, so we met back at our hostel. He put her on an IV drip, took blood samples, and administered some pain relief. Shortly after, he left and said he’d be back later that night, which he did. The results came in: Cass tested positive for typhoid. Beni provided antibiotics and another drip, and off to bed we went.

Cass on the Mend, Surfing and Exploring

The next morning, Cass started feeling better—well, ‘better’ in the sense that she no longer needed to vomit or run to the toilet every few minutes. The toilet couldn’t take it anymore! I rented a bicycle and rode about ten minutes to a surf break just off the island. I rented a board for the day and spent some time surfing. I came back a couple of times to check on Cass, but it was a fun day. Unfortunately, Cass didn’t share the same experience—she spent the day in bed.

As the evening came, Cass and I had organized to eat dinner at our hostel with 12 other people. We met so many lovely people from all around the world: England, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and, of course, some Aussies. We became close with two guys, Yob and Bas, from the Netherlands. We enjoyed learning about their country, their friends, and, of course, their language. As the drinking games began, Cass decided it was time for bed (smart move), while I stayed and partied the night away.

Our hostel took us bar-hopping. The first stop was Jungle Bar, where they organized free shots for us—who could say no! After a while, we left and walked down the road to Margarita Bar. Now I understand why they call this the party island—it was packed, and the vibes were great. We partied long into the night, only to wake up feeling terrible, which seemed to be a recurring theme for me on Gili T. This sequence of events continued for a few more nights, with Cass still not feeling 100%. Food was still hard for her to keep down, but she managed with the basics—bread and bananas. This and water made up her diet for the next three days. It was very boring.

Snorkelling Trip and Exploring Gili T

Cass finally started feeling better for the last full day we were on the island. So, what better time than to go on a snorkeling trip? We boarded a boat and set sail, visiting three snorkeling spots and stopping off at two nearby islands, Gili Air and Gili Meno. The second snorkeling spot was the best—we saw two turtles! A protected species among the Gili islands, and on Gili Meno, there’s a turtle sanctuary that cares for turtles until they are 9 months old and ready to be released into the wild.

During the trip, we stopped for lunch at a warung on Gili Air, a small local eatery, where Cass managed to eat some rice—her first proper meal in a while. After about five hours, the tour ended, and we were back at our hostel. After a quick rest, we set off again—this time on foot, walking the coastline so Cass could see what Gili T had to offer. We tried to watch the sunset, but unfortunately, due to the wet season weather, we didn’t get to witness much other than dark grey clouds. On the way back, we stopped by Dr. Beni’s clinic to say thanks for everything he’d done for Cass. It was the least we could do after all his help and care. Back at the hostel, we packed up our things and prepared for checkout the next morning, ready for our next adventure.

Arrival in Lombok

A short ferry ride (thank goodness) brought us to Lombok, Kuta, which would serve as our final destination in Indonesia and where we’d call home for the next three nights.

Our time in Kuta was incredibly relaxing. We rented a motorcycle from our lovely accommodation at Yuli’s Homestay and set out to explore the area. We discovered the beautiful Kuta Beach, some lovely markets, and of course, a beach club that we had to check out. On our way back, Cass noticed a sports bar showing the Wests Tigers trial match. Before we knew it, we were sitting at a table in front of the TV with drinks in hand (beer for me, water for Cass). Some promising signs from the Tigers got me feeling jittery (as usual, we expect big things every year). This led to a bet between Cass and me: the Tigers would finish higher on the ladder than the Rabbitohs. I was obviously backing the Tigers, and Cass was against it. May the best team win!

Easing into Lombok

We were supposed to wake up early and seize the morning. Not sure what happened there—I might be to blame, oops! But no worries, the weather was perfect, and we set off to Tanjung Aan Beach, which was undoubtedly the best beach we’d seen in Indonesia—crystal-clear water with waves in the distance, reachable only by boat. We relaxed on sunbeds (in the shade—we weren’t getting burnt) before I decided to try surfing. I rented a board and took the boat out. Meanwhile, Cass got swarmed by locals selling all kinds of bracelets (a common occurrence in Indonesia). She always used to say that if they’re persistent enough, “I’ll cave in and buy something,” and that’s exactly what happened! To her defence, Tina, the little girl selling the bracelets was extremely persistent, she even sat next to Cass almost the entire hour and a half I was surfing. When I came back from the water, I found a lovely little pink bracelet around Cass’s wrist. I wasn’t surprised. She told me it was only 96 Australian cents.

Afterwards, we hopped back on the bike and headed to Kenza Cafe and Restaurant To shelter from the storm, grab something to eat, and to watch the end of the Rabbitohs in the Charity Shield (not exactly the game Cass had hoped for). We also used the time to plan our final days in Indonesia. After the weather calmed down, we headed back to our accommodation to freshen up and get ready for dinner. When we arrived at KRNK Bar & Restaurant, we immediately knew it was going to be great. The staff were friendly, the vibe was good, and the food was fantastic! We opted for burgers, which were their speciality, and they did not disappoint. We would definitely recommend this spot to anyone visiting Lombok.

A Day of Activities

This morning, I (finally) woke up on schedule and we visited Mana Eco Retreat & Yoga for, of course, yoga. It was our second class of the trip, and this time we felt like pros. The class felt easier than the first, though we’re not sure if it was us getting better or if the class itself was easier. Afterward, we had breakfast at their cafe while catching up on some much-needed admin. As we were working away, my brother, Jack, messaged me asking if we could chat. Of course, we were free (and will be for the next 10 months, haha). To our excitement, he called to announce that he was ENGAGED to his beautiful fiancée, Alana! We were over the moon for them, and Cass couldn’t hold back her tears (as usual). Alana showed us her beautiful engagement ring. We truly couldn’t be happier for them.

Amongst the engagement hype, we ran into some issues with our budget plan, but that had to wait as we had a padel booking! Think pickleball x squash = padel! We had a blast (after Googling the rules) and the time flew by. Before we knew it, we were back to dealing with finances. Thankfully, we figured everything out, and soon we were ready for dinner.

We went to Pizza Shack because of their promotion (free pizza in happy hour) and it was honestly lovely. Cass and I shared an Aperol spritz and two pizzas: a classic margarita and a meat lover’s to replenish our muscles after such an active day.

When we got back to our accommodation, we received another unexpected message, this time from Cass’s cousin, Mikky. We answered the call to an image of an engagement ring on Mikky’s finger. WOW, two engagements in one day—what was going on?! We are just so proud and excited for Mik and Jye. Cass was in tears again as Mikky explained the beautiful proposal. Jye had definitely chosen well. We love LOVE!

Departure Day (Or So We Thought)

We found a gym this morning to continue our health kick from yesterday before checking out and spending the rest of the day at a cafe. Time flew by, and before we knew it, we were in a taxi on the way to the airport. That’s when things took a turn. As we walked in, security asked us which flight we were on. Confused, I told him “Singapore”, and he responded, “Last call, quick quick!” Freaking out, we started running, but we soon realised we were way too late. Check-in had closed over an hour ago, and reality hit: we had just missed our flight. I was furious. It turned out the airline hadn’t informed us that the departure time had changed—fuck you, Scoot. We found a cheap place to stay for the night, booked a ridiculously expensive new flight, and took off the next morning.

From there, the day went from bad to worse. Cass had been feeling fine, but as the night went on, her symptoms returned, and she didn’t feel great. Oh no…