Hi Gram,
I woke this morning to the sound of waves crashing outside my door, which made getting out of bed so very difficult. Once I mustered the motivation, I did my morning exercises then headed to the main building for breakfast. When I say “main building”, I just mean the main roofed area – no walls – with a view of the ocean below. The owner brought me an omelet with bacon and a blended fruit drink, which I enjoyed while battling a sudoku puzzle.
After breakfast, my friends Kara and Tania came by to see my place and walk into town. They were both so enamored with the view that they decided to change their hotel for the next night. After sorting that out, we punched in some coordinates to the GPS and headed down the road.
We stopped so Tania could pet her friend, the cow, while it licked her leg with a very long and rough tongue. The conversation flowed while we walked single file down the road, stopping in the shade of a temple, dodging beeping scooters and random trucks.
After a couple miles, we stopped for a cold beverage before crossing the yellow bridge to the next island over. The bridge is a narrow clangy metal bridge wide enough for two pedestrians to pass each other – so of course there were scooters galore crossing too. After passing a sign that read “Be careful. The bridge is broken”, we navigated our way onto the bridge between scooters.
On the other side, we continued our journey. We passed shops, villas, and warungs for a few more bends and dips and one really steep climb before arriving at Mahana Point. We walked through the gate to find our friends sitting along a bar looking down on the surf crashing against the rocks. They had watched surfers before we got there, but the waves were too erratic by the time we arrived.
Some drinks and food poured down our throats while we discussed the mesmerizing waves, then we all headed down to the secret beach. The stairs down to the beach were awkward and steep like we’ve come to expect in Indonesia, but the cool water on our feet was a suitable reward.
We took a bunch of group photos and individuals, laughed, and had a good time. The climb back to the road was a good challenge for our legs, and we decided that catching a taxi back was in order. We stopped at one more place, the Klyf and blue lagoon for a few more pictures and gorgeous scenery first though.
After some negotiations, we climbed into the back of a taxi truck, kind of like a big golf cart or really small truck with bench seats in the back. It bounced down the road, making pictures challenging, then deposited us at the foot of the bridge. Dodging scooter traffic, we walked back across the rickety span and hailed a taxi truck driver on the other side. This one had nicer cushions, but a lower roof causing us to really hunch down to climb in. The driver dropped me at my hotel, then continued on with the other two passengers. I headed inside for a much needed shower and nap, very thankful for air conditioning.
Before I knew it, it was time for dinner so I walked over to The Point Sunset Bar where friends were waiting for me. We got some pictures of the sunset and in front of the sunset, then snuggled into some couches and chairs for a great night of food, drinks, and talk. It was suddenly late, hours having passed, so we bid our farewells, hugged each other, and headed back to the hotel so I could fall asleep to the waves once more.