Indonesia 2000, Part 14

Today I realized, just in time, how they brainwash us in to thinking that the only way to visit
Fraser Island is to take a tour.


Anyway, another day of Indonesia...


FRIDAY 12 JULY 

After the complementary breakfast (only in Indonesia do you get such in a hotel that costs 1.50GBP
for two!) we left Senggigi and headed for Suranadi, which is to the East of Mattaram. Had to take
four separate bemos to rech the village and then went past it, having to walk back a little.  

The reason for going to Suranadi was to visit a forest sanctuary inhabited by a couple of
elephants. But the village also had one of the holiest Hindu temples on Lombok and we went there
first. It was pretty interesting, particularly learning that the offerings to the gods are taken
away after 24 hours (unless of course the gods consume them.) There was a spring pool with holy
eels but we weren’t holy enough to see them. 

And so on to the elephant sanctuary. The forest trail wasn’t all that interesting, but the monkeys
were good. Most of the ones we saw were outside the forest however. Quiet a spactacle but nothing
like the monkeys we saw in Varanasi, India. The monkeys were good, but the elephants were great!
I’ve always had a soft spot for these magnificent creatures. After much negotiating, we rode one
for about 10 minutes. Unlike the time in Ayuthya, this didn’t have a seat on top so that you felt
it’s movements more. It was very good, but nothing compared to horseriding on the sea of sand in
an ancient volcanic crater! 

Took another bemo from Suranadi to the little town of Narmada. After lunch, prayed Jum’a in a
packed masjid, alhamdulillah. Then it was on to Taman Narmada, “a landscaped hill and lake,laid
out as a stylised, miniature replica of Gunung Rinjani and it’s lake”, as Lonely Planet, which
writes on countries without visits, would have you believe. There was an interesting temple there,
some (unclean) pools, and some neat goldfish in the “lake”, but aside from those it was very
uninteresting. The park looked nothing like Rinjani and it’s lake but we got a great view of the
real thing though. I think it will have been more interesting had we gone at a busier time. 

It was now time to return to the guesthouse in Senggigi, collect our bags, and head for the port
of Lembar. Boarded a ferry for Padangbai after Asr and buying some rice, tempe curry, bean sprouts
and noodles. Got some fantastic sunset views from the boat of Bali and in particular Gunung Agung,
and also of Lombok and Rinjani. Apart from parying I spent most of the time writing.  

Denpasar to Padangbai cost us 10,000 rupiah each by minibus. Padangbai to Denpasar costs the same.
but the conductor on this particular one tried to charge us 20,000! All the locals were paying
10,000 but for no particular reason he asked us for 20,000. He wouldn't even say why we had to pay
double the rate. It was ridiculous. 

Obviously we weren't gonna pay up and told him so but he wouldn't let up and started getting
angry. In the beginning the locals kept quiet and one idiot even sided with the conductor. Another
sided with us. The conductor and now the driver, who'd stopped the vehicle, were still demanding
20,000. We weren't gonna pay so they told us to leave. We asked that we be taken back to Padanbai.
They took our bags out of the back but we weren't gonna move. 

It was then that more passengers supported us. Their position became weaker and the driver gave
up, asking the conductor to put our bags back. But that idiot wouldn't and still demanded 20,000.
But his position had become totally hopeless and of course he eventually had to give up. He
brought our bags in and we were on our way again. Welcome back to Bali!

It was very late when we got to Denpasar so we had to take a couple of motorcycle taxis, the
public bemos having finished for the day. We paid over the odds but at least not more than what
we'd agreed. 

Went to stay at the same place but it was full unfortunately. And so was the next two but we
eventually found one on the same road.