I left Bali in a rainstorm – the fast boat company gave out umbrellas to all the passengers for the short walk from their office to the end of the jetty, where the boat was waiting for us.
By the time I arrived in Gili Air, it had stopped raining, and the sun was shining. I got off the boat and started the 15 minute walk across the island, to find my accommodation.
I made it about a third of the way, before I felt a big raindrop hit my head. Then another, and another, and… quick, find shelter! Luckily, I had just passed a shop which had a corrugated metal roof along the front that stretched all the way across the path, so I ran back before I (and my pack) got too wet. The heavens opened and the noise on the metal roof was deafening.
I wasn’t alone for long… a couple of minutes later a bedraggled looking couple ran in, carrying big rucksacks and heading towards the harbour, and five minutes after that, a local taxi driver pulled up in his horse and cart.
It didn’t look like the downpour was going to end anytime soon, so I decided to spend my time getting ready for a walk in the rain, and pulled out my waterproof jacket and rucksack cover. Eventually, the rain eased from torrential to light and I resumed the hunt for my accommodation.
When I arrived at my home for the next two weeks, I was welcomed with a smile and a cup of sweet tea. I climbed the stairs to my little attic room, dumped my bag and decided to explore the island.
Gili Air is one of three small, sandy islands off the coast of Lombok. When I say, small, I mean really small… tiny, in fact. It’s just over 6km around – I know, because as soon as I had shed my bags, I walked around it. The path is sandy in places, and has been concreted in others, but everywhere was wet and I had to wade through puddles at various points during the journey.
At some point, I noticed a little rubbing feeling between my toes, but I decided it was just my feet getting used to flip flops again, after a couple of months of winter boots, and I carried on walking. It didn’t occur to me until later that sand, water and unfamiliar shoes were a bad combination, but by then the damage was done… big, broken blisters on both feet, just between my toes, where the toe post of my shoes sat. Just what I needed – open wounds on both feet in a tropical climate! I broke out my little first aid kit and dressed the wounds but, even wrapped in plasters and tape, there was no way I could walk in my sandals. I dug out the wet shoes I’d brought for snorkelling and wiggled my sore feet into them. Aside from being a rather bright shade of turquoise, they were perfect!
