Day 127, Year 3: Official Welcome to Lombok
Date: Hari Sabtu (Saturday), Bulan Sèptèmber 13 Pada Tahan 2008
Weather: Another Sunny, Perfect Day
Location: Teluk Naré (Kombal), NE Lombok, West Nusa Tengarra Province, Indonesia

We just got home from the “official” welcome ceremony and it was quite different from any rally ceremony we have attended. There was no music, no dancing, no food until after sunset, and nothing to drink but water and green coconuts. It is Ramadan and we are in a Muslim country on a very Muslim island. So why the rally organizers even thought of having a function here is beyond me. I guess we all thought that the ceremony location, which was far away from anything, was picked so that rally life
could go on as usual. But that was not so. It is just a shame that we weren’t told as it really was a total waste of time. It was nice to see other rally folks, but we will see them in two days in Bali anyway. Live and learn.

Earlier in the day, Mark finished the last of sewing of new covers for all the cockpit cushions and made covers for our fenders. They were starting to deteriorate from too much sun, so the new polar fleece covers should extend their lives. I am so happy with the look of the cockpit now that it has new cushion covers. It makes it feel like a new boat. After the sewing, Mark, Tina of Shirena, and I got a taxi and went south along the coast to the tourist town of Sengiggi. The coastline between
here and Sengiggi is beautiful with coconut plantations, very nice resorts, and wonderful views of the offshore islands. Tina needed to find an ATM and a new phone card, and we went just for the views and to have lunch. We had a little miscommunication with our taxi driver and he tried to take us to Mataram to the “mall” to McDonald’s for lunch. We understood him to tell us that no restaurants were open until after 5 pm in Sengiggi due to Ramadan, but when we got back there, all the restaurants
were open. I guess either there was a total miscommunication or the guy just wanted the extra money from the longer trip. Whatever, we had a lovely trip and a great lunch.

We leave at 3 AM for Bali, so it is time for bed. It is a 70 mile trip and since the currents and winds are impossible to predict, we are leaving early and hoping we can make it. The Lovina Beach anchorage that is our destination is tucked in between two reefs, so we need to arrive before the sun gets too low in the sky. So here’s hoping for wind (from the right direction) and current going our way. There will be a full moon the next day, so currents will be at their strongest. If they are against us, it could be a VERY long trip.

080913 Day 127 Lombok, Indonesia–Trip to Sengiggi and Lombok Welcome