Travel: Lombok - Gili Trawangan

This September is a busy month for most of us in the office because we have a special event. This passed two years, office always held an event on its birthday. This time the event took place in Lombok, an island in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The main event took place in Gili Trawangan, small island at the northwest coast of Lombok. The preparation of this event was really exhausting, meeting after meeting, with a lot of misunderstanding until the very last minutes.

Gili Trawangan
To reach this place, we need to drive for an hour to the harbor called Teluk Nare. Then we have to take 30 minutes boat ride to reach Gili Trawangan. There are 3 Gilis: Gili Air, Gili Trawangan, and Gili Meno. This islands are perfect for honeymoon place, so private, beautiful beach and breath-taking sunset view.

The event started with a Hawaiian BBQ Dinner by the beautiful beach of Gili Trawangan. An outdoor dinner with live music and fun quizzes. Like usually in each company event, I was the host of this dinner. My outlook preparation was really bad, cause 15 minutes before the dinner started I still handled the room distribution while the hotel and tour agent already gave up. I was so upset, only wish to go to the beach and scream, but the beach already crowded by our guests. For the first time of my life, I host a show with wet hair because I washed my hair at the last minutes. What a hectic day! Thanks to Nit2x who finally took care of the room distribution.

The next event was business meeting. The hotel preparation of meeting room was not good. Another headache stroke me. At the end of the meeting my co-host decide to give an offering with wasn't on our agenda. He definitely sabotaged my fun games event. I just said... Whatever! Since no one came for my fun games event, I am so thankful because I finally can sat, relaxed, and enjoyed the beautiful sunset of the island.

Back to Lombok
The next day we moved back to Lombok and continued with city tour. For me, Lombok is very hot and dry. The first stop was the Pearl Shop. Lombok is famous with the pearl farm. There are sea pearl and fresh water pearl. Sea pearl is very expensive compare to the fresh water pearl. I bought 3 rings and a bracelet of fresh water pearl.  Second stop was the gift shop, more to food gift shop. Lombok is famous with the honey bee and seaweed jelly.

Third stop was lunch, which I cannot remember where. All I can remember is I don't like the food and I cannot eat it because it's spicy, the local dish called "Plecing Kangkung & Ayam Taliwang". Extra hot, extra spicy. Only eat the rice and fried tofu. Well, the tour agent feel pity on me so they requested non spicy fried chicken for me.

Fourth stop was "Sade Village" - a traditional village of Sasak (the native of Lombok). At this village I saw how they preserve the culture by staying at the local house with minimum facility. For living, they farm and sell special fabric called "Kain Tenun or Songket". They have to knit it for days even months. What an amazing skills. They said, for a girl to be able to get married, she has to be able to produce 3 fabrics. There's a phrase of Lombok - a city of thousand thief. Wait... don't judge yet. Thousand thief because in the Sasak Culture, the man must kidnap the woman in order to marry the woman. Okay, who wants to kidnap me? Hahaha...

Fifth stop was Narmada Garden - an old kingdom. This place built in 1727 by the king of Mataram - "Anak Agung Ngurah Karang Asem". Beautiful garden but I was to tired to enjoy it.

The last stop was dinner at Furama. The food was good. I closed the entire event that night. Finally my job as host was done, three days in a row of being a host / master of ceremony. It was fun, it was tiring, yet I am thankful to be able to contribute in this event.

Lesson to learn:
Visiting Lombok was my dream in 2013. I was planning to visit this place but the cost was my limitation. To my surprise, this year the dream came true. I visited Lombok and Gili Trawangan for free. I enjoyed the beautiful scenery. God knows how much I love sunset, so He gave me a special time to enjoy it. Even though I have to work during the trip, but having my dream comes true, I don't mind at all.

Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity to visit one of my dream place.
Thank You for sending help in a perfect time so the event run smoothly.
Thank You for the beautiful, breath-taking sunset moment.
Thank You for giving me strength and health.
Your love never stop to amaze me, Lord

Another dream come true... looking forward to tell you all my dreams to You, Jesus.