Girl, That's So... Gili Air, Indonesia!

The perils of that Bali Sea crossing had drifted away with the tide, I awoke feeling very relaxed knowing I was finally on Gili Air! I had plans to hit the beach during the first full day, I wanted to live the high life without breaking my budget. Early nights would be a theme, the island powered down earlier on, that was fine with me. The feeling of holiday had arrived on that Gili! 

I had already checked on Instagram for breakfast spots the previous day, capturing an aesthetic mood was key! 'Papaya' caught my eye with their up-to-date presence on the mentioned app, they had their clientele well catered for. I ordered the cooked breakfast but they held the coffee for me because I went for an Aperol Spritz! I usually have an iced coffee but something told me that I needed to enjoy this sunshine day from the very beginning! It was around 10 A.M. but when you're on your holidays, why should you care about timings? I didn't! I'll never be that person! Papaya had open seats, serving beach views with those gorgeous blue waters nearby, I was loving it! My breakfast order didn't break the bank, everything arrived quickly, I had no wait for my morning cocktail, no complaints! My breakfast tasted great but being a muslim faith island, I wished I had a pork sausage on my plate or three! Minus the sausages, I was more than happy with the offerings served up! I hadn't fully noticed Papaya the previous evening. No way!

I finished my cocktail and breakfast without hesitation, then I hit the beach with customers allowed to take up space on the sun-beds! I ordered another mixed drink and placed myself on the beach, I braved the sea but for me I didn't want to waste getting my tan on. I was more than content with the view, ordering another drink helped me decide my next move. I was glad of the brief dip in the ocean because my go-karting wound was healing nicely with the salt waters finding my skin! Gili Air was treating me right, I felt enough energy around me but it was chilled at the same time. The day had been started right, I didn't have any grand plans, I had already enjoyed breakfast and a few drinks early on. The weather was sublime, the sun was out and the temperature was rising! Making tracks, I made my way along the beach with another beachside bar set in my sights. The noise of Bali was well out of that way, I had paradise surrounding me, it was just the best! Indonesia kept on treating me well, Gili Air was no different! A triple? Yes, G! 

Had I died and gone to heaven? No, it was all real-life! I left 'Papaya' behind me with the rest of the day ahead of me, I needed to refuel and relax! The white sand was everything, there was hardly a cloud in the skies, it was sublime! The weather was what I needed, that sedate late morning stroll along the beach was all I needed! I saw 'Gili Meno' in the distance but I knew that Gili Air was the right island for me! Where were those drinks? I was of course making up for not drinking during most of my trip due to those Halal practices. I found a little beach bar with plush seating to boot! I fancied a cocktail or seven, that request would be perfectly acceptable on the island! I clocked an empty ocean-facing comfy sofa-like chair, it had my name written all over it! Did I need to look at the menu? Absolutely not, I already knew what I wanted to drink! Feeling free just like that drinks name, I made my first mixed drink a 'Cuba Libre!' I went for a double to start with, I took my ice cold cocktail to my preferred comfy chair, life tasted so sweet! 

One drink turned into the second, I kept with those lime infused rum and cokes because they were hitting right! The beach felt perfect, it wasn't busy and the area wasn't populated with many other bars, the feeling was giving 'local!' A triple? The guy behind the bar poured an extra shot into my glass, in-fact he free poured those drinks the whole day! I trotted back to my comfortable ocean-view setting with my own music playing, with all of the right components, it was paradise personified. I had no worries, it was 'Island Time' in every sense, the drinks were strong and overflowing, whilst the sun was toasty. The sea did look alluring but I wanted to get a base tan before my work trip to London. That day on Gili Air felt more relaxing than any other holiday in a long time, I need to schedule a beach day in more often! I ordered some tacos for lunch because I needed to balance out the drinks consumed, I kept on sipping regardless! I knew when to call it a day, I paid my bar bill and found an ice cream to cool down with. Oh, I was hot! 

In total I spent three nights on the island, the first night was cute yet a little boozy. I had enjoyed a cocktail with the sunset sending the sky into about five colours, it was gorgeous to witness! 'Sunday Vibes' set the vibe with those Negroni drinks enjoyed, it was a nice relaxing evening into nighttime. Fast forward to the second night on the island, I had enjoyed the day on the beach with copious amount of drink, I did not need another drink! I made it out during that second night and it was literally for a bite to eat and to down a two litre bottle of water. I think the days boozing had gotten the best of me, I needed to get a solid nights sleep before the final full day on the island. Pizza? You know, 'Mama Pizza Grill' played with my time because they were too busy for my solo table. I really needed something with a starchy base during that second evening, that wasn't meant to be. I was saving the best meal until the last evening. Pizza wasn't going to happen, I didn't want to leave my corner of the island. Rendang she better did!

The photo above sums up my evenings on the island, only a few metres away from my accommodation was the closet beachfront with restaurants and bars to enjoy. I remember walking down that gorgeous part of the beach with those lovely lights glowing in the nights sky. The last night came round like it always does, I had enjoyed the most chilled out three nights whilst on the island, I seriously didn't want to leave the island the following day. I made sure I soaked in the atmosphere like I had never before! The sounds, sights and vibes of that island moment had me in my feelings, taking my foot the off gas gave me the chance to finally rest. So, what would my final evening meal be on the island? I ended up at the place where I had my first beachside cocktail, ordering a hearty serving of Indonesian Beef Rendang had to be done! It was a meal that I didn't take a photo of, I was starving and in my feelings, every single morsel of that meal tasted like heaven! Ending my chapter on the island wasn't sweet but that's life! I was sad! 

So, my lunchtime sailing from Gili Air to Bali was fast approaching, I dreaded it every second during that final morning. I packed up and checked out of my bungalow, the short walk to the harbour didn't take long, I needed some breakfast! I knew that the passage across to Bali would be a joke, I need to eat something substantial. I chose 'Allegra' for my final breakfast meal, I went for the big breakfast like I had done at 'Papaya'. I went for a coffee with my breakfast because I had a day ahead of me once my vessel pulled into Pandang Bai Port! My final breakfast on the island was just what I needed, it was a great final choice. I clutched my pearls when I saw a woman who reminded me of my former Puerto Rican friend, Cyndi! She was chaotic, her phone had completely stopped working and she was trying to get in touch with her friends who were travelling from Bali. It was such a weird moment because I could see my former friend in her image, it was uncanny even though she sounded like she was from the North of England! 

I was in pure denial that it was my time to leave the island, I had enjoyed my piece of relaxation but the road called my name! I bought some lovely gifts for a friend before paying my port tax. I found the line for my boat back to Bali, I remember those waves from the outbound journey and it filled me with absolute dread! Boarding that boat felt awful, I hate boats but it was the only way for me to get back to Bali. My flight back to Mainland China was scheduled for the following early morning, I needed to partially face reality. My Bali bound vessel headed over the waters to Lombok before traversing those Bali Sea waters around Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan before arriving back into Bali's Padang Bai. The ordeal that I faced at that Bali port was awful, I literally had to fight to get my bag from the pile of luggage left on the jetty! It was a scene of pure chaos and really wasn't what I needed after leaving the peacefulness of Gili Air! My driver picked me up without any issues, he agreed that the port needed investment, it was not a mood for me! No!

Paradise Personified! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure