Last updated on October 17, 2024
When friends come to visit, it’s not the time to write.
It’s time to explore,
…share your favourite restaurants,
…drink colourful drinks,
…and spot faces in walls.
It’s a time to drink fancy coffee,
…take a trip (or three) to the spa,
…and then learn to wood carve when it rains.
When friends come to visit, you want to adventure to pastures new…
…like tiny paradise islands.
Everyone can take some time off…
…to drink cocktails in the afternoon sun,
…and watch sunsets on the beach.
When friends come to visit, you share special moments. You remember Sarah’s brother, Gus, who traveled to the Gilis a few years ago. He said it was the most beautiful place he’d ever visited and encouraged Sarah to visit too. You wish he was here to see her now, and then you realise he is there – in Sarah, in the sun, and in the glitters of the sea. She lays to rest his ashes as the sun sets over the waves and you can’t imagine a moment more poetic.
When friends come to visit, you remember everything that makes us one.
I’m going to miss these faces.
Some useful info on the Gilis
The islands are a diving paradise, so check out this post for plenty of info on diving adventures in Gili.
We went to Gili Air via a boat from Padang Bai. We hired scooters in Ubud to make the journey to Padang Bai, which took about an hour and a half and is well sign posted. There are some horror stories of boats sinking/getting damaged en-route to the Gilis, but we had no problems with our company Gili Gili. Our only advice would be to sit inside. We sat on the roof to begin with and got soaked within a few minutes and had to come down as the sea was dangerously choppy. We went back up after reaching calmer waters. It took an hour and a half to get there via Lombok. Our boat cost $120 for a return journey, You can get cheaper tickets if you take the slow ferry or go with a less reputable firm (the journey is notoriously choppy so we didn’t think it worth the risk).