Sunday, January 30, 2011

Lombok , a solo trip on my Hasa

After Manado, Bali, Perth, and Palu....
just all in the sudden Lombok comes across my mind,

few of my expatriates colleagues praised Lombok,
as nice, quite and natural place, so different from crowded Bali.


Lihat Peta Lebih Besar

So on one Saturday morning, Jan 2011,
I board on Lion Air flight, with my backpack.
my only baggage was my folding bike.
after a short transit in Surabaya,

I arrive in Selaparang Airport, Lombok at 14:30.



As usual, I assembled the bike in the airport,
pumped the tire, rearranging my luggage,
using the bike bag as big backpack,
and I was ready to cycle to the hotel around 15:00

The weather was nice, little bit cloudy, and not too humid,
The road from Ampenan to Senggigi was not too wide,
but it was nice paved and smooth.

Even though the road was next the shoreline,
it is not always flat, there are few hills that demands power.
Cycling slowly and enjoying the scenery,

I arrived in Sheraton Hotel Senggigi at about 16:15,
it took me an hour for 12km distance....



after checking in and deposing my luggage I continued to cycle north
and my colleagues were right, Lombok is still green and natural,
and cycling along the contoured coast line is a real pleasure.

after passing Mangsit beach I came back to Senggigi,
wandering around the village, having dinner and came back to the hotel.

On next morning, breakfast in Sheraton was wonderful,
while some guests were checking out,
I prepared my bike for a trip to the south.

At 08:30 I headed south, passing Ampenan, Mataram, and Praya.
I arrived Praya almost noon time, then passing Batujai dam
and new airport that was still under construction.

The scenery is different,
if the north of Senggigi is shoreline and green hills,
in area south of Mataram is relatively flat land with rice field.
there are more traffic in south then the north.







Few sections of the road is still under improvement,
some heavy equipment working on those sections.

Rain fell when I was at Sade, Sasak Village.
It was 13:00, and Kuta is still 8km further to the South.
but this time I did not insist, I stopped there.



After few minutes waiting I put my bike on small pick up car,
and heading back to the town, I had to change the car 2 times,
but finally I arrived in Cakranegara around 14:30.
Having lunch there at 2M restaurant, and heading back to Senggigi.

Next morning, it was Monday morning and my last day in Lombok,
I check out around 10:00,
and cycling out of Senggigi with big bag on my back.
I wandered around the Ampenan and Mataram,
asking a shoe fitter to patch my bike bag,
and finally big rain fells at the time I arrived in the airport

It was 14:00, so I have enough time to pack my bike and checking in.
my flight was at 17:00, with an hour transit in Surabaya,

I arrived back home at 21:30,
somehow something still wondering my mind,
should I come back to Lombok, just to take hills north of Senggigi....???

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