Road to Soul Writing

It was Thursday May 14, 2015. I rode my bike to the south steadily. The sky was clear and blue. I took route Mataram-Gerung-Penujaq-Mekarsari-Are Goling. It took me about one and half hour since I stopped in some places to take pictures. My favorite road that I passed was before I entered and exited from Desa Mekarsari. I stopped by in one of the hill by the road. I climbed it to get the whole landscape. From this spot I could see the ocean and a green bulge on it. In another stop I took some picture of the verdant hills that divided by the zigzag road. It was midday when I reached Are Goling Beach. I parked my bike in the parking lot and paid IDR 5.000. I was so lucky. It was low tide. The wave was about 500 meters away from the beach. Some water still flowed. They made some streams that look like small rivers. I crossed them eagerly. Around me, a lot of villagers were fishing and collecting shells. Some villagers even only used hook to get fish. I snapped some picture...

Once I went to a super big book store called Border—one of famous big stores in Brisbane—I saw couple of books about one and half inches thick stood on the top of circular table. They were put in nice arrange. On the cover there was a few people were planting paddies. Far behind, verdant hills and clear blue sky played its role as a perfect background. On the top of the cover was sharply written Bali and Lombok in white. I grabbed the book and opened some pages. I read some information that I already knew and smiled. I know Lombok is even more beautiful than what the books told me. Here are 7 amazing unfamous beaches that can make you more than just a tourist when you come to Lombok. 1. Are Goling Are Goling is located about 1 km from Mawun beach or about 20 minutes from Kuta Beach. Its name is secretly drowned since it is located among famous places. However this place keep amazing beauty that is sooner or later will be erupted. Are Goling combines traditional life of Sas...

If you are kind into the wild, you can put Tibu Ijo in your list for this weekend. Tibu Ijo is a waterfall that offers a challenging route and quite long trek. It takes about 45 minutes-1 hour walk in which you need to cross river twice. It even has no entrance gate. However along the way you could experience nature, you can hear mix of sound from birds, monkey and other animals, you can feel how small you are under the giant trees and bushes that you pass. You may meet some people that still very depending in the wild. Usually they went to the forest to pick up twigs and branches some are working on the top of Nira tree to get its water. This water is usually fermented to make Lombok traditional liquor called Tuak .  I went there last week with my friend. We explore the waterfall without guide. It took me more than one hour to find it since we need to think which path to take. Lucky we came up with right decision by following the river. Unpleasantly, rain poured. It was...

I sat on the wooden chair looking out the surfers walk on the wave of the ocean with their surfboard. Not far behind them there were three bulges covered in green.  I zoomed my camera and pressed its button for couple times. The pictures were not as good as I expected. I put that camera back and sat quietly enjoyed the surfers and that beautiful view with my eyes. Minutes by minutes I could hear some more people were coming. It was distracted. I looked back and saw some groups of ginger head men were putting some sunscreen all over their faces. They put the thickest one on the nasal area stretched to the cheeks and down. I hold my laugh and turn my head back. They looked funny. Not awhile, they walked to the beach while holding their surfboard. They stop before the line, bent over to tie the lace of their surfboards. I thought ocean is just not an ocean for them, it is a home. It is a place where they can feed their souls. Even the roar that probably scary to me...

The sky was clear blue. I knew I would get good picture with this kind of setting. I was impatient, looked out the window car and counted my minutes. As getting closer to the village where the waterfall was, I was distracted by the view that was getting more beautiful. People were planting paddies. They were dressed in Sarong and protected their head with their circular-bamboo-made hat. They were making such beautiful paddy lines. Far behind them Rinjani stood firmly. Benag Kelambu Waterfall is located in Rinjani National Park. It is immensely known as the hosting of unquestionably astonishing waterfalls in Lombok. It took me about one hour from Senggigi to Aik Berik village, Batukliang Utara, Central Lombok. I unlocked the door and waiting in the shady parking lot. My friend went to get the ticket. Every year the entrance ticket is different. Mostly is 25% higher than last year. The gate man also offered us guide. “This is our third time” my friend refused his offering p...