My intention for my time in Indonesia is absorb. Scuba diving will be the centerfold of my time here in Indonesia. I want to be able to absorb the knowledge and skills needed to dive safely, absorb underwater wildlife and ecosystems, absorb the sensations of floating in a zero gravity environment, and just generally absorbing everything I observe and immerse myself within.
My hostel made me a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and black coffee. It wasn’t anything fancy, but for complimentary and convenience on the go, I’ll take it. I packed my bags, checked out of the hostel, then walked to the ticket office for the ferry I had booked online. Here, I received my ferry ticket, then walked with other travelers to the dock. Similar to my experience at the Denpasar airport, the port was flooded with locals soliciting and approaching you to buy things. I understand that selling to tourists may be their way of living, but I discovered that I don’t have much tolerance to an overdose of relentless solicitation.
Eventually we boarded the ferry headed towards Gili Trawangan. I took a seat inside the air conditioned and comfortable cabin and quickly made friends with Nicole and Liv, a pair of travelers from New York and Great Britain, respectively. We shared travel stories and experiences, then eventually moved to the top deck of the boat where there was sunshine, views, and music to elevate the vibe. The ride took about two and a half hours from Padang Bai to Gili T. I collected my bags, paid my docking fees, then checked into Atlas hostel. Eventually we boarded the ferry headed towards Gili Trawangan. I took a seat inside the air conditioned and comfortable cabin and quickly made friends with Nicole and Liv, a pair of travelers from New York and Great Britain, respectively. We shared travel stories and experiences, then eventually moved to the top deck of the boat where there was sunshine, views, and music to elevate the vibe. The ride took about two and a half hours from Padang Bai to Gili T. I collected my bags, paid my docking fees, then checked into Atlas hostel.
After I dropped off my bags at the hostel, I was reunited with Nicole and Liv and we walked the strip for lunch. We landed at Manta Dive, the diving company I was registered to begin my open water scuba certificate with the following day. We enjoyed a late lunch with some mojitos and margaritas. Nicole and Liv were already registered to begin their open water scuba certification with another company, but with a little persuasion I convinced them to join me at Manta so we could take the course together. We met our instructors and went over the agenda for the course the following few days before leaving. We walked around the main strip, playing a game where every time a local solicited us, we would have to take a drink. As you can imagine, this game got out of hand quickly.
I returned to my hostel to shower, have a complimentary dinner, and socialize with fellow travelers over drinks. Then, I went to Irish Bar to meet up with Liv and Nicole and begin the island bar crawl we signed up for earlier. Back on the Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam, my Danish friends Simon, Oliver, and Adam mentioned doing this bar crawl during their time on Gili T, and it seemed like a great way to kick off my time on Gili T. When I arrived, Liv and Nicole were sitting with new friends, a couple from Britain named Charlie and Charlotte (adorable right). We hit a few different bars on the main strip, where there was live music, DJs, beer pong, and karaoke, all led by our eccentric host Nadee (S.A.F.).
After the crawl, we danced at a beach spot with good dance music called Tequila Sunrise, munched on some kebabs, and then went to a crepe stand. At this crepe stand, everyone in my crew waited in line and were served promptly with their orders. When it was my turn, a foreign traveler cut the line and placed his order directly with the crepe stand owner. I muttered something under my breath about the rudeness and lack of consideration for cutting, and he heard me and said something rude back with an unpleasant tone. I brushed it off and didn’t let it bother me. After he was handed his first crepe he then placed an order for a second one. I looked at the worker and asked him to respect the order of people waiting in line. He began to make the travelers second crepe, and then I lost my temper, exchanged some colorful language with both of them, and then stormed off in a tantrum and returning to my hostel. While I didn’t have the reaction I would normally have sober, I’ve had several encounters with tourists from other countries that have really expanded my levels of tolerance and understanding. What may seem as completely rude and inconsiderate to an American is likely socially acceptable behavior in these other places. I try my best to eliminate my judgments and intolerance of others, and to understand and appreciate even these more conflicting differences.