Watching the sunrise over a volcano

After we spent two days in Lovina we went on to Gili T. At 4 am we had to check out to take the minivan to the ferry. In the van we almost everyone slept until we made a stop in a café around 6 am.

There, on the terrace of the café, we could look over the clouds at a volcano, above which the sun was just rising. The view was really incredible.

After sunrise we drove on and arrived at the ferry after an hour. Since we left so early, we had enough time until the ferry left. At half past ten we were finally able to board the ferry. The journey from Bali to Gili T took two hours. During this time I tried to catch up on my sleep from the night before.

Arriving on Gili T

When we finally arrived on Gili T, we had to walk with our luggage to our hotel. However, the way there was no more than 5 minutes. Nevertheless, we all arrived at our accommodation sweating. Fortunately, we were able to check in directly there.

Together with two other girls I shared a room, which was quite large and also very nice. The bathroom was outdoors, which I actually found quite nice.

We then just left our things in our room and went straight to lunch with two more girls. In a really nice café we all ate a smoothie bowl.

We had no more activities planned for this afternoon so we could do what we wanted. Generally, we had a lot of free time on Gili T. Together with my roommates, I went to a nearby gym.

The rest of the afternoon we spent mainly in the hotel. I went for a walk on the beach and laid down by the pool.

In the evening we wanted to have dinner together with the group. However, some people preferred to eat somewhere else, which is why we were only half the group.

After dinner in a restaurant down the street, I went back to the hotel with my roommates, where we went to sleep. We were quite exhausted from the long journey and getting up early.

Spotting some seaturtles

The next morning we again had time to do what we wanted. After breakfast at 9 I went to the gym for an hour. After that I went straight to a stand-up paddling rental, where already a few other girls from my tour were.

Paddling in the crystal clear water was really nice. I also managed to stand on the board and paddle for a time standing. I was also lucky to see some turtles. But without swimming goggles I could unfortunately only see them from above the water. Nevertheless, it was really nice to finally see sea turtles.

After the stand-up paddling I went back to the hotel and took a shower there first. Just before 1 am I met with two girls from my group. Together we picked up a few more girls from a diving school. Together we were then in the same café for lunch as the day before.

After lunch we didn’t have much time left, as we met up with the group shortly after 3 pm to go on a bike tour together.

Biketour on Gili T

Not all of us took part in this bike tour, which is why we were not such a large group. From Thailand, I’m not used to that we spend time separately or people don’t participate in some activities. There it was almost always that we spent time as a group.

We then drove along the beach for a short time until we finally arrived at the famous Sunset Point with the many swings in the water. There we sat on the beach or at the bar.

We were really lucky because we could see a really nice sunset. On the swings in the water we were able to make really nice pictures. Luckily, our tour guide always has his camera with him, with which he takes really beautiful pictures.

After the sun had set, we then headed back to the hotel. There we got ready, because we wanted to go to a few bars and clubs that night.

Night out in Gili T

But first we had dinner with the group in the hotel. After that the group divided up again and each group did something on its own. Together with some girls, I went to a bar where we played beer pong.

After two rounds we moved on to another bar on the beach. There we were not long, but rather quickly went on to a karaoke bar, in which a few others from our tour group were already there. At the karaoke bar we watched some of us singing karaoke before we went back to the bar where we were at the beginning. There we spent the rest of the evening until it closed at 1 am. Then we went back to the hotel, because we all had to get up at seven o’clock the next morning.

Snorkeling with a hangover

In the morning after breakfast we all met at the reception and went from there to a small boat at the harbour with which we went out to sea.

In the crystal clear blue water we jumped into the water and snorkeled. Because the water was so clear, you could see very well underwater. Also we were able to see the famous underwater sculptures, which I found truly fascinating.

From our first snorkeling spot we drove on to the next stop. During the boat trip there, I was lying on the deck of the boat in the sun with a couple of girls. At our next snorkeling spot we couldn’t see as much as at the first spot. All I saw was shells and a few fish. Some of us actually saw a turtle.

After we were all back on the boat we went to an island, where we had lunch in a restaurant. After lunch on the beach we drove back to Gili T by boat.

Climbing Palm Trees and watching the Sunset

The next afternoon we were free again and were able to do what we wanted. I went to the gym first. When I returned after two hours and had already packed my things for the departure the next day, I rented bicycles from the hotel together with my roommates and our tour guide.

With these we drove the same route as the day before. On a meadow with some palm trees we stopped first. There our tour guide explained to us how to get the coconuts, which are sold everywhere. For this you have to climb up the palm trees on the trunk. This is what our tour guide did. This looked incredibly easy on him, but I’m sure it takes a lot of practice.

From there we drove back to Sunset Point. This time to a different place than the day before. When we arrived there the sun had already set, but the colours we could still see afterwards were incredibly beautiful. On the swings we took a few pictures and watched the sky until it was almost dark.

Then we made our way back to the hotel. Arrived there we had ten minutes to get ready for dinner.

Dinner under the stars

Together with the group we went to a restaurant on the beach. Here we had a big table in the sand on the beach under the starry sky. The restaurant was really nice, but it took the waiters forever to take our orders and serve us our drinks and food. On Bali this slow is normal and is also called “Bali Time”, but if you haven’t eaten all day, it can be quite annoying.

I was lucky and my food was served pretty much as one of the first. However, it also took an hour to finally get there. Since I was already done before some have even been served their food I went back to the hotel with my roommate.

Normally I don’t like to part with the group, but since all the waiting is really exhausting in the long run, especially for people you’ve never talked to anyway, I left early that evening. While my roommate has already gone to bed, I was still on the beach taking pictures of the starry sky with my camera. After that I went to bed, because the next morning we took the ferry back to Bali and went to Ubud.

If you would like to know what I experienced during my time in Ubud. Please read my next blog post Waterfalls, Monkey’s and the sunrise over Mount Batur in Ubud – Indonesia Travel Diary.