Lombok Touring: Monkeys - Kain Tenun - Kuta Beach - Senggigi Beach

Some people love to wake up before sunrise, but here, sunshine welcomes me every morning. I guess I will never have a chance to see sunrise. Hmmm maybe next day :p After breakfast, we buy ticket to Bangsal. My friend, Ika who lives in Mataram, she's so kind willing to lend us scooter to explore the area.

Getting ready crossing the sea from Gili Trawangan to Bangsal

Touring route. That star, it's where I'm staying at.

Finally I met Ika and her friend Ica in Bangsal. Not only lending us scooter, they also accompany us exploring the area. This is our spontaneous plan, I didn't prepare any touring outfit. So this is my first time touring, with scooter, in the middle of the day, wearing short sleeves tee, capri jeans, and flops!! Oh dang... 

BANGSAL - PUSUK

Our first destination is Pusuk forest. Ika and Ica lead the way. There's nothing like the wind touches your skin while riding scooter. The road is smooth with several curves. Even it's almost midday, but trees along the street chills us up. 

Pusuk forest is located in the border between North and South Lombok. This forest is home to thousands of long-tailed monkeys manifold. Surrounding communities believe that they already inhabit this forest long before people venturing Mount Rinjani National Park area. These monkeys are furious. Just be careful if you bring snack on your pocket. Unless if you want to feed them. We park our scooters across the street. Ika hooks her snacks and make up purse on it. While we're still taking pictures, watching their behaviors, few of them are eating Ika's snack and grab her make-up purse. We're crossing the street and they are running around, climbing cliff, ah well... you won't get your make-up back, Ika :D Little rascals...

Yay!! Free snack!

"Not Dior? At least it taste good 'tho..."

PUSUK - SADE

Ika and Ica actually had to go back to work at clinic by 2 pm. My parent's piano student (dr. Lisa) introduced us by the way. Three of them are soooo kind, they're willing to lead us to second destination, which is Sade Village.

 So it's 12 in the middle of the day. Temperature maybe around 34-35C. Road is wide, yes there are trees, but far far away on the side of the road. What I'm thank about is no macet! No traffic. Very empty, and I can enjoy the wind which is what I'm looking for from motor touring. 

Finally we're arrived at Sade Village!!

Sade village is one of traditional village of Sasak tribe who are maintaining and keep the authenticity of Sasak culture. They weave thread into a sheet of fabric with natural material for living. No chemical needed to create these colorful fabric.

Kain Tenun Sade

Kain Tenun Lombok (Lombok traditional woven fabric)

Me and Ica tried to weave and I've gotto say, it's really hard to do this. First, you have to sit down on the ground with straight legs, then put a wood log behind you, fit it in with your back waist. It almost like being shackled. Then wait for a butcher to hang you up :p Nah... Then put the strings on your lap, think of a fabric pattern you like, and start weaving. And how to start? Thisssss is the most difficult part. Put some thread vertically first, maybe about 30 cm wide, then tuck in another thread with needle horizontally, and alternately with the vertical thread, so it makes one line web. Be careful, if you tuck it in the wrong place, you won't meet the fabric design you want. Then tighten up by pulling another small log wood towards you inside the fabric. And do it again and again until last line. Easy eh? :p  

  

Native Sasak spent about 3 days - 2 weeks to finish one fabric. Depends on the difficulties of design. No wonder they sell kain tenun a little pricey. So much hard work, time, energy, and thoughts to put in a masterpiece. Me, maybe I'd spend 2 years...

Sasak Traditional House

Sasak traditional houses use dry coconut leaves and bamboo as their roof, bamboo as their walls, and paved ground, without nails. The villagers peculiar habit is mopping their floor using buffalo dung. Sade Sasak spread buffalo dung in the base of the house. Now most of them have to make cement plaster first and then spread buffalo dung. But interestingly, I don't smell any sh*t there :p

Sasak traditional house

Chillin' at pendopo

I hope this boy isn't lost. "Oh your mom is behind me"

L to R: the weaver, Mbak Ika, me, my crazy hubby :p, and Mbak Ica. Looks like my hubby says "I have 4 wives!!" Hah... anyway ladies,... we can't thank you enough for your kindness, your help, and your hospitality. We really had a great time with you even we only met for about 4 hours. May God bless all of you abundantly!! And forget about your make-up purse, Mbak Ika :p

SADE - KUTA BEACH

So this is the point where actually I wanted to have lunch together with Ika and Ica but seems they have to get back to clinic to work :-( So they left us in Sade, and we continue heading south to get late lunch while this beautiful view of Kuta Beach Lombok is waiting for us.

Pano shot of Kuta beach

It takes about 30 minutes or less by scooter from Sade to Kuta. Unfortunately we didn't get much time here, just had lunch and get back to Bangsal in a rush. We have to catch the last public boat to Gili Trawangan at 5 pm. So we stayed here until 3 pm. People say you can find beach sand as big as grains of pepper. Too bad we didn't find it. 

What I'm curious about the native actually is their traditional music percussion (Gendang Beleq) and chants. I thought I would find it in Sade. It still haunts my mind until right now. But we have to continue the touring or else, we'd late for the boat. So we're heading back to North, with different road. We're heading to Bangsal via Senggigi beach.. OMG! Just picture this: you're riding scooter, empty road, trees and cliff on your right, breath taking Senggigi beach view and coconut trees on your left, and beautiful mountain view in front of you!! Even hubby almost hit a cow. Not his fault, the cow suddenly crossing the street catching up his mom. Hahah...

Thank God we could catch the last boat, as the last passengers. We can see the sun is heading west while we're on the boat. And just we step in the hotel room, God pours heavy rain. That's what I call a day... 

The sun is heading west