So Lombok was interesting.
Firstly picture this, its swelteringly hot, the sort of hot that hits
you like walking into a wall when you get through the door, and then it’s all
you can think about the entire time you’re out.
Then the moment I step off the tender boat and finally into
Indonesia. The inevitable, about 20 guys on motorbikes all yelling ‘you need
lift?’ ‘You want to go somewhere?’ ‘Come with me, very good price’ etc. And it
doesn’t matter how many times you tell them no, that’s not good enough. To them
all tourists are walking cash machines. Eventually they leave me alone and I’m
free to walk around.
Now Lombok is a huge island and where we dock isn’t
particularly happening, but it’s all I’ve got time to do so I just walk. Then I
start hearing giggling and footsteps behind me, so I turn around and there must
have been at least 30 Indonesian kids following me. Of course they all burst
into laughter when I catch them and run away.
Lots of fun for me!
Then I bump into a colleague and we decided to get off the
main road which basically had nothing but petrol stations and convenience
stores. We ended up down some side path, a little winding dust path through the
palm and papaya tree’s and come across a little residential area.
There must
have been a school because there was a multitude of children, who demanded
money if we took a picture of them so I had to be sneaky. There were these 3 little girls who were
being walked home by who I assume is a parent, they were very keen to practice
their English with me.
So then on the way back, I decided to get a drink. Then I
made the mistake if keeping the change in my hand when I walked out of the
shop. A bunch of kids saw the coins and pounced on me; one literally snatched
the money out of my hand and ran off. Only a few coins, it just made me laugh.
So that was my little adventure today, now back to the
grind...
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