Ferry rides! The crossing from Bali to Lombok has to be the worst ferry crossing we’ve ever endured. This crossing is the longest in this chain of small islands. The crossing itself is advertised at 4 hours. They approximate a time that the ferry will leave, but in reality it only leaves when it is full.
We spent the night about 5 km from the ferry port so we could get a good start. After topping off our card we got in line to buy the ticket. Then we lined up undercover in the long queue to board the ferry. It was again the same procedure. Fill the big spaces with trucks, then squeeze scooters and motorcycles in the small spaces so there is barely room to walk. After leaving the covered queue line we boiled in the sun waiting for our small space to be squeezed into. Just as we get on board we noticed, to the east, tall gray storm clouds brewing over the Bali Sea.
None of the bikes on board are ever lashed down. They’re just placed on their center stands, hoping for the best. We climb the three narrow, steep metal staircases to a sitting area which has no space at all. By the time we get on board all available seats and floor space are covered. There are bright colorful rugs everywhere with families sitting on them with their shoes scattered around the rug. We pick a path through to the back deck and try to find a place in the shade. The only place happens to be against an outside railing so we sit leading against the outside railing beside a couple life rafts. There isn’t a life jacket to be seen anywhere on the ferry. I guess you can understand why when a ferry sinks almost everyone on board parishes.
This crossing, between Bali and Lombok, crosses the Wallace Line. This is a very significant place in the world.
From Wikipedia.
The Wallace line or Wallace’s line is a faunal boundary line drawn in 1859 by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace and named by the English biologist T.H. Huxley that separates the biogeographical realms of Asia and ‘Wallacea’, a transitional zone between Asia and Australia also called the Malay Archipelago and the Indo-Australian Archipelago. To the west of the line are found organisms related to Asiatic species; to the east, a mixture of species of Asian and Australian origins is present. Wallace noticed this clear division in both land mammals and birds during his travels through the East Indies in the 19th century.
The first 2 hours of the crossing were fairly mild. Some gentle rocking of the boat as the seas start to gain strength. In the distance, looking east towards Lombok, we see giant black storm clouds with heavy rain blotting out the horizon. The ferry turns a little to the north, maybe to go around one of the storms. As we near the Wallace Line the seas start to get very rough. There is a big difference in depth where are these two tectonic plates join in the middle of the sea, between the two islands. As the storms close in, the heavy winds start hitting the side of the boat causing the ferry to rock severely port to starboard. Then the heavy rains start. We are very exposed on the port side on the open steel deck. Quickly gathering our gear we move to the center of the boat. There was an area that was just vacated as people scrambled inside. For the time being in we have managed to stay out of the rain. The deck is wet and slippery as the water rolls back and forth with the listing of the ship.
After about an hour, the conditions started to improve as the sun peaked out from behind the black clouds. We arrived at the ferry port after about a 6-hour crossing. The sun was starting to set as we rode off the ferry. Racing the coming darkness, we rode the 25 km to
a small hotel that we had booked, right on the sea. We will stay at this place for two nights as the following day is forecast for storms also. The road in is very rocky. We question each other as to if this is an actual road or not. Nearing a corner and just beating the darkness we see a broken down gate with a concrete path. We continue on and find the “resort”. It is actually very nice, or could be. We found this place on booking.com. The price is normally about $70 per day but the advertised price, for off season, is $20. The room is very beautiful and spacious with a private pool looking out to the bay. There are four private villas, each with its own pool. This place could be very nice but, because of neglect of the grounds, I would knock off a star or two. They have a kitchen, but a very basic menu, if open at all. We opt for Nasi Goreng Ayem, which is chicken with fried rice. That dish seems to be fairly safe and everywhere in Indonesia.
The next day, with storms threatening in the afternoon, we take off in the morning to explore the tip of the island. We are on the southwestern coast and the “Gili’s of Lombok”, the main expensive tourist area, is off the northwestern coast. There is fantastic surfing right on the tip of the peninsula but we will go down to the south side to a national park, Pantai Mekaki. This area is very poor, an area that is hidden from most tourists. The roads are in bad shape and the living conditions are some of the worst we’ve seen so far in Indonesia. And we still see friendly people and laughing children playing in the streets. The farther east we travel the more of a rarity we seem to be. People stare a little harder and cameras come out a little quicker to catch our image. We wave and smile and offer an outstretched hand, hopefully being good ambassadors for our country. As we get to the gate for the national park the ranger comes out to greet us. We fill our names into their book and both rangers come out to the street to get pictures taken with us. I also get a picture taken with them.
We follow a smaller path down to the beach which opens up into a cove with mountains surrounding us and coconut palms dotting the landscape. There is no one around with the exception of a man tending his cows with his children watching.
A couple days later, with the storms gone at blue skies, we had across the southern route of the island, south of Mount Rinjani, an active volcano. We will spend more time on Lombok when we return. Right now we will head to Sumbawa, on East Nusa Tenggara, to go to immigration and extend our visas another 30 days.
Just north of where we will catch the ferry to find a small 4 room hotel for divers. Pulling in down the Sandy path It seems deserted. I call a number listed and the owner is out on a dive excursion with guests. He tells us to help yourself to the beer, have a swim in the sea and he’ll be back in a few hours. He finally returns and his wife cooks us a simple meal a fried chicken thigh and rice, US$3 for both of us.
Cheers and safe adventures to all,
2WANDRRs
2WANDRRs 
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