Nusa Lembongan

Beautiful sunset on the cliff

View from the verandah of our new place

Beach view with Bali volcano in the distance

Seaweed farmer

Gathering seaweed

Drying seaweed

Mike's new friend patiently waiting for a bite of chicken sate pizza

 

We only spent a couple of days on the big island of Bali. The mainland felt busy (although it is before the peak season which starts next month so really it's the quiet before the storm.) We also were seeking a beach that was a little cleaner and less crowded.  Maybe we got a little spoiled in other places that we've been. We decided to take off for one of the islands about 12km off the east coast of Bali- Nusa Lembongan.
Of course this requires a ferry ride. Many of you know how I feel about ferries- unfortunately we are drawn to islands and I find myself sitting on a lot of boats in spite of my fears. I hate them so much that I would fly if I had the option. We were recommended a company by our guesthouse owner in Sanur on Bali. I quizzed him about how big the boat is, do we board from a dock, how long is the ride? He assured me it was a big fast boat- 30 minute ride- leaving from a dock. One thing we have learned is that things are never exactly as they are presented or described. Once or twice we've been pleasantly surprised and got something better than we thought but usually it's the opposite. All part of the adventure.
We arrived at the harbor- which is to say a bunch of boats moored on the beach. The tour operator points out to a smallish open boat that is pitching around in the waves. Great! There are about 14 of us- all westerners with backpacks. The boat guy starts grabbing our bags and carries them over his head through knee deep water and pitches them onto the middle of the boat. We all take our sandals off and start wading towards the boat but we have to time it right with the waves so we don't get knocked over, hit by the propellers or snapped by the mooring line.
The one and a half hour ride across big ocean swells was not fun. Mike will say that I am exaggerating how big the seas were, but there were several folks feeling a bit green... I chatted with a really sweet Canadian girl the whole way (probably blabbed the whole way) but she kept my mind off of the rollers and I arrived without tossing my cookies. Still, I haven't been anxious to jump back on a ferry. Am I obsessing about the ferry ride back?  You betcha!
Our first few days were in a guesthouse on a cliff looking out to sea.  A really lovely setting but a little far away from restaurants and from a place where Mike can swim in the sea (although we had a nice pool.) We decided to move down into the village so we can be steps away from the beach.
The guesthouse is really nice with a beautiful pool, good breakfast and right on the beach.
Just off the beach the local people are seaweed farming. All along the beach are tarps covered with seaweed that is drying in the sun. We are told that the seaweed is collected not for food but for the carrageenan which it is a source of. Carrageenan is a thickening agent used in a lot of foods- ice cream for one- but also in cosmetics and toothpaste. Each morning we see people out in their boats collecting the seaweed. In the evening some of the seaweed is returned to the beds (which are in 4-5 feet of water) I guess to replant. It's a good business for the locals who aren't taking care of us tourists.
We will probably stay here for a couple of more days before moving on to a place a couple of islands over, then back to the big island to explore some volcanoes, rice patties, more beaches.