An early rise to pack for the boat, horse cart and truck ride to Senggigi on Lombok’s beautiful West coast, where we collect a shaky Suziki Jimny to tour the island. We drive the length of the island, stopping occasionally to look at unusual trinkets or to taste new snacks. Just a few miles from Kuta, we pass through Sade, where by a stroke of luck a rare traditional ceremony is taking place on the roadside. A local woman, Alfie, tells us the ceremony is to mark the circumcision of the villages toddler boys. Girls with powdered faces and cigarette adorned headdresses are carried on painted wooden horses (like Swedish Dala) mounted on the shoulders of four dancing boys.
We follow the procession and stay with the party for some time before driving on to Kuta where we take advantage of a last minute deal to book a beautiful and luxurious private Villa at the nearby Novotel. Once settled and having freshened up in a proper shower we make our way to the Lombok Lounge. True service with a smile accompanies a delicious Chilli Crab dish and Nasi Goreng special. We are approached by two local girls aged eight and ten who speak fluent English and give us a well rehearsed sales pitch for their self-made friendship bracelets. After getting them down to 15,000 rupiah for one (still a high price) the duo slip off to the next table where they proceed to converse in French.
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