Sea is cold lead under clouds of gun metal gray. From out the gloom looms the dark face of my nemesis, the Knee Destroyer, mighty Rinjani. Lombok awaits to receive us. Not long after we leave the ferry's hold night falls. Lexy's friend, Johannes, has invited us to his home for the night. Not that I don't appreciate the hospitality but after a damp ride on the ferry I'd have taken a hot shower and private room over sleeping with the family.
Next morning as we're preparing to depart I notice a massive spider web, beaded with raindrop jewels, glistening in dawn's tranquil glow. I'm determined to capture this sylvan image but my lens won't accomodate an appropriate zoom. Clamber up the tree and get closer. Man this arachnid is huge! Possibly the largest I've seen in my life (which would be the other guy I chronicled in this here blog. Check the archives, y'all.) My hosts below poke at it with a bamboo pole in order to agitate the eight legs into fortuitous position. Gotcha!
Quick tour of local craft studios. Press mold ceramics seems to be a common method in these parts. Brief stop at a shop selling trinkets of wood, fiber, and horn. Proprietor weaves a quick bamboo ring to keep as a souvenir, nice lady. Very chatty. And after, a short trek to a large waterfall. The air is inundated with mist from the scattering spray, difficult to make good photography. Muslim girls are jumping in the pool, fully clothed of course. And when I say fully I mean head covering jiobab and all. How can that be comfortable? You'll catch your death in this brisk air young lady.
We've decided everybody needs a little break. Lexy needs some work done on his vehicle and I need some respite from all this transit. After returning from waterfall Alexy drops me off at a little compound of bungalows and takes his leave. Cute place. Four little houses packed in amongst jungle flora. Thatched roofs. Inside the bedroom is upstairs. There's a little balcony area with views of rice patties that surround and in the distance, Rinjani.
Sleep, sleep. Just before dusk I take a stroll about the grounds. Massive orb of spider silk and easily the largest snail I've ever laid eyes on. Web remains upon camera retrieval but somehow the snail has high tailed it. And I thought they were meant to be slow, or had something else gotten to it first?
Dinner was exquisite, hands down best food I've had on Lombok, and that's including my previous visit. Curry chicken and rice, it was packed with a flavor profile much more complex than any other food I've had in Indonesia. Just what the doctor ordered. After dinner a group of local kids invite me to join their jam session. Standard reggae tunes that are getting stale now, but at least I get to bang on a drum. One dude keeps trying to hustle some scratch out of me for more alcohol. No thanx. I've had enough of this rice wine you keep pushing on me. I take my leave and stumble the short distance back to my bungalow. Before long the wine has me tumbling down deep into welcome oblivion...
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