Back on Nusa Lembongan
I can't believe 8 months has gone so quickly and we are so very near the end of our adventure. Time really does fly when you are having fun. For a while now have been toying with the idea of returning to Bali for our last stint. We had so much fun there the first time, and ocaasionally it's just nice to relax in a place you know you love and to not have to negotiate new challenges.
Nusa Lembongan was probably one of our favourite destinations overall. It was a combination of people we met, friendliness of the locals, affordability, the amazing marine life and sedate pace of life that made this tiny island so special. We booked our flights to Bali, investigated fast boat options for the crossing and quickly emailed or friends Hillary and Matt at Secret Garden to make sure we booked our bungalow. They run such an amazing operation here that it's near on impossible to just turn up. Although they couldn't accommodate us the first couple of nights they reserved us a bungalow for the rest of our stay and we got our names on the dive-boat as well.
First two nights we stayed in No 7 bungalows. At £14 per night we had a lovely large room decorated beautifully with a four-poster bed and our own veranda with wood carved chairs and a daybed to relax in. The price also included a lovely breakfast full of fresh fruit and eggs cooked to your liking. Sitting in their restaurant for dinner that first night, eating a massive piece of tuna steak and drinking a really cold glass of Bintang, we both felt so content. It was just as wonderful as we remembered. All the locals had been so friendly, the service impeccable and they couldn't do enough to help you. People said hello to you on the street and not just to aid their sales. Why did we ever leave this place?
Finding our way back to Secret Garden the next day felt like returning to a second home. Hillary and Matt were there with big hugs and with so much to catch up on we went out for a late lunch. In the afternoon Mark checked out the new pool. The last time we were here it was just a huge whole being lined with bricks. Now it looked like a perfect chill out zone with posh loungers and a great little pool. I left Mark there and took the opportunity to hop over to the Yoga Shack for a fantastic class with Emily.
The next few days were spent following a regime of diving in the morning and yoga in the afternoon (not for Mark, he just preferred to snooze in the hammock on our veranda instead). After a healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and thick Bali coffee we would hop on the dive-boat and set up our gear. Travelling under a beautiful sparkling sun, we would be treated to some of the most stunning views across sandy bays and lush mangrove forests. Next we would be 25 metres under water, gently gliding our way through immense coral gardens. The marine life here is just amazing! So colourful and with excellent visibility you feel like you're in a massive aquarium. You see so many strange and wonderful sea creatures - I'm sure a huge amount of this was due to the experience of our guides. There were too many to list, but worth mentioning are many types of nudibranchs, cutest juvenile yellow boxfish, massive dog-tooth tunas, bamboo sharks and even 3m wide Mantas!!! Yes, we saw them again :-). Nothing really compares to that feeling having a huge Manta gliding towards you for a good look. One came up so close that if I reached out I could have touched it. OMG! It was sublime and one of those memories I will cherish forever...
After lunch, I'd hop into one of Emily's amazing yoga classes. Each day I could feel my muscles strengthen, posture improve whilst my mind enjoyed 90 minutes of pure tranquility. I would have happily stayed for another 2 months continuing with this regime, but 5 short days were all that we had.
On our last day Matt and Hillary let us borrow their scooter for a run around the island. It was our second time exploring the island, but just as fun. We found a couple of beautiful, secluded beaches and enjoyed a posh lunch in one of the most stunning settings. Thanks again for the recommendation guys!
The evenings here are rather quiet, but in a nice way. You get to watch a stunning sunset on the beach and eat amazing seafood at ridiculously cheap prices. The island is so small there are no real late-night bars. The closest thing is Friday night at the Blue Corner. Everyone gathers around for a few cold Bintangs or Arak (super-strength local brew) & Sprite, if you're really going for it! It was so much fun being there with all the guys from Secret Garden, guests as well as staff. After such a long time travelling as a duo, it was just lovely to be surrounded by friends new and old, enjoying the good banter and watching new Dive Master graduates undertake their final snorkel test ;-). We had a thoroughly enjoyable second visit here and I'm sure will be returning many times to enjoy the endearing hospitality of the Balinese and the wonderful company of our new friends...
