Nusa Lembongan, Bali: Island Life on Our Scooter
Part of our trip to Bali was spent on Nusa Lembongan Island. This to us was the “real” Bali. Still very much untouched and a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the main land. There tends to be more surfer types and people who have been traveling around the world for a year or more. It has a very relaxed, laid back vibe to it. Craig captured these images along the shoreline near the famous surf break called Shipwrecks.
In Craig’s words:
Travelling through the mottled morning light streaming through the trees above, we feel more than a plane journey away from home. We’re so far removed from civilisation as we know it that I naively feel a connection with characters from one of countless surfing magazines I’ve read over the years. Our Yahama scooter is negotiating a pothole riddled road as Chanelle and I make our way around Lembongan Island. The island is rather small and can be circumnavigated within the hour. We’re however on our way to Ceningan as we’ve been told that it’s the only place that has any swell. Ceningan is an even smaller island connected to Lembongan via a narrow wooden slat bridge which passes over a crystal clear lagoon leading into mangroves. Two bikes would battle to pass each other, so narrow is the bridge. But pass we must and so we did, continuing along towards our destination.
Early morning sees the return of the fishermen from an evening out filling their nets. Days are also spent tending to their seaweed farms, depending on the tide. The air is thick with the smell of incense and seaweed drying in the mid-morning sun as the locals continue with their daily chores. As a tourist it’s difficult to gauge wealth in the region. Nobody is rich but everybody seems content. Smiles flash across willing faces regularly, and we’re always greeted with an openness that a sceptic may find initially unnerving. There is however no hidden agenda. People are genuinely friendly and rather pleasant. It was fascinating observing the activities of the locals. The entire community seems to contribute to its sustainability. Obesity does not seem to be a problem as bodies are clearly hardened by the physical work required by everybody to maintain their village. The women are not spared the harsh realities of physical labour either, and in fact seem to do most of the seaweed harvesting themselves. Children are obviously also encouraged to contribute towards their share of the work load. Everybody has a task and all endeavour towards its completion.
