Yesterday, I learned why all the boats have been stopped. We are on the edge of a cyclone, not a storm. At the earliest, the boats will begin again Saturday, possibly not until Sunday or Monday. Some people say not until next week. The challenge with information here: everyone has some and rarely is it official.
So….chill and relax seem to be the order of the day. No one knows how long the storm will last or when it will be safe to travel. The locals told me this happens every year about this time. They know it’s coming and simply deal with it.
The photo’s below show some local reaction to the weather. Big waves mean fun for the local surfers!
This is the area of the island known for prime snorkeling. Now, it’s surfing territory. The water is to milky and cloudy from the storm to see anything. I hope to get in a good snorkel before I leave.
Photo’s below, for the businesses below along the beach, it’s a different story. The photo on the left below shows a space where 20 feet of the beach has disappeared. Yesterday, I was sitting in a shelter on the beach where the sand is no longer present. Three of the structures broke, fell into the ocean and washed away already. It’s now encroaching on the restaurant. The concrete wall they built for protection collapsed as well.
Hopefully, they will survive the next two or three days. Night time seems to be when the water and waves are at their wildest! Consider this for a different perspective: tourist complaining about not being able to leave the island while businesses are threatened. A few extra days waiting for a boat is nothing compared to a few days that might seriously damage a business. They recover quickly though so here’s hoping for the best! Last night wasn’t as rough. I stopped by Chill Out this morning and they had flip flopped the entire restaurant to protect the structures, keeping them from falling in the ocean, and continuing to operate their business. Very flexible and adaptable indeed!
I did find the book store and found three or four books by authors I recently discovered. I’m about finished with another book so will take two down there and trade.
Yesterday, I found a little store that refills water bottles for half price. They are in the local “green” movement attempting to reduce the number of plastic bottles purchased and thrown away. Cool!
It’s right across from the Winwin cafe which is far enough North, the waves aren’t breaking there so the beach appears a little safer at least for the moment.
Gili Air offers lots of options. More restaurants mean more food options. And the prices vary by location a great deal. In the village, I had lunch at the local warung yesterday, Mee Goreng and a fresh lemon juice for $22,000 RP. On the beach, an order of brown bread toast cost more than that. You get to choose and I must say, having real brown bread toast or sandwich is a real treat!
Cial….