The Easy Way Out

Standing at the white sands of Tanjung Aan, Lombok Tengah, West Nusa Tenggara

Dress (Cotton On), Shoes (Bought at Ubud market), 

Sunglasses (Giordano bought at Optik Melawai)

The Beauty of Bukit Merese, Lombok Tengah, West Nusa Tenggara

I travel more these days after I moved to West Nusa Tenggara. I met some new friends and one of them reminded us to not take everything for granted, to enjoy our time here in West Nusa Tenggara, to go out and explore the world we live in no matter how busy we might feel. 

Last week we went to Lombok Tengah, Tanjung Aan and Bukit Merese to be exact. It took about 3 hours drive from my place, Lombok Utara to get there, not really far since we drove from the northest of the island right to the southest part. Moreover if you stay in Mataram or go straight to Tanjung Aan and Bukit Merese from Lombok International Airport, it only takes about one to one and a half hour.

Tanjung aan is a white sand beach with its crystal clear water and beautiful hills surrounding it. Though the water is not as clear as another beaches at Gili Islands and the sand is not as white as the white sand beaches at Gili but the green hills surrounding this beach have its own charm.

Since I went there with a lot of my friends, we spend our time together enjoying the mighty view with the warmth of conversations, but if you happen to be a solo traveler you still can enjoy this beach while laying on a soft throw and reading a book while feeling the humid breeze playing with your hair. 

After get enough with the beach, the best way to spend the golden moment of twilight is to enjoy the serenity of Bukit Merese, a hill near Tanjung Aan. We can easily climb the hill and only in a not more than 10 minutes we will stand at the top of this hill overlooking the ocean with its beautiful combination of the blue color of the ocean, the golden hue on a blue twilight sky above, and the lush green of the hills. If we lucky, we could meet a herd of goats or evenmore, cows along the hills looking for some grass to be eaten. 

We sat at one of the hill, facing the ocean while waiting for the sun to set. To be able to be present at those moment, breathing the humid air, feeling the breeze, watching the beautiful golden hue at the sky... 

I was feeling blessed. 

To be able to call this place, home, now.

I always try to believe that doing what I think is easy might not be the best option. It was easy for me to stay back home and looking for a settle job with a great salary, staying at home with all of the privileges which follow surrounded by people I am familiar with, and feeling safe most of the time. But I did not stay, I flew.

It was easy for me after I move, to only stay at my room after work, never try to make some new friends, looking for new opportunities, or learning the way the world works at my new place, speaking as how true introvert I am inside. But I did not stay at my room, I go out.

Over the easy options, I try my hardest to choose the inconvenient one. I say inconvenient because it is not a bad option, just one with more effort thus make it harder for me to choose it over the other option. Often, I question my self again and again after making one hard decision and start to lose the way in the middle, but hey, I think nobody knows where exactly they are going, too, anyway. 

So might as well, just keep going and as The French say, live with joie de vivre. 

Tanjung Aan Beach and Bukit Merese (Merese Hills)

Lombok Tengah

West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Explore Ubud: Tjampuhan Ridge Walk

Dress (Minimal), Tenun (My friend's, bought at Flores)

My friend with local children

Been not posting for a while due to heavy influenza so I can not woke up early (the time where I usually able to sit and pour down my thoughts accompanied by a cup of coffee) or maybe I was just procrastinating? Haha no lah, really I have been beaten down by influenza. 

Living near the sea now, I have to admit that sometimes, just a little tiny bit of sometimes, I miss the fresh and cool air of living near the mountain. Beside my home, Ubud is one of that kind of sanctuary for me, with its cool air (compared to Denpasar) and its not so crowded neighborhood and its hills and rivers. 

I remember walking through Tjampuhan Ridge Walk with my friend one early morning while we were visiting Ubud last time. We woke up early and did our morning prayer then off we go to Ibah Warwick Villas and Suites where the entrance to Tjampuhan Ridge Walk is located. When we arrived the sky is still dark and the air is still so fresh. We walked passed a bridge with river below it, a beautiful and serene temple, and after walked about 20 minutes we finally arrived at the ridge just in time when the sun was starting to raise.

After walked and walked we found a swing facing a lush greeneries, I wish this kind of path is the path I could walk through everyday. But then I realized it is the vibes, the serenity, the culture, until the smell of a burned incense there in Ubud, all combined, which creating the complete moment I felt. 

So if you happen to visit Ubud one day, walk early in the morning through this ridge walk, and I can guarantee that your whole day will feel complete :)

Tjampuhan Ridge Walk

Jalan Raya Campuhan, Sayan, Ubud

Gianyar, Bali

(If you stay near Jalan Raya Ubud, you can enter this ridge 

walk through the front of Ibah Warwick Suites and Villas)