The Time of My Life

Misty Tanjung Aan when the sky was cloudy

It's clearly okay to take a break. For myself that's made of excessively high self-reliance and complexity, I've come to realize the importance of pausing everything and enjoying the time while it lasts.

I decided to go on a trip again. This time, I went to Lombok, an island located in Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) Province. It was only 4 days break but I definitely had the time of my life. It's not that I got really drunk, so drunk I could die. But it was a mere break from everything: work, school, and anxiety.  Well,  I didn't turn into a traveler who didn't shower: I did love my time traveling but I was still me. I was stranded in loneliness which I loved.

So Anyways, here's the story.


Like I said, I'm built by excessively high self-reliance and complexity. So I had everything perfectly planned. I had been craving to have a nude-colored swimwear and I saved up my money till I could afford one and immediately bought it. Okay, that was such an unnecessary information though. I was crashing my friend's mom's business trip by joining her. So yes, I spent my 4 days with very very intelligent women who worked as lecturers.  --- This is the reason why I feel like rushing my thesis now.

Anyways, we were staying at this beautiful hotel in Mataram city, the capital of NTB province. We traveled around by car and we visited many interesting places during our trip.

Desa Sade (Sade Village)

Desa Sade is a village located in the central region of Lombok. There were about about 500 citizens in that small village who were Sasak Descents. Sasak is an original tribe of Lombok.

Every house is provided with Labour room (as in room for giving birth). This tribe is also famous for their elopement. The men in the village were occupied as farmers, while the women would be weaving fabrics with their traditionally-made loom machine.

Tanjung Aan

When I got there, I spent most of my days under the grey sky, it was cloudy. But I think it's kinda cool because I got to see mysteriously misty beaches in the island.

Including Tanjung Aan. I've never seen a beach like this. There was this grassy-sediment-like on the beach. I walked upon it and I felt like I was liberating myself. I'm not trying to be hyperbolic here, but really. After all this deadline, and the fight between me and time, it felt so good to liberate myself.

Honestly, there was so much thinking during this trip. Like, I realized that I had never been belonged to anyone, or anything. I'm an individual, not a fucking clone. Even the time and the earth's gravity doesn't own you. This is the reason why I fell in love with traveling. 

So this is my traveling-companion for the past 4 days. Her name is Zulfa, she's my best friend whom I met in the university. She's aesthetically-disciplined. Yes, immaculately aesthetic-reserved kind of woman. LOL

She's awesome.









Mandalika Beach

There's not much to say about this beach. The government is currently renovating the beach so it's gonna be super awesome in a few years. I guarantee.

Stokel Waterfall

I don't know why it sounds very dutch. I mean the name of the waterfall. It was really fortifying myself. I mean, morning hike to the waterfall and get to dip your feet into that pond with crystal clear water.



















Gili Trawangan

When I was a child, I constructed this statement "Comfort is not discovered, neither is found. Comfort is made.". So, I've never really looked for a place to find comfort. Because I think comfort is self-made, it's not something you can look for. But maybe I was partially wrong. In Gili Trawangan I found comfort: an enormous amount of positivity in the whole island.

For a small, island without cars and motorcycles, surely you will find peace. I met so many nice people who were enthusiastic to greet each other. And I was so happy because people were talking in so many different languages, mostly english. But some would talk in German, some talked in French, some wrote in Swedish. For someone who likes talking in various languages, it was heaven. 

Yoga routine by the beach at 8 am.
Who wouldn't dig this place?


I didn't stay the night in Gili though. We sailed from Lombok to Gili Trawangan in the morning. Zulfa and I snorkeled in the afternoon. Thank god it didn't rain that day. The ocean was beautiful, clear water, nice turtles. Je t'aime Gili.

So yes, that's my story.
I will definitely donate all of my budget to traveling from now on. I don't want to grow old and won't be able to snorkel in the ocean. SO yes, before I turn 25, it's gonna be all adventure and ONLY HAVE FUN. No stress, no stupid questions about the future, no marriage.