Side Trip To Gili Air Island

Let me back up for a moment in this story.  For three nights I had been staying in the rustic beach-side bungalow - but decided to upgrade to the lovely Sky Dancer villa which Ningah and Made's wives manage for an absentee Swiss-French owner.  Of course the cost for one night would be the equivalent of 3 nights at the bungalow -- about $50USD -- but for that, this was my air conditioned view every morning with breakfast served on my veranda and afternoon coffee/tea:

Yes, that is the ocean just beyond the pool!  I stayed three nights in this luxury -- but pulled myself away to continue my pre-planned trip to one of the three "Gili" Islands -- high-interest tourist hot-spots an hour "fast-boat" ride away.  I'll forgo the details except to note that there are three with differing reputations: one for the party crowd, one for the non-party crowd and one that is very primitive and reputed to be best for couples.  I had decided on the non-party crowd: Gili Air - and made arrangements for the boat ride from Amed:

Departure

Enroute

Arrival

I stayed two nights in an inexpensive bungalow, and enjoyed some truly fun conversations with travelers -- and walked the entire circumference -- but quickly recognized that it is a mostly tourist-only island primarily visited by youngish Europeans on holiday.  Perhaps because I was solo traveling on an island clearly better for couples -- I quickly determined that while my two nights would be pleasant with beautiful beaches to visit -- that it possessed no interesting culture or "real" life -- just holiday life:  probably like visiting Hawaii 50 years ago before all the corporate names built resorts.  Don't misunderstand -- I totally enjoyed my time there, mostly because of the great traveler conversations I had (posted about on Facebook) -- but I was ready to return to my favorite Amed (where culture and holiday combine) and the hope for a spear fishing adventure.