#senaru

by hock how & siew peng on Flickr.Morning at 2641m on Gunung Rinjani Volcano, Lombok, Indonesia.

by hock how & siew peng on Flickr.Morning at 2641m on Gunung Rinjani Volcano, Lombok, Indonesia.

by hock how & siew peng on Flickr.Morning at 2641m on Gunung Rinjani Volcano, Lombok, Indonesia.

Senaru Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall in

Tiu Kelep and Sendang Gila, back with the kitten at breakfast

I was woken up by an annoying rooster at 4am and had trouble getting back to sleep but I still got out onto the bike by 7am as I had planned. It was a quick 5 minute ride down the road to the entrance of the waterfalls where I paid a small entrance fee and then started my walk down the steps. I’d read that there were a lot of locals who hang around the entrance and aggressively offer their ‘guide’ services so it’s best to show up very early which suited me anyway as I had a lot to pack in to the day! Within 15 minutes I had reached the first waterfall Sendang Gile and had the space all to myself to admire the area. I didn’t stay too long, as I wanted to keep my head start on getting to the main attraction Tiu Kelep. I had researched a lot about the path, guides, monkeys, and so on the previous night so I thought I’d have no issues finding the way myself. There was a path for about 20 minutes and then I ended up at a river, a little unsure if I needed to cross it, or walk upstream. I chose the upstream option and luckily it was correct! A short way of wading through shin-deep water and then I could feel the mist of Tiu Kelep all over me. My phone was already in its protective case, and I tried to place my backpack behind a rock to avoid it getting too wet. The waterfall was so powerful, about 45 metres high, plunging into the pool below with such force I’d be very afraid to swim there. I spent about half an hour here getting some photos and never saw another soul, which seemed crazy based on other photos I’d seen of crowds here in the day time. It was a great spot to visit, and well worth the early morning to enjoy it to myself. As I was walking back out, there was a local guy collecting rubbish in a large sack and carrying it out which I realise must be a bit of an issue as there are no roads but there are vendor tents at the first waterfall which presumably sell a lot of drinks and food for inflated prices and need to be carried out and thrown away. It was a steep climb out and there were a few ojeks that appeared near the entrance offering an expensive ride up on the back of a scooter but I declined. Bokkie was waiting there for me to bring me back to the homestay for a shower and breakfast before the last leg of the Lombok Loop back to the airport.

Senaru, Lombok: My own balcony with this view for $18, traditional village nearby, gado-gado for a late lunch, sunset with fried banana and a kitten