I hope you guys are ready for lots of underwater Photos of the Week in the upcoming month… because these days, that’s where I’m spending most of my time! I’ve jumped headfirst into my Divemaster course, which is just flying by. I underestimated how difficult it would be to juggle my normal workload with a full-time professional diving course and of course trying to squeeze in bits of island bliss when possible, but I know I can make it work.
Gili Trawangan continues to charm me. I’ve bought a bicycle, started yoga classes and taken to running around the island (yup, the whole thing — it’s tiny!) in the mornings before it gets too hot. One major challenge I’m still having is food — I haven’t found any go-to, affordable places that I’m in love with, so I spend a lot of the day in various states of indecision and starvation. That aside, I’m really feeling this little piece of paradise.
Photo A
No motorized vehicles here: horse carts are the local taxis on Gili Trawangan.
Photo B
While my place is charming, I wish I was living here — this is a typical Indonesian building style.
Photo C
These waters are turtle-friendly — I’ve seen one on every dive!
Photo D
I know I had a similar shot last week, but I’m just so into sunflare silhouettes lately! How can I resist?
Photo E
A friendly moray coming out to say hi.
Photo E! That eel looks like he’s smiling. The horse in A looks HOT… poor guy š
I know, I personally have refused to use them and carried my luggage clear across the island myself rather than use one. Poor guys indeed. But they are part of life here.
I love the turtle…amazing pattern on his shell! And yes, I feel sorry for the horse, too…
One thing you can’t really get from this photos is how huge he is! It was a special moment in a great dive.
I have to pick C! I love sea turtles!
Then you MUST come here! I’ve seen one at least on every dive… on one dive I saw SEVEN!
I know this is a weird request, but let us know what you find to eat! Is there anything appetizing at the market?
I definitely will! I’ve found one thing I love at the market which was a cake-like thing, so need to avoid that actually! Other than that I had a soup that I disliked and a mie goreng that was standard (it’s the national noodle dish here). I just wish there was a place to get a fresh friend vegetable and chicken dish like I can get so easily in Thailand!
I love underwater back-light silhouettes also. But this time I would go with “C”. That turtle has quite a diving costume!
Wow, unexpected reader favorite this week! I though for sure it would be the silhouettes š
C took my breath away!!!!!
Thanks Andi! That’s an amazing compliment š
I loooved our time on Gili T. Have you tried the food at the night market yet? That stuff is pretty cheap and delicious. There’s a woman down the back who makes incredible lumpia!
I’ve been there a few times, but haven’t found a standout! I’ll look for the lumpia, thanks for the tip!
that turtle photo is GORGEOUS. the colors are so amazing. and i LOVE sun flares! i shoot toward the sun a lot bc i love that look.
Thanks Meghan! I agree… I have many underwater sunflare photos these days and even diving without a camera I always look up at that perspective. I just love that look of the light hitting the water!
I love C! As a U. Of Maryland Terrapin, turtles will always have my heart.
Love the sea silhouettes too!!
Ha! My first blog name involved turtles, so I’ll always be a terrapin lover as well š
They are all great–I would say C is my favorite! Love the angle. I really like D as well–the silhouettes are so pretty!
Thanks Jenna! I’m surprised C has been more popular than D — I always love to hear everyone’s opinions!
Definitely Photo C. I loved seeing turtles on my dives. They always reminded me of the scene from Finding Nemo!
I love that movie! I think I really need to rewatch it now that I’m spending so much time underwater!
My favorite picture is Photo E – though I find morays to be extremely creepy! I certainly hope that – should I ever get into diving and I definitely plan to! – I won’t meet them to often. They just scare the heck out of me, but I have to admit that there’s a certain fascination!
Enjoy your time there! š
xx
Melanie
They certainly have a sinister appearance (and the ones in the Little Mermaid certainly didn’t help the cause!) but really they aren’t intimidating at all in person! They just stick to their holes and snap about blindly — actually it’s how they breathe š
Hi Alex!
Welcome to Indonesia š
I wish you had fun during your time in my country.
Try to go to Wakatobi or Raja Ampat too, if you had a time š
Sadly I don’t think I will have time on this trip š That’s okay though… just one more reason to come back!
C & E! It’s a tie for me this week as I love both turtles and giant moral eels(they look creepy but act sheepish)!
I’m really enjoying your underwater photos, so keep them coming! And keep it up with the DM course, would love to hear more about your experience! All the best!
Cheers,
Kat
I will definitely have full coverage of my DM course once its done and over and I can reflect on it! And wow, I’ve never dove in a place with more turtles… so I hope you get used to see photos of them! Ha.
Have you tried the night market, for food ?
There is a small stand with a fabulous, yet simple soup with meat balls
Of course, the pancake stand is also an all time favorite!
Good luck š
Yup, I have been! I haven’t loved the meals I’ve had there but I also haven’t found the meat balls yet. Pancakes are pretty amazing though š
Photo D -the fish silhouette is my fave but they all look great. I’ve only ever seen one turtle when diving in Cairns when I was 12. 18 years ago but I remember it like it was yesterday! I’ve run into a couple of eels before though and I’m in no hurry to see any ever again. It does look like its smiling but it’s such a sinister smile.
Thanks for chiming in, Stacey! I know how magical turtles can be, I don’t blame you for holding on to that memory!