Travel with Emily

There are some moments while traveling that are utter perfection, where you look around and can’t quite believe how you got there. This four day cruise was full of them.  

Flores to Lombok had my holy trinity of a holiday; sunshine, waves and mountains.

We sailed past islands of luscious green mountains that rolled into the water, sparkling beaches that twinkled and blinked, and wide expanses of deep blue. These views were the last thing I saw when I went to bed and the first thing I saw in the morning.   

However, my favourite moments of this trip didn’t take place in the faint light of a sunrise hike, nor with the pok pok pok of coral moving in underwater currents, they took place in a slightly underfilled beanbag on the shaded upper deck of the boat Pemayar. The sun was warming my body, a breeze was playing with my salty hair and there was nothing to do except read my book for as long as I wanted. It was these simple moments that I shared with friends just existing alongside beautiful nature that were my favourite.

I think your other senses get sharper too when your eyes are lulled by the rippling water. Fried bananas that were still hot. And a second plate of them when we gobbled up the first one. Golden, crispy, and utterly delicious. 

Night fell fast and people crowded together for games and songs. It had been ages since I’d sung out loud and I didn’t realise how much I’d missed belting out a lyrics at the top of my lungs. Good songs too, older songs. Those earworm ones that you hum half the verses just as an excuse to get to the chorus. 12 of us singing along to a guitar, a drum and homemade maracas, that was maybe the best moment of all.

So this will be my strongest memory of Indonesia, a cruise throughout paradise.