Lombok - not all LOL

Early morning ride to the ferry today (east coast of Lombok)..

As Henry (the owner of Tours d'Afrique) puts it: I am always happy in the morning and when I come in after a day's riding - there might be some moments in between where my mood is slightly different! How right he is - happy to ride along beautiful coast lines in the early morning - pleased to reach the goal after a day on the bike. What's in between is often somewhat of a nightmare. Here in Lombok the heat has been the big problem. Yesterday the Garmin registered a max. of 46 degrees - and something similar today - that's no fun! But again - the coke stops save me. Today it included a full body shower of water from my bottle + 2 ice creams: one to eat (pop-up) and another just to cool down my head front and neck (did not unpack it).. And a coke - of course..

The lady shopowner brings me the coke = moment of pleasure..  I think I leaned how it is to be an addict!

Well - there actually was some fun in Lombok: went out with Gerald and quite a bunch of the other "boys" from the group to the best (and it really was good) restaurant in Sengiggi. They had done the full tourist night route the evening before and as usual Joachim had recorded it all on his video. Inclusive Gerald's totally over the top dancing - had LOL just watching this - and listening to Sterling tell about the evening - happy not to participate (they partied until 3 am)..
 We started out a new bloc of 5 riding days yesterday: 126, 109 - 192!!! tomorrow then 128 ending up with only 4 kilometers followed by a long ferry ride. Did the first two - including an 1 hour ferry ride today. Again - great mornings - after 10.30 it gets hot like hell and survival is on the agenda - and fortunately I tend to feel fine when I am in at the hotel! Yesterday I went swimming in the ocean for the first time on the whole trip. Stepping out through the corals is not easy - but the water was wonderful - I floated for a while letting the salty water decide the direction - very nice.. But tough to get in again over the corals.. Unfortunately the water at the Sengiggi resort was totally polluted - just full of trash - ugly!

Approching Sumbawa - before the day got really hot..

 The ferryboat took us to the island of Sumbawa today. This place is even less touristy than Lombok - but our hotel here is really nice. It seems as if these islands have had a really hard time building up tourism since the Bali bombings in 2002. Many places are kind of new as the business is just newly really started again.
 Back to riding: the longest day of the whole trip is tomorrow.. It will probably be impossible for me to accomplish it within daylight time.. Just the riding will take around 10 hours with an average of 20 (which I am not sure to keep with 1400 m climbing). Then comes lunch and a bunch of coke stops.. No I do not believe in it - although I acted at if I am doing it - we were asked not to ride until after lunch if we do not  think that we are able to finish the day. I HATE the riding after lunch!