After an hour or so they arrived at Senggigi, one of Lombok's primary regions for tourists, according to Andy. Along the coastline stretched some spectacular beaches, bordered by tall palm trees overlooking the sand and imposing hills drifting inland. After quickly checking in at their final hotel, a 5 star palace after the huts and guesthouses of the previous few nights, they all took to the beach to enjoy the warm sea and take some pictures. Andy was keen to get some group shots done, something that seemed to be a custom at the end of each of his tours. After everyone took turns taking pictures of the rest of the group, Andy appeared with a picnic stored away in the van. They all ate and laughed on the beach, with the odd drop of wine being passed around as well. After two weeks together, there was a cohesiveness to the group that Jenny could never have expected when she started the tour: even Emily had begun to show a bit more of herself, seemingly propped up by the motherly Miley.
After an hour of stories and confessions, Andy pitched the rest of the days itinerary to them. The afternoon was to be taken up by a short bicycle ride following by some forest trekking, a visit to a local monkey sanctuary, and then some sea kayaking for the more adventurous. Once the night drew in, Andy had arranged for the group to experience a traditional Lombok dinner at the house of a local family, just to give the group a truly authentic meal before returning to Bali. To Jenny it all sounded like the perfect way to round off the tour.
A few minutes later they had packed the remainder of the picnic into the van and were setting off to rent some mountain bikes for their short ride into the forest. Henry seemed delighted with the planned day ahead, and was raring to go as soon as he jumped onto his saddle, jetting off along a dirt track up into the hills in a race with Andy. The rest of the group followed sharply behind, Eno and Miley bringing up the rear as had become customary with any of the more active pursuits the group had undertaken. After a lively winding ride they locked up their bikes in a lodge and continued on foot, exploring the beautiful hills and forests of West Lombok in the company of a Sasak guide who, along with Andy, provided the group with a wealth of information about the region.
Along the way they came upon a monkey sanctuary inhabited by hundreds of long tailed macaques who, despite their friendly appearance, were slightly more overzealous around the group than Jenny might have liked. The guide warned them not to hand food directly to them for want of keeping their fingers intact, so Jenny made sure to keep any snacks she had in her bag to herself. Todd, brazen as he was, didn't heed the guide's warnings, and got a bitten finger as a reward, much to the amusement of the group.
The rest of the afternoon continued in good spirits: Jenny and Henry joking together and sharing the odd kiss when no-one was looking. They walked behind, holding hands and musing on the events of the previous couple of weeks. Not once, however, did they mention the future: the fact that Henry was leaving in two days. Beneath Jenny's happy exterior, there was an undercurrent of sadness, a numb feeling in the pit of her stomach that she'd met someone, someone unlike anyone she'd met before; someone who, in two days, would probably leave her life forever. With every little kiss, every stroke of her hair, every look of Henry's eyes, it was becoming more difficult to part with him. She felt stupid for feeling like this, and weird that the thoughts of Trent that were previously dominating her mind were now a distant blur; an irrelevance in the face of this new romance. The intensity of seeing each other all day, every day, amplified the two weeks they'd known each other: to her, it felt like she'd known him for a lifetime.
After a few hours the group had returned to their bikes and made the ride downhill towards the beach. This time, Henry chose to ride slowly along with Jenny, talking as they slid down the dirt tracks towards the coast. Not long after, they were out on the water, each in their own kayak drifting about on the calm seas. Henry and Andy continued to compete with any physical challenge they came across, racing off towards a buoy several hundred meters out to sea. As they came cruising back, Jenny could hear Andy mocking Henry over his victory on what appeared to be something of a photo finish. Henry looked less than pleased, but asserted that it was 1-1 after he'd beaten him on the bike ride earlier. After a quick to and fro, they shook hands and agreed on a tie, both happy enough with the result.
After half an hour or so, Jenny paddled back into shore to join Eno and Miley on the beach. She watched as Henry, Mark, Todd, Andrew, and Andy crashed about on the water, splashing each other with their oars and trying to capsize each others boats. She laughed as they all ganged up on Todd and sent him crashing down into the depths, something that got a round of applause from those watching on the beach. After the tomfoolery had drawn to a close, they paddled a little further out before slipping over the side of their kayaks and duck diving under the waves. Jenny could see Andy talking to the group before gesturing them to follow him under. They did this several times, talking animatedly each time they resurfaced. This continued for a while before they all returned to shore, chatting away excitedly about the fascinating marine life they'd witnessed beneath the waves.
Once they'd returned their kayaks, Andy said they'd have another hour before meeting in the lobby of their hotel before dinner. Everyone headed off to freshen up except Jenny and Henry, who lay on the warm sand a little longer under the fading sun. Henry stroked his hands across Jenny's soft stomach and up over her shoulders, caressing her neck gently and guiding her hair back over her head. “I can't believe this is ending,” he said, before kissing her. Jenny didn't know whether he was talking about the trip or their relationship, but she suspected both.
They returned to their rooms and prepared for dinner, Sarah questioning Jenny over her flourishing new relationship: “you two seem to be getting along very well,” she said suggestively. “Anything major happen yet?”
“What do you mean...like, did we sleep together?”
“Well...yeah!”
“Sarah, you know what I'm like, that's not gonna happen. Anyway, when would we have done that?” she almost sounded annoyed at the intimation.
“Oh, I dunno, maybe when you spent the entire day yesterday on your own around the island? There's plenty of secluded spots on that island you could have used,” she joked, a hint of jealousy in her voice. “Or when you spent the night together on the beach....that'd be a good place to lose it Jen.”
Jenny had never felt comfortable talking about sex with Sarah, especially the fact that she was a virgin. They were so close and such good friends, but very different in many ways. While Jenny had never found anyone she felt comfortable enough with to have sex with, Sarah was at the other end of the promiscuity spectrum, and it was something she just couldn't understand. “Yeah I suppose, but...I've only known him a couple of weeks...”
“Who cares Jen, you really like him, I can tell....time means nothing, it's about how you feel. Just go for it I say, you might regret it if you don't.”
Jenny was starting to get a little uncomfortable talking about this with Sarah: she just didn't understand it from her point of view, how could she. “Well maybe....I need to shower.” She was quick to shut down the conversation and darted off to the shower to avoid any further questioning. The idea of having sex with Henry had only ever been a thought, a lustful daydream that she'd enjoyed. Sure, she'd thought about sex a lot over the years, but actually taking the step to do it was another thing altogether. To Jenny, sex was something that you did when you were in love, and she was waiting for the right guy...
Her thoughts continued to stray as she got ready for dinner, with the conversation with Sarah turning to less sore topics. When they were both ready to go, they headed down to the lobby to join the group before setting off towards a quiet part of Senggigi for dinner. She felt a little awkward as she walked beside Henry, impure thoughts now cluttering her mind: his muscular arms, dark golden tan, masculine gait and smooth English accent all conspiring against her.
By the time they reached the home where they'd have dinner, she'd managed to snap herself out of it
and was enjoying a few jokes with Andrew. They gathered in a small courtyard outside a simple white brick home, a large rectangular table positioned in the center. The night was brightly lit with stars, but extra illumination was provided by two hanging spotlights above the table. They poured a romantic light over the group, who hungrily chowed down on several local dishes brought out by the owners of the house at regular intervals. For Jenny, it was the best food of the trip, although a little spicy at times, and she enjoyed talking to the homeowners as they joined the group each time a new dish was served, sometimes with a little translation help from Andy.
As the dinner drew on, Andy got the group to recount their favorite moments of the tour. For several who had enjoyed the full trip, the trek up Mt Batur in Bali for sunrise seemed to be a highlight. For Todd, it was the night out in the Gili's that sat with him most, while Andrew had a particular fondness for the reef off Menjangan Island. When it came to Henry's turn, he issued his agreement over Mt Batur, smiling at Jenny as he talked poetically about the sunrise.
All of Jenny's moments had involved Henry, whether the night before the climb, the kiss on the mountain, the trek down, the boat trip back from their night on Gili Trawangan, their night spent on the beach, or their afternoon spent alone exploring the island. Of course, she also gave a platonic reply, choosing her time spent doing crazy activities like para-sailing and jet-skiing on Gili Meno, activities she never thought she'd try before. It was a cop out, but she and Henry both knew their highlights involved each other.
After dinner they said their goodbyes to their hosts and returned to the hotel for drinks. Everyone was exhausted following the days events but seemed determined to see off the trip with a bang, so were happy to stick around for a little longer before retiring for a well earned sleep. A couple of rounds of Bintang beer ensued, everyone continuing to share stories of the trip. Andy, under weighted questioning from Mark, told the group that it was the best bunch he'd ever had, although Jenny probably thought that's what he told them all. Eno seemed in particularly high spirits, at one point fetching a bag of gifts that he gave out to each of his cohorts one by one. The girls were each given a piece of authentic Indonesian jewelery, while the guys were given small ornaments as momentos of the trip: Mark a small statue of Mt Batur, Henry an intricately carved scene of a reef. Eno had clearly put some thought into it, to which the group were very touched and thankful.
After a little while longer the group started to disperse until, once again, Jenny and Henry were left alone. They sat together and talked for a little while, until gradually the conversation turned to the inevitable.
“I hate that I'm leaving in two days,” Henry had said suddenly. Jenny was thankful that it was him who brought it up. “I want to take you out on my final night....our first official date. I want to end this trip with you...only you.”
Jenny smiled and nodded, “I'd love that, Henry.”
They didn't say much more, Jenny didn't see much point. She wanted to say “stay, don't go, delay your flights and stay here with me,” but she didn't. She wanted to tell him how much he meant to her, how she felt more for him than she ever did her last boyfriend. She wanted each moment with him to last that little bit longer, to slow down time and extend the experience. She did none of it because there was no point, it wouldn't change anything: he was leaving in two days and they'd probably never see each other again after that. It was a sobering thought for Jenny, but she knew she had no control over it. Instead, she decided to make the most of their final days and hours together, starting with a kiss.
Chapter 13
Jenny woke up early the next morning with her thoughts locked on Henry. They'd spent another hour or so together, lying down on a sun-lounger by the pool, kissing and looking up into the spotted sky above. They slid into the warm water for a midnight dip, playing quietly beneath the surface and enjoying each others bodies. The underwater lights shone out through the water, creating an ethereal glow as they floated and glided around the pool. They'd gone to bed in a romantic haze, kissing under the moonlight outside Jenny's room, before Jenny slipped off into a deep sleep.
By the time she woke up Sarah was already busily gathering her things for the journey back to Bali. They were to spend roughly an hour and a half on the road before taking a short 25 minute flight back into Denpasar. It was the final stage of the trip, and once back in Bali the group would scatter for the final time.
After a quick breakfast - everyone seeming a little pensive owing to their impending parting - they stacked their things in the van and started off southwards down the west coast of Lombok towards the International Airport, roughly 25 miles south-east of Mataram. It was a quiet journey, and not too many words were spoken as they went. Todd, as the group had come to expect, was the most lively, excited by the prospect of continuing his travels down the Australian East Coast. He talked about the wild parties and crazy experiences he was anticipating, something that both Mark and Henry nodded along to, knowing that Australia was coming up for them shortly as well. Listening in, Jenny couldn't help but be slightly concerned: it seemed that the popular backpacking route through Australia was teeming with promiscuous women looking for fun or, at least, that's how Todd painted the picture. “You boys are gonna have a whale of a time, good looking fellas like you,” he'd said to Mark and Henry, at which point Henry turned to Jenny with a comforting smile and light shake of the head.
“It's nothing to do with me anyway,” Jenny thought to herself defensively. She knew that when he left that would be the end of their holiday romance; that he'd inevitably end up hooking up with other girls as he continued his travels. Despite all that though, she couldn't help but feel jealous at the thought of another girl locked in Henry's embrace.
The ride continued further inland past a few final striking views of Lombok. They passed over bridges and through valleys, up over hills and along small dirt tracks. Deep green forests littered the countryside, peppered by quaint villages and beautiful temples. As they got deeper inland they could see the mountainous peak of Mt Rinjani in the distance, dominating the surrounding landscape, and all the while the sun shone down on the island, enhancing the bright greens and rough browns of the woods, hills, and tracks. It was a lovely route, and a great way to say farewell to this most beautiful of islands.
After 90 minutes they came cruising into the airport. It was slightly more than Jenny was expecting, a fairly large glass-fronted entrance leading into a bustling space inside. They quickly moved through into the departure lounge, where several shopping outlets and duty free stores encircled a decent sized waiting area. Outside, the runway was busily accepting small commercial planes, taxiing off into their appropriate slots. After a short waiting period, it was time to board their plane: a stocky Boeing 737 that looked like it had seen its fair share of service. The flight took off and went without a hitch, barring a fair patch of turbulence that Mark, in particular, didn't enjoy. Apparently he and Henry had already taken about 10 flights on their trip so far, and he was getting more and more nervous with each one. Unfortunately, Henry teased, there were more than 10 still to go.
After 25 minutes they touched down safely in Denpasar, much to Mark's relief, and set off into the airport to collect their luggage and say their goodbyes. Jenny felt a pang of sadness as they all walked out into the parking lot, each going off on their separate ways. Andy was to fly straight back to Australia to see some family, while Andrew was heading off to Java for a few days before returning to Lombok once more for his trip up Mt Rinjani. Miley and Eno were set to return to Vancouver and LA respectively, while Emily and Todd were both continuing their trip down to Uluwatu right on the south tip of the island for some of the regions best surfing. Emily, by all accounts, was quite the surfer.
After a few hugs and farewells those that were flying on elsewhere continued back into the airport. Jenny was most sad to say goodbye to Andrew, and shed a small tear as they hugged: “take care Jen, if ever you're in Ireland you come stay with me,
” he'd said. Emily and Todd both said their goodbyes as well before jumping in a taxi to take them further south. “I'll see you boys in Oz, and it's gonna be wild!” Todd said, high-fiving Mark and Henry with a big smile on his face.
When their taxi had left only Jenny, Sarah, Mark, and Henry remained, standing alone outside the airport. A sudden sense of emptiness hit the air, as if no-one quite knew what to do with themselves after the structure of the previous two weeks. “Right girls,” Mark piped up finally, “what's the score with you two then? Where you headed off to, shall we taxi it together?”
Sunrise in Bali - Across the Pond Trilogy (Book 1) Page 9
