Hi all, let me introduce a little about Lombok to you. It is a beautiful island located in the east of Bali with two popular beaches. One is the Senggigi beach, which is where my hotel was located, and Kuta beach, a favourite spot for surfing. Gili Islands, which is North West of Lombok, is where all the parties are. You will need to take a boat across in order to get there.

This was my first time to Lombok and second time on board SilkAir. This experience with SilkAir made me love them even more. The moment we stepped onto the plane, we were greeted with cheerful and friendly local cabin crews. In fact, we were not just greeted, but congratulated with big smiles and ushered us directly to our seats once they recognised our names on the boarding passes. It was a privilege for us to be given the front row seats just behind the business class as these seats are usually reserved for families with babies or the elderly, where more attention can be given by the cabin crew. The crew also made the effort to chat with us a little and even offered us some biscuits as a welcome snack. The takeoff and landing for both trips to and fro were very smooth. The landing was so gentle that it felt as if there was a slight lift just before the plane hit the ground to ensure passengers maximum comfort.

When we arrived at Lombok, we got a chance pictures with the crew, the pilots and even got one with us seated in the pilot seats at the cockpit. When we alighted from the plane, we were treated like VIPs. One of the staff from the immigration ushered us directly from the plane to customs. He even helped us get first priority among the long line of queue to get our passports stamped then we were picked up by Sheraton Senggigi hotel’s driver and whisked straight to our hotel.

After settling in, we headed to Mataram Mall that night, the only shopping mall in the island. I managed to get a haircut for a very cheap price and the local delights were delicious and spicy. Many things there were very cheap as compared to Singapore.

On the second day, we had a scrumptious breakfast and headed for a private tour round the island with one of the drivers from Sheraton hotel. We visited the port where one could catch a boat to Gili islands, and the rice plantations located somewhere north of the island. Due to time constraints, we did not get to go to Gili islands, but from what we heard, it is a definite tourist hotspot and comes highly recommended.

Unfortunately due to the rainy weather we could not get a closer view of the rice plantation. The drive around the island took almost the whole day. We took many shots from inside the van and these shots speak of the culture and simplicity of life over there. At night, we headed to some café nearby to try the local delights. Nadiah, one of the SilkAir stewardesses, recommended that we try Satay Lombok, a popular and almost famous delight and we did. It was very spicy but extremely delicious! They used beef, ‘Sapi’, and there were hardly any fats on it. We also tried the local Mee Goreng (fried noodles) and Indonesian fried rice. It was a fabulous meal.

Now about the hotel… Sheraton Senggigi Beach Resort is such a fantastic place to stay in. The beach view is amazing and the sand on the beach is so very fine, ideal for lounging in a beach chair and working on your tan, which was exactly what we did on our third day in Lombok. There is even dining on the beach with tables and chairs set in sand, with a jazz band to serenade you while you eat. And, you can even get a massage in the open by the beach.

Lastly, I would like to personally thank SilkAir pilots, Captain Little-John David and Sim Kim Yong for their such a smooth flight, grace of their excellent control of the plane and the excellent service provided by the SilkAir cabin crew, Elsie Lim, Angela, Anais, Nurashikin, Mardiana, Nadiah on board MI128, sectors 532 on 15 April 2010.

And of course to Singapore’s Best Mix of Music, Class 95FM. Happy Birthday!!!