Wild encounters & adventures in Tetebatu - Lombok

I left for Tetebatu , the green heart of Lombok , with a Teun, Evi, Sam and Kelt, a Dutch family I had met in Senggigi. They decided at the last minute to join me on an adventure full of rice fields, waterfalls and unexpected encounters.

Our first stop: a walk through rice fields to the Air Terjun Sarang waterfall. Not even a few minutes into the walk I felt something slithering past my feet. A grey-beige snake , about 50 cm long! My heart skipped a beat, but at the same time I was fascinated. What if it had bitten me? We were in the middle of nature.. Who could help me?

Not long after, small lizards scurried into the bushes and my snake encounter faded into the background.
A new experience was already waiting. Due to the rainy season , the ground in places like Indonesia is very wet and muddy. Everyone tried to find their own path. Kelt, the youngest son, seemed to have found a good path, so I followed him without difficulty.
But within seconds I sank up to my knees in mud.
My sneakers? To the flags!
But hey, what's an adventure without a little bit of a mess? I decided to continue, rinse them off at the waterfall and change into my flip-flops later.

The climb to the waterfall was tough, more impressive than the waterfall itself. Hidden deep between rocks, we had to go through water and over rocks to get there.
Tip: bring spare clothes and wear water shoes or go barefoot! A guide is available to help and you really need him. After the whole climb he didn't ask for anything but I gladly gave him a tip for his much appreciated help.

After lunch we visited the Monkey Forest . Unlike Ubud, where monkeys grab food and other items from your hands, these grey and black monkeys were shy and hidden high in the trees. Or so we thought..
At first we saw a few. Then more, and suddenly loud cries rang out. Panic? A warning? Dozens of monkeys climbed down and all headed in the same direction, except one. This monkey looked me in the eye and walked straight towards us and I froze. Should I look away? Step back?
Evi pulled me close to her and we all stood there together, rooted to the spot. My heart was pounding. Just as we were holding our breath, the monkey turned and disappeared into the jungle .

In the late afternoon, it was time to say goodbye.
I had to go to work and so back to my accommodation, while the Dutch family settled into their new home in Tetebatu. We said goodbye , but promised to keep in touch. Sooner or later we would surely meet again.
And luckily I had my laptop with me. So yeah, that meant a quick meeting in the car on the road on an Indonesian island . My client thought it was hilarious.

Well, remote working is all about flexibility, right?

Photo: Rice fields Tetebatu