WHAT HAPPEND PRIOR – I GOT TO LOMBOK BY FERRY IN THE AFTERNOON. MY PASSENGER ‘VAIDA’ WANTED TO GO TO ‘CUTE’ LOMBOK, SO WE DID. THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO GO DOWN, WE CHECKED INTO A ‘B ANANA HOMESTAY’ AND I JUMPED STRAIGHT INTO MY RUNNERS TO DO A LITTLE EXPLORATION RUN BEFORE DUSK WILL TURN INTO DARKNESS. I BUMPED INTO SOME ‘STRANDED’ SPANISH GIRLS AT THE BEACH ASKING ME FOR DIRECTIONS. WE BEFRIENDED – OBVIOUSLY – I MEAN WHO WOULDN’T BEFRIEND THREE SPANISH GIRLS IN THEIR 20’s. WE WENT FOR DINNER AND SET A DATE TO CHECK OUT THE SURF THE NEXT MORNING.

THE NEXT MORNING – I DROVE MY CRUISER INTO THEIR HOMESTAY – CALLED ‘JEARA HOMESTAY’ BY THE WAY! NEVER EVER STAY THERE! – I GOT APPROACHED BY A GUY WHO SEEMED TO BE THE OWNER. HE CAME UP TO MY CARWINDOW AND ASKED ME A MILLION QUESTIONS, MAYBE EVEN TWO MILLION QUESTIONS. HE DIDN’T LIKE THAT I PICKED UP THE GIRLS AS HE WANTED ‘TO DO THE TRANSPORT’ AND I SHOULD LEAVE THAT TO ‘THE LOCAL PEOPLE’. I TOLD HIM THAT THE GIRLS AND I FRIENDS AND WE ARE GONNA HANG OUT TOGETHER – JUST WHAT FRIENDS DO AND I AM NOT A TAXI DRIVER. IT DIDN’T REALLY SEEM THAT HE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND. THIS WASN’T A LANGUAGE BARRIER. THIS WAS HIM ANGRY THAT HE COULD’T DRIVE THOSE GIRLS AROUND AND CHARGE THE F*CK OUT OF THEM. HE SAID I AM NOT THEIR FRIEND AS I JUST GOT TO KNOW THEM AND I WOULD DO ‘BUSINESS’ WITH THEM. WHATEVER! TO GET OUT OF THIS REALLY ANNOYING AND UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION I TOLD HIM I AM LEAVING TO BALI AT LUNCHTIME AFTER THE SURF. WE DROVE OFF. THE GIRLS AIDA, PAULA AND LAYA FILLED ME IN THAT THEY GOT REALLY ANNOYED BY HIM CONSTANTLY ASKING ‘WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DO YOU WANT TRANSPORT, BLA BLA BLA…’ THAT HE WANTS TO SELL TOURS AND BASICALLY CHARGE THEM BY DRIVING THEM AROUND ALL DAY.

WE ENJOYED A BRILLIANT WAVE OUT AT ‘GERUPA BEACH’ AND CHECKED OUT A FEW PLACES AROUND ‘CUTE’. AWESOME SURF AND LOTS OF THINGS TO EXPLORE. I DROPPED OFF ‘LAS CHICAS’ IN THE AFTERNOON AND GOT CAUGHT UP AGAIN BY MR. QUESTIONMASTER. I CLEARY FELT THAT HE DOES NOT LIKE ME BEING AROUND. THE GIRLS TOLD ME LATER THAT NIGHT THAT HE SAID THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GO WITH ‘PHIL’ ANYMORE AS THE LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE TO DO ‘THE TRANSPORT’. THE GIRLS TRIED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THEY DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. WE ARE FRIENDS AND THEREFORE HANG OUT. THE HOMESTAY OWNER JUST DOESN’T WANT TO UNDERSTAND AS THE THOUGHT ABOUT MONEY IS OBVIOUSLY DISTURBING CLEAR THINKING IN HIS TINY BRAIN. I MEAN IS THIS HOW YOU TREAT YOUR OWN GUESTS. SERIOUSLY? ESPECIALLY IN DAYS OF TRIPADVISOR AND CUSTOMER RATINGS… HOW STUPID!

THE GIRLS NEEDED A LIFT TO SANGIGI, ANOTHER TOWN ON THE WESTCOAST OF LOMBOK. I WAS GOING THAT WAY TO GET TO THE GILI ISLANDS SO WE AGREED TO LEAVE THE NEXT DAY IN THE EARLY MORNING. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO JUST MEET UP OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOMESTAY TO AVOID A CLASH WITH THE OWNER.

OVER MY BANANAPANCAKE BREAKFAST I HAD THAT FEELING – THE PICKUP OF MY SPANISH FRIENDS WON’T BE EASY AS CLEARY THAT GUY FROM ‘JEARA HOMESTAY’ WOULD TRY TO ARRANGE ‘TRANSPORT’ FOR THEM WHEN HE SEES THEM PACKING THEIR BAGS AND WILL PROBABLY NOT BE HAPPY ABOUT ME SHOWING UP.

I ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THE GIRLS ARE IN THE FAR.. BEHIND THE SHORT WALL OF THE PROPERTY. SOMETHING WASN’T RIGHT AND CLEARY MORE PEOPLE THAN USUAL ARE AROUND. I GET STOPPED BY A PERSON TELLING ME I AM NOT ALLOWED TO PICK UP THE GIRLS. WHO IS HE? A LOCAL TAXI DRIVER. ‘THE LOCALS WILL SET MY CAR ON FIRE AND STAB THE TIRES’ HE TELLS ME. ‘FU*CK OFF’ ‘YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE BUSINESS HERE, WHERE ARE YOUR PAPERS’ HE YELLS AT ME. I TOLD HIM THAT THERE IS NO BUSINESS AND THAT HE SHOULDN’T BOTHER SETTING THE CAR ON FIRE AS I AM LEAVING TOWN IN FIVE MINUTES. HE DOESN’T WANT TO BELIEVE ME, A LOUD ARGUMENT BREAKS OUT I NOTICE MORE PEOPLE GATHERING AROUND THE PLACE. I AM TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR THAT I DON’T STEAL ANYONE’S WORK HERE AND THAT THE SURFTRIP WITH THE GIRLS THE DAY BEFORE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BUSINESS. I GOT ANNOYED TO REPEAT MYSELF OVER AND OVER. ’THESE ARE MY FRIENDS, THEY ARE GOING WITH ME AS WE ARE FRIENDS AND I DON’T DO BUSINESS!’ – ‘YOU TAKE THEM SURFING, YOU DRIVE THEM, THIS IS BUSINESS OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE’ HE SCREAMS BACK AT ME

THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS DO, ISN’T IT? APPARENTLY THOSE GUYS DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO SOMETHING FOR FREE WITHOUT ASKING FOR MONEY. HARD TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU SIT IN YOUR DIRTY TAXI OR ON YOUR SCRAPPY SCOOTER ALL DAY, CONSTANTLY ANNOYING EACH SINGLE TOURIST TO ’TAKE TRANSPORT’
HE DIDN’T WANT TO UNDERSTAND AND WAS LOADED IN ANGER. THINGS GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. I GOT NERVOUS. I COULDN’T JUST DRIVE OFF BECAUSE THE GIRLS WERE KIND OF TRAPPED THERE… MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GATHERING AROUND THE CAR.
I SLOWLY START DRIVING TO GET THIS SCREAMING GUY OF MY FACE – ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERONE JUMPS ON SCOOTERS AND INTO CARS AND I GOT 5 VEHICLES TRYING TO STOP MY LANDCRUISER. I MEAN ITS A SOLID TANK AND CLEARY THOSE OTHER VEHICLE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO STOP ME IF I KEEP MY FOOT DOWN BUT I TOUGHT RAMMING THEIR SCOOTERS OUT OF THE WAY WOULD NOT HAVE CALMED DOWN THIS SITUATION IN ANY WAY – A CHASE AROUND DOWNTOWN ‘CUTE’ BEGINS, 07 PHIL AGAINST CLEARLY TO MANY VEHICLES OF ANY KIND – THEY ARE COMING FROM EVERYWHERE – THIS WAS SUCH A THREATENING SITUATION. THE WHOLE TOWN WAS SOMEHOW PHONED UP ABOUT THIS. IT WAS HARD, VERY HARD TO VOID ALL THOSE SCOOTERS AND CARS SURROUNDING ME AND BLOCKING THE ROAD OF – RESULTING IN REVERSING AND ZIGZAGS DRIVE MOVES TO KEEP MYSELF MOVING. I AM THINKING OF MY OPTIONS – I CAN’T JUST SPEED OUT OF TOWN CRASHING ALL THEM OUT OF THE WAY, THE SPANISH GIRLS ARE STILL THERE. I DIDN’T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO – I EVENTUALLY RESCUED MYSELF INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF ‘BANANA HOMESTAY’ THE PLACE I STAYED AT, THINKING A PRIVATE PROPERTY MIGHT LIMIT THEIR ACTIONS. I HAD THE FEELING THAT THIS IS GONNA END UGLY AND BLOODY. I HAD IMAGAINATIONS OF THEM PULLING KNIFES ON ME AND I THINK MY MAIN CONSERN WAS ACTUALLY THE DAMAGE THAT MIGHT OCCUR TO MY BELOVED LANDCRUISER.
ALL THE VEHICLES FOLLOWED ME AND A WHOLE GANG OF THEM IS APPROACHING ME. NOBODY IS AROUND THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY COULD HELP ME. APART FROM A COUPLE OF FEMALE TRAVELLERS AND THE KITCHENLADY. NONE OF THE MALE STAFF THAT USUALLY HANGS AROUND. I GOT NERVOUS BUT NEEDED TO STAY COOL AND CONCENTRATED. I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK, QUICKLY LOCKED ALL DOORS AND STOOD VERY PROTECTIVE IN FRONT OF MY CRUISER. THE OLD KITCHENLADY STARTS SCREAMING IN BAHASA (INDONESIAN LANGUAGE) AT THE ‘TAXIDRIVERGANG’ THAT GATHERED THE SCENCE. ME CONSTANTLY REPEATING MYSELF THAT THERE IS NO BUSINESSINTENTIONS HERE AND I WANT THEM TO GO AWAY. PEOPLE GET CLOSE TO MY CAR WANTING TO FIGHT, STILL NO MALE HELP IN SIGHT. I HAVE TO PUSH THE FIRST GUY AWAY FROM THE DRIVERS DOOR. THINGS GET LOUDER. MORE AND MORE VEHICLES ARRIVE. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN.
HOW RIDICULOUS IS THIS? THEY THOUGHT I AM AN ‘UBER’ DRIVER OR A NEW TOUR OPERATOR THAT WILL STEAL ALL THEIR WORK AND JUST DON’T WANT TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO MY EXPLANATIONS.

HOW CAN YOU BEHAVE LIKE THAT, HOW STUPID TO TREAT YOUR ONLY INCOME – TOURISTS – THAT WAY. I WASN’T DEALING WITH THE SMARTEST THATS FOR SURE.

THE SITUATIONS HEATS UP AND THE ARGUMENT CONTINUES OVER AND OVER. THESE GUYS ARE LOADED IN SO MUCH ANGER. I FINALLY GET TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO IS CALM AND GOOD IN ENGLISH AND ALSO SEEMED TO BE MR IMPORTANT AS THE REST OF THE MOB REMAINED SILENT AS WE TALKED. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPEND AND MADE CLEAR THAT I WANT LEAVE NOW – WITH THE SPANISH GIRS AND THAT I’LL NEVER EVER RETURN. HE LISTENS AND SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MISSUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN WHAT THE TAXIDRIVERS THINK I DO AND WHAT I REALLY DO – SOME FAT GUY ARRIVES – THE HEAD OF THAT TOWN I GOT TOLD. HE WASN’T SPEAKING ENGLISH. A BAHASA DISCUSSION STARTS INBETWEEN ALL OF THE PEOPLE AROUND. I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND A WORD. THERE IS AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE AROUND THE CAR. MORE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE WHOLE EXIT BLOCKED WITH SCOOTERS AND CARS. I KEEP OFFERING A HANDSHAKE TO THE BOSS OF TOWN AS THEY WERE SPEAKING. I DIDN’T SHAKE IT. THE CONVERSATIONS STOPS AND THE WELL SPOKEN ENGLISH GUY TELLS ME THAT I AM ALLOWED TO GO. AND I SHOULD HURRY UP BEFORE MORE AND MORE ANGRY PEOPLE ARRIVE AND FINALLY DECIDE TO GET VIOLENT.

IN THE MEANTIME THE GIRLS ARRVED AT THE SCENE – THEY HAVE WALKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH TOWN TO GET TO HERE. THAT’S HOW LONG THAT CARCHASE AND THE ARGUMENTS WENT ON – WE GET IN THE CAR . ROADBLOCKS (SCOOTERS) GET MOVED OUT OF THE WAY AND WE DRIVE OFF! AS WE LEAVE THE CITY WE SEE THE OWNER OF THEIR HOMESTAY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD CHECKING IF I WOULD REALLY LEAVE THE TOWN BOUNDRIES….NICE EXPERIENCE OF THE LOCAL CULTURE THAT WAS…

AT LEAST WE HAD SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT AS WE DROVE TO SANGIGI. THE GIRLS GOT OUT AND I DROVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO BANGSAL HARBOUR TO CATCH A LITTLE BOAT THAT BRINGS ME TO THE FAMOUS GILI ISLANDS. I ARRIVE AT GILI TRANWANGAN AND GO TO THE ATM TO GET SOME CASH OUT. I GOT 1500000 RUPIAH OUT BUT THE CARD DIDN’T COME BACK OUT! NICE ONE. LUCKY ITS THE ONLY BANKACCOUNT I AM USING. UP TO 10 DAYS BEFORE I GET THE CARD BACK IS WHAT I GOT TOLD OVER THE SERVICEHOTLINE. JACKPOT!
FIVE HOURS LATER MY IPHONE 6S GETS STOLEN. HOW MUCH LUCK CAN YOU HAVE WITHIN ONE DAY?