anniekw

I'd agree that these are gorgeous, but I have to say somewhat ruined for me by the rubbish. I know tourists are the cause of it mostly, but Lombok really needs to sort out its waste disposal process because people will stop coming if they don't. We walked around Gili Meno one afternoon and I took a bin bag to collect rubbish and could have filled it 100 times over!

Or if you venture over to the east, Ko Tao is gorgeous. We stayed on the other side (you can only get there in a 4wd taxi, although that was 5 years ago, they might have improved the road by now). In fact any of the more popular islands all have amazing beaches and chilled out bungalows if you get away from the party centres - take a boat ride round Ko Pha-Ngan even and you'll find some amazing spots away from the crowds.

Foodies on Jetstar flights from Bali beware!

Although I had eaten at about 5pm, by the time we boarded the overnight flight from Bali back to Melbourne, it was midnight and I was suffering from insatiable hunger. As a vegetarian, i knew it wouldn't be long before my meal was served so I waited expectantly as the seatbelt sign was turned off, imagining the weird little dishes that were on their way and praying for the real cheese and biscuits not the fake ones they normally give us veggies. I became increasingly agitated as the first hour passed and there was no sign, no familiar clattering coming from the kitchen area, no tap on the shoulder, nothing. In the end as those around me settled in to sleep, I rang my buzzer, my stomach screaming as I politely asked after my dinner. I was horrified to learn that the only meal served on the flight would be breakfast in 7 hours time!

Appalled, I asked if I could have breakfast now. She reluctantly agreed I could have the cold component, but there would be nothing else in the morning, she warned. So she brought me my miniature cereal, which I scoffed in ten seconds flat, with tears in my eyes at the thought of the 7 hours ahead with nothing else to pass my lips!

Little did I know I was actually 4 weeks pregnant which explains the insatiable hunger, impatience and resulting tears, but never again will I travel on a plane without my own back up snack-pack - take head fellow passengers from Bali - pregnant or not!

Check out this article for more on sailing through the islands: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/panama/travel-tips-and-articles/42/1541

I reckon you can have a western cooked breakie daily - I subscribe to the school of thought that you can eat what you like for breakie cos you'll burn it off during the day - so let's feel good about a daily fry-up!

San Blas islands perfection!