9 January was here at last, after frantic preparations due to retirement activities, family gatherings – Christmas and New Year’s events behind us, and as always, last minute meetings etc. Bart and I were more or less exhausted. We had prepared some wonderful surprises for our team on Lombok, and with the fantastic service and assistance of Garuda Airlines, we would be able to start, albeit a very modest and small-scale activity in order to promote the Eco Tourism course, Lombok NTB had planned for some considerable time

With the kind donations from colleagues at my former working place, we bought two canoes and will use them to attract the kind of tourists we would love to welcome to Pantai Cemare, being keen watersport fanatics ourselves; canoeing, sailing, surfing and sea fishing.

Canoe in transit…

The effect of this surprise was instant and most rewarding. Akhsan en Mulis were waiting at Lombok International Airport and their faces show their thoughts…