After a late set off we decided to make hay while the moon shone and cracked open the gin and juice. Bowlin made it suitably strong, so strong in fact that he confessed to being drunk before we even arrived. It even sent two people to sleep. Toby’s banging nineties dance tunes couldn’t even keep us going.

Elisa, Lucy, Ash and I jumped out at lake Maninjau, whereas the rest headed up to Bukit Tinggi to let their hair down. We settled for a camp fire on the beach, cold beer and pasta a la Ash.

Waking up was a pleasure. Not having to shower from a bucket, fresh coffee, pancakes, and of course being on a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. We hitched a ride to Bayur, at which point Lucy left us to rejoin the volunteer lifestyle. After some more eating, and lazing around, we failed to hitch another ride but managed to get a two hour taxi to Padang for less than £10.

Elisa managed to find an address and phone number for a guy called Raul, who according to a blog had taken some people to a deserted island somewhere near Padang. Hoping for the best we took a ride to Bungus Beach, where we found Raul’s brother, Al. We negotiated a price and agreed to return in a few days. We also got a ride to the shops for essential supplies like gasoline, matches, mixers for our rum, and cakes. Thankfully Raul turned up and also lent us his machete before ferrying us to Pagang Island.

The Island was completely empty when we got there, but a couple of Mentawi people are usually there to sweep the beach and collect coconuts. Our first night happened to be my birthday so we nailed a cake, drank rum, and smoked cigars by a camp fire. Thanks to Ash and Elisa for the massive doughnut style cake!
The morning sun accompanied a realisation that Pagang Island was the most idyllic place I’d ever slept. Palm trees, clear blue waters, golden sand, all surrounded by mountains and ocean. Bowlin had even been to collect coconuts for breakfast.

The next item on the day’s agenda was catching fish for lunch and dinner. I figured it would take ten, maybe twenty minutes, for a couple of experts like Ash and I to catch a bounty of seafood. I didn’t even sun-cream up. A whole day and massive case of sunburn later, we’d caught nothing. It was noodles ad egg for dinner.

After a couple of days in Paradise we were back on Bungus Beach enjoying a BBQ provided by Raul. The next few days in Padang would see plenty of air conditioning, pizza, and even some football on the telly. Oh yeah we bought guitars and a harmonica so we can start our travelling band in Australia. Sadly Elisa headed back to Italy, so it’s just Ash and I setting off to Bali. Hopefully Bonkers Bowling will be back on show..!