14th September - Medana Marina - Lombok Races

Saturday 14^th September

I do like a bit of MarinaLife…

Today started with breakfast at the little marina outdoor café.  Veggie omelette, for me, cheese and tomato eggs for Pete, and a few nice moments with beautiful Bailey from Galatea:

Next: The Lombok Cup!

Not only The Race which Stops An Island but…The Inaugural Race… All very cheerful and informal, with many expats from far and near around Lombok and the Gilli Islands.  And many MANY locals from the nearby villages, having a great time while their children frolic on the beach:

The small, wiry horses were as wild as could be, whirling and rearing in a puff of dust.  Some of them seemed never to have been ridden before… No saddles, rudimentary bridles, terrified young riders…

FUN, really…much better than the Melbourne Cup!  The horses seemed to have a bit more of a chance to – ahem – express themselves…

Everyone dressed up to the nines.

I looked extremely fabulous.

There are NO PHOTOS so nobody can argue re this.

Chantal and Freddy from Micromegas (Switzerland) looked as glamorous as ever.

Pete found gorgeous Nadine, from a lovely restaurant on one of the Gilli Islands.  She had created an outpost at the Lombok Cup site, with beanbags and comfy things to sit on.  We spent all day there...

Our Medana Marina hosts, Peter and Acha (aka Robyn) were part of the organising team for this event.

Pete, our non-gambling man, put a heap of money on a horse in the last race.  It was a choice between Makybe Diva, Phar Lap, Sekretariat, Black Caviar, Tulloch.  Pete, clever man, put a heap on Black Caviar – he bought out the 6 tickets on this one little horse.  We watched in some alarm as BC went around the track sideways, then again sideways from the other angle, then stood at the starting line facing backwards. 

But then…a thunder of hooves and a flash of green livery… Black Caviar was THE WINNER!!  And Pete had won…oh a heap, maybe $60!

We went back to the boat, breathless with the thrill of it all, and got out our own trusty steeds…much more trusty than the feisty little Lombok horses!  Our poor bikes were a bit lacking in the air department and needed a bit of pumping, but we were soon up and running towards the ATM a few kilometres down the road.  Oh so not a good idea… I am very scared riding in traffic, and I think this time Pete was too.  The road was narrow and there was a lot of traffic.  I mean A LOT.  Trucks, cars, motorbikes, the odd horse-drawn cart.  All along the road we were greeted by happy children.  Hello!  Hello!  How are you, what’s your name?  I stared grimly ahead, white knuckles on my handlebars, trying to send happy smiles out towards the cheery children without crashing or swerving into overtaking vehicles.  I was very VERY happy when we got back without losing any limbs.