Reminiscing about My Snorkeling Experience in Gili Ketapang

or more like drowning🤣

Just like climbing a mountain, not in my wildest dream I will find myself finally have gone snorkeling. It was a few years ago when I still had a group of friends in my neighborhood. I think we were already high school graduates at that time–so some of us were working, some were starting college, and perhaps all of us were just floating through life aimlessly, trying to figure things out.

Until suddenly, my friend who was younger than me (but had the highest energy lol) asked if I wanted to go on a vacation with the boys. We (the girls and the boys) were childhood friends, but perhaps because of growing up, some of us had become a bit awkward to each other and also because we had different kinds of life.

Long story short, it was finally time for us to pack our bags and hit the road. We were going to Gili Ketapang, a charming little island in the Madura Strait, near Probolinggo, East Java. We decided to book a one-day trip package that included pick-up from the meeting point to the island by motorboat, a snorkeling guide and documentation. I can’t remember this one exactly, but I think they also provided food after snorkeling as. I kid you not, it cost less than $20 at the time. So, it was basically a great deal.

However, the first problem we encountered was that when we arrived at the pick-up point after we'd been on the road for probably more than 2 hours, we couldn’t find our tour guide. He was unreachable for a while, and we just stood there worrying about whether our money had been lost or something.

Because there were quite a few tour guides in front of us meeting their clients and people were starting to board the boats one by one. So naturally, we started to question whether we’d booked the right travel agency or not. But luckily, the tour guide finally came (after who knows how long). And just like that, we were finally off to the island!

The journey to get there wasn't a short one. But we were treated to an incredibly beautiful view. It was my first time sailing across such a vast expanse of water. I was amazed by the calm waves as far as the eye could see. But while it was so calming for eyes, I think I still felt a little tipsy when there were some bumps lol (this is completely on me). My friends and I chatted about anything but mostly unimportant things🤣 to be honest, I don’t really remember much about the conversation, but it was such a pleasant vague memory.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by crystal clear blue waters blending perfectly with the pristine white sand. The sea around Gili Ketapang Island is still very clean, making it home to a variety of fish. The waves are also quite calm, making it safe for playing in the water. Besides its beautiful beaches, Gili Ketapang is said to also harbor amazing underwater life.

After we changed our clothes, we got on the boat again to get into the water one by one. Now, here’s the fun fact, or more like a stupid one: I can’t even swim😂 of course I told my friends about it before we left. But I think she said something like “there will be snorkeling equipment, underwater breathing aids, and there'll be a guide, so we don't have to worry so much!"🤣

LOL that was the most innocent thing ever. But somehow I thought that it was a great opportunity for me to try something new outside my comfort zone. Back then, I was a real home-body, so I rarely said yes to travel invitations (honestly, I probably still am that kind of person until now)

So knowing the fact that I can’t swim, I actually didn’t want to dive in the water early. But I didn’t hold back myself either. So when it was my turn, I went into the water without any worries. That was a bad idea lol😂

To this day, I still have no idea why the snorkeling experience was worse than I thought; is it because I can’t swim or because the guide kinda pushed us further into the water to get our photo with the nemo and a “Gili Ketapang” sign?

I also had my hijab on and stupidly I didn't choose to wear an instant hijab, so it was a bit messy. Besides I was having trouble controlling my breath, I was also trying to keep my hijab from coming loose and showing my hair to the guide.

It was a failed mission though😅 because from the photos taken, my hair was clearly visible because my hijab was messy. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who found it challenging, because it was probably the first snorkeling experience for all of us.

So, no regrets at all. When I had done my “photo session” (let’s just call it that way), I went back to the boat and enjoyed watching my friends also experience their nightmare one by one LOL it sounds harsh, but I think we had a lot of fun laughing at each other’s silly behaviour. After that, we spent some time taking photos on the boat, which probably looked more interesting than our messy snorkeling photos🤣

And then, after that, we returned to the island and now I remember that they gave us meals. Delicious, warm grilled fish and rice–not fancy, but enough. It felt so good after we’d spent hours letting our bodies soak in the air. Enjoying the grilled fish while looking at the stretch of white sand, the gentle breeze, and the sound of the waves, which added to the beauty of the island.

We also bought some other snacks and drinks at the nearby stall. There was a stall that even served instant noodles, for example. We enjoyed our food and then decided to change clothes because we didn’t want to get home too late. We took a quick group photo to keep the memory alive, and then we boarded the boat to be taken back to where we came from.

On the way back, almost all of my friends fell asleep. I don’t know how they could, maybe because they were so exhausted from snorkeling. But I couldn’t sleep. A calm breeze hit me as I thought about the experience we'd just had. Looking back now, that was a beautiful memory worth cherishing.

Because at this point of life, we’re all living our own lives separately. Some of them are married and even have kids, while others are just living boring monotonous days. But you know, it’s always nice to reminisce about those memories once in a while.

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So that’s all for today’s blog, I hope you enjoy reading this post hehe. Have a great day ahead, hivers :)

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