Road Trip in Tropical Paradise Lombok, the exotic isle east of Bali is painted with a landscape that’s perfect for a thrilling surf and a breezy roadtrip. TOMMY SCHULTZ goes around in his 100cc Honda Wave.
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he opening riff of Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” is on repeat in my mental iPod as palm trees blur by, brilliant green against a tropical sky. I’m trying to remember the words to the second verse as my motorcycle speeds up the scenic coastal road on my way to Indonesia’s Lombok Island. Sure, a critic might point out that this anthem of the open road goes with a Harley—not the little 100cc Honda Wave I’m zinging along with—but as I turn my head towards the endless miles of sandy beaches and perfect waves, I don’t see any critics around. My brother and our friends Edi and Matt are beating the Bali crowds by taking the local ferry to nearby Lombok, the island located just to the east of Bali but a world away in its culture and people. We decided to bring our own transportation, and although it’s going to take longer than catching one of the short inter-island flights that ferry most tourists between the two islands, I’m already thinking that the journey itself will be half the fun—road trip!
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