As I am writing this, the Indonesian island of Lombok’s eastern and northern side had just experienced several earthquakes and tremors, chiefly among them were the one on 29 July 2018 that claimed 14 lives and destroyed 90% of the hiking trail up to Mount Rinjani, and another one on 5 August 2018, killing 400 persons. These quakes were not only felt throughout Lombok but also in the eastern and southern parts of neighbouring Bali. Tourists fled Lombok in droves, while the Indonesian authorities have been deploying disaster relief efforts to affected areas. At the same time, Bali Government Tourism Office issued a statement that Bali remains unaffected, and that Ngurah Rai International Airport only sustained minor damage and business goes on as usual, which is good news for travellers seeking a short break at the Island of the Gods (page 98).
Why am I touching on this? Because despite the calamity that befell Lombok, we hope travellers would not shun totally the destination, and instead return to the...
