When I left the Gili Islands, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was signing up for—only that I was boarding a boat that would carry me east across open water, through Komodo National Park, and eventually back to Bali for the turn of the year. What followed was a stretch of travel that felt raw and unfiltered: rough seas, early mornings, wildlife encounters that didn’t feel staged, and a sense that the year was beginning to close in a meaningful way.

Lombok slowed me down in ways I didn’t know I needed. Between sore shoulders from surf sessions, quiet nights in Kuta, and one of the hardest physical challenges of my life on Mount Rinjani, this stretch of the trip became less about movement and more about endurance, recovery, and perspective. What followed in the Gili Islands was the calm that only comes after earning exhaustion.

After months of constant motion, Bali became a pause. Between jungle waterfalls, temple rituals, surf-worn beaches, and long shared meals, the island offered something I didn’t know I needed: stillness. This chapter isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about slowing down, reconnecting with people who mattered, and letting the road catch up to me before moving on again. Lombok is next.

From island sunrises to ancient temple ruins, this week carried me through some of Southeast Asia’s highest highs and toughest lows. I crossed from Cambodia’s quiet beaches into the heart of Angkor, navigated long transit days, unexpected kindness, and a few hard lessons along the way. What began as a simple plan to unwind on the islands turned into a story of resilience, surprise, and rediscovery — all before catching a flight toward the next chapter in Bali.