The weird look the gentleman gave me when I asked for a helmet with the scooter I just ranted him gave me a clue about how relaxed and chill people were on the island. No, you don’t need a helmet to drive here. No, you don’t need a driver license. But yes, you need strong arms and a dose of courage to ride on the bumpy roads. Said so, the path areso damaged and the scooter seemed so old that I never speeded more than  20 km/h in the end.

I checked the map and I saw that the north of the island hosted some mangroves. 

My hair flying in the air, a sensation of absolute freedom and some tickles in my belly, I rode for few kilometers before being stop by this old dude sitting on a chair on the side of the road. Some signs wrote by a kid indicate me I have to pay a little fee to come in the reserve. 

It was the low season, he looked like he was waiting here for ages before I arrived… His long stiff legs straightened slowly and a grumpy face soften only after few bills and some Bahasa words.
  

I continued driving on the worst road human created. I was so proud of myself at this moment not falling like a crepe that you try to flip in the pan but reach the floor instead of a plate. I couldn’t help smiling at the idea of the face my parents would make if they were watching me… Once again, it was good to surprise myself. I was more brave than I thoughts was…

I arrived at the far end of the island. People were asking me if I wanted to go in the mangrove. Unfortunately, it had to be a cheap day. I am sure I missed something refusing the tour but every Rupiah counted. 

I still didn’t managed to find an atm, my rounded-bed-swimmingpool-princess-styled-bungalows costed a lot and I was here to dive with Ray Mantas…

The Indonesian living in the Mangrove are working in some seaweed farming micro-industry.

It smells the sea, it is green everywhere and people are smiling at you. I am lucky to be here at this moment of the year. There is not a lot of tourists and locals take the time to look at you in the eyes and are not harassing you for ages for you to pay for any kind of service. They are I the “whatever” zone that I cherish. It actually helps me to reach them to grab few portraits there and there.