FILLED with anticipation, I started a journey to West Sumbawa in early August. The Garuda Indonesia airliner landed at Ampenan Airport (Lombok) at 1pm Central Indonesia Time. The flight from Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Cengkareng, took an hour and 40 minutes.

Carrying a backpack of camera equipment and dragging a small suitcase, I approached an airport officer to have him call a taxi. In fact, there are several transportation alternatives leading to