I’m living a fantasy right now – dreaming about Gili Air’s idyllic beaches, feeling and hearing sand and coral crunch beneath my feet and enjoying afternoon siestas in an open sided, thatch-roofed hut.

Not that I don’t love NYC, but I think everyone is ready for the frigid days and snow piles to thaw into spring.

A smoldering volcano looms east of Gili Air on the island of Lombok and seems to create its own weather patterns. In the rainy season, ominous clouds surround Rinjani’s peak and drench its hillsides with torrents of water (When I was there we hiked down the volcano for 6 hours in a muddy soup – still a damn good time).

Check out the photos below from Gili Air and how to get around on Lombok.

And follow the link here for photos from climbing Rinjani.