Paradise island with a sting in the tail

Wandering around the island of Lombok you’ll encounter everything from sea turtles to black water buffalo. Among the less friendly fauna Damien met was a scorpion, which dealt him a vicious sting.

Lombok, just south of Bali, Indonesia, is a stunningly beautiful and still unspoiled island of jungled mountains, green river valleys and sugar-white beaches. Its roads, largely well-surfaced, give access to miles of rolling coastal and upland scenery.

Riding a motor scooter is the optimum way of enjoying the island, the countryside, the fresh air, the coolness under tall trees, and the vistas of green jungle, bright, blue sea and crescents of white sand.