TravelStream™ news feed for member kalchalker on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kalchalker en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:17:32 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1257826467/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1257826467/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1257826467/tpod.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:17:32 -0500 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Palm Springs, California, United States

    -It's about 4:30 AM. Martin Schatz and I are buzzing off of a potent brew of coffee his grandma made us. We have began our hike an hour and a half ago and have been charging up a mountainside in the dark to what would turn out to be the beginning of a 22 mile hike. The trail is known as the Cactus to Clouds which is claimed to be in the top five hardest day hikes in the lower 48 states. It connects the desert floor which is 200 feet above sea level with San Jacinto Peak at 10,834 feet. The sunrise has no sign of coming and the waning quarter moon is casting its silver light upon a slope of granite boulders. Mars is on the horizon adding an celestial element to the desert's potent stillness.    -So far this morning we shared the trail with three women hikers who started out ahead of us. We passed them (of course) because they were slow chatty ladies, but they passed us because we were men and got lost by taking a wrong turn. After seeing their head lamps bobbing up the hillside on the correct route we ended up retracing our route and catching up again. I told them we had been spreading the ashes of a dead friend on the trail. They gave their sympathy's and "Awww that is so sad and sweet.' I told them I was lying, and with that Martin and I continued our rapid pace up the steep incline of San Jacinto.    -It is just before sunrise, and we are taking a short break. The stillness of the desert dawn is deafening. How rare is it to hear nothing at all but your own heart beat? The presence of the moment is... well it just is. I love this about being on trails, being in the moment.     - We are scrambling up a steep and loose section of the mountain. We have climbed about 7,000 feet in the last five hours. I see footprints of other hikers, but I don't think this is the trail. I turn around and see the true trail below us. We are off the trail once again thanks to my keen sense of direction. Martin is quickly descending back down the to the trail. I follow and my sore left knee streaks with pain. Traversing the rest of the way very is done cautiously. It's just less than 10 miles into the hike. We have 12 more to go. A make shift walking stick is procured and the hobble to the summit begins.    -This is a gorgeous part of the trail. There are cedar trees and white granite boulders scattered on the steep slope of San Jacinto with autumn afternoon sunlight. The contrast of colors is aesthetically pleasing. It just looks beautiful. The air is crisp and clean. The sky is royal blue. The mood is nothing but positive. Maybe its because the last couple of mile to the summit are not as grueling as the first eleven miles of constant steep ascent. At one point both of my quadriceps had been cramping and my left knee had me wandering if I was going to make it. Thanks to Martin's "'When I say 'Ain't no', you say, 'Thang'!" chant we had made it this far. I slaughtered it many times though with my 'honky' ways.     -The gusts of cold air only can raise the spirits of Martin and myself at the summit of San Jacinto at 10,834 feet. The wind chill at the top is in the teens according to a ranger who passed us earlier on the trail. We hunker down amongst some boulders basking in the sun and eat our granola bars and last bits of jerky. We have made it 16.5 miles and climbed from 200 feet above sea level.     -It's 8:00 PM. Lieing on an inflatable mattress and barely audible I try to thank Martin's mom for the hospitality, the deep sleep overcomes and its 9 hours of powerful sleep. Martin and I were on the trail for a total of 14 hours, 22 miles and an elevation gain of 10,634 feet. Martin and I are pretty amazed with ourselves. When I say, "'Thang!' You say 'Ain't no!'" . "Thang!" ......I am a honky.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216864860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216864860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216864860/tpod.html Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:11:56 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Los Angeles, California, United States

These are my featured travelers. There are some questions they answered for me about some of their journeys under their photos.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216777020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216777020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216777020/tpod.html Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:10:57 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Los Angeles, California, United States

This for those that want to see some of the friends from my trip.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216779900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216779900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1216779900/tpod.html Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:52:07 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Los Angeles, California, United States

My journey has ended. The foot infection I was experiencing for the last  few days has subsided thanks to some TLC from my nurturing mom, concerned sisters, caring aunts and the good doctor cousin Bird at the family reunion in Wisconsin. I am back in Cali looking for a job to reverse the flushing of my bank account. I am trying to resettle in as smoothly as possible. It's a mess of organizing the old housing situation, finding a car, and fixing forgotten tickets. What a pain in my now more slender neck? It's a struggle to get back in the system when you just drop and sell everything to travel for months on end. Was it worth it? I would do it all again in a heart beat. The past ten months wandering around the globe living out of my rucksack has defined me as a traveler. This trip has taken me to ancient ruins on high mountains to catching my best waves in crystal clear waters over coral reefs to camping alone in desolate deserts to nodding and laughing completely clueless in the tiny kitchen of friendly strangers to hovering over a scary looking hole in the ground with no toilet paper to sleeping in a hammock in the middle of primary jungles to panicking with two other grown men locked in a cage on a ferris wheel ride gone wrong to eating tangy mystery meats to walking around lost (again) well past midnight armed with a brick to being a jungle gym for a brave monkey to catching another most beautiful sunset to sharing memories of a lifetime with a random stranger turned new friend. Oh the wonders of life on the road do make me smile. The best memories of the trip were not just because of the people, the places, or the things I experienced. It was due to the singularity of being in the moment. When I completely wrapped my senses and focus on who I was with, the places I saw, or the thing I was doing, those moments stand out as the moments when I felt the most freedom or connection with my surroundings. For example,  I was sitting completely alone on top of a red sand dune looking  out at Uluru across the desert as the sun was setting turning to dusk. I was moved to a tear or two at the experience not because I was lonely but at the feeling of freedom from the vast expanse before me. The outlook I choose was freedom not loneliness. That is the one thing that travelling seemed to enhance in me. The importance of choosing how to percieve everything around to enhance the present moment. The photos I have uploaded are some of my favorites.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1211941140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1211941140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1211941140/tpod.html Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:10:08 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Kuta, Lombok, Indonesia

With the swell lacking Levi and I got to packing. We booked a forty dollar flight to Lombok, a neighboring island. Lombok is about 90% Muslim. The people here are more aggresive than the jolly Balinese. For example on arrival the airport taxi drivers had mobbed around us hassling us to jump into one of their blue taxis. One little guy was yelling and running around us grabbing our luggage and then decided that we should eat some of his Pringle potato chips. A stack of chips were thrust into our hands and then hands were guided to our mouths. He then began to run between cars shouting out the price. A non airport taxi driver gave us a better deal. We began to head to his car and then the mood shifted from fun and games a big argument between the mob of airport taxi drivers and the lone nonairport taxi driver. He backed down and we got a discounted fare with the airport taxis. On arrival to Kuta Lombok Levi was unidated by a group of local girls running the market stalls along the beach. They were all his friends from the many trips he has taken to Lombok. The sarong girls were all giggles and smiles as he flirted and reveled in all the attention. He is considered a local by many of the locals. My favorite girl was a fiesty young one who kept saying her pineapples were the best in the west. I ended up teaching the pineapple girl a few lines to lure in the few passing tourists. "You look good, but you would look better eating a pineapple." I hope her sales go up. She reminded me of some of my students back in Long Beach, but she sadly doesn't go to school. She has to make sure those delicious pineapple are sold. The next morning the winds were up early with Levi and I. We motorbiked our way through the palm groves to the outriger canoes in the next village to get a ride out to a right hand reef break called Gropuk. It was on the small and windy side, but still fun. Of course, a bad day surfing is better than a god day at work. We surfed for couple of hours and then made it back for our free breaky at the hotel. After a quick recharge of batteries and nutrients we headed to another wave a forty minute motorbike ride away. The ride takes you over hills and through valleys dotted with small villages tending rice paddies, water buffalo, goats and whatever else they can manage off the land. The young kids love to yell "hello!" and hold out their hands for a slap as you zip past them on the motorbike. It is a very simple happy life they lead. Observing a moment of it is a travelers fuel. Their quick smiles and giggles were often capture by Levi's ever ready camera. The beach of destination, Mawi, is a right and left hander with a surrounding scenery of a seascape that could inspire the most traveled of eyes. Virgin beaches lined the bays formed by dramatic headlands that swooped down from the hills of Lombok. Crystal clear water swirled over the flat reef as I took off on a peaking right hander that pitched itself over me two times before the ride ended. Levi captured it the camerera. How happy was I? Very. The sunset was a golden display of Mother Earh's treasures. How moved was I? Very. The swell picked up the next couple of days. The sideshore wind at Mawi made it a bit too difficult to get into the bombs exploding down the reef. Levi and I had a few attempts at them proving to be nasty whoopings. A stand out moment was when a set came, Levi turned and paddled, I was cracking up as Levi committed to the particularly hefty one and was smashed by the heavey lip. Of course I was destroyed on the next one I tried to get a piece of. I ended up snatching two good ones out of the four I attempted. When the waves get this heavey I tend to just put my head down and paddle for anything. My judgement is not my best quality when it comes to surfing bigger waves, which equates to getting a thorough thrashing quite often. Looking for a better wave Levi and I journeyed our way to Desert Point. A two hour challenging journey turned out to be m anyhours of ulsar causing stress. It was the most intense six hours of my entire trip so far. Armed with a helmet, a weak manual motorbike, surf board, a couple pieces of clothing, my journal, sky map, and flip flops I bit the inside of my cheeks and put my faith in Levi's judgement to get us to our destination. The hills we rode through were lined with the worst roads I have ever experiened. Massive pot holes and loose gravel challenged my novice motorbike skills. After almost stacking it on a nasty descent the grinning and laughing locals just shook their heads and rattled off something to me as I tried to keep my heart rate under control. I just smiled and laughed nervously. At one point Levi gave a young man a lift for part of the trip and we found ourselves drinking coffee and chatting with his extended family in his village. They were all just stairing at us nodding and smiling using a few of their English words as we sipped on the ultra sweet syrupy caffine saturated blend. Buying them a few cigarettes upon request we said goodbye. The journey continued along "roads" that were not on the map. The scenery I was later told by Levi was spectacular. I was too busy biting holes in my cheeks and dodging craters in the road to notice. At one point a concerned local man road next to Levi and told him to very careful in this area and to not stay there too long because of the many robbers and shady characters. I was at my wits end as we road up a one particullary nasty hill. I lost control and headed into a bush. I was cursing and spitting mad at the perdicament. Why the hell was I riding a motorbike on this 'f'ing piece of Earth. I was thinking "I hate motorcycles and I hate that I suck on motorbikes, I hate that I will probably crash and I hate that I have no insurance". Bouncing along the road I burnt my naked ankle on the hot transmission and cursed more at the situation. I spat in the general direction of Levi as he rode gracefully ahead. He was loving the trip. He was just smiling, swirving potholes on his bike, fiving the little cheering kids outstretched hands, listening to his iPod. All while I was burning holes in my stomach just trying not to fly over the handle bars and become a cripple. We finally arrived to Bangko Bangko, Desert Point. My nerves were rattled. I just wanted to sit down and calm the nerves. As we watched a pefect waves come through a surfer was barrelled three times as he raced down the left hand reef while the sun cast its last rays for the day. I calmed as the evening progressed with Nasi Gorang the local fried rice dish and a cool coke. Levi and I posted up in a hut on the point. A thin mattress and a mosquito net were the only furnishings, simple but comfortable. Just how I like it. Levi and I met few of the surfing crew sharing time at the point. Christian Flether was one of  them. He is a pro surfer covered in tattoos and full of crazy stories of his youth. I ended up using the skymap with him to point out a few constellations in the moonless night. Feeling like a teacher again. I headed for bed and discovered that the mosquito net seemed to only capture the critters inside causing for an annoyed and restless night. The next morning the surf had backed off but Levi and I were able to capture a few race tracks. The barrels were a bit too fast for my backhand stance. I ended up getting a axed after trying to blitz a looming section far down the line. Still releshing the brief moments of tube time I popped up just laughing in the foam. With nothing to do but surf and watch surf on the point. The day was spent enjoying the freedom of travel under a palm shading shelter chatting with and interviewing a few folk for my "feature travellers", and surfing the point. The swell was dropping so Levi and I debated on heading back down to Kuta Lombok or staying another night. I made the call to stay another night because I was hoping the waves would pick up in the morning and I didn't want to get back on the motorbike just yet. The waves didn't come, we jumped on the motorbikes and began the trip back to Kuta, Lombok. The journey was much better than before. A couple of days were
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1215202920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1215202920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1215202920/tpod.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:26:10 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Bali, Indonesia

Back in Bali for the.... I don't rememberth time we ran around the town eating at good restraunts and hanging out at the beach. I dawned a pair of my special short shorts and went for a few surfs with Sergio at Kuta Beach. Yanti, my massage girl, gave me a massage and straight edge ravor shave. All relaxed and smoothed up for the evening I went to the Chill Out Lounge and saw a few of my friends to say farewell. They put on a musical display of Bali's finest songs and dances. I was loving it. "The perfect last night in Bali" I kept telling them and it was good, real good with some of the best singing I have ever heard coming from this one Balinese bird. The jovial Indos were just jamming out and getting loose. I was singing right along... way out of tune. "The perfect way to end the journey," I kept saying. During the evening my right foot gradually began to ache and swell. That dirty stream I ran through at Lakeys was starting to haunt me. Sergio and Dayane were a bit concerned about the swelling and red streaks radiating from the small scratch on the right arch. I was a bit concerned at the throbbing pain and feverish state I was experiencing. They kindly went to a pharmacy and picked up an antibiotic for me. My time in Indo was ending as I expected... with a rampant infection.Feeling lucky that injury didn't occur to me earlier in my travels I felt it was time to go home. I wanted my mom. I wanted to be taken care of by someone who knew exactly how to do it. Eighteen foot swelling hours of flights later I was finally back in the good ol' US of A on the 4th of July. My days of foot loose and fantsy freedom had ironically ended on Independence Day. Glad to be home and almost ready to start re-working for the man I limped out of the airport and took a deep breath of the LA smog and behold, Jonathan Euller was pinching my butt cheek. Good to be home. The stories for my grandchildren have been set. Now it's time to start embellishing them. "I remember when I was attacked by a water buffalo in the battle field trenches of Lakeys Peak. A beast bit a huge chunk out of my foot and nearly gored my heart if I hadn't rammed my surfboard into its right eye..."
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1213386720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1213386720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1213386720/tpod.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:22:10 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Bali, Indonesia

Sergio and Dayane Florian my good friends from California now transplanted in Hawaii arrived to Denpesar. I was waiting for them at the airport hooting wearing my "I Love Bali" shirt. They were exhausted from the long trip. We spent the next couple of days in the Uluwatu area surfing and swimming in an infinity pool with the occasional massage session. They were posted up on top of the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean to the south with several great reef breaks down below. I was posted up in a warung below them where I could peak out the bambo bars for windows and see waves peel down the corner of the reef called Bingin. The swell that everyone had been talking about the last week and a half had arrived. Sergio and I have been surfing together for years and we always seem to have good vibrations to attract the surf. Sure enough we both caught some amazing waves together at a break called Impossibles. A memorable moment was a wave we shared and were both just laughing and hooting at the joy of it. Another mentionable was being caught just a little on the inside of a sneaker set that marched down the reef in perfection during late dusk. I was scrambling to get one of the beasts and I swung and dropped into one and was instanlty pitted and just shocked at the realization that this could be the best wave of my life if I could just.... smack. I was clipped as I was sneaking out of the pit."Aaargh!!!!" "It's O.K. Another one is coming", I told myself. I paddled back out and waited still jazzed from the last wave and another one loomed. I paddled, dropped, and a big perfect wave walled up for me as I carved down the line of Balinese paradise. The walk in across the reef at dark nipped, stabbed, and scratched off bits of my feet. The next day was spent surfing Bingin, a very busy spot because of its tubing waves. A couple of pros were out with the crowd, so it was like watching a surfing video every time you paddled back out in the channel with the pros just putting on a show as they surfed past. Sergio and I both had a couple of fun waves before renting a car and going on our inland Bali adventure. After renting a car we ventured our way on the narrow and crowded Balinese roads up the flanks of a volcano to Ubud. It's an artists' haven with much natural and cultural stimulation for bountiful inspiration. We spent a couple of days wandering around the streets and motorbiking the backways through terraced rice paddies. We also  watched a few traditional dances in the temples. Being a bit absent minded at times I ended up loosing my room key one evening and not a soul was around to help me, so I ended up sleeping on the tiled porch in front of my room. Several hours later a night guard woke me up and literally lifted the door off its hinges allowing me to enter my not so secure room. allowing me to rest on the mattress recharging my batteries for tomorrow's activities. The monkey forrest lived up to its name. Monkeys were scampering all over us. Perching on our shoulders munching on bananas and one fiestey one on Sergio's scalp.Packing the gear up we kept driving up the volcano for a splendid view a lake in its crater. The drive down the other side of the islands peak was gorgeous with majestic forrests and a parade of Balinese marching along the road playing traditional instruments and fully garbed in traditional wardrobe. They were all smiles for us as we bobbed our heads to the Hindu beats parked on the side patiently waiting for them to pass. Driving along a hotel manager noted our foreign appearance, cha-ching ringing in his ears he gave us his card (fifth person to do so on the road trip while driving). We ended up staying at his place on the calm tranquil beach on the northern side of Bali called Lovina. An hour later I was getting a coconut oil massage on a blanket on the black lava sand as the daylight mingled into night. Sergio and I were up early for a fishing trip. Sergio snagged a good size Mahi Mahi on his handline as we circled the fishing platforms several km. off the shore. Unfortunately the fish was lucky and Sergio not so lucky, so our lunch took off with a new piercing to show its Mahi Mahi homies. Back on the road in search of surf we skirted around the west side of Bali hitting some stressful traffic on the way. To describe it; the roads are narrow and potted with swarms of motorbikes and gangs of painfully slow dump trucks. All this creates a constant stress of trying to pass a truck crawling up a windy hill while motorbikes zip past on either side. A straight away would come and the pass was made only to find another slow exhaust spewing snail a km up the road with a massive backup. It comes to a point were you just have to smile and convince yourself it's just a flavor that traveling has dished up for you. You just have to relax and go along with it, blind curve passing and all. Back in Bali I hit up my local favorite spots to see my Balinese friends and get my five dollar massage and haircut. Sergio and especially Dayane with her new bargaining skills went to town buying up plenty of costume suits, paintings, and enough decorations to redo their house back in Hawaii for pennies on the dollar. I decided it was best to relax and not be too productive, so I strolled down the streets towards the beach. I ran into some familiar faces(a very common occurance the more places I visit) and traded a few stories with them hanging out at Kuta Beach. Being out of the water for a few days I was jonesing for a surf. I resorted to surfing a soft top longboard that I rented for a couple of bucks along the Kuta shoreline and promptly ripped a massive hole in the crotch and butt of my shorts. Not too phased I continued my display of headstand surfing.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1214165580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1214165580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1214165580/tpod.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:20:41 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Sumbawa Besar, Indonesia

Bali always being too much fun for my own good I decided to go back to the surf rich spot of Lakey Peak. By the time my flights were organized and I made the journey back to Lakey Peak I was ready to put the rest of my energies for this trip into surfing the great waves of the area. My routine goes as follows. Wake up for the early at about 6 am. If it's too busy back to bed for an hour. If it's empty then I would be out at the Peak for a couple of hours taking mostly the rights. Back in for a breakfast of a banana pancake, a fruit salad of papaya and banana, and a Balinese coffee or tea fueled me up for a late morning session lasting another couple of hours. Back in to treate my wounded tootsies from the sharp encounters with the reef on wipeouts and a cheap lunch of Nasi Goreng or the special for a bit more than a buck while I watched the surf rolling in from the Indian Ocean. Sergio and I would hang out discussing the surf, our waves, the crowd while Dayane would keep us in check if we got too negative about the business in the water. She would say,"Stop bitching. Both of you are getting lots of waves." We would agree and continue to stuff our faces. A nap for an hour or two and then back out in the surf till dusk. A shower, retreatment of my wounded tootsies, and a meal with Sergio and Dayane while playing the card game of "Beanies" was the evening, and then off to bed for crazy dreams under the mosquito net. One wave stands out from my surfs here at Lakey Peak. I had just watched a bootleg of "The Secret" with its "laws of attraction" still echoeing in my mind. I was enjoying a late evening session with Sergio and a few Kiwi surfers. The waves were pretty small and unorganized. However, I was in the perfect spot for a bigger wave approaching. I paddled for it, made the drop, and was burned by one of the Kiwis as I saw the lip pitch over him where I could have been if he was paying attention. I was instantly mad. The wave of the night and I got dropped in on by a prick. Paddling back out I made up my mind to stay positive. I paddled further out mostly because I didn't want to see the obnoxious Kiwi and to "attract" a bigger and better wave. The sun had already set and only a few minutes had passed. I just kept saying to myself "good wave, good wave"( I try to keep my thoughts very simple while surfing) and on the darkened horizon a better wave came. I casually made the drop into the best wave I have had in Indonesia. The lip pitched over me as I slid through a round head high barrel for several seconds before I exited without touching a drop of water. I was hooting as I did a cutback and continued to slide down the line. I was amped. Sergio and the other surfers witnessed it which makes it even sweeter for the ego. I was thinking,"if all I have to do is think 'good wave' to attract the sets then I am a 'Secret' believer." The following days I was trying to draw the waves to me with good vibrations, but then I broke my board on a really good one, so the reviews are mixed on "The Secret".The next couple of days had the Indo pros showing up in full force for the Quicksilver contest. This means that all set waves at the peak are taken and only the smaller waves were left over for the "boles" (foreigner). Serge and I ventured to several obscure spots hoping for a magical uncrowded pumping session but have found that it is still for our pipe dreams. We went fishing to fill the down time and caught at least four big piles of seaweed. The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool playing Beanies and talking trash. There seems to be a pattern forming here at Lakeys. The Lakey days are coming to an end for us. The last morning brought pumping surf. I woke up and walk trotted down to Periscopes with my cut up and sore tootsies. I ran through a creek with water buffalo and yesterdays's grass in it (which would later haunt me). Periscopes was the best I had seen it. Big right handers gunning down the reef with a dozen or so crew on it. I paddled out knowing I only had an hour before I had to leave for the airport on the other side of the island. I caught a couple of good ones and was caught on the inside by a thumping set. Great way to end the Sumbawa stay. I was washed in just wishing I could surf a couple of hours more but knowing I had to get a ride back to the Hotel Balumba and say farewell to the friendly folk of Lakeys Peak. No more little kiddies asking for stickers, no more goats, no more spontaneous English lessons with eager learners, and no more pumping waves. It's all good though. I have had a healthy serving of surf along with Sergio. So we leave satisfied and surfed out with a mindful of memories to relive for a lifetime.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1212473040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1212473040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1212473040/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:53:58 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Bali, Indonesia

Back in Bali Levi and I woke up to pouring rain. We opted for a bemo ride and took off to Canngu for some beach break surf. The water was chocolate brown in front of the river, so I opted to surf down the beach. After many Japanese surfers got in the way I decided to go in and watch the show from the little shops and booths above the beach. While sipping on a cool tropical beverage, I was being pursuaded to buy a couple of sarongs. Being the first sale for the day the lady took my money and waved it over the all of her merchandise to bless it for the rest of the day. I learned that you have much more bargaining power when it's their first sale. I am always respectful, but love to mess with them by doubling the price they offer and then dropping it to a tiny fraction of what they want. Always have to keep it fun and games with the merchants. Levi and I had great fun bargaining for a pair of sunglasses with one particularly playful guy. He thought it was great fun just play boxing at our crotches. I was trying to choose a realistic looking pair of Ray Bans and block the ever so quick jabs at my balls. Only in Bali can you get desighner sunglasses for 3 bucks and get punched in the junk for free.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1213446540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1213446540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kalchalker/chalker_trippin/1213446540/tpod.html Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:35:30 -0400 To the horizon's horizon, a young teacher's journey around the globe.

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Sumbawa Besar, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Levi's main photo subject ended up getting an eye infection, so the young indo ripper couldn't surf. This jammed up Levi's plans to travel with me, so I decided to move on solo to Sumbawa to Lakey Peak for some solid surf time. The flight was 70 dollars after surf board fees. The 50 dollar (Taxi mafias have hijacked cheap travel options from airports) two hour taxi ride was split four ways with three Kiwis. Going over the mountain pass we saw dozens of monkeys enjoying the shade on the side of the ride. Lakey Peak is a surfers destination with not much else to do but surf. The wind was a bit strong on arrival and the main peak with its left and right was too busy to bother with the hassling. I decided to hike down and check out the other options. It was good to be in a quite place again. I do enjoy Bali and its excitement, but nothing quite beats the tranquility of a stretch of sand, some reef break setups and forested mountains as a backdrop that this little slice of earth offers. The next couple of days were spent surfing the several breaks in the area. It wasn't too busy. The conditions haven't been perfect but I have been spending hours and in the warm crystal clear water. One session was shared past sunset at the peak with a friendly well traveled Brazilian named Daniel. We enjoyed the lefts coming through to ourselves since the crowds had already headed in for dark. Near us a good size fish shot straight up in the air for a few seconds of air time and repeated. We both looked at each other and he said, "They saw a shark out here a couple of days ago." He caught the next one in. I was alone in the now announced sharky waters at feeding time. The session ended shortly there after. The stars were shining as I paddled across the lagoon. I took a few moments to recognize a few of the constellations I have become familiar with; Crux, Centarous, Scorpio, Libra, Ursa Major, and then I couldn't spot the rest out with my tired mind and eyes. It twas time for supper. I headed up to a shack on stilts. The place was busy with surfers. A swarm of bees were madly buzzing around a light bulb but no one seemed too concerned as the swirled a couple of feet over the dread locked head of a placid surfer. I ended up having one of the most delicious meals of fish, veggies, and mashed potatoes. Just what the doctor ordered. The waves were quite average. The crowds on the spots were quite busy. I ended up surfing several short sessions at a couple of spots during the several days of down time. I also explored the surrounding reefs with snorkeling gear I rented for three dollars. I spotted dozens of species of tropical fish. Swam through several deep crevices in the reef. I loved the clear tepid waters. Nothing quite like exploring the underwater universe one held breath at a time. I do wish I had gills though. Maybe right behind my ears "Water World" style, so I could explore deeper oceanic geography and biology. The swell finally showed up. The masses of obnoxious Brazilians have been thinned out by either breaking their boards or being too intimidated by the now pumping surf. I had checked several spots and found that the best bet was out front at Lakey Peak. I took out my 6'10" for the bigger swell. I paddled out across the lagoon watching the double overhead plus sets cracking over the reef forming a left and right 'A' frame peak. I easily stroked into my first wave a right that walled up perfectly for a dragged out cutback and a quick race down the line. The next wave was the same. I caught a few fun ones and was back out at the peak with a handful of us watching the biggest set of the day looming on the horizon. Scratching to make it over the first one the second one was bearing down on us quickly. I heard JP a fellow gringo just saying, "Oh Kalvin! Kalvin!" I heard some shouts from guys in the channel.(They shouting, "No!" I heard, "Go!") I turned and stroked three strokes into the belly of the biggest wave of my life. I popped to my feet and had contact with my board...for a split second. I was then flipping head over heals into the beast. The surfers in the channel said I went head over heals two times before I hit the water and the wave devoured me. They thought I was going to seriously injured or worse. I was spinning violently under water cradling my head in my arms just waiting to crack on the coral reef. The energy subsided I scratched to the surface sucking air. My leash plug had broken but my board was luckily only ten yards away. I was hooting and laughing as I scrambled to my board and paddled out of the impact zone. The adrenalin now leaving my blood my arms were weak and my breath was gone. I was loving life. I had come out from the worst thrashing of my life unscathed and minimal damage to my board. All eyes were on me. I later heard that people at many vantage points on the beach at the restraunts and hang outs were expecting a helicopter transport from the injuries of the wipeout of the season. I told you all about my bad judgement in bigger surf. Well this is a case and point example, but with good results this time. I have one of the best stories for my future offspring and I earned the respect of all onlookers for being a crazed charger. It's kind of silly but I earned respect in the lineup the next couple of days. I had easier pickings for the set waves. No one was hassling me for the waves I was paddling for. After that session my level of confidence increased and I had some of the funnest waves of my life. Lakeys days were dominated by several long surfs with breaks to eat and nap. The evenings were spent playing "Beanies" with Adam, Dan, Toby, and Mark. I am the worst card player, so for me it's only enjoyable for the company. It's nonstop trash talking and perving at the only hot chick in the village of Lakeys (whom has been giving my Indonesian lessons everyday for a half hour. I haven't learned much because I am distracted.) After the long day of surfing, eating, napping, and card playing I relax with some bootleg documentaries I bought in Bali. Then the night and restless sleep do to a suffering cat outside of my door. Up early for the surf and it's done all over again.
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