Sergio and Dayane Come to Bali
Trip Start
Aug 20, 2007
1
70
76
Trip End
Jul 04, 2008
Bali,
Indonesia
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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.
