Indo: the last chapter

I was only planning on being in Indonesia for one month but soon after my arrival I realized how much I was enjoying the rich culture, ease of travel, and of course, amazing waves. I have been very surprised to be enjoying this part of the world so much.




I'm learning that no matter what one has heard about a certain place (whether good or bad) there is no way to truly judge it until it's been experienced with one's own five senses.




With that said I continue my Indo experience with a ton more culture mixed with perfect waves.
I met up with Christine in the wave-less, yet super funky town of Ubud.




The vibe here strums to a beat of yoga, art galleries, and on one particular occasion a four foot python casually slithering through the middle of a busy intersection. A local quickly handled the situation but not before having some fun with a few Japanese tourists as he playfully thrust the snake's head at them to get a reaction.




Once the fun was done he proudly held it up for his buddies to see and most likely took it home for a snack.
We did a lot of reading by the pool, braved the masses at a few outdoor bazaars, and checked out a traditional Balinese dance performance. Ubud is bustling with culture and a Balinese dance is a very interesting show to witness.




I couldn't get over how the women used spastic eye movements to convey emotion, fear, and happiness. At one point in the performance I spaced out thinking "this would be a great commercial idea for eye drops..." By this time I was looking forward to getting back in the water so I decided to head over to neighboring Nusa Lembongan island where I would hope to find some more Indo-style waves.




If you're looking for crystal clear water, dreamlike snorkeling/diving, a laid back atmosphere, and pumping waves, then Nusa Lembongan is your spot. I spent one great week here surfing some fantastic waves.




One spot in particular was called shipwrecks and I surfed here most of my time as it was spitting distance from my bungalow. So, needless to say, if the wave was breaking I would be on it and on one particular day it was fantastic. Some of the locals had been accustomed to seeing my yellow board throughout the week so when they realized I was not just there for the one big day they gave me the friendly nod of approval.




A relieving gesture when in the lineup with mostly locals. The wave was a spectacular, clean, big right-hand ramp of crystal clear water. In fact, the water is so clear and the reef so bustling with life that on certain occasions, while waiting for the next juicy wave, I could see curious little fish swimming all around my board in an unusual attempt to stow away in my shorts!




It was to be my last day surfing in Indonesia and I reflected the entire time in the water on how fortunate I've been to have been able to surf so many incredible spots. In the end I surfed 41 times in 18 different spots. Wearing a wetsuit in San Diego is going to be culture shock...




When I wasn't surfing I was either perched on my bungalow reading or getting lost around the island. Lembongan is a big seaweed farming town and as low tide approached, the locals would come out into the blistering sun to collect their green gold.




As tides fluctuate on a daily basis, peak work hours would differ from day to day. Towards the end of my time in Lembongan low tide would be close to sunset and besides the obvious factor of darkness, farmers would also have to rush against the incoming tide to haul in their loads. Talk about a hard deadline huh?




One other thing I like to do when exploring a new town is finding any type of pickup games to play in and, if invited, I'm always keen to play.




Football (soccer) is by far the most common game I run into but in Lembongan, volleyball was king. I was thrilled to stumble upon a locals-only game in the middle of the steamy jungle. It was, of course, appropriately accompanied by cows grassing nearby, roosters crowing at will, and seaweed fishermen casually casually strolling aroung with massive baskets of seaweed on top of their heads.




The court was a patch of flat, hard dirt with well-marked lines and a proper net. These guys were good! In my opinion, some good enough to play college and since they were playing barefoot they had an advantage already. All the men and young boys in town would turn up to watch, and gamble, on their team.




This made the competition that much more intense and as the games would come to an end, I would love how the setting sun would cast its long rays on the dusty court giving it an epic feel of swirling fire. I've never been so content to miss the sun setting over the ocean.
The last stop on my Indo adventure was a pleasantly-welcomed surprise. After 'roughing it' while surfing stellar waves in Lembongan, I spent the next 5 nights in the honeymoon suite of a fancy private villa with my own swimming pool, my own cook, and my own private...well, everything!




It pays to have family in high places. Gracias Luisa! To put this amazing villa into perspective, let's just say its decor made the pages of a very well-known magazine and lucky me got to reap the benefits.




It is the most beautiful place I have stayed in thus far and will be tough to beat internationally and back in the states. Coincidentally, the villa was is in Ubud where I actually wanted to go back to.




I liked Ubud the first time around but it really made an impression on me the second time. This town's Balinese culture is on fire and along with it's art stores, great restaurants and markets, Ubud quickly grew on me even though it is nowhere near the ocean.




I loved riding around and stopping wherever there was anything interesting. I could not stop looking at a painting in one of the many art stores I cruised by so I decided to buy it. The bulkiest souvenir I've picked up thus far but after stalking it for three days I realized why I liked it so much.




I ran into a cockfight once which reminded me of the bullfight in Sevilla. Cockfighting and betting on it is legal here and actually goes hand-in-hand with certain religious events.




Since I was so far away from the ocean, it was tricky to find a good place to watch the sunset. One day, on one of my aimless scooter rides, I spotted a rice paddy being lit up by the setting sun in that emerald green color that only rice paddies seem to emit. As the sun dipped over the horizon, each tier of the crop would slowly darken one by one in front of the sky's colorful canvas. Breathtaking!




I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel of my SE Asia leg of the trip. I type this en route to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where I'll be breaking my neck looking up at blinding skyscrapers, savoring some of the region's most diverse cuisine, and checking out an electronics hub that would make BestBuy blush.

around Indo

The beauty of Indonesia's 1,000+ islands is dropping anchor at any of them and truly feeling like you've arrived in a completely different place even though it's only a short boat ride away in the same country.


One could spend years exploring the diverse archipelago and all the different cultures, food, religions, and animals it inhabits. For me, the wave-crazed area between Java and Sumbawa would have to do and once again I'd embark (literally) on the journey with Christine who would also be traveling around Indo.


This leg of my Indo adventure was a great mix of culture, relaxation, exploring, and of course surfing epic waves. As with any island, being in the water is inevitable and I took advantage of it as much as I could wether I was laying on a surf board or not.


Christine and I decided to meet up in the Gili Islands which are just off the coast of Lombok. The Gilis are three islands which are swimming distance to each other and are renowned for their diving and natural beauty.


Sounds like a good place to be when the waves aren't breaking.


After taking one of many boat rides and having no agenda or concept of time whatsoever, we spent a few days hopping between each island, letting our moods and the surrounding vibe drift us to our next strip of sand.


We walked, biked and horse-carriaged (no cars or motorbikes on any of the islands) around all three Gilis and explored the less visited core where most local people live.


We saw all kinds of animals, ate exotic food,





and curiously slothed around to the beat of nearby mosque's calls to prayer. All three islands had their own personality and we enjoyed some more than others, but the one thing they all had in common was spectacular beauty and welcoming people.





Our next boat ride would take us back to Lombok where we planned to rent a car and do a proper loop around the island. We rented an old-school, low budget 'Jimmy' truck and crossed our fingers.


This was my introduction to driving on the left-hand side of the road. Once I was used to shifting gears with my left hand, adjusted to dodging countless buffalo and dogs, and of course maneuver around the all-too-frequent motorbike, we were on our way to find waves, waterfalls, and rice paddies.


On our way to Kuta (in Lombok, not Bali) we stopped at a traditional Sasak village to see the process of how rice gets onto our plates, how certain Indonesian textiles are made,


and in general how everyday natural resources produce the means to live a simple life. All over Indonesia one will see bright green rice paddies and the people who maintain and eventually harvest them.


A big business that involves many people, rice is one of the crops that fuels this part if the world. Traditional textiles are also abundant in this area and it's always encouraged to buy from these small villages as opposed to the mass-produced bargains of other bustling towns.


Again, simplicity at its finest and one of my favorite aspects of these corners of the world.


We easily arrived in Kuta where I had been to previously and scored some great waves. We explored some dreamlike beaches around the area


and although the waves were much smaller this time, we took a boat out to a great surf break only to find a suffocating crowd. Regardless, it was a fun time in the water in front of some spectacular views confirming that there are no bad days in Indo when you are in the water.


Our next stop would be a remote fishing village where not many people overland to; boat is the most common way to get there. After a puzzling three hour drive, getting lost a handful of times without much help from our cartoon map, and with a bit of luck, we finally made it to Heaven on the Planet 'resort' at Ekas Bay.


This 'resor't is pretty much the only accommodation at Ekas. Luckily it was all inclusive so we didn't have to worry about food, drinking water, or renting equipment for any activities. The only thing we had to worry about were the occasional scorpions and monkeys that could sneak into our room. The real selling point for me, however, was the private boat we took to the secret surf spot where only resort guests could surf.


To say the least I was salivating at the opportunity to surf an uncrowded wave in the middle of the Indian ocean...and a right hander at that! The wave was great and we had it all to ourselves.


I stuffed some small goggles in my pocket and would do mini snorkeling sessions in between waves. It's amazing to see how many fish and coral you constantly glide across as you're riding waves. Another exciting drive in our Jimmy truck led us to the mountain town of Tetebatu where the cool waters from its lush waterfall were waiting for us. Tetebatu was unlike any Indo town I've been to; away from the ocean and much cooler weather wise.


A welcomed change since there were no waves to be had anyway, ha! The surprisingly short trek to Terjun waterfall was filled with monkey sightings, forests of bamboo and species of greenery that could fill an encyclopedia.


Turning the corner as we arrived to the waterfall felt like discovering another world. If Tarzan was alive he would be living here. The misty air from the powerful falls gave thriving life to the lush forest surrounding it and I was loving the feeling of breathing in the clean, crisp air.


It was a spectacular scene! Swimming until we were cold (for the first time in Indo), we headed back to taste the exotic and at times forbidden durian fruit.


It is at times forbidden from airports and hotels because of it's pungent smell. Nevertheless, it is a favorite in SE Asia.


Well I didn't see what the hype was because to me it tasted worse than it smelled. As we were leaving Lombok and began heading towards Bali, we became friends with a woman whose restaurant we frequented.


Her name is Yahyu and we talked about food, her culture, life in general, and in particular dreams and aspirations she has for her son Wahyu. She would love for her son to study in neighboring Australia, and/or become a famous soccer player for FC Barcelona.


At this stage the soccer dream may be a good bet because he's kicking the ball like a natural and he can't even talk yet.


We fell in love with a popular dessert (es campur) which she has a special recipe for. We ate four in two days and still couldn't get enough.


We promised to keep in touch via email and are excited to see her son grow up. Our last boat ride would slowly (very slowly) take us back to Bali and the Uluwatu area where again, I scored some excellent waves a few weeks before.


We arrived on a Monday when the waves were small in size but by the end of the week the first true swell of the season would be arriving bringing the type of waves that have made surfing in Indonesia famous.


Anticipation of a big swell is always exciting. There is a buzz in the air and every conversation seems to eventually return to talks of wind direction, tides, size, and what spot to surf.


Sometimes it can be overwhelming because you want to make sure you get the most out of it. For this reason I decided to not think about it too much and instead enjoyed the vibe around Uluwatu and the beautiful spots around it.


We hopped around from beach to beach on motorbike, did some surfing in beautiful Padang beach,


watched a great sunset overlooking Uluwatu, and checked out beautiful Uluwatu temple and its famous monkey residents.


Christine made the short trek to the funky town of Ubud where I'd meet up with her after the swell came down and in perfect harmonious timing, I reconnected with Duncan to score some more waves from the upcoming swell.


Duncan had just returned from Lombok where he had one of the most memorable sessions of his life. Needless to say he was extremely happy and ready to get back in the water as was I. As the big swell approached, we surfed some big waves and as always, had a great time in the water. During one session, amongst a crowd of 20+ in the lineup, I somehow got a very memorable little barrel and was lucky enough to have a local photog snap a nice sequence of it.

Not too easy to miss that bright yellow board I guess. It was a great feeling to be fully engulfed by water and then be shot out the other end. A feeling I'm getting pretty used to and hope to come across more often. Unfortunately Duncan had to go to Singapore for 24 hours to renew his Indo visa so he would miss the biggest day of the swell.


Fortunately for me he could buy me a new camera from duty free since mine was stolen. Gracias bro!

The following is from an email I very humbly wrote after the big swell:

On Apr 7, 2012, at 3:54 PM, "Andres Bautista" "Yesterday was the most amazing day of surfing I have ever witnessed! On a full moon day on good Friday, Uluwatu had a fat tide most of the morning and early afternoon. 15-20 foot sets were rolling in and only a few guys with guns were out there picking off these inconsistent monsters.


As the tide dropped more people started going out but started realizing that it was too big for their equipment. Most of these waves work on a lower tide...I decided to go to impossibles and as I was paddling out I knew I kinda made a mistake bc there was no one out there and the sets were rolling from what seemed like the horizon.


These were 20 footers easy. I stayed waaay on the outside out of any danger. After paddling a few hundred yards just to see what it looked like from the back, you could see the offshore spray peeling and peeling and peeling for about 300 yds from impossibles, just beautiful! I paddled back towards Padang and that's when I saw it...stand up barrels, one after another!


These were lift-your-hands-up-and-try-to-touch-the-top-of-the-wave barrels! Now I know why they call it the balinesian pipeline. I sat on the shoulder where guys would kick out and photogs would sit just watching guys get the rides of their lives. I have never seen so many guys throw their arms up in the air in sheer accomplishment and stoke after a wave! I was so happy for them.


The entire lineup was cheering-on whoever was on the wave...it sounded like a stadium. People were on the cliffs perched on any spot they could find to get a glimpse of some guy on a perfectly shaped barrel hoping to see them blasted out at the last second...I did not paddle for one wave yesterday but nonetheless I have never been happier to come out of the water with a doughnut as a wave count.


I stood on the beach watching the sun go down and guys coming in with permagrins on their mugs...one after another. Bintangs were being had on the beach, broken boards were piling up in the trash. Everyone had a smile on their face regardless of where they surfed or didn't surf. For me, it was what I expected Indo to make me feel."