The arrivals lounge at Padang airport is not really a lounge. It is more like a non-air conditioned shed which could never fit a planeload of people in. But this is Indonesia and it is remarkable how many people can fit into a confined space in this country. There are a couple of immigration officials furiously stamping visas and passports. There are also numerous families, … [Read more...]
10 Weeks in the land of G.
As it goes, at the start of any story, I will introduce myself. My name is Dave Scard, most of the crew know me as "Scardy". I have just come down with a serious illness, one that only surf doctors can diagnose. It's called "post G-land depression." Lets just hope that the Australian Social Securities office recognise it and put me straight onto sickness benefits! I have the … [Read more...]
Welcome to Dreamland
Waiting for the tide to change can be an exhausting pastime. You sit there thinking `Yep, that piece of coral has definatley gone now. The tides come up heaps' only to see the dumb thing it re-appear. Yes, very frustrating stuff. Graham, Joe and I had been sitting Nyomans warung for a hour and a half, and as young men can be, Joe was getting a bit impatient. The tide showed … [Read more...]
Chicken Sushi
As our trip progressed, we finally started figuring out the lay of the land. Our home base on Bali for the time being was the city of Kuta, a bustling hub of surfers, tourists, Javanese hawkers selling gasoline in perfume bottles, all night parties with crappy musick, narrow crowded streets, scab-covered dogs, instant gratification, cheap anything, and decorative offerings to … [Read more...]
Toothless Massage Lady
My first trip to Bali in June 1999 was an intense learning experience. It didn't necessarily have to be that way but my friend Dave told my other friend the wrong time to get us at the airport so we didn't have the luxury of a ride and a hotel waiting for us. Accounts vary, of course. Either way, we are standing out front of the airport at 9:40 at night 12,000 miles from home … [Read more...]
Charter Nightmares!
First of all would like to congratulate you on an great web site, definitely worth reading if you about to go or just been to Indo. I have just arrived back from a quick 3 weeker. Had an awesome time!! Got some sick surf all over Bali, got stranded on a boat off Lombok and had some huge nights out in Kuta(but that's a different story). I am writing to tell you about the boat … [Read more...]
Early Days ….. Kuta
There was no denying it, "The General" had a drinking problem. To be honest we all had a drinking problem back then in the early eighties, and you could probably say we also showed all the traits of long term substance abuse and too many years living in the tropics. When it came to drinking though, "The General" made the rest of us look like "teetotallers". I remember one … [Read more...]
Of Ageless Fishing Villages and Miniature Magic Mushrooms
(quite a lot of this was written under the influence of something, alcohol, barrel fever etc so the views and opinions expressed were mine at the time and not necessarily mine now) I write this now in retrospect sitting at a computer desk 3 storeys up in the CBD of surf less Bris-vegas. Obviously my mind is not with my work, interesting as it may be, I travel back a month to … [Read more...]
Nias
June 1 1988 Sydney Airport international departures: That'd be right, trust him to stuff the whole thing up, I thought to myself. I had been waiting for eight months for this day and he doesn't show up on time. He was my mate Mark and we were heading to Indo for our first big surf trip. Destination Lagundri Bay Nias. I think my bags had been packed for about six months and I … [Read more...]
Terrys G-Land Journey
It took three attempts before making it through the 3ft breakers just after leaving behind the fish flavoured air of Grajagan village in our boat, headed for 'THE' left. We knew from trusty reports we'd be hitting swell when we arrived at our temporary jungle home. The boat trip took place on a magically mirrored surface only ever rippled by sealife fleeing the roaring twin … [Read more...]
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