Healed by the warmth

So here i am for the 5th year in a row out in bali, soaking up the sun,

eating rice and vegetables, surfing incredibly fun waves. Its been small out

here, which is probably a blessing for me as i can't re injure my knee

easily. The heat has limbered me right up and allowed the healing time to be

minimised, which is one  of the main reasons for coming.

 I love indonesia, Its a special place, as any one who has been here would

know, for me its like going to another planet, a place where my mind is set

free and the reality is left at home.

Already in a week we have had 1 crazy police chase, which was stupid, as

we could of been killed on the deathly roads. 2 days later when i was

flagged down again i thought, i might just pay the measly fine of £2.00 this

time, instead of risking my life. It took a while to get the gnarly Javanese

police man from £70 to £2.00, thats the annoying part.

 the surf was small for 2 weeks, and the crowd at lackey peak was getting pretty intense. When its smaller than 3ft at lackeys the crowd doesn't really get separated , everyone starts dropping in and snaking, never mind all the local kids that are hanging out on the inside, with not the slightest worry that someone is going to run them over. anyway thats just 1 of the things that you have to laugh of and not let it phase you. It felt like ground hog day, wake up everyday hoping there is just the slightest increase in swell. realise there isn't, eat my banana pancake, drink my bali coffee, surf,  get my packet of rice and veggies from the dirt lane around the corner, surf again in the mid day sun, to avoid the majority of the crowd. get some dodgy donuts from a lady called dodgy, maybe a banana milkshake. surf again before dark, glassy fun conditions, standard procedure. 

it all gets a bit "samey. and then there it is, a flicker of hope on the charts, an increase in swell and period. We're on. 

2 days before our flight back to bali the swell finally came. 2 days of barrels, 2 days of excitement and exhaustion,  its all us surfers need to make a good trip.  the swell split up the crowd, it separated the beginners from the experienced, my friends and i surfed our selves stupid for those 2 days, we surfed through aches and pains, severe bruising and infections, theres not much that can stop us from missing a swell like that

 every time i come home alive i am grateful, for whoever kept me from danger. The reality of what could happen out there is scary, surfing razor sharp, slabbing, reefs, that could slice you to pieces. Driving on roads with no rules, flying with airlines that probably havn't had a safety check in a few months, malaria, natural disasters, the list goes on.  These are the risks i suppose you have to take if you want adventure, if you want a change from the repetitive life u may live. I've come of lightly this time with only a small infection in my foot, and a million RP (£70) stolen from my bag on an airline. "Don't leave your bag on the back of the aeroplane with valuables inside." A lesson to us all. My knee is almost fully healed now, i'm gutted that i missed out on some amazing waves in ireland, but there's always next year. hopefully i can go back out there with more experience, more knowledge and not make the same mistake i made last time, but for now, well summer is on the way again. Time to get down to europe and give the wqs comps another go. 

 bring it on.  

https://vimeo.com/38085206