What better way to start the day than with a refreshing morning run in this idyllic environment? A few mountain bikers and runners had the same idea. Big part of Australian culture are the public barbecues. It didn’t took long for a group to gather at the lake for a breakfast barbecue, or how the Aussies call it: Brekkie.

We couldn’t resist to capture a snapshot of the iconic “Beware of the Kangaroo” sign, while traveling south. Excitement and worries began to mix, when the navigation lost our way on a remote dirt road, cruising deep through the heart of a seemingly endless man made forest. As the minutes turned into an hour and the landscape stayed the same we became bored. when suddenly a colossal yet lifeless, kangaroo was laying on our path.

The next day we headed back to Caloundra. Another daring surf session awaited me. This time I started to catch waves and I could finally feel the potential of my surf board. Luckily the board was small enough to duck dive. This became an absolute life saver as a bomb set was hitting the the surf set. Each wave bigger and bigger starting to crash exactly where I was. With a bigger board I would have taken at least five waves on the head!

From Caloundra we went down to Surfers Paradise. The name can be deceiving, as it’s a bustling city dominated by skyscrapers! For me this is the opposite of a surfers paradise. We swiftly moved down south after doing our laundry. We were rewarded by the hidden gem of Burleigh Heads. Luxury apartments spiced up the landscape with a beautiful surf spot and a nature reserve nearby. This is more how we like it.

One day we parked in one spot for too long and we got a hefty ticket, which we had to pay.. The fee was quickly forgotten or at least deemed not too important with the view of the ocean and the surroundings. In the parks close to the beach, they did not only have toilets, showers and free barbecue. They also provided hot water for free. Absolutely handy if you are traveling in a van! In addition to the luxury apartments there is a street called millionaires row. It is almost an island on it’s own filled with villas out of this world. Of course we checked it out!

In Burleigh Heads I went surfing again. It was receding tide and the sand banks were shallow. The Australian surfers are absolutely insane riding these waves like true masters. I was charging a few waves as well. However II would bail from the wave early as I was so afraid of hitting the banks. One time I hit the sand bank anyways. I took of on one wave riding it down the steep edge. I lost control at the bottom and jumped into the water with my butt first. My butt crashed onto the sand bank. Luckily nothing happened to my back, but that was my call to go out and do something else, as this could have ended much worse.

In Burleigh Heads, I finally returned to the waves for another surf session. The tide was receding, and the sandbanks almost revealed themselves, their shallowness adding an extra layer of complexity. The two meter waves were breaking directly on the sandbanks. The Australian surfers didn’t seem to care, riding these waves like true masters.

I summoned my courage and charged into a few waves myself, although I couldn’t shake off the fear of hitting the sandbanks and I always bailed early if I could. This made me more confident until I caught a wave and rode it down the steep face. I struggled to maintain control at the bottom as the wave suddenly got choppy. Without a choice I was launched into the shallow water. I felt the force, when my rear end hit the sandbank. The worst scenario just had happened for me. Fortunately, I emerged with just a bit of pain and no broken back! This served as a stark reminder of safety in the water. You need to assess the dangers before every session. Especially when surfing an unknown spot. The day before I went at higher tide and had no problem at all! We went hiking for the rest of the day…

Venturing inland in search of a quiet sleeping spot, we hoped for a similar result like the Maddock dam. After navigating narrow mountain roads for an hour, we reached our destination, only to discover that the lake was closing soon. The whole are was guarded by a fence and a gate thus not suitable for a sleeping spot. Numerous ‘Trespassers will be prosecuted’ and ‘Overnight stay prohibited’ signs in the area made it even more challenging to find a sleeping spot. Persisting we eventually found a sneaky sleeping spot.

The following morning we woke up and drove to a park nearby. The view of the surroundings was truly stunning. The bushland hugging the mountains, with the lake below. After a nutritious breakfast our excitement to explore the area was ignited.

However, our enthusiasm soon gave way to disappointment, when we realized that a refreshing swim in the lake was out of the question. The coastal winds were non existent in the mountains and the sun heated the land with unforgiving intensity. I just couldn’t imagine the summer here… A contrasting experience to the more cooler coast lines, especially in spring. The disappointment couldn’t diminish the thrill of our journey, as we eagerly looked forward to the next chapter of our Australian adventure.

Thanks for reading and until next time. Cheers!

Stepping out in Melbourne, we were hit with a reverse culture shock. After almost ten months in tropical climates, the cooler weather felt a bit too cold for us. As fate would have it, I soon found myself in a condition similar to what Sally experienced in Sri Lanka – a fever and a cold. Thankfully, this occurred in Brisbane, where it didn’t hinder my surf addiction.

One of the most significant culture shocks occurred as we ventured into Australia’s supermarkets. Spending so much time in Asia, where stores are small and stock limited, we were amazed at the massive, bustling supermarkets with endless selection of everything. Our jetlag and my condition meant that we didn’t explore Brisbane too much. We took short walks, and Sally hunted through second-hand shops for some warmer clothing.

Despite the challenges, Brisbane proved to be a beautiful city, especially when compared to our experiences in Asian cities. The sun eventually graced us with its presence and my health improved, signaling that it was time to pick up our camper car for our road trip adventure. We were making our way through the rush hour to finally greet the beach again.

Waking up near the beach in Caloundra was a pleasant surprise. The park was teeming with life as people jogged, walked, and socialized. I decided it was time to buy a surfboard. After some searching, I found one that seemed right, despite concerns about its size. Although the board initially felt a bit small, I persevered. The lack of success in my first surf session only fueled my determination to keep going. This board was much larger as the one I bought in El Salvador, so I had to succeed!

One of the most brilliant discoveries during our stay in Australia were the public shared barbecues. These free public hot plates allowed us to enjoy beachside barbecues without even firing up some charcoal. Our time in Caloundra helped us adapt to the newfound mobility our camper car provided, even though finding suitable sleeping spots wasn’t always easy. All the beaches have huge signs, which prohibits overnight camping.

For a sleeping spot we ventured inland on the Sunshine Coast. This led us to a beautiful park where we could sleep. After breakfast, we explored the forest and discovered a stunning little waterfall. A cold morning swim in its pristine waters was the perfect way to start the morning. The best part we had the place all to ourselves.

Our journey took us north to Noosa, a popular spot that, to our surprise, was very crowded due to school holidays. Nonetheless, the waves in Noosa were remarkable. Time to get to know my board a bit better! I managed to ride some waves and even spotted a turtle in the water. After being blessed with this beautiful surf spot I saw something else, that troubled me. A fin was disappearing in the water just as I glanced forward. I first mistook this for a surfer. After a few seconds I noticed that the surfer wasn’t resurfacing. As the thoughts cleared I knew that just have seen a shark! The Aussies were not concerned at all as it seemed. So I continued to surf, staying in the middle of the lineup just in case…

We went for a hike in the national park closely to Noosa. On the way we met an elderly German guy, who was living in his van. We met him earlier in Caloundra and the three of us continued the hike together. Soon after we were treated with something special! We saw whales swimming of the coast of Noosa! Even better we spotted some dolphins enjoying the swell! What an amazing place. We were left with our jaw wide open…

Our adventure continued as we headed north to Rainbow Beach. One of the unique aspects of Rainbow Beach is the vehicle access permitted on the beach, allowing 4×4 enthusiasts to chill by the shoreline. While we didn’t have a 4×4, exploring the beach on foot was still a fantastic experience. The towering sand dunes of Rainbow Beach, some of the highest in Australia, were a special sight. Be carfeul, when you take your 4×4 to the beach. There is a wall of shame in town of people losing their car to the sea!

Our journey from Melbourne to Rainbow Beach was filled with unexpected surprises, culture shocks, and unforgettable experiences. Australia had much in store for us, and with our camper car, we were ready to find places of the beaten path, like Rainbow beach. Something you would reach, without mobility.

Thanks for reading and until next time. Cheers!

In Arugam Bay we stayed for almost a week. We were ready to experience the cuisine, the yoga places and the nightlife. Sadly Sally got sick and she had a fever for the whole time we were there. So we couldn’t do much together. This didn’t stop me however. I went out every day surfing the waves of Arugam Bay. Only problem was that everyone had the same idea. The spot was crowded the whole day, even though it breaks on a shallow reef. Usually I tried to paddle in from the beginners spot. This takes about ten minutes, but it is the safest route. A few times I just went out as is. This has proven to be a mistake, because I cut my finger on the reef. I was lucky though compared to another surfer. He came back with 20 sea urchin spikes inside his foot. This made the 15 minute paddle not to bad.

When Sally was strong enough we opted for a walk on the beach and saw a massive dead turtle lying in the sand. This is something you don’t see in the western world that often. Once there is cadavar it is usually removed. In countries such as these it let’s you accept the harsh reality of life and death more easily. You come clean, that every living being only has a certain time on this planet.

I also went on a short surf safari to a more remote spot. The Tuk Tuk was driving through a lot of land. You would see the Sri Lankan highlands in the background. The rice fields were dried out and simply black. In Sri Lanka not only the surf season moves around the island. Also the dry and wet season follows the same pattern. It made me feel like being in Africa again. I was looking for a wild elephant. Sadly I didn’t see one. We were cruising from the road to a sand path. When we arrived at the surf spot I was a bit disappointed. Of course it was too crowded as well. The locals made it a business to bring surfers here. The second thing, that I disliked about this spot were the crocodiles, that could also swim in the ocean. I went back to surfing the main break in Arugam Bay. The beach was stunning nontheless!

It was time to leave again. I was fed up with the crowds. The locals were just dropping in on you and didn’t care about any rules. I was looking forward to a nice line-up, which I found earlier in Weligama. Even it was not season yet the waves were looking promising. We packed our things and off we went.

Sally also was feeling better again and it was time to leave our cheap accommodation, where we slept on a small mattress with a wooden floor to go back to the south. Once arrived we got back into our South-East-Asian routine. Renting a scooter, going surfing and exploring the area. The difference was absolutely clear. Unlike the east coast, where everything was dry at the moment, here the rivers were filled to the brink. It also rained, when we arrived. That didn’t stop us from. As expected the line up was not filled and I had a few waves to myself. I always prefer the less good wave with fewer than a horde of egos arguing over a wave. It also paid off as we found one of the most gorgeous beaches of Sri Lanka!

Once the sun came back out, we wished that the rain would come back as it suddenly was so hot. It felt like your skin would burn instantly. The waves were still fun and manageable. On one particular spot I just watched one person surf. I didn’t go out though, because there were some heavy sets coming in. The wave also broke over shallow rocks and I could the channels working hard. I gladly passed that opportunity and went surfing somewhere else that day!

Soon enough our time was running out and before we left the country we wanted to experience an luxurious hotel for the first time. We hopped onto the train and went to Colombo. Unfortunately the train had an engine failure and we were stuck at a stop for hours. If this doesn’t make me homesick I don’t know what will… (Anyone outside of Germany reading this, it is the same in Germany with our trains. In Colombo we didn’t do anything special except enjoying the hotel. We walked around a bit and took a few cool photos.

Then it was already time to hop onto the plane again for the next adventure.

Thank you for reading. Cheers!

The Gili Islands are also known as turtle hotel. The reason being are the many turtles swimming around the islands. We tried to seek out some turtles as well. It didn’t take long to find some. If you sit at the beach you can see their heads bobbing out of the water. We wanted to see a few more so we chartered a boat. Swimming over the corals and with turtles is always an amazing experience. However there were way too many tourists, which ruined the experience partly. Anyways they are still remarkable creatures and I blame no one, who seeks to see them. This brought me back to New Caledonia, where I was basically swimming alone with the turtles. That was something truly remarkable.

The evening on the island is great. Live music would be played, drinks would be poured and a bonfire was lit. The evening sun would turn into stars sooner than later. The vibe was so great and we liked it so much, that we ended up staying a whole week instead of three nights. One particular evening the sunset was truly remarkable. It reminded me of Mordor in Lord of the Rings. Bali in the background looked like mount Doom.

While we were on the snorkeling tour I saw a wave breaking. I even saw some surfers out there! I had to get out there as soon as possible. The morning before we left I woke up at 6:30 in the morning and looked for a surf board to rent. It took me a while to find one. The only board they had was a 9′ soft-top. This is usually a beginners board, due to it’s length and floatation. Doesn’t matter to me, a surf board is better than no surf board. Excitedly I paddle out to the wave. This took me about 15 minutes, because the wave is far out on the reef. I could see the reef below me while paddling out. Again I saw some turtles swimming next to me. Happiness was flowing through my body and I couldn’t believe how beautiful this place actually is. To my left the massive Rinjani, Lomboks highest mountain, looming over the place. I was glad to be at this place in this point of time. To my right I see the other Gili islands and behind I see Bali’s volcano sitting in the distance. Below I can still see the lively reef flashing in it’s bright colors.

There are only five people out in the water. First I got weird looks, because of my soft top surf board. This soon subsided as people saw that I knew the rules of surfing and that I was not a beginner. We would take turns, surfing the morning away as the sun rose up higher. I love the morning stillness. The occasional boat was passing by as we all cruised above the shallow reef. Every turn would be carefully executed. If you fall you would seriously injure yourself. After a while all the surfers left until I was alone in the water. The sun had come up so high, that the water was getting too clear. Yes there is such a thing as too clear water for surfing! I remembered a phrase someone told me on my journey. ‘If the sky is blue and the water is clear you get absolutely fucked.’ I had to admit that this is absolutely true. You couldn’t see where the wave was breaking. To make things worse you could see the reef reflecting in the wave. You would look at the wave and suddenly it would crash over you because you miscalculated the lip. However surfing one of these waves felt like floating. At this point I was filled with so much joy, that it didn’t even matter if I made the wave or not. I was just glad to experience such a natural beauty all by myself. It was just too beautiful to be true. I still smile when I think about it this surfing session.

After that we went back to Lombok. Picked up our passports at the immigration and went back to Kuta. I surfed Tanjung Aan a few times more. I developed a love hate relationship to this surf spot. On bigger days it was one of the best waves I have ridden. It was not crowded and really fun. However on smaller days it was an absolute shit show. A lot of locals give surf lessons on this spot. This in itself is no problem. The problem was, that they would recklessly push beginners into a wave even if someone was already riding it. This led to some dangerous situations, that could have been avoided otherwise. We also went to one of our favorite yoga places on the island. Here two good teachers would push us through a session. We ended up coming everyday until we had to leave. To this day it stays one of our favorite places in the world.

Soon after it was already time to leave Lombok another week passed already. We wanted to catch the ferry back to Bali. We learned one important lesson in Indonesia. Timetables are useless! Knowing this we just went to the harbor without even looking. We heard that one ferry was supposed to leave at one in the afternoon. In reality the ferries wait until they are full enough to leave. This leads to a lot of delays and confusion at the harbor. Luckily there was a ferry waiting and almost full. It soon left and we didn’t have to wait long.

After a long ride on the ferry we arrive in Bali just as the sun sets. Back in Bali we were reminded by the crazy traffic it inhabits. There is a traffic jam everywhere and it always takes so much longer than expected. This is something that was way better in Lombok. The southern area of Lombok just isn’t densely populated. In fact it is barely populated. The contrast couldn’t be higher as we were headed to the infamous Canggu. This is the absolute hotspot for expats and surfers. This means it is one of the busiest places of Bali. The line up was crowded, the streets were crowded and the beach you guessed it was also crowded. Still Bali’s culture with it’s Hinduism is truly unique in Indonesia and truly stands out to the other Muslimic islands. Instead of mosques with it’s prayer calls there are temples big and small with scented sticks and ornaments everywhere. Even every homestay has at least one temple.

From Canggu we went to Uluwatu once again. This time we took a few days to explore this part, because we like it so much the last time. The peninsula of Uluwatu is quite different to Canggu or Kuta in Bali. It is not as busy and still more wild once you leave the main road. You can also find beaches, that are not not crowded. Heads up though, there are also crowded beaches as well! For instance the beach of Padang Padang. There was supposed to be a surfing competition. We paid for parking and paid theentrance fee for the beach. When we climbed down we were plainly disappointed. People lying everywhere on this small beach. There was not even a competition going on at the moment! We looked at each other and had to had to admit, that humans are a herd driven species. The reasoning is always somewhat like this: ‘ It must be special, if everyone is lining up, paying and getting down there.’ We left after five minutes, because it was too crowded and not really different to the free beaches around. We went to the closest beach and had it all to ourselves. Humans are truly that simple!

We enjoyed our last days riding the scooter and checking out several beaches. I found a nice surf spot and enjoyed the last waves of Indonesia. It has been two month already! Unbelievable! We only have seen five islands of Indonesia. This means we haven’t even seen the other 13.461 islands. This country is so big you could spend years here, but as always time is running out and our flight to Sri Lanka is scheduled. Everything will come to an end…

Thanks for reading, cheers and until next time!

We were unsure if we would even leave this place today. After more back and forth it became clear, that there was one ferry leaving at around 1 p.m. Once this was clear you could see how the locals tried everything to get some money. Confusion upon the travelers was big. Which ticket is the official one? Can we board with the ticket for a speedboat. So locals were selling ferry tickets above the official price. We heard that some travelers paid 1.000.000 idr. This translates to about 60€. For reference the official ticket costs 60.000 rupee so about 4€. In this situations you need to stay calm and figure out what the incentive of the opponent is. Once you figured this out you can relax. So instead getting to the Gili islands we went to Lombok instead. If life throws hints to go somewhere else you don’t resist the flow. You just change your destination on the spot. This is the beauty about long term traveling. You change plans and come back a different time.

At around 2 p.m. we were finally boarding the ferry. We were ready to bribe the officials if they wouldn’t let us board with our different tickets. So in the right hand we held the ticket for the speed boat and on the left hand we were hiding 100.000 idr just in case… Luckily we didn’t need to bribe them. After all this fiasco we were tired and exhausted and laid down on the ships anchor part and took a well earned nap. It would take us five hours to get to Lombok now.

It didn’t end there. When we arrived we got hassled by a million taxi drivers. It got so bad, that people would follow us, talk to the cab drivers and suddenly they would demand a ridiculous price… Later we learned that the taxi mafia has a full grip of the harbor in Lombok, as well as in Bali. They jack up prices, won’t allow any of the official Taxi companys like Grab, Gojack or Bluebird and threaten everyone who goes against this. After 30 minutes of negotiating we gave up. We took a driver for way too much money and got out of that place. At least we didn’t pay 60€ for the ferry. It took us one more hour to get there and we were going straight to bed. What a looooong day…

The next morning we woke up and we noticed how we were literally in the middle of nowhere! The second thing we noticed is how fundamentally different the landscape of Lombok looked like compared to Bali. This is something Alfred Russel Wallace already noticed in the 19th century. These two island inhabit different species, even though the two islands are relatively close together. The species in Lombok were more close to the species of Australia rather than Java and Bali. This became known as the Wallace line and helped formulate the theory of evolution by Darwin. There was a time, when Asia was almost one landmass and Australia another. During this time period the species developed differently and moved freely on the landmass. The ocean wouldn’t let these animals cross so there was a natural barrier. The continental drift of the tectonic plates resulted in the landscape we know today. So Lombok actually belongs to a different tectonic plate than Bali. This is the reason vegetation, flora and fauna are so different.

The beach Selong Belanak is usually for beginners to learn to surf. Otherwise there are cows and only a few cafes. It is still a very quiet area and has been one of our favorite places. Here Sally is eager to learn the mechanics of surfing. I am eager to teach again. She is quite afraid of waves and surfing in general. In Guatemala she got hit by her surfboard. The result was a bleeding nose and pain for month. Time to tackle those fears. The sessions mostly go smoothly and she even caught some waves! The landscape is serene. You are surrounded by many of these boats, hills and beaches. These boats were once used for fishing. Now they are mostly used for surf trips for the more advanced surfers.

We were stunned by Lombok. It seemed so empty and wild. It seemed to be the complete opposite of the insanity of Balis traffic. The coast is still underpopulated and you can find empty surf spots, unmarked surfspots and small villages. It becomes clear to us that we might end up here longer than expected. I had to pinch myself, that I was not dreaming.

We ended up staying for a week. In the week I did a few boat trips to more remote surf spots. This was more or less successful. I went to Mawi two times. It is a surf spot that is protected from the south eastern wind trades. However it is a treacherous fast wave. It is breaking over a sharp reef and gets quite big on the smallest hints of swell. The first time I went there I was quite overwhelmed. Big sets would roll in now and then. The surfers were fast agile. I watched the waves go by. I tried to stay on the outside and not get caught by the massive waves. I gave up at some point and went back to the boat. As I watched the waves I noticed that I could maybe catch some on the far left of the spot. Here some other intermediates were trying their luck. Determined to catch at least one wave I went back out again. After some fine tuning I paddled into a wave. The sheer excitement went through my whole body. When I was looking down I saw the reef flying by below my feet. In my head only one thought went off. “This is how it feels to surf such a fast wave!” Just as I finished this thought the wave started to break and ripped the board away under my feet. I was caught tumbling. Damnit should have turned faster… We headed back soon after, but was happy!.

I tried to surf Mawi a second time. This time the waves are about four to five meters big. The sheer power these monsters posses is beyond my understanding. When these things start to form and clash on the ocean they make a terrifying thundering sound. I was too afraid to even surf these. In the end I gave up and wanted to paddle back to the boat. Just as I wanted to paddle back to the boat I see the biggest set approaching. I paddle for my life. I can’t seem to make it over the monstrosity. It is too late… It starts breaking directly over my head. I dive as deep as I can while the first wave rolls over my head. There were three more of those. Diving as deep as I can every time. I am so relieved when the last wave of the set rolls over me. This is my queue to get out. The ocean often puts your ego at place. This was not a successful surf session. Yet again it was a brilliant lesson of life. Never overestimate yourself. In the end you can only control your breath, not the ocean. I am happy to surf somewhere else and I never went back to Mawi. After that experience I had some fun on the beginner beach and on an undocumented surf spot. This is more fun as you are not constantly afraid of looking for the monstrosities of big waves. THe undocumented surf spot only works when the south east trades are not blowing. This basically means to get up as early as possible and go to the spot. Since our scooter didn’t have a surf board rack sally had to hold the surfboard. I had some fun completely alone on these waves. They were not too terrifying and yet had enough power to carve out some turns.

After this we headed to Kuta Lombok. We expected something as bad as Kuta Bali. However we were blown away. It had just the right amount of tourists, so you would have enough western food as well as local warungs. (Warung means something like restaurant). Some Warungs at the beach were catching their own fish locally with a spear fish. You could get a whole feast of barbequed fish, rice some vegetables and other stuff for 3€. We ended up staying another week in Kuta Lombok. Taking it slower than usual. The beach of Tanjung Aan has become one of our favorites. The sand so white and the water crystal clear made us come back many times.

I ended up surfing Tanjung Aan everyday. It became a love hate relationships. On the small days I would curse the surf schools. They were just pushing anyone on a wave. Even if you were already on it. They didn’t care. This can become very frustrating. However since this is an mellow wave I can’t really blame them. You have to learn somewhere. On the bigger days it was the perfect wave for me. Not too soft and not too hard. One morning I was up early watching the tide come in. Nobody was out and I was enjoying the silent morning. I thought it was going to be a quiet day with easy to no surf. Suddenly I see five or six guys coming out with really small surfboards. This is often an indicator, that the swell is about to hit the coast. In thirty minutes the wave transformed from these lush small half meter waves into an absolute fun park of intermediate and advanced surfers. The wave ended up being bigger than me. I went in and had some of the best waves of my life.

Our visa was close to expiration. We couldn’t believe it. Had another month already passed? Of course it did. So we headed out to the ‘imigrasi’, the Indonesean immigration office. Luckily Lombok had one of this office. So we created all those documents in a copy shop neatby. Packed everything and drove one hour to get to the office. It is friday and we have to hurry since the immigration is closing doors at around 4 p.m. I was driving the scooter like a madman. Overtaking people everywhere I could. We just arrived in time about 3:30 p.m. We get everything ready until Sally is suddenly searching for our passports. She says that the passport might still lay at the copy shop… The anxiety kicked in. What were going to do when the passports were lost… Where would the next German consulate be. More questions and more anxiety flashed into my head while we were driving all the way back. This was one tedious hour. To our dismay the copy shop was already closed when we came back. After asking some locals they got in touch with the owner. People in Indonesia often live behind the shop. Luckily this was the case as well. We got there and the owner was already smiling at us and waving with the small case with our passports. I am so glad, that these people are so honest and kind. So far we never had any problem with stealing. Well except when one sunscreen disappeared after surfing (small hint, locals don’t use sunscreen). Other than that we had no problem. Luckily our passports were still here. Whew.

Thank you for reading and until next time!

After a much needed night of sleep we directly travel to Medewi, which is in the northwestern part of Bali. We drive three torturous hours. The driver is really friendly, but like every other Indonesian driver an aggressive driver. We would often overtake trucks and scooters without any visibility. This is pretty normal here. You just honk the horn of the car and hope for the best. This seems to work surprisingly often…

After traveling so much time without surfing I am more than ready to enter the water! It is finally the time. Medewi is a surfspot that is best entered on high tide. Unfortunately it was low tide, when we arrived that evening. I tried anyways… The whole black beach is covered in beautiful round stones. The sun was setting and it took me half an hour to walk over the stones to even get to the water. I paddled out and noticed a very strong current to the right side. After getting blasted by three massive waves I had enough and started the walk of shame. Frustrated and humiliated I went back over the stones. The next day I tried again. Everyone in town was already talking about the massive swell that would arrive this day. I met an older Australian and we paddled out together. On high tide all the stones are covered so it was much more easy. The waves were huge, but I have never seen such clear and long waves. Medewi is a wave that you can surf for 300 meters on such days. Luckily the Australian told me to stay on the outside first and watch the waves roll in. I listened and soon I would know why. The big set soon started to roll in. These were terrifying five meter walls of moving water. Maybe this was still above my level after all. When a big swell hits everybody is in the water. I am always more cautious of other surfers than the actual wave. I am afraid of another surfboard hitting me. This is one of the reasons I never paddle into the main take off zone. This resulted in me not catching a wave on that dreamy but terrifying day. Again I have to try another day… The next day I paddled out and didn’t catch a wave either. I just can’t navigate the crowd. I don’t trust most of them handling their board so I don’t want to come near. After a while of not catching a wave I was so frustrated that I went to the beach break instead. Surprisingly the beach break was absolutely empty. This is not a three hundred meter wave, but you can still surf. For me the choice is clear. I’d rather surf a not so perfect wave alone, than handling big crowds. I had the time of life. Finally enjoying some waves until a big set came. I had to duck several times. Until the biggest wave of the day came. Of course my leash ripped… My board was going to the direction of the beach without me. I had to swim like Michael Phelbs to catch up to my board. Waves crushing over my head. I can say that Bali waves on a big swell are absolutely insane! The things you go through, just to get a wave is sometimes beyond understanding. I can tell you the few waves I got in the big swell were beyond worth it!

Our bad luck seemed to continue as one day it started to rain and it didn’t stop for the day straight. The garden in our accommodation turned into a temporary river. I went to the surfspot anyways. Nobody was out. I met a few other surfers. Under them an older gentleman from Australia. Turns out he came to surf this wave for thirty years! He had some great knowledge about the wave, how to time it and most importantly how to identify the big sets. He told me he would get up in the morning and watch the waves. He would time the interval of two big sets coming in. This is almost consistent over the day. So this old man was sitting far on the outside on the smaller waves. He then looked at his watch he would paddle in but further out than the others. He would take a wave of the big set and would repeat this process. What a legend! This was great insight for me and something I will keep in mind on my next session.

The life in the rural part of Bali is easy going. We didn’t really realize until we went for a coffee in a surf shop. We were enjoying the ocean view with rice patios directly in front of it. A few locals were flying some kites on the rice terraces. After a while we realized our key of our scooter was missing. We went to the scooter and apparently we left it in the ignition. When we looked around we saw that from the other ten scooters that parked at the surf shop about eight had left the key in the ignition, too! We had laugh a bit about the paranoia I had. But hey what can I say? This would never fly in Latin America….

After our time in the north west of Bali we decided to go back. We made only one mistake. We didn’t do research before. We were just booking something close to Kuta Bali. Now if you’re wondering why Kuta Bali is not the place I want to be. Let me explain. Kuta Bali is the equivalent of the Ballermann in Mallorca, or Cancun Mexico. People may be very happy there. Especially on a short vacation to let loose. It is just not the place for long term backpackers. We checked out the beach. It was packed with two hundred surf schools, thousand people on the beach and even more vendors trying to sell something. I have nothing against the people that enjoy this. I just like more remote and wild places that’s all. We rented a scooter to check out Uluwatu. This is one of the most famous surf spots around the world. We didn’t expect much though, because we thought it might be as crowded as Kuta. So we sat on a scooter and cruised to Uluwatu. We were blown away by it’s initial beauty. There were still secluded beaches, beautiful cliffs and and crystal clear water! Also some restaurants, that were more health oriented than in Kuta. I didn’t go surfing here. If I couldn’t handle the crowd in Medewi I most certainly couldn’t handle the crowd of Uluwatu. I enjoyed watching though.

This is definitely more how we like it! We were exploring a few more empty beaches until we decided to check out the ancient Hindu temple Pura Luhur. This is one of the temples of Bali, that is believed to safeguard the island from evil spirits. This temple is standing here since the 11th century. We were blown away by it’s initial beauty on the cliffs. You have to be carful with phones, glasses and everything loose. Monkeys will try to steal it. They wait for an exchange for food afterwards. Otherwise you will not be able to get your things back. Pretty smart if you ask me. We walked around more and watched the astonishing cliffs. When we were overlooking the ocean we even saw some turtles poking up their heads down in the water.

After the temple we had an appointment in the Istana. It is a beautiful place also on top of the cliffs of Uluwatu. At the reception you have to give up your phone, as this place is a phone free area to disconnect. Here we had a specific appointment in the deprivation chamber. This is a completely dark soundless place. You float in a magnesium salted water brine. This is supposed to allow the brain to enter a deep relaxed state without any visual, auditive queues. I entered the dark chamber and tried to relax. It was difficult at first and my thoughts went everywhere. I was locked in this dark thing for an an hour. I thought it might feel like an eternity. After a while my brain entered a flow state. My thoughts brought me back to all those places I traveled almost vividly. It brought me to the beginning, where I was stressing out about everything. “How would I get from place A to place B?” How would I manage this crazy task of traveling the world? I almost laughed out loud when these thoughts came into my head. I learned, that it is not worth it to stress about something you don’t know. I also learned, that when the time comes just figure out a solution relying on myself or by asking others. Eventually you will work it out. Today I am not stressed about this at all. This is something I hope to apply in my normal life after my travels will end. To take one problem at a time, not stressing about the others that are too far in the future. Suddenly I heard a knock on the door. Is it already one hour? That is crazy! In the end it only felt like ten minutes not an eternity… When I got out I was happy to greet the sun and hear the sound of the waves. What a crazy experience!

We stayed in this absolutely beautiful area way after the sunset. People were just reading, taking an ice bath, going to the sauna, were meditating or they were just sun bathing. The no phone policy made it such an amazing relaxed atmosphere. No one trying to post the best picture of the experience and no one was focused on the externalities of life. instead everyone was focused inwards. In my opinion we need more places like this!

After this we went to Ubud. We tried to take the local bus. The bus drivers were telling us that we needed a card and the places that were supposed to sell the cards were telling us they wouldn’t have it. I suspect this is designed on purpose. Maybe locals don’t want cheap backpackers sitting on their local busses. We had to take Grab driver to get there in the end. So we ended up paying ten times more than on the bus, which resulted in paying 6 bucks instead of 60 cents…

Ubud is a weird mix of temples, rice fields and tourism resorts. The water system of the rice fields belongs to the UNESCOs World heritage sights. These water canals date back to the 9th century. Rice itself is seen as a gift from the gods in Hindu culture. The volcanic nature of the soil makes it very fertile. Usually in agriculture there is a crop rotation happening every three to four times to not deplete the soil of certain minerals. In this part the farmers are incentivized by the government to only grow rice. This is not because the soil is so rich or fertile. To the contrary the only reason is the booming tourism. The green and lush rice fields attract more tourists and look more exotic than corn or other crops. We also felt a bit uncomfortable watching the hard working farmers. A lot of people were taking pictures of the farmers. White person watching the hard working rice farmer. Like that never happened in history before…

We managed to get lost in the rice fields of Ubud. Sometimes you need a day where you allow yourself to get lost and see what it brings. We admired the irrigation system. It is truly remarkable. Wherever you go you find at least one stream of water flowing. Sometimes there were three or four streams flowing on different levels at the same time! While we were lost we met a local artist. He showed us his paintings. We were snacking a coconut and then exploring the waterfall and river he told us about.

In the evening we watched a fire show of the local Hindus. This is a dance that is telling an ancient story. The men create music by chanting. I have never seen something this strange. It was a beutiful experience and a good way to end our stay in Bali.

We like Bali surprisingly well. We thought it might be overcrowded with too many tourists. This may be true for parts of the island. However if you take the time to look past the touristy spots you can still find beautiful places, that are not too crowded! Until next time cheers!

This is supposed to be a secret travel tip to experience the Jungle. However, all the restaurants and tourist shops tell us a different story about this ‘secret’ tip. Even worse, Khao Sok gets four months of sun and then eight months of rain. The four month just passed and the season is slowly changing. It’s showing, when we arrive, as it is already pouring down. We decide to head to the hot springs close by. These hot springs are specifically hot! They have pools reaching from 40°C to 45°C. The locals were enjoying their thermal bath in this quiet area. We were the only tourists there and the locals even asked to take pictures with us. We saw some of them sitting in the 45°C pool. For us it was unbearable until they told us the secret on how to sit in the 45°C water. The secret is getting in and not moving. I tried it anxiously. At first it felt too hot, but then the body acclimatized. To my surprise it became actually bearable for some time.

What an experience! When we get back to the scooter we notice our misfortune. The key hole of our scooter is blocked. Usually you can open it with the key again. In this case the key is too worn out to open it. I was sweating like a pig from the 45°C water. We tried to open the keyhole, while the sweat drops from my face. After 15 minutes we gave up. It’s closed. We realize, that we are stuck at the hot springs. Some friendly Thai people tried to help us, as well. After a while they also gave up and called the owner of the scooter. He brought us another key thirty minutes later. In the meantime I went back to the hot springs to buy a coke. This was the moment I saw the funniest sign placed at the entrance. The sign said ‘Do not boil egg’. I had to laugh. These are the things you only encounter in Asia. Behind every sign there is a story… After that we drove under the star light back to our accomodation.

One special thing about Khao Sok is the nearby lake. The lake was created when the Thai government build a dam to capture the water in the 1980s. We researched different ways to get to the lake, but the only way seemed to book a tour. We get picked up by a van and of course stop at some tourist shop. This is why I usually hate booked tours. You get no freedom. I need to move in my own pace at my own will. I am the happiest, when I can move my body all day. The worst for me is sitting and waiting all day. We are out of luck, as this tour almost only seems to be sitting. From the van we got hoarded into a longboat. We cross beautiful lime stones that are covered with green plant life. It almost seems that these things reach the sky. We can’t wait to get moving in the Jungle. We have to be patient, though. The boat is cruising for another hour over the lake. The engine is the only noise we hear after a while. So far we were just sitting all day. After a long wait we finally arrive at the bamboo huts.

Later that day we finally went hiking. For this we had to take the boat again to get to the hiking spot. Spirits are still high and the group starts to get to know each other. The engine is blaring and we skip through the water and pass more lime stones, monkeys and rainforest.

We started the hike to one of the caves inside the jungle. These caves were used by communist in the 1980s to hide from the government. After a bit we arrived at the trek. We hike through small rivers and the jungle. On the way we saw a big black scorpion. It had it’s stinger ready for an attack. What a crazy animal. At some point we arrive at the cave. You almost miss the entrance and you have to take a closer look as it is just a small hole on the cliff. There is a river running through the cave. Usually you can hike through and continue trekking on the other side. Because of the rainy season; it becomes more dangerous to pass through. The river can get unpredictable and the water level can rise pretty quickly. So we just enter the cave for a few minutes and go back out again. We spent the rest of the day at the bamboo huts. At night I heard a cockroach crawling close to my head. This is one of the most disgusting sounds I have ever heard. The clacking of the legs directly next to my head was too much. I didn’t sleep much the rest of the night. After that we head to Khao Lak.

Khao Lak is a famous place. Not only for it’s beauty, but also for the tsunami that hit the coast in 2004. Four thousand people died in that disaster unfortunately. Today Khao Lak is mostly rebuild. You can still see some watermarks at some of the older buildings. Unbelievable, you can even spot them kilometers inland. There are also some buildings, that were abandoned afterwards. Great places, that had life in it always have a weird vibe. Nature suddenly takes over and becomes a bit spooky. This resort was build like a temple. Now it is only a temple for mosquitoes and place slowly falls apart. It’s still full of life. Just not human life.

There is a police boat, that got carried away from the tsunami. It was left as a reminder for the tsunami victims. Today it is a small landmark in Khao Lak. We enter the place with a weird feeling. This puts many things in perspective. This must have been such a crazy disaster. There must have been so much water everywhere! The police boat is literally kilometers away from the sea. Our stomachs turn at the thought to be caught in such a natural disaster. Drowning must be one of the most unpleasant deaths. Imagine grasping for air and your lungs soak full of water. We get the chills, just from thinking about it. There are a few small stalls next to the police boat. They show you pictures of the tsunami and the magnitude. What we didn’t expect was to see uncensored corpses in these pictures. Now our stomachs completely turned. Looking at the dead people lying at the beach. It was probably supposed to be their dream vacation and it quickly turned into their nightmare. We leave this place with a little bit more understanding on how terrifying it must have been. May the families of the victims be at peace.

I heard there is a surf spot nearby. This spot is supposed to fire up in June during monsoon season. How convenient to be there at the right time. Mostly wind swells arrive here. I have to check it out for sure! We rent a scooter and we are off to the spot. Renting a scooter in monsoon season is a fun thing to do. You never know, when the next rain is coming. We did often get wet, because it starts to rain so fast so abruptly. A good indicator is to look at the locals. If they are suddenly packing and hurrying it is going to rain pretty soon, so you can prepare.

For the surf spot you have to pass a beautiful pine forest. The spot seems to be hidden, yet very developed. There are several board rentals at the beach. I’m even more surprised about the board quality. The boards are all in a good shape. Almost no dings. There are even some restaurants with a some good prices here. We know we are going to have a good time here!

We find a small bungalow in the middle of nowhere. It is close to the surf spot and hidden in a banana plantation. We enjoy a few days surfing exploring and chilling. Here we meet a South African, that was working in the oil industry. He has worked in most countries and has finally moved to Thailand. He has opened a café, which is close by our accommodation. We often did go there and listened to the stories he had to tell. The vibe is relaxed and enjoy the quiet times. We had good food, smaller adventures to a waterfall and surf. The waves were even getting pretty good. I had some head high waves, where you could do some decent turns on. What is better, than finding a surf spot in a country you didn’t expect to be surfing in? That’s right an empty line up in a country you didn’t expect to be surfing in.

Thanks for reading and until next time.

I am sitting on the ferry to Moorea as I reflect on the last 6 month. I look back at Tahiti with the green mountains and the blue water. The clouds hang deep into mountain. It almost looks mystical, as the ferry bumps across the blue water to the other volcano island. Some kids fight over McDonalds at the table next to me. I can’t help it and smile. It is probably something special for the kids, as they don’t have it on Moorea.

On Moorea I go to the street and put my thumb up again for hitchhiking. Three elderly women stop and pick me up. Of course they decide to bring me directly to my accommodation. When we reach the location they even gift me a few mangos as a goodbye. You got to love this attitude! Also I love free food in expensive realms. In the first location I didn’t do much. It is rainy season and it was pouring for the day straight. I took a much needed rest day. I watched the rain pouring down on the ocean, while reading a book. It is as cozy as it can get. After that I changed locations and voila the sun is shining again.

I stumbled into two problems on Moorea and Tahiti. One is the privatization of most of the ocean and jungle access. There is only a few public accesses. I am not sure if this is a good or a bad thing. The public beaches are usually designated to swim in. Most of the privatized access is pretty shallow with a reef directly below. So maybe this acts as a protector for the reef. As long as the land is owned by the right people I’m fine with it. The second problem is the language barrier. It is hard to make friends. Everyone is either Polynesian or French. The French can’t speak good English and every conversation usually ends after three short questions. Then they switch to French again and I am left sitting there wondering if they talk about me. One time I was asked why I don’t speak French. Internally I was furious. My thoughts went something like this: “I can understand four languages and can speak two and a half. And then these guys come and only speak one language and get mad when I don’t speak it? Are they fucking serious? They can’t learn a second language, just because their ancestors imposed the language on half of the world?” I smiled and politely declined, that I can’t speak French. They wouldn’t have understood my arguments anyways…

I find a public beach, named Ta’ahiamanu. You can swim and snorkel here. It is a bay with a view onto the island. Sailing yachts are anchored in the bay and the reef is visible even from the beach. The place is also plastered with palms and grass. Truly an amazing place! I get ready to swim in the water. I have never seen water this clear! I am blown away by it’s beauty. Tropical fish swim by in masses.

My last day on Moorea I decide to check out another beach. The beach is called Plage des tipaniers and Of course I hitchhiked there. The first ride stops at the street. He puts the car in reverse to speed up the process of picking me up. Apparently the driver was in a hurry to get to the Hilton hotel to drop off a scooter he has loaded. I see he’s fully backing up. I just realize that at this speed, the driver will hit a street lamp. I tried to warn him. Everything is feeling like it is moving in slow motion. The Truck is still reversing in full speed, until I hear a loud boom. The truck has landed full speed into pole. The driver was pretty pissed, but he still took me in. The scooter was luckily almost undamaged. Man what a story! Sooner than later another pick up truck stops for me. They say. “Jumb in the back, there is no police in Moorea.” So I jumped in the back. This is pretty normal in Latin America. It was my default mode to go to. It is the safest place in the vehicle. You can just jump off and you can’t get kidnapped. The first time in Tahiti people were pretty confused, that I jumped onto the back of the pick up truck. Here it is forbidden though, as French Polynesia is more imposed to European guidelines. Anyways I jumped into the back and got to the beach!

The beach Tipaniers is unfortunately privatized by the hotel with the same name… You are only allowed if you are a hotel guest or have a reservation at the restaurant. I am not a fan of paying for something, that nature usually provides for free. Right at the entrance I meet Megan. She is from New Zealand and is here for a short vacation. We hesitantly reserve a table at the restaurant and go to the beach. This is one of the first beaches I saw, that is packed with tourists. It is like a different world. Usually locals sit there and blast some music, while enjoying all the water activities you can think of. Not on this beach. Here rich Europeans and Americans sit and burn in the sun. Literally, because the ozone layer is missing here. Tours to see sharks, whales, or mantarays are offered next to kayaks and jet skis. I haven’t seen one of these in the accommodations I stayed in. Maybe they know, that I don’t have this kind of money to spend. The beach is still well worth it though.

Later Megan and I go the restaurant. I just ordered a coffee after I saw the horrendous prices they charge. My luck had other ideas, because my coffee never came. Guess I am not paying for this beach after all! The swimming here is very gorgeous. You just have to be careful with the reef. It is pretty shallow in several places. In between the coral there can be trenches. This creates a maze out of the reef. These usually have a current flowing in one direction, as the water can move faster in the tranches than over the corals. In surfing language this is called a channel. Surfers use these to navigate through the reef to get faster to the breaking wave. I got caught in several channels which dragged me out to the open. I had to swim back through different channels to get back to the beach. Stressful, but nothing too bad, you just have to watch out for this. When I was swimming in the water I also saw a fin peaking out of the water. The fin was moving fast across the lagoon. Oh this must be a shark I thought. These are usually not dangerous, though. The sharks are used to people and also hunt at night. As long as you don’t act as prey and you don’t splash on the water, you will normally be fine. Later I also saw a stingray. These creatures are just too beautiful. I swam a little bit with it and then we both went our way in the different worlds.

I was fully enjoying the swimming, that I forgot the time…. I had to catch the ferry back to Tahiti. For this I had to hitchhike back to the accommodation to retrieve my backpack. I pointed out the difference between the Polynesian people and the French in my last post. The Polynesian people drop everything they do and bring you directly to the location you want to go. Even if you insist, that they drop you off where they want to go. Pretty convenient though! Well the French drop you off wherever is most convenient for them. My luck seems to play with me, because only French people pick me up this time. I had to take four rides just to get back to the accommodation. I was already running late. There wasn’t even time to shower. I grabbed my bag went back to the street to hitchhike to the ferry port. Somehow only French people picked me up again… It took me another four rides to get to the ferry. Every ride I would watch the clock anxiously. In the end I made it just in time! Ten minutes before the last ferry left. My luck doesn’t seem to disappoint. Maybe it was just testing me.

On Tahiti only one thing is on my mind. It is Taharuu beach. The beach to surf. I found a family, that is hosting me for a cheap price. They are also providing a surfboard for me. That’s all I need. Did I mention, that they also gave me breakfast and dinner? My last days on Tahiti I just want to surf. I arrive throw my backpack somewhere grab a board and go. The swell seems to have gone down a little. I head into the water and I can even surf the main peak. When I went in the last time I thought it was sand below. The water was too turbulent to see. Now as you can see through the water you can see that it’s all rocks below… At some point in the water I got scared. Next to me there was something moving in the water. I almost jumped on my surfboard, when the massive turtle peaked out his head directly next to me. Wow this is a big turtle. It was almost bigger than me! I’m so glad I am here right now!

The vibe at this beach is just amazing. It is a local meeting point for young and old. Four and five year old’s get surfing lessons from their parents and uncles. There are always 40 people in the water. Doesn’t matter if it’s six in the morning, ten in the morning or 5 in the afternoon…

The people have such a deep understanding on where the wave is going to break, that there is almost no competition between getting waves. They even encouraged me to take some waves. They just know. I was just glad I could witness surfing on such a level. Truly watermen and waterwomen in the water. The old people come to watch the surf and have a drink. The occasional commentary, when a big set rolled through reminded me of some people at home watching a football game. I guess this is their television.

The only thing I hated about this beach were the sand fleas. These creatures bite you. You don’t even realize it at the moment. It gets so itchy after a few hours. Every night I would wake up and scratch my feet until I was bleeding. The views, the culture and the people make up for it though.

The last days I decide to take a hike. Something I haven’t done yet. Most of the life on the island is happening close to the beach or on the water. Only secluded people live more in the mountainous jungle. There is several well marked hiking spots here though. Doesn’t matter where you go hiking on the island the probability that you will find at least one waterfall is pretty high! Another thing I thought I wouldn’t see here is pines. These trees seem to grow everywhere. I saw them in the mountains of Mexico. I saw them in the jungles of Colombia, in the cold northern California and I now see them here. Seems to be a more resilient tree than I primarily thought. The hike was super exhausting and just too sweaty in these humid environments. It was still worth it to experience a bit of the inlands

The time in Tahiti has come to an end. Truly one of my favorites so far! Just the crazy mix of culture and food, combined with the lovely people and landscapes so far away in the ocean makes this such a special place. Thank you for reading and until next time!

Still tired I hitch a ride to Papeete. If you imagine paradise with a pristine beach you have to think again. It is the capital city of French Polynesia with a mere number 20.000 people living here. The city is quite ugly. The first experience in Tahiti was not the best to be honest. I stroll through the grey streets and to my disgrace it also starts raining.

Tahiti is divided by two parts. Tahiti-Nui, which means big. It is the main island and Tahiti-Iti, which means small. It is the peninsula in the south east. After a jetlagged sleep I start to explore the island with the intention to go to Tahiti-Iti. Only problem, it is Sunday. On a Sunday almost everything is closed. If you are German, you know the struggle as well. It is almost a ghost town. Every bar and restaurant is closed. The supermarkets are usually closed and even the busses don’t drive! My only option left is to hitchhike to my destination. However my luck never seems to disappoint. It is election day and there is more traffic than usual for a Sunday. After waiting a mere five minutes a women on a scooter stops. I gladly hop on. She even has a spare helmet for me! She drives pretty fast through the green scenery with the curvy roads. She seems to know what she is doing, though. We lean deep into the curve of the road on every turn. When I take a peak on how fast we are going, I can see that we are cruising at 80km/h. Of course I am wearing flip flops again… This reminds me of the horror motor ride I got in the Dominican Republic. This feels much safer, though. Afterwards I got picked up by a lovely couple in their jeep. As I said, my luck is guiding me! They did not only bring me to the destination I wanted to go. They also showed me the island and went with me to a beautiful waterfall.

We talk and laugh a lot. They explain what is going on on this election. The division between the people. At one point I asked them about a particular tree that was bearing some strange fruits.

“Oh what kind of fruit is that?”

“That’s breadfruit”

“Cool! What does it taste like?”

“Bread!”

“Uh Okay…”

I later tasted it and I can confirm it actually tastes a little bit like bread. I would say a mixture of potato and bread. What a crazy world… This interaction gave me the first impression how life on the island is. I also decided to do everything by hitchhiking now. I later found out , that almost all Polynesian people bring you exactly to your location. Doesn’t matter how far away it is from their actual destination. Only the French people drop you off where they need to go. So make sure you get picked up by the Polynesian people!

The ethnicity of the people resemble a mix of Latinos, Asians and Caucasians. An amazing combination that creates beautiful people. This resembles in the available food as well. The french culture is mixed with the culture of Asia and Polynesia. In every supermarket you can buy fresh spring rolls, baguettes and pastries, mochis and raw fish like sashimi. The next day I grab a surfboard and drive with a rented bike around Tahiti-Iti. Oh what a surfer is doing just to surf is sometimes beyond understanding. The sun is very treacherous, because the ozone layer is missing here. If you sit in the sun you can feel your skin burning on the spot. Equipped with a strong sun lotion. I jump into the water happy as a fish.

Tahiti-Iti also hosts a very famous wave. The name is Teahupoo. It is a treacherous big wave that breaks over a shallow reef. I often watched my idols surf this wave. I also zoomed into this place via maps quite often. I thought I would never be even close to this area. But here I am, biking 20 km to Teahupoo on a sunny day.

Happiness is flowing through my body, as I arrive in Teahupoo. I can’t believe that I am actually here. So many times have I zoomed into this place and so many time did think that it is just too far away to ever reach it. But here I am. It is even more charming than I imagined. The green mountains of Tahiti-Nui. The blue water is hugging Tahiti-Iti. It is just a place out of a Magazine. The mango trees bear multiple loads of fruit. The coconuts are bursting from water and the star fruits ripe as well!

Tip: If you ever travel to Tahiti without a surfboard. Don’t be discouraged by the missing surf rentals ask some locals instead. They are happy to have some extra income!

The best part about Teahupoo is, that it doesn’t only have a treacherous reef break. It also has a beach break. I thought I wouldn’t go surfing this day. After a while I found a family, that is willing to rent me a surfboard. First they wanted to charge a horrendous price. They thought I wanted to surf Teahupoo. I laughed with them and said “I am not crazy. Well a little bit, but not that much to charge Teahupoo!” I get the board and get into the water again. Happy as ever.

I get to experience the true watermen and waterwomen in the water. The level of surfing is on different level. Kids and adults just play in the ocean and show their skills. I also notice how damn shallow this wave is. The wave is surfed and there is about 20cm water below it. Not filled with sand, but with rocks! It doesn’t seem to bother them too much though…. They do tricks, and airs on their surfboard like it is nothing! Later That evening I got invited by some people for beers. On my way back I got gifted some mangoes, star fruits and coconuts. This shows how friendly the Polynesians are!

I top my first week off with the Taharuu beach. When I pulled up, I saw how big the waves got here. Taharuu is located on the south of Tahiti-Nui. It is just like Teahupoo firing during summer time (winter in the southern hemisphere). The south pacific swells arrive here first. When it is winter (summer in the southern hemisphere) the waves arrive on opposite side of the island, the northern shore.

Here I get another display of the true watermen and waterwomen. I went out in rough conditions with three to four meter sets coming in. It was often at the maximum of my capabilities. The waves would come in fast and build up, than crash down with a terrifying sound, that resembles the thunder. I was struggling from time to time. I had to bail my board sometimes. At the same time some parents were surfing with their 5 year old kids. No worry or fear on their faces. Their faces were just lit up with happiness. If we would be in Avatar these people would be the water tribe. Doesn’t even matter which Avatar…. The people would surf these waves like they have never done anything else. They surf it with ease and turn every section into a show.

I was startled. There was something moving next to me in the water. First my heart sank, as I thought of a shark. Then this beautiful head of a massive turtle pops up next to me. Seems that the turtle was enjoying the waves and the show of the locals as well! What a beautiful experience!

Until next time cheers!

When I land in San Francisco I grab my bag and try to get to the metro. Apparently I have to take the sky train for two stops to get there. My reasoning is of course “Pfff two stations? I can walk that distance”. With high enthusiasm I head out of the airport and of course after five meters there is no walkway anymore. Defeated I head back to the airport to find the sky train. Welcome to the United States I guess… This became a very common problem for me in the States. After I get off the metro I am supposed to take a bus. But I am too stubborn and want to walk. Bad Idea again… I was walking with my full backpack for an hour straight. At this point I can call this a hike! While walking I get the first glimpses of San Francisco. I am impressed! It is a beautiful city. It reminds me a lot of Lisbon. Well you have to take away most of the cars. But Lisbon is also build on this hilly parts with a bay in the middle and it also has these cable cars. So it is not too far fetched.

In the hostel I meet Basti. He is from Germany as well and spend the semester studying in Seattle. We get along well and decide to spend the day together. We rent some bikes and go to Sausalito. It is a very wealthy neighborhood of San Francisco across the Golden Gate bridge. We get to the bridge pretty fast. If you look closely you can see a wave under the golden gate bridge. If you look ever closer you can also see a surfer on the wave. Later in a surf shop I was told that this spot is pretty dangerous. The currents under the bridge can drag you out to the open ocean pretty quickly. It still looks like a fun left, though.

We take a break, sip on some Cappuccino and chill in the sun. There is no wind so we can sit there in a t-shirt. We decide to explore more and check out Ocean Beach and the surrounding parks. To get there we are crossing a really beautiful area. However we didn’t read the signs carefully. We ended up on the hiking trail and needed to carry the bike around like the biggest fools. In the end we were pretty frustrated, but the amazing views made up for it.

We end up in Ocean Beach and go for a beer. This beer is supposed to give us enough energy to cycle back over the hill to San Francisco. We drink it and later find our way into the Golden Gate park. The park is absolutely enormous and really beautiful. In fact it is even bigger than the Central Park in New York! Here we see some people playing volleyball and decide to join in. Turns out that we just crashed a company meeting. Doesn’t matter since we got a free beer from them. We talked a bit and then said our goodbyes and cycled back to San Francisco. We top the day off at Fort Mason to watch the sunset. After 25km of cycling. I call this day a success.

The next day I wake up. I almost forgot that I promised someone to go swimming in the cold water. Yes you read that right. I went swimming in 13° water… I find him in the lobby and we go to a spot nearby. After a little bit of mental preparation we get ready. We get into the water. I can tell you the first minute hurts! I have to get over the pain. The best thing you can do is not to tense up, but to relax and have fun. If it is still too much, you can focus on your breath out. This will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and it will make you more relaxed. Easier said than done. After a few minutes your body feels a burning sensation. We keep going. Just focus on your breath… After ten minutes I’m done and get out. You don’t need coffee, when you do this in the morning. The endorphins will wake you up.

I stroll through the city later. It is very beautiful. However I can’t get over the fact, that every street is accessible by car. Not one single street had restrictions on cars to make place for more cafes, restaurants and people. Even Medellin had more restricted streets where only passengers are allowed. This made the city very pleasant. Here it was totally normal to sit next to aloud road on every café.

The public transport is kind of tricky as well. Mostly poor people take the public transport. At some point I thought I was directly embedded into the game of GTA5… The conversations were sometimes pretty similar to the ones I encountered in the game.

I hang around at Ocean Beach again. The weather is beautiful but I just didn’t realize how cold it can get in Northern California. I still want to surf but the conditions are not good. At least not in Ocean Beach. I just walk around and take pictures basically. I find a small park with an amazing view over San Francisco.

At the sunset I end up in downtown. I am struck by the amount of homeless people that are gathered on the streets. For the locals this seems to be normal. There is a high class rooftop bar almost directly next to the gathered homeless people. You think Latin America is extreme? I found this contrast much more extreme, than in Latin America.

Next morning Basti and I head for some coffee and breakfast. I got a surf spot recommended from a surf shop. The name is Pacifica, it is 40 minutes away by car. Basti decides to join and we order an Uber. There is nothing going on in that town. This little surf village is more how I like it. I don’t need the big cities. I just need a village at the beach.

I want to get into the water as soon as possible. I feel a little sorry for Basti, since he has to get to the airport soon and doesn’t have Uber on his own. Now the thing with me and surf spots is quite critical. The sheer excitement doesn’t let me think straight. I book Basti a timed Uber before I go into the water. I just forgot, that you need the Pin if you want to confirm the ride.

The water is cold. My hands and feet are exposed. I try to keep control and stay in the water. I know this temperature from the Netherlands. Only difference I had a warm neoprene head, gloves and boots. It feels like a hit in the head every time I duck dive… The orientation fades and I have to take a few deep breaths, until I know where I am again. The hands and feet start to sting after 20 minutes from the cold. Have you ever surfed a wave, where you cannot feel your feet? It feels really strange like you are floating above your feet. I still managed to catch a few waves and have some talks with the locals. California has the reputation to have a fierce line-up. This seems to be more the case for southern California, since the people are pretty nice. I take one more wave and I can’t take it anymore. The cold is too much. I head out. Getting out is really difficult. I can’t feel my feed and the exit is plastered with rocks. This is not a fun combination! When I get out I notice Basti is gone. To my dismay, he texted me that he needs the code for the ride. Turns out he just gave the Uber driver the amount in cash and the Uber driver cancelled the transaction. Afterwards I see that I had to pay a penalty of 20$ for the cancelled ride. So this day the driver made 60$ in 15 minutes. That is a good hourly pay!

I decide to top of the day with a hike. There seems to be one directly behind the local hardware store. The views are really beautiful. I now understand the buzz about California. It is just colder than I imagined. The hike is about one hour.

The sheer luxury I enjoy in that moment is to go where ever you like without the fear of getting robbed. In Latin America you had to be a little bit more careful. I am enjoying the peace and this kind of freedom and of course the crazy views. The last thing I do, is head to an In’s and Out to enjoy one of the famous burgers. Then it is time to head to the airport.

Cheers until next time!