Lombok, Heaven on the Planet!

I have been having the most amazing surf sessions of my life! This wave is incredible, a perfect peeling right, about 3 foot over head, maybe 200-300 feet, enough for 7-8 big turns. And then on High tide, a not quite as nice left, peeling over about 200 feet. And thats just the inside wave. There is a huge slabby left that throws over on the right tide and will mess you up if you get caught inside. Basically heaven on the planet, also the name of the hotel I happen to be staying in that overlooks the break perfectly, actually I can see the break from bed.

Again, from the beginning. Leaving Bali was a day long trip, 2 hours on the road, 4.5 on the slowest boat from Bali and then another 3.5 hours in Sunday afternoon wedding traffic on Lombok, another world from Bali. Nobody speaks English here, the majority of the population is very devout Sasak Muslim, i.e. no alcohol, praying 3 times/day, and married at 17. Very different experience. We traveled to the end of Lombok, literally the end of the road, and then further. As we were driving, came across beautifully dressed Sasak women on the back of tiny little motorbikes, only the men with helmets, on there way to group weddings that happen during the dry season every Sunday. And then a hunting party of guys, again on motorbikes waving guns and hands at us, I was pretty sure we were not in the right place. But the people here are just extremely friendly. They actually havent seen that many westerners, so everywhere you walk you wave and yell "Apacabar Batur!" Hello friend to everybody you see. Our accommodations started out at 10 dollars/ night, and we shared the bathroom with rats and not a few large frogs, no shower, just a tub of water, the same that you use to "flush" the toilet, with which to splash water on yourself. Good times.

But the wave, so incredible. My first morning out, caught a few lefts, got out, waited for the low tide and spent 4 hours surfing this wall of aquamarine water, with a strong offshore breeze, all the way into the coral reef. I dont think that does it justice, but I am in love with this place.

The next few days were spent in this way, fighting teams of Lombok monkeys while walking to the beach, seriously, and laying for hours on the perfect white sand beach, waiting for the tide to drop. And then after one of my best sessions EVER, Jony tells me this wave doesnt quite cut it and he wants to leave! I said I had to stay, and we would meet up soon, but first we had to go to a circumcision party, traditional Sasak party that lasts until 6 in the morning. Didnt quite know what to expect, but our friends Oudin and Maan were sure we would enjoy it. It was great. We first had some dinner (watermelon, spicy fish, soybeans, and the everpresent white rice) at our friends house, sitting on th floor and taking pictures of the kids (the love to see the photos). And then to the party, of course no alcohol and everybody was just sitting in front of the mosque watching a backlit puppet show, telling the story of some important muslin figures, not sure who, but leading up to the circumscision the next morning. Amazing.

The next day I had an interesting experience. As I came into the bathroom, there were three monkeys inside the bathroom! I guess they had come through the hole I kepts telling the guys to fix, to get water presumably. I think they were just as surprised to see me as I them, and they became quite agitated. So before they had a chance to attack, I slammed the door, hoping they would leave the way they came in, opened it again, one had left but the two remaining were freaking out! One was smashing its head into the ceiling, and the other was sortof coming for me, so again I slammed the door, and hoped they would leave, looked back in, one more was gone and the last was looking for blood, rushed back out, and finally he was gone. Wow. The monkeys here are wild and are always around, pretty cool, but scary when you come into the bathroom not expecting them.

Anyway, that was my last night there, I moved to the Heaven on the Planet resort, incredibly nice. Views from every bungalow, cool Australians/British to hang with (Toby, Tom, Mike, Nic, Dan and George rock!) and a more relaxing atmosphere, the locals in the old spot were getting a bit close and wanted me to but property and maybe eat monkeys? (The language is difficult) And here I've been.

Also, met this boat crew of Austrians who Ive eaten dinner with the last two nights. The captain is this amazing bloke, surfer extraordinaire, runs a boat here 8 months of the year and 4 months as a ski patrol back in Austria. Cooks an incredible chili con carne and last night some of the best pasta carbonara I have ever eaten. Actually the swell was pretty much non-exsistant for one day, I think Thursday, so when I ate there it was easy to come back to the beach. But last night no such luck, so I slept on the rocking boat, which was awesome, and then got in the water this morning at 4:45, before first light, and caught about 7 BOMBS, fighting off the boat and otherwise crowd that has assembled here. Seriously the best surf of my life. Did I mention that it is about 2-3 foot overhead and a perfectly breaking wave. I absolutely love this place!

SO anyway for the next 3-4 days I will rock this sick spot, until Tuesday or Wednesday, and head back to Bali, probably check out Ubud, and then Uluwatu, and back with my German buds for one last party night in Kuta (possibly at Sea Garden) and then for a bit of shopping/surfing Cangguu and then back to reality, shiza...

Back to the ocean, or maybe a nap, or maybe some snorkling, or...