Landing late at night at the Denpasar airport which is actually closer to Kuta, sees me greeted by Arie, a local transport driver who friended us last time traveling to Bali. He is all smiles as he askes what’s in the large oversize box. I told him what I plan to do which surprises him.
We make our way straight to the Bukit Peninsular and onto Bingin Beach. The narrow lanes and roads are very dark, we stop to get some water and KFC of course. Water is about 7000rph which is 70 Cents AUD arie says its much cheaper to get it here than at the losmens. We turn left into a street at bingin and see a blonde hair, singlet wearing gentlemen relieving himself on the side of the road, as we get closer we see his scooter on its side. Arie says “Must be drunk, very bad to be doing that at night.”
I arrived at Leggies Bungalows, find my room and crash, you get the disorientated feeling as your in a new place, new sounds and smells and don’t know which way is which.
The bukit peninsular is the surf meca of Bali, waves are everywhere up and down the point, short scooter rides through narrow lanes ways, in my chase a short bike ride, takes you to four world class waves. I have arrived at the tale end of a monster swell, guys were saying some waves were 12ft, but today its about 6ft.
The tide isn’t working well in the morning and I decide to unpack the bike, see if there is any damage. It all seems fine, although the neck tube, I think that’s what you call it is very loose. After a bit of tinkering its tight again and it all seems fine. The great thing about travelling with a bike is that you have some transport wherever you are and you’re usually within riding distance of most things.
Whilst prepareing for a surf I find that I left my gopro board mounts back in Australia, this is a bit of a set back as I was planning on getting great pole and board camera footage. Luckly my friend Declan is coming in one week and can bring them along. I make the best of the situation and use the soft float on the back of the camera as a mouth mount and bite on it while surfing.
After the swell ended I started my first day riding from Bingin to Keramas, about 50km. The first day of riding is always interesting, I haven’t tested the bike with all the extra gear and weight Im taking. The bike ended up handling it perfectly, although while going down one hill I hit a pot hole and the rear pannier carrying the laptop came off. This shouldn’t happen technically because the bag have grappling hooks that secure the bag, although I think the tripod leaned on the release and they came off. So now I know to put the tent on that side and the tripod on the other. Its all the little things that you work out quickly within the first day.
The day went well arriving at keramas at 1pm, the traffic is something to get used too, although I did head through one of the busiest roads on bali, between Kuta and the Airport.
Now I’ve chosen to bring my bodyboard on this trip much to the disgust of my fibreglass surfing friends. But I figure I get way better barrels on a bodyboard and that’s what its all about. For me that’s the type of wave riding I want to do. I still enjoy riding a surfboard and plan to hire one while over here. But for this trip its going to be a bodyboard.
Over the week I got some good waves at Padang Padang, if it was only for 1 hour before the tide got too high and did some filming at Bingin when it was about 2foot, the sunsets were awesome and made for some good shots.
Binginin the foreground, Impossibles, Padang Padang and then Uluwatu in the distance.
Bingin Beach and the Warungs, losemens and bars.
Bingin Surfbreak
Dreamland beach now with massive hotels on the cliffs.
Crazy stairs heading up to a hotel.
Bingin surfbreak at high tide.
Walking down the stars at Bingin, so many stairs and alleyways.
Unknown at Bingin, it was only about 2ft.
Another unknown at Bingin
Sunset at Bingin on a dying swell.
Bike setup for the first ride of the trip, headed for Kermas 52km.
At the small turning for the Nirwala Guest house at Keramas.
Road to beach at Keramas
Rice Paddys at Keramas
Keramas Beach, no swell but there is some on the way.