The packing starts again....

     Friends, family, and followers I am off on another adventure in a few days. Back to Indonesia with a couple friends to surf over a dozen islands and many spots we have been researching and searching for over the past few months. My one friend that has planned the trip that I'm jumping onto is David that has started an awesome new brand out of San Diego, Sovrn Republic. The companies motto is In search of distant shores, and their main product is travel backpack's made to hold the essentials of traveling in comfortable and accessible way. I am specifically excited for this trip because we are heading to many waves I have been dreaming of for years and bringing a full time photographer/filmer to get every moment/wave of the trip!
     That is the sum of the trip so far, everything changes once the plan hits the Indonesian tarmac. Basically all that is planned is our flights taking off September 3rd then flying home December 17, all the spots and waves on our list will be last minute missions if we know there will be waves to get them at there best.
     The packing has started, just getting everything laid out making sure nothing is left out. After my last few trips I have started to narrow down to to things, what I NEED and what I can GET. So what I usually need to bring is obviously clothes, but not to much because you can always buy more wherever you are. But it is hard to get rid of to many clothes you bring wherever you are. Other items I NEED that are harder to find where I'm going are obviously my surfboards, GoPro camera/accessories, and some medical supplies. The items I don't bring or worry about as much since I know I can buy them when I arrive are soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, etc. Dumb things that always cause problems at airports and can explode in your bag anyways.
     So here is a few pictures and a list of what I have for this trip, I thought it would be cool since I haven't done it before and if some traveler/surfers are wondering what to pack on a similar adventure.

The quiver for this trip is looking pretty good!

1. 6'3" x 18.5" x 2.2"
This is a board I bought specifically for this trip, when I was in Indo a few months ago the swell got huge a few days and I didn't have a board big enough to ride. Now I do this trip and it will help for a few waves were going to that you need to get into early!
2. 6'0" x 18.12" x 2.25"
One of my dad's older boards but a nice step up for waves that you need that lil extra foam to hold your line and get your rail to catch.
3. 5'8' x 19" x 2.5"
My baby, first board I've ever had a 5 five setup on and I love it, got her before my trip to Australia at the beginning of the year. Riding a quad is a love hate relationship for me sometimes I have so much fun on  them and other times I can't stand it.
4. 5'7' x 19" x 2.5"
The freshy from my mate Forrest Michinton had been getting into shaping last few years with his dad being legendary shaper Mike Michinton shaping for Robert August for decades! He has his own label Sistem Surfboards I am so stoked on this board because it's different from any board I have had before. Lil shorter than usual but with a 5 fin setup and lil more foam to float, paddle, and hold in bigger waves well!

1. Mint Condition Brand hats and apparel.
2. Polar Pro Filters for Go Pro camera, color correction lenses to get the best shot possible in any weather condition. There array of lenses for under water range from macro, magenta, and red for diving. And above water they offer polarized, neutral density, and macro. There newest product is the Pro Mic to get better sound out of your Go Pro video!
3. Leashes, 3 different ones for different conditions and size. I have been awfully lucky not breaking to many on my recent trips but its crucial to not lose your board especially over reef or rocks.
4. A bag full of all kinds of Go Pro accessories ranging from mounts, 4 extra batteries, extra housing, time lapse, window mount, wall charger, extra SD card, and more.
5. FCS car straps are a must on any surf trip, they come in handy at the worst times Ive learned. Especially when your traveling with a  few surfers where your board bags can't fit in the car, they must go on top!
6. Sovrn Republic backpack "The Drifter", the best gear I have come across my mate has started a great company made by surfers/travelers for travelers. The motto "In pursuit of distant shores" says it all, get out there and find the adventure that excites you!
7. Medical pack, I set this up a few trips ago my first time to Indo, it is essential. I have never had to dig to deep into it but I hvae the essentials in case sometimes crazy happens. Inside I have a lil of everything, gauze, tape, vitamin c, tums, bandages, stitches, anti infection pills, numbing shots, asprin, asthma inhalers, and a few more things.
8. Diving mask, it doesn't take up much room and I rarely use it but it is always nice to have if you wanna go out for a dive. Check out the reef when it's flat, get a work out, or check out some sea life and get some Go Pro shots!
9. The surfboard bag accessory pouch, In here I have all my fins two sets of quads and a pair of FCS for my 6'3". Also in here is some solar res/sand paper for quick ding repairs, Vaseline for rashes from surfing for hours, extra fins screws, like 5 fin keys because they always get lost and misplaced, and couple randoms zip ties because fuck you never know but they come in handy.
10. First time bringing this and I don't know how it will work but giving it a shot. It is a Dolphin hand pump for a 5 gallon water jug, in Indo there liter of water is roughly a dollar, a 5 gallon jug is roughly 1.75. It will hopefully save money, time, plastic bottles, and just be much more convenient!

1. Airplane pillow, so great for any traveling, literally anywhere. On a boat, in plane, sleeping in an airport, in the board bag for more padding.

2. Swiss army knife, pretty sure this explains itself, swiss know whats up!

3. IDP (International Driving Permit) a treaty between over 140 countries honor this as a driver license. Comes in handy because police can spot a tourist a mile away, you will get pulled over a lot anywhere. Basically helps to not spend money on pay off police when you don't need to. 

4. Headlamp

5. Converter and mini power strip, So much easier to have one converter and a strip instead of multiple converters.

So that is a sum up of what I am bringing and where our thoughts for surfing are when we arrive. Once again I am very excited to get out of America and explore another culture on the other side of the world. I don't leave America and my family in Southern California because we don't get a long or that I don't like where I live. But it is the complete opposite, I love my family and friends and leaving for a period of time just make them all that more special. Whenever I come home from a trip I am more grateful to have them in my life and appreciative of where I live even more! As of now in my life all I think about is the next adventure or next year where I want to go or how I want to see it. There are so many thoughts going through my head from road tripping in my truck from California to panama or sailing the Mediterranean or maybe cycle through Europe.
     Through the last 6 months I have seen a huge change in the age range I grew up in, some are just graduated from college and looking for there life long careers. Some are either on the road to getting married or already have tied the knot and are now just thinking money money money. Then there's the few friends who have babies and believe me I think that is wonderful, I can't wait to have a kid that is a mini me. But something 90% of the people I just listed will more then likely not do in there life is travel..... and I am not talking about going to Yosemite, New Orleans, Florida, or New York for a week. I am talking about going to somewhere unknown, a different continent, Australia, South Africa, Dubai, Vietnam, Portugal, Scotland, Turkey, literally anywhere in the whole fucking world.

     I feel like when people look at a map of the whole world they make it sound like somewhere other than America might as well be another planet. But realistically you can flight anywhere on this planet in a day and some driving. The planet is only becoming more and more accessible to travelers, and there are so many places to go for a budget. This map on the right shows the size of America to the rest of the world, America only takes up 2.5% of the land on this planet. There is so much to see and so many awesome people to meet, I can't stay in one place for to long until I feel like I have seen all I can!

Thank you to all my family, friends, and followers. Let the adventure start again.


Don't just be alive....Be living

Canngu Round 2

     Wednesday we got a ride back to the the hostel we stayed at in Canggu, we arrived around noon and chilled for a bit before hitting our favorite food spot. Both chowed down on a mix of rice, veggies, meat, and noodles before going to check the waves. The waves looked alright but was going to get better in a few hours with the tide going low, so we went back to relax and pop in a movie. After the relaxing time we got a surf in at Echo beach out front, it was fun lil evening sesh, we finished the night off with some Pizza and watching a soccer game they had on a big projection screen at the restaurant.
     Thursday a group of us did the mob up north to the secret beach, the waves were actually really fun. We surfed this right that would line up for a few hundred feet all the way to the inside, it was about chest to head high and really consistent. Everyone surfed for almost 2 hours and got out, me and Jeremy got out and had a banana and some water but were to stoked so went back out as they hit the road to go back. We stayed out for another 45 minutes until we both caught one in and didn't have the energy to paddle back out haha. We hopped back on the scoot for the 45 minute ride back to the house and of course stopped by or Bu Mi warung to get the infamous $1.50 stacked plate of food. I worked on the website when we got back as Jeremy watched Californication with some of the roomies here. Ended getting another evening session in at Echo with a few barres to be had out there in between the crowds. To finish off the night we went back to another spot we had been two for dinner, dunno what its called, but we call it the 3 course meal place. Since you get 3 courses for around $5.50, and there all really good stuff! We both got back and just fell onto our beds  and passed out, I was so tired i woke up in the middle of the night door still open, lights, on cuddling the fan!
     Friday the roomies around here all slept in since the had a long night out for one of the guys bdays, Jeremy and I went back up north hoping we could score a decent uncrowded session again. We arrived at the spot and checked the river mouth first instead of heading down the beach like we usually do. Ended up going out at the river mouth with 4 other guys out, it looked fun and decently peaky, I got quite a few rights way down the beach. After being out for about an hour a big set came through with almost a dozen waves and washed everyone in except us two. They all got our and we had the spot to ourselves for the next half hour till we were tired and over it. After we road back, got lunch, Jeremy got sucked into watching apparently his new favorite show californication for about 4 hours, while I skyped the family. We didn't end up getting the second session in since we were just done from surfing so much in the sun the past few days, instead we hung out with everyone at the hostel accompanied with a few beers. Tried a new spot for dinner that had some awesome burgers and fries, after we headed to a saki bar that was streaming the Billabong Pro Rio contest. I wish I had got a pic of the restaurant but it was hard with my phone and not having much light. You basically walked up a small spiral staircase and upstairs is a large open loft with a nice setup of leather couches. But the sketchy part is there is no railing looking down onto the rest of the bar and restaurant area, really cool but pretty unsafe, especially if you were drunk! Only watched a heat and a half because the conditions of the contest were horrible and the waves weren't very exciting. When we got back Jeremy finished the season of Californication, I went to grab some ice cream, and when i got back watched Moneyball, with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, I thought it was an awesome movie, considering I'm not into baseball at all.
     Saturday I left early to head up to the bukit and pick up a package, as I was getting back home stopped by a DVD store to check out a few movies. I saw the 6th season of Californication so i grab it for Jeremy, I grabbed a few other good movies, and headed back tot he house. As I got back everyone was laying around from there long night, one of the guys staying here, Nathan had a hug gash on his forehead! Apparently he was crowd surfing at this bar and somehow feel straight onto his his forehead, Bryce the hostel owner tried to super glue it back together and just made it even more disformed. So I guess they went to a clinic at 2am, another friend Emilie that's a med student ran into them on the way and joined to help, they got to the clinic and the doctor just stared at them and didn't know what to do. So Emilie just ran into the back and grabbed gloves and stitches and started doing it herself, haha, that's a drunk night in Bali for ya. We grabbed a quick lunch and Jeremy went straight for the new season of Californication, I ran a few errands then ended up joining him. A few of us ended up finishing the whole 6th season in like 4 hours, we ended the night by heading down to Echo beach for dinner. Down on the beach they have a few awesome BBQ setups,You can pick from all these meats and fish you want bbq'd and while you wait you get to grab a plate full of whatever you want from the salad bar!
     Sunday the waves were small but we went for a quick surf out front, wasn't even in the water for 30 minutes. Got back up and had a bite to eat at one of the cafe's, just chatted and watched the waves with some of the guys from the hostel. We got back and the goose was running around near the house again making loud noises and trying to get in, but we were okay with a bit of entertainment! I relaxed for a bit then got on the scooter to check out a few places we might move to since its our last night in the hostel. Headed back down to the beach to check the waves, they were pretty crappy I sat out while Jeremy tried for a surf. I had been feeling crappy since the night before with a bad headache and sore throat all night, then got really tired and sick feeling before the surf. After the surf we got back home and started looking into a place to travel to in the next few days, been seriously looking into Sumbawa home to Lakey Peak and a few other world-class waves within a short distance!
     Monday the waves were looking pretty small but headed to the beach to get in the water, not to many people out since it was still a bit early. Got a few fun waves to ourselves for a bit, but there waves a current and it was pretty inconsistent, so headed back home. Got a late breakfast at an awesome spot here in town called the Canteen, definitely recommend it to anyone coming here. Ran into a friend as we got there and sat down over breakfast and chatted about our last few days, she was leaving tomorrow so after breakfast said our goodbyes and headed back to the house. We started to look into booking flights, we found a flight leaving the next morning, but when tried to pay for it we couldn't since it was less than 48 hours before departure, and the next flight wasn't till Thursday! We were pretty mad since were trying to get over there as soon as possible to catch a few smaller days and get used to the spot before it gets really big! So we kinda went for a hail marry and packed up everything we wanted to bring into my one big bag, keeping the rest here in Jeremy's bag, and also a backpack each. We hopped on the scooter and hauled ass to the airport right as it was getting dark, we arrived and rushed to the ticket window to try and get the earliest flight. We went to a few different windows and finally found a reasonable priced flight leaving Wednesday morning, before leaving the airport we got something to eat. On the way in noticed a Cold Stone, which is basically one of the best ice creams known to man, and we have them all over SoCal, we couldn't resist! We got back to the hostel and just crashed out after a movie, looking forward to getting a few waves the next day before sleeping in the airport!
     Tuesday we relaxed for a bit before making the mission up north to get some waves by ourselves, it was pretty big and mostly walled. Got a few fun ones each, I got a fun lil barrel on the inside I was stoked on. We made the long fast bumpy road back to Canggu and got lunch before getting back and watching a movie. We sorted out some last minute things with the scooter and transportation to the airport before heading to dinner with a few friends for the last night! Went to Canggu Cafe, had a great meal, sat and chatted for hours, a great time for sure. Now we wait till midnight for the transport to come and take us to the airport, our flight leaves at 9:20am, but we need to get there early and get our bags to the terminal early. If we don't get them there early they might not make it on the flight since the place is so small only a few bags can get on! So were basically get to the airport past midnight and just hanging/sleeping until the airlines get there so we can check the bag in, going to be a long night...

My broken surfboard painted and now the Canggu Surf Hostel welcoming sign!

Goose cruised into the yard, had to take him out got a quick pic in the action.

BBQ down at Echo Beach, pick and meat that get's bbq'd right away and enjoy a good salad bar in the meantime.

Packing the board bag is always fun!