Scribbles Abroad

We arranged for the same driver to take us from Turtles in Ujung Gentang all the way to Southern Sumatra near Krui. The journey was supposed to take 24 hours but our driver moonlights as a formula one driver so we made it in 16. The trip involved heading inland from Turtles up to Jakarta and then heading North to the Ferry. The Ferry ride was a trip. It was one of those scary ones you hear about that sinks and no one survives. We were ready to grab our surfboards at the first sign of trouble and jump ship. Luckily we didn’t need to and in addition, had we, we would have missed the schinanigans that happen on this ferry every night. There was a guy performing a live infomercial, guys giving tattoos in the parking area, an area where you could dance with girls for around a buck accompanied by live music, and you could do some shopping for that crap you always wanted but never needed. The ferry ride was a chance for our driver to get some quick shut eye and then we were back on the road.

If anyone gets carsick, hiring a car and driving around Indonesia is not something you’d like. With mountainous terrain, the roads weave back and forth and up and down. Then you add in the potholes, wildlife, and other crazy drivers, taking dramamine won’t do you any good. We chewed on some li hing mui ginger to ease ourselves and tried to sleep but pretty much couldn’t. About 15 hours and 30 minutes into the journey we were getting close and the driver started getting anxious. With the pedal to themetal we were flying around potholes in the pitch black as if his goal were to beat the rising sun. One of many bridges was approaching and usually he slows down, but this time he didn’t. We hit the beginning of the bridge and reenacted the beginning of the Dukes of Hazard TV show. We seriously got about 10 feet of air all wheels off the road and screaming. We landed on the down transition of the bridge with no damage done. With our adrenaline pumping we began to see the ocean and a nice solid swell was rolling into the shoreline. We pulled into a point called Ujung Bocur and decided to stay at a place called Ombak Indah.

Owned by Nev, Ombak Indah is a beautiful spot with nice rooms right on the beach at the point. Its the best location for surfing Ujung Bocur aka SLL (Sumatras Longest Left). A wave peels for 300+meters right out front and by the time you get one that goes all the way through, your legs are jello. For 19 bucks a night, Louise, Shaun, and I split a suite with its own real bathroom (shower, tub, western toilet, and sink). The room was finished with marble and vaulted ceilings, its far from the ghetto places we have been staying in and the price is close to the same. We lucked out because it wasn’t quite finished so he just wanted people to experience it. The cost per person included three meals and a coke per day, plus all the coffee and tea you can drink.

Our time at Ombak Indah was spent surfing a ton, playing ping pong,a ittle texas hold ’em , and just relaxing. The place is really laid back and all the guests are there for the same reason, to chill and surf. It was a small group of guests, Aussies, Kiwis, Frenchies, and then us the HAWAIIANS.

Traveling around brings up the obvious question of where were from. Inevitably we always say Hawaii vs. saying America. Honestly, I say Hawaii to avoid the negative connotations that accompany the stereotypical American persona that others countries hold for Americans. Never do we get, “Hawaii? Don’t you mean America?” One way to look at it is that Hawaiians that have preceded us have set a good example and impressed others with their spirits of aloha and ohana, so if you are one of those individuals, thank you. To be Hawaiian shouldn’t be perceived solely as a bloodline but a source of your spirit. People back home that believe a Hawaiian is one with Hawaiian blood should reassess their belief. Hawaiians are Polynesian, Polynesians derive from Asians, Asians from Mother Africa (Ok maybe not that quickly but thats where it gets to). Although I am not a Hawaiian by blood, I believe I am a Hawaiian in spirit, and that is what should count. OK where was I? Yes we are American and I am proud to be an American, as with my pride in being a fricken Earthling. More or less, can’t we all just get along. But that being said, when we are asked the question where we are from, for now we will continue to say Hawaii.

Louise got to see her first monkey.  There was a monkey for hire that would climb the coconut trees and throw down a bunch of coconuts.  Nevs wife hired her for a few minutes and he climbed up there to hook up the camp with some fresh coconuts.

Our departure from Ombak Indah was premature due to certain occurrences that I will briefly describe here. We were planning on doing a bunch of exploring in this area but we no longer felt safe and decided to head out. We spent 1 week in Krui but would have liked to spend 2 or 3.

The Main Occurrence:

There are no ATMs or money changers in Krui, the nearest one is in Lewa a good two hours away with a giant jungle in between. We had rented motor bikes but on the first day, my throttle was getting stuck and that can be quite scary when its raining and you’ve got a surfboard on the side of you. To release the throttle I had to gas it and on one turn I actually had to put my foot out to recover after throttling to release the stubborn throttle. Upon our return I found Albert, the smooth talking bike rental owner who says, “I own 2% of the business here but control 89%.” He was unable to get me another bike so only Shaun had one. Next we were all almost out of money so we had to do a money run. Any time a tourist is out on a bike headed back from Lewa, the locals can assume that they went on a money run. Shaun offered to take our cards and pull out money for us. Since we only had one bike we obliged as we trust him. He left at 1 pm and hadn’t returned by 8 pm. At around 7 pm we started calling the police and other business owners to find out if they had heard anything. He should have been back by 5pm. At 8pm we got in a car and started scouring the coast for him. With no street lights its difficult to see who is coming so we were yelling his name at every motor bike that came our way. About 20 minutes into the drive with a scream “Jammer!!!!!” at a passing bike, we found him. Like a movie reunion we both hit the brakes and Louise and I jumped out of the car and ran towards him. The first thing he said is, “you won’t believe what just happened to me.” I jumped on the back of his bike with my large Anker in hand and Louise back into the car. We raced home to get back to safety. The following is an abbreviated version of what he told me and has allowed me to tell you for educational purposes.

Shaun (aka Jammer) told me that he had made a wrong turn and never made it to Lewa. He was in the jungle headed towards Bengkulu unknown to him. At some point the Polisi (Police) stopped him and forced him into their station. There they interrogated him, tried to extort money from him, and then threatened his life. They asked him where his passport was and when he told them he left it at the hotel they said, “so you go missing and no one know!” Then they continued to harass him for money. While they were not looking he hid the money from his pocket in his helmet. The remaining amount of money along with his passport were hidden in a secret pocket in his bag. They looked through his bag multiple times but never found it. Then they flashed their guns at him and asked him where his gun was. When he said he didn’t have one, another cop snuck up from behind and pushed a machine gun into his chest so that he would grab it. He refused thinking they were trying to get his prints on the gun.

They believed Jammer but still wanted to get something from him. They asked how much his sunglasses were worth and he told them 600,000 rupiah which is untrue, they are actually worth close to 2,000,000 rupiah. They said, “we take glasses?” Shaun being a smart fellow responded, “If you take glasses, you let me go!” After a bit of conversation between the cops, they agreed but not before allowing Shaun to take a few pictures with them. The pics here show Shaun in a confused state of what the fuck just happened to me. The obviously terrifying situation that Shaun found himself in could have escalated but by being calm, Shaun was able to get out of it with a small sacrifice considering what was at stake.

Once we got back to the Losmen, the local police were called in and the situation was explained. They promised to do something about it but we doubt anything will. Before we could figure out whether any justice would occur we felt it safest to get the hell out of there. We felt with the police contacted, the tourist bureau, and the local governor, the police that originally detained Shaun would know where we were and could come back for retribution. Where Shaun got stopped was also exactly where we were planning on going next. We are trying to live by the rules that if shit gets too hot, move on and look for something a bit more chill.

We are learning as we are traveling. Many places that you think are fine are really not that safe. With political motivations and religious differences, the locals see the tourists in different ways. If you run across one that sees a tourist as a target, you have very little choice but to deal with it. We are emphasizing our safety in numbers theory. No more going off alone. For the girls, definitely don’t go walking alone on the beach in a bikini. If you do decide to wander off alone, be sure to carry pepper spray. Avoid driving at night and if you do have to, make sure you have a local with you. When carrying money, keep it hidden and in separate places so that if they do find it, they can assume that’s it and there is no more.

We were really sad to leave early because the hospitality of Nev’s place at Ombak Indah was spectacular. When we were on the property we felt safe and secure. We never locked our doors and slept with the windows open. The surf was great. We caught some of the longest lefts in our lives, met great people, and discovered the possibilities hidden along the coastlines just north and south of Krui. We hope to be back and hopefully when we do the community is more aware of the potential for tourism to enhance their own life’s. Currently the risks involved with hunting waves in this area were too high for us.

We are now headed back down to Bali but trying to avoid Kuta. A swell is arriving this evening and the mass amounts of tourists should have departed by now. Probably not, but if it’s too busy, we are planning on heading to other parts of Bali like the North and East.

The sad thing is that in Bali, we feel a lot more safe and its primarily a result of different religions.  Pretty much all of Indonesia except for the small island of Bali is Muslim.  The Islamic majority is trying to get more Islamic laws passed and many of the laws are threatening the Hindu and Bali lifestyles along with the tourist behaviors such as walking the beach in a bikini or with your shirt off.  The near future for Indonesia is going to change quickly with a continued influence of hard line Muslim culture.

Over and Out.

KP