Somewhere Between the Lines

So this blog is quite old, back from May of 2009, I couldnt get proper internet access but figured it was still worth posting, so enjoy...

Its funny how over the course of just a few months things can change so quickly in your head space. Suddenly you become so familiar with a lifestyle and state of mind that things start turning into shades of gray. You become jaded in a way that is nearly incomprehensible to most people who are living everyday working life back home. The things that I consider an issue or stress in my day to day basis would be laughable to most people in the western world. But in reality, its all the same, just on a different level in a place on the other side of the world. I have been back in Indonesia the past five weeks and quickly flew from Bali to my niche on a small island where waves are plentiful and the locals genuine. Even though these people live on a mere $2 a day and the average income only $50 a month, the basic principles that we live upon are the same, yet the mentality and quality of life is astronomically different. Things are very simple and the community is very small, you instantly establish a first name basis with the locals and before you know it a nickname basis in which then you become a part of the family. The grommets that you surf with out in the water become your surrogate children and they surf better than most of the tourists who visit the destination. They call you into waves and splash around the water in excitement, reminding you of where you once came from and the passion your youth still holds within. The energy the kids give off is intoxicating and it is impossible not to have a smile on your face when you are in the water with them. These locals have an amazing bond and connection with themselves and their environment which never fails to inspire all who come to visit this beautiful place. I have spent enough time here in the past to have acquired the ability to return and slip right back in like I never left in the first place. Nearly a dozen people that I have encountered here in previous years have returned as well to surf the same mesmerizing waves again. After weeks of surfing the same waves on a daily basis, it eventually becomes surreal at some point, and you begin growing immune to the perfection in front of you. Suddenly the repetition of surfing the same spots day in and day out and seeing the same people again and again was quickly replaced by a massive influx of unfamiliar faces. It was as if unwanted guests came along with a friend that you invited to a personal dinner party at your home. You feel a sense of invasion by all of these unwanted visitors who pack in and out for only a week at a time. These blow-ins pass through for such a short time and in such large groups that they rarely make any connection with the locals or gain appreciation for what the place really is. We are now entering into the high season and it rapidly went from a sleepy, predictable, and relaxing place to a crazy tourist ridden attraction over night. Now suddenly I’m trying to find ways to get away from the chaos to find a piece of serenity and solitude in a place that is already so rural and undeveloped. In this quest I found myself motor-biking nearly an hour up the coast on a rugged goat trail and crawling through the thick of the jungle to find that undiscovered gem. It led me up the side of a mountain where at the top I could see the expanse of the coastline and the beauty it holds from a bird’s eye view. It was there I realized again that this place truly is amazing; despite the numbers of people there are still waves going unridden, still destinations not yet reached, and how few people actually look outside the box. For a short time I seemed to have fallen somewhere between the lines of reality and this mystical place of simplistic paradise. Going out on that quest revitalized my awareness and appreciation of where I have gone and what I have done to be in this place. Once again I feel empowered to be here and am thankful that I am where I am, and what still lies ahead on the journey. Though my two month visit here is nearly up, I feel like I can leave this time knowing that the same friends I have here will still be living in their own world, surfing the same perfect waves, spending time together, and growing as a community. The crowds of tourists will come and go, the waves will rise and fall, and the rain will come soak the land and dry back out again, but the people here will still have a smile on their face and will pickup with you right where things once left off. Now the time is coming near for me to delve even further into my quest to find another piece of tranquility and enlightenment with my new found enthusiasm.

Who is Baldo?

Who is this guy? How is he doing this? Why can't I do that? These are all questions I hear very often, and my reply is usualy the same; YOU CAN DO IT TOO! I am that guy, the person who seems to know people everywhere I go, at that random bar in a small town, In the water surfing at a spots I never even surf regularly. I bumped into a good friend today surfing out at "the pass" randomly who I havent seen in a few years since I was back up this way last, and its as if I never left at all. We pick up conversation right where we left off last time I saw him and tonight I'm staying with an old friend and having a bar-b-que to continue that lost conversation. Its amazing the people you meet when you travel, and the random friendships that are formed from doing so. After awhile you meet so many in different places that home can be found nearly everywhere you go. Over the past few days I met some other travelers from France who needed help with their van, they had no idea about where to put oil into the engine and how often in needed to be done! Though their van's oil level was bone dry, they managed to find me and get help before a major breakdown occured. After that they decided to caravan with me up the coast as I knew the area well and had accomadation with some friends. Since then we have been traveling together the past 5 days combining our forces to make ends meet, i.e. cooking and bar-b-quing together to produce amazing meals and many laughs! Their english is rough, and my french is non-existent, so spanish has been the main mode of conversation which most would find rather amusing! In another day though, the French couple will continue northward and I will most likely head southward down the coast chasing a tropical cyclone in hopes of getting good surf and offshore winds on my way. In another day the rainclouds will part and the sun will shine down on me while I enjoy the gifts this world has to offer, all because I chose to take the path less traveled. Once you are on the path the journey is not difficult. It is getting on the path that most people struggle with. Rather then wishing and dreaming about it, you simply act. Quit your job, sell your belongings that enslave you, say goodbye to your friends and family, book the ticket to that place you have always wanted to go, and leave it all behind you. No obligations. No monthly payments. No more nine to five. No more groundhog days. Everything is now at your fingertips, you can do whatever you want. If you have the right state of mind and friendly character, you will meet the right people and experience all that life has to offer, its all part of the trip. It just takes the initial risk of putting yourself out there, without any regret, without looking back. For your future is now entirely what you make of it......

Traveling Solo

There's something inherently rewarding about traveling by yourself, beyond all of the obvious reasons. The people that you meet and experiences you have when you put yourself out there on a limb are like nothing you would ever imagine if you were in a group of friends. I find that almost everywhere I go, people are genuine and more accepting when I am by myself. Almost instantly a bond can be formed from a mutual understanding of desire to see the world for what it is, and truly experience a place. So often you see people traveling in large groups of friends, bringing along the comforts of the familar with them. These people miss the entire essence of traveling due to the fact that they merely "see" a place, rather then experience a it and get to know its culture. When traveling alone, it becomes clear to other people that you aren't trying to hide who you are. Instead you make yourself vulnerable in a way that is respected by everyone. I find that complete strangers are willing to go out of their way to be friendly and hospitable soely due to this fact alone. It becomes possible to truly take in your surroundings and enjoy exactly what it is you set out to achieve in the first place. A sort of self empowerment is with you at all times, as if anything is possible and nothing will stop you. You can go where you want, when you want, without having to compromise anything. You could be heading in one direction for awhile, meet some interesting people, and suddenly decided to turn around go right back where you came from. It is this freedom that provides inner peace and tranquility which makes traveling to new places so special. Key to the idea of traveling alone is being open to anything, willing to try new things and take risks, for in the end the pay off is unforgettable . Just take a look at the photo above of this desolate lineup in New Zealand. By getting to know some locals in an unfamilar area, I was able to enjoy this bliss with only a few other people for an afternoon of complete bliss.

Spontaneity is the spice in life

There's a lot to be said about having an open mind and going with the flow, especially when it comes to travel. Things in life rarely ever work out the way they are planned, and this is very evident when you are on the road. It's funny how people go through their life fighting and resisting change with every ounce of their being, when life itself is just a constant changing entity. I flew back to Australia yesterday afternoon after the past seven weeks visiting home in California for the holidays. It was my first time being back to California since January of 2008 and it was an unusual experience. Seeing my friends and family was great, but this time things were definitely different. After being away for so long it was no longer the same place I remember it being in my mind, yet nothing was actually different; the change was within me. State of mind is something we all struggle to deal with and control, but for me, home now has a very stale sense to it. I no longer feel attached to the things I once did, or the desire I once had to live there. Living in the same place, working the same job day in and day out, is, in itself, resisting change. That routine that we all think we need to feel "normal" is in actuality, a self-imposed imprisonment that doesn't end until we "retire." The funny thing is, that people actually think when they retire that suddenly then, they will start living their life the way they've always wanted to. At that point the conditioning of the "civilized" world has taken control of your ability to do so, let alone old age preventing you from enjoying whats left of your life. What is your idea of "success" in the world today? Working and saving money to buy a home with a nice car and fancy clothes? For most, maybe so. For me personally, success is doing what you want when you want, without being concerned with what the rest of society thinks of it. When it comes down to it, in this world, everything can be taken away from you: your job, house, car, everything; except your story, so I'm just trying to live a good one. The different people you meet, places you go, cultures and beliefs you come in contact with, and feelings you experience, is what life is all about. Its tragic that modern society is structured in a way that actually supresses these things in life that make us who we are and give us meaning in our life. I've never been one for schedules or strict plans, and this has allowed me the ability to adapt to any circumstance and actually embrace change in my life. As for right now, I am staying with some friends in Bondi beach in Sydney that I met randomly in Nicaragua back in 2004. Posted above is the view from their apartment that I woke up to this beautiful morning. Summer is in full swing, the sun is shining, and the weather is sweet. I think I'll head down to beach to enjoy the day and see where the ride takes me. -Baldo