Action In Relaxation

Hey all,


Indonesia round 2, the throwback post.


I’m currently writing this from Indonesia (round 3) before headed back to the States of America that are United under the pursuit of life, love and happiness. Home. I realize “home is where the heart is”; but every time I come back to Indonesia I feel my right atrium being more and more full of Indo blood. The US of A will always have my left ventricle though.


Indo round 2 was a fleeting month from mid-September to mid-October. I parted ways with Ryan in KL, shed some tears on the flight, and was then comforted by a beautiful view of “Airport Lefts” surf spot while landing in Denpasar (Kuta Beach).


Directly from Kuta, I headed to the island of Lombok to meet up with Matt “Abacabar Pop Star” Rowland, a soon to be lifelong friend and STN connection who charges waves, charges life, and charges his soon-to-happen shoulder surgery on his credit card (no thanks insurance). Matt and I were going to spend a couple weeks in Banko Banko (Desert Point), where he was previously doing humanitarian work. To make a long story entertaining to read, he tore his shoulder (badly), and was now staying with Howie Antrang and Co. Matt and I spent a week with the Antrang family where we relaxed, ate tempe (my new favorite), ate fish curry, ate, ate, and had a jubilee time. The Antrang’s were extremely hospitable! (that is an understatement) I can’t wait to go back. From Lombok, Matt flew home to Hawaii, Howie stayed home, and I headed back to Kuta solo.


My solo-dolo time was spent around Kuta beach and Uluwatu, where I experimented with being (semi)productive while in a vacationer’s paradise. The result was the creation of this blog, as well as the pursuit of other business ideas (yet to come, God willing). Through my frequent trips down Poppies One Street (on my way to “the office” a.k.a. free Wifi and 20 cent ice cream cones at McDonalds) I was able to establish and affirm some great relationships with the ever smiling, greeting, and friendly locals. This helped ease any thought of loneliness as well as continue to hone my skills in Bahasa (Indonesian language).


Personal highlights from this time are:


1. The MBA crew: “Bagus” Agoos, Loy “the Lobster”, “Hulk” Hogan, Dekrit “Schwartzeneggar”, “Casi”Opik“ia”, “Luca” Toni, and more


2. My McD basketball friends: Dharma and Adi


3. The Beach Boys: Patty, Sigala, Simba, Tom, Waves, Reef, and Sand


4. The 5 o’clock Footballers: names never matter (or get remembered) here, just faces, feet, shouts, and playing styles


5. The Fruit Ladies: Pudu, Putri, Dia, Kaka, and Ade


6. Thomas’ Family


My last week was shared with Emily, who arrived unbeknown to Indonesia, ready for adventure, psyched for the beach, carpe-ing the deim, smashing volleyballs, scootering lazily, and smiling the whole way. I’ve had a few questions from people about “the girl in the photos”, so I figured I’d give you all the details:


Emily Lyn Carle
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 130 lbs
DOB: 6/22/87
SSN: 526-39-6234


The rest is just pictures so please enjoy.


Love and Friendship,


Tyler

Text-based Travel Mates,


Indonesia part 2, so much to write about…All I can write to (re)introduce this place is…wow, this country really has a place in my heart/mind/future.


After the boat trip, us “Colorado Boyz” returned with the rest of the STN crew to Kuta Beach, Bali. Kuta is the biggest tourist town in Bali and amidst the chaos of scooters, surfers, tourists, and American restaurant chains (Pizza Hut, Hard Rock Café, McDonalds), Kuta felt like home. This homeliness was largely based on the relationships with local people that were built through consistent interaction including: morning fruit purchases of Mangosteen and Passionfruit (Pudu and Pudri), surf hoots and hollers followed by soccer kickaround sessions, bizaar/fun/loving/smartass comments to local vendors, and chickenfighting/airplane/jungle gym/wrestle sessions with local rascalmonkey kids. Kuta highlights include:


* Circus on The Beach night that included a 5 level human pyramid that consequently inspired a $5, 1.5 hour, full body massage


* STN banquet with local cuisine, friendly guests, and Balinese dancers how loved to pose for 2+ hours of photos with kooky surfer tourists


* Day trip to Ubud monkey temple, where Kevin “young hercules” Sweeny got his bag of 30 Bananas snatched by a 2.5 foot tall 35 pound toothy snarly gremlin (a mere 2 minutes after purchasing them outside the temple) to which he responded in pure fear and prancing excitement


* Incredible 5 star, $8 dinners at TJ’s Mexican food and The Balcony where favorite dishes were sampled, loved, shared, and repeated following nights…Chili’s eat your heart out (and then charge me $15).


* Scooter chaos: picture thousands of people playing a game of transportation charades, who have just pulled the action card of “fish swimming through a tunnel”


You have now earned the right to look at our pictures from Kuta, thanks for reading!

From Kuta, 8 of us stragglers stayed in Bali while our friends returned to Hawaii, Sweden, Bangladesh, California, and Florida. We decided to take our show on the road and head to Uluwatu (30 minutes south of Kuta), soon to be known as Paradise or Shangri-La or El Dorado or Nirvana or Heaven (depending on your religion/ethinic background/cultural upbringing/sensitivity level). All of you who weren’t completely offended and are actually still reading, Uluwatu is indescribable, it is __________.


We stayed at a homestay called Thomas’ that fed us meals of our choosing and gave us a temporary palace (without a/c, or warm water) overlooking completely transparent water, 3 world-class surf breaks (Uluwatu, Pedang Pedang, and Bingin), and a local laidback vibe where worries (and Blackberries) have never existed. At night, this view lost nothing with an unadultured night sky mirrored by hundreds of gleaming fishing boats, and our lovely addition of night-time festivites that included: a guitar and water jug jam session, freestyle battle, freestyle game of “Sit Down!”, and of course the game of Farkle.


That should be enough to introduce these photos, please enjoy (if you don’t you should probably go to the doctor)


Colorado Island Boyz,
Tyler, Ryan, and Jason

Patient friends,


So much has happened in the last three weeks that I’ll be writing about Indonesia in 2 doses (just to keep you wanting a bit more after this email). The first portion of our trip was spent with Surfing the Nations, a humanitarian Christian organization based on the North Shore of Oahu Hawaii. To learn more check em out at www.SurfingTheNations.com, they are a group of truly amazing people with a very unique perspective and purpose (that’s my plug).


Jason and I started our journey from Kuala Lumpur to Bali with a delayed Air Asia (yuck!) flight and late arrival to Bali (10pm). We followed Ryan’s prescriptive directions , and arrived to his welcoming screams, hoots, and hollers of joy to finally have his travel companions join him, rather than follow in his footsteps (if this sentence doesn’t make sense please read the last post where Jason and I missed our Australia flight and subsequent Kuala Lumpur arrival to meet Ryan).


The details of the STN boat trip were vague so we set off with what little knowledge we had; a street name “Poppies One” and the name of the hotel “Ayu Beach” that the STN crew MIGHT be staying at. After a good hour and a half of Indonesian scavenger hunting, which included the random yelling of our contact’s names “Chris Rehrer! Tom Bauer!”, we stumbled upon our 4th hotel of the night to be greeted by Tom Bauer (picture a flowing white haired Moses in boardshorts). Upon our late arrival we were welcomed as one of the family and informed that the boat trip was leaving the next morning at 7am; what a close call, whew!


The Surfing the Nations group was comprised of charging Hawaiian loc dogs (shoots!), crazy fun and hilarious Swedes, smiling and occasionally biting Bangladesh boys, laidback Californians, eager Floridans who only know how to surf Hurricanes, and us landlocked “Colorado Boyz”. The group was about 50 people distributed between 4 boats, where you live/play/eat/sleep/dance/jazzercise/jam session/scope/swim/and overall enjoy the paradise that Indonesia so naturally provides. Our boat was the guys boat, rightfully named the Coconut Boat. Through the seven days there were many activities, places, and events that can be much more efficiently addressed in a list so enjoy my efficiency/laziness as I number the days:


1: Leave in afternoon, go to nearby island Noosa Lombongan and surf Shipwrecks at sunset, learn to jump off boat with surfboard and catch first wave in Indonesia a 3-4 foot mellow and peeling right, “Welcome to Indo”


2:Arrive in Lombok and surf Desert Point which is small and full of longboarders and party waves. Evening jam session with Jason, Ryan, and myself including reggae riffs on the guitar and freestyle lyrics. Including a fiberglass boat roof that imposed an uncomfortable late night itch followed by a 3am shower.


3:Lombok in morning with bigger surf at Desert Point, tiring swims in the ripping current to access flips and backflops off of our neighboring boat. Gili Island in the afternoon which included soccer with the local kids and walking the island with a couple of them (Harry, Danny “ladies man”, and Johnny) who scaled 30 ft coconut trees for us to enjoy as a refreshing beverage to compliment our island sunset; I really wish I had a camera for this moment (this is what traveling is all about, enjoying the locals lifestyle and connecting with people)


4: Sumbawa Island where we cliffed jumped in beautiful Yoyo’s cove and I performed my 2nd wonderful backflop off a rather high cliff. I was a little out of it for the rest of this day while we sailed to Scar Reef, but do remember night time when the always optimistic and radical Alan found an 8 foot poisonous sea snake in his bed. Upon our discovery and congegration, our boat’s noise was overcome by the sound of roman candles firing double-fisted off a neighboring boat, which was reprimanded by the 3rd of 8 shots and was followed with the phrase “I can’t stop em, I can’t stop em” (hilarious, thanks Tyler Bitner). Ryan also happened to comment that the surf had been so mellow and relaxing that STN should be Stoneskipping the Nations.


5: Swell hits Scar Reef and turns on a wave machine that produces constant lines of 14-18 foot reeling and hollow “bombs” that you could easily drive a VW bug through. It was amazing to witness these waves and the crazies that tamed them it; this was also a full celebration of Jason’s 23rd birthday which also included a baby bird feeding of Chris Rehrer and a reggae dub man-choir version of happy birthday that Jason called “my best happy birthday song ever!”


6: Scar Reef is still pumping in the morning and I decided to muster the courage and commitment to charge after one of these monsters. After much contemplation I dropped in on a solid 10-12 foot set wave, planted my feet while racing down the face of the wave, and was suddenly “closed out” on my bottom turn and instantly thrown into the most powerful whitewash I’ve experienced (like an American 110volt washing machine plugged into a 240volt international plug and set on the “angry” setting). After multiple flips, spins, and the powerful muffled roar I found myself inside for 5 more set waves, sitting a mere foot above jagged reef, humbled and powered by the comradery that Chris was also stuck inside with me (misery definitely loves company, which also suppresses the onset of panic). It was a great event and intense experience and in the words of Chris, “awesome” (no he’s not a sadist, it truly was amazing to experience, although I’d rather make the wave and not do it again).


7: Commute back to our port and enjoy the rolling ocean and times shared through music, surfing, soccer, hanging with locals, and living life to the fullest.


I’m getting too wordy with this email and will now direct you to the pictures; or if you’re like me, you scanned this email, realized it’s long and you’ll read it later (which you won’t) and will go straight to the photos below.


We are alive (fully) and breathing (sometimes underwater). Thanks for caring,


Tyler, Jason, and Ryan (our latest addition, aka. “Newbie, New Guy, and Wolfie”, honestly he’s never known by any of those names)


SAME PICS AS BELOW/BEFORE

I’m having too much fun in Indonesia to write a thoughful/funny/time consuming email blast. I’ll write next week when we return to Malaysia. We did return from our Surfing the Nations Indonesian boat surf trip (Bali to Nusa Lembongan to Gili Island to Lombok, to Sumbawa and circling back in reverse order) safely and have posted the first set of photos. Enjoy for the time being, because this is all you’re going to get! Patience is virtue…


Off to surf,


Tyler, Jason, and Ryan (our new addition)

Jam Session at Scar Reef (Sumbawa, Indonesia) from Tyler Elick on Vimeo.


Erik and Colin orchestrate a little jam session while we watch Scar Reef pump out line after line of perfect waves. Good little evening after an adrenaline packed, slightly traumatizing (in a good way) day.

Dear friends,


I am writing this email to first and foremost inform all of you that Jason did make our second chance at our flight from Gold Coast, Australia (Oz) to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (it’s only 2 days later, but we’re on it right now, actually). I hope some of you are confused, and this little teaser has sparked your interest to anti-segway into our most emotional/hectic/ridiculous/slightly funny happening on the trip thus far*, because you’re going to have to wait; I’m going chronological…


I know you probably went to the bottom of the email to see what happened, I know I would; but back to the beginning… Jason and I landed in Brisbane last Monday after 3 hours of sleep and a quick 4 hour flight; we were feeling a little sick (let’s just call it the Swine Flu for kicks) and definitely ready to get out of the cold (no pun) of New Zealand. We had a day to kill in Brisbane before our friend Ian Baker was going to pick us up in the city, after his day of work. Through Ian’s connection, we were able to stash our bags at a friend’s office (which just happened to be Earnst and Young). After a good laugh and slightly awkward drop off at one of the finest offices in Brisbane, Jason and I grabbed a meal and headed off to the park to sleep (like the sickly vagabond bums our mother’s raised us to be {jk mom}). Sleep was great.


Baker (Ian) picked us up and was the best Auzzie surrogate dad we could ask for. While up on the Sunshine Coast (1.5 hours North of Brizzy) we enjoyed warm beds, hazy days with 10-13 hour sleep, 4thOz (16)homecooked meals, kayaks, drumsets, and even the Australian Zoo (think Steve Irwin). We also surfed some and experienced a true Auzzie rip tide in Noosa that took Jason and I a good 100 meters out to sea; which we fought back/towed our way (Jason via my leash) to land over a good hour long paddle session (let’s just call this surf training for Indo).


Weekend hit and the three of us headed down to the Gold Coast where we stayed with a friend of a friend’s little sister who is now our good friend/pretty much family, Jess Vine. The Goldie (Gold Coast) is amazing!!! I could and will live here for some period of time. People call it touristy and flashy, but I would rather call it sunny, fun, and nothing short of paradise. We had some incredible surf days at Byron Bay, Miami Beach, and Burleigh Heads [where I caught my biggest bomb-set wave of my life thus far, which I’ll never forget, so good, wow, I have chills a little]; and really got into a routine of eating meat pies, playing usie deucie (backgammon), riding beach cruisers with our boombox playing “Electric Avenue”, watching Footy (rubgy league) matches and subsequently meeting Footy legends, with the occasional Bingo game, sports bet, and live attendance of a Footy match – for the newest bestest team ever – the Gold Coast Titans (Dane-O, Jess’ boyfriend, works for the Titans and got us some great tix).


The rest is details and pictures.


*Except for our exit story:


It all started at 5am on Tuesday the 14th of July when we awoke to make our 8:40am flight, and left with Jess (our local Gold Coast-ess Hostess with the Most-ess) by 5:30 to make the 50 minute drive to Brisbane Airport. About 8km from the airport we hit some serious traffic, serious enough that we were averaging about 1km every 20+ minutes. Quickly doing the math, we realized we were in heaps of trouble and started calling the airlines to figure out our options. Upon calling the airline and checking the airport code we learned that quote: “Gold Coast (Brisbane) (COO)” Airport isn’t actually the large international airport located in a major city that we flew into. It is actually the laidback rinky-dink local Gold Coast airport that is a mere 15 minute drive from Casa de Jess Vine. We quickly hit the next exit to turn around (although it was pushing 8am by now); and this quick exit took us 20 minutes in itself.


We did hit rock bottom and get to experience the moment where:


1. our flight departed without us
2. we were still stuck in local rush-hour traffic
3. the Air Asia customer service was worse than not helpful (they actually seemed a little spiteful)
4. our other current flight options were limited and looked to cost about a grand per person, and
5. personally, my body was shaking out of pure disappointment/frusteration/a little irony and humor


So what did we decided to do? First of all, we recorded a 5 minute video (I’ll try and post to the blog), and secondly, we called the local radio station to gripe over their segment titled “Last Call with GoldFM”. Sure enough, I made it on the show and told my whinging (Oz slang for whiney) story, which included the direct quote: “Air Asia customer service, if I can put this out to the general public, is pure crap!” and finished with a song request for Bon Jovi “Shot to the Heart” (I have no idea where this curveball song popped into my head, but I’m glad it did). Immediately following the segment was a (I kid you not) commercial segment advertising Air Asia’s flights to Kuala Lumpur which played while we arrived at the “real” airport in the Gold Coast to sort out the details of getting to Bali in time for our surf boat trip on the 19th.


The boring part of the story is that we did get it sorted for a relatively (I’m not going to disclose) reasonable price and are now on a flight to KL. One thing to note, we found out that Air Asia has 30+ no shows to each of these flights because their stupid misinformed email confirmations say Gold Coast (Brisbane) airport.


Blah, blah, blah, this email is long because the flight we’re on is 8 hours long and I’m actually using all your reading eyes as entertainment for myself. Ha ha.


We love you all and hope by now you are purely expecting more great adventure and stories,


Ty, Jason, and Michael Jackson