For this lesson, we went over surfer etiquette and rolling with the board before we got on the boat to go back to the waves. I didn't feel sore until I started paddling, then I hurt real bad. There was no one else in this lesson so I had twice the practice/work as yesterday. The first one was actually quite good. The following, not so much. I could tell Dewa was getting extremely frustrated because I kept making the same mistakes he kept telling me to correct, but my body just was not cooperating no matter how hard I tried. Thankfully, a lot of the waves were too big or too small so I did get some breaks.
Somehow the board (this one was much better sized than the day before, much more my size) decided it hated me and skinned my entire body. My arms, legs, hands, literally all skin available, was severely damaged by the board. I'm not sure how exactly because it's literally my whole body, but it hurts, really bad. And the salt water stung it and every time I changed position on the board it got worse. I also realized the reason my ribs always hurt after surfing is because I use my ribs to turn/steer the board instead of my paddling. Oh well.
(It's worse in person. The pics don't do it justice.)
That brings me to my title. Yes, it is a Chili Pepper line because the Peppers are hot. No, that is not the point.
So it's 3 days later and I'm currently on the flight back to Brisbane/Auckland. My hands that were severely damaged by the board have literally scarred over. So now my palms and fingertips are actual scar tissue. I know scars are supposed to last forever, but sometimes mine are so minor that new skin eventually grows over, in time. I still have like 2-3 months here so who knows if you'll get to see my new scars.
LOL my surfing scars.
I don't understand why the more I try to get better/learn, the worse I get. Like surfing hates me. Sarcastic Mr. Know-it-all. Me and boards (grammatically boards and I) just don't get along.
BUT
I've come to realise (check out that New Zealand spelling, aye mate ;) ) that everywhere you go, the waves are going to be different. Here in Bali, it's the Indian Ocean. In New Zealand, the Pacific. At home, it's my beautiful beloved oh-how-I'll-never-take-you-for-granted-again Atlantic. Each ocean has totally different components and therefore its physical attributes, such as the waves, are going to be different. So I've come to realize that should I want to truly get better at surfing, I need to stick to one spot, one ocean, one location, and stay surfing there until I know that I am good enough and confident enough to take my surfing elsewhere. It's no good hopping around like I'm doing because the techniques and forms needed to be successful on a wave are going to vary from place to place. Only once you're confident enough in your own ability can you then go to a new spot, figure out the wave composition, and adjust yourself accordingly. Because if you keep going from place to place trying to learn, you're essentially just starting fresh from the beginning each time at each new place, setting you back in terms of succeeding. It might only take a couple practices to feel that confidence, but it's essential in order to move forward (on the other hand it might take many, many tries, but ya gotta do it. Like repeated scales when all you wanna do is jam to your favorite tune).
So in regards to my surfing goal (I believe it was something along the lines of getting good enough to ride my own board), I am striking it out as I realize that actually isn't the best for me at this moment. Possibly when I get back to Ocean City, possibly never. It has been postponed indefinitely. Who knows, maybe I'll put it on a surfer swap and sell and trade it in for a bigger board. Or I can just stick to body surfing; boards kinda bother me anyways :P
Back to my daily account. Okay so after the lesson (let's be honest, during the lesson) my princess time was over and I had to walk myself back to my room. I knew I'd get lost if I attempted the road, but according to the map, the beach looked like a straight shot. Chris said there'd be a sign on the beach that said Rama Garden so I'd find it.
(Sorry to interrupt but I'm 37000 ft in the air on a plane and there's a mosquito and it keeps attacking me and it's awful.)
So I started my trek along the beach, thinking it'd be close. I just kept thinking "it's gotta be just up there; it has to be close" and I kept walking and walking, dehydrated, starved, and exhausted, and it never appeared. No sign. And the beach isn't a sand beach. It's a coral beach, made of ground coral. It was literally the most painful beach I've ever walked on, and I often walk barefoot over loose rocks. So I'm walking and walking, and nothing. I feel like Jesus in the desert, probably around day 18; I imagine that would be one of the worst days, not yet halfway there, no end in sight but probably already mega miserable and praying for the end (except, ya know, Jesus is totally holy and probably didn't experience any of that which I just described, but if He were like me...).
(OMG these new scars itch.)
Finally, I see a road. I know for a fact it's not to my room because Rama Garden is on a sand road that has a sign that says "Beach >>" so I'd assume it goes all the way to the beach. But this coral is really killing me with the sun, so I go to the road in hopes of relief, comfort, and a sign pointing me in the right direction.
No such luck with the sign but I head down the road anyways.
The day is dragging on. I'm growing more faint. Will I ever make it back to Rama Garden?
I know I'm not going the right way because it's supposed to be .25 mile away and I've been walking for forever; it feels like at least an hour. But, I continue because I can still see the beach and hopefully someone will be able to tell me where to go, or better yet, give me a ride.
No such luck. So I keep walking.
Eventually, two Balinese men start yelling at me in Indonesian, demanding money. I don't understand so they point at a sign that says "All visitors must pay". No way am I paying to continue this death hike. So I tell them I"m just trying to get back tot eh Rama Garden. "Rama Garden that way" and they point in the direction I just came. Great. If there was any liquid left in my body, I would've cried. So I turn around and head back in the direction I had just came.
Soon (well not really), I'm back where I had joined the road. But now I notice it bends, it doesn't just go to/become the beach. So instead of heading back onto the brazen beach, I take the road in the other direction. And I keep walking. And walking. And walking. I could really use an Aloe Water.
Just when I think I might for real pass out for the first time in my life, I see a "mart". Thank heavens! So I go in and although they unfortunately do not have Aloe Water, they have orange water. Close enough. So the guy tells me it cost 10 so I hand him 2000 and he's like what is this, this is not enough and he doesn't speak English, so he's just staring at it while I'm dying and after like 30-40 seconds I put the 2000 away and give him 100,000 and he gets me some change and I don't understand their money or math. But it's okay because now I won't die.
So then I start walking again and about 10 feet in front of the mart is the Rama Garden sign! I had been walking on the main road this whole time! At least I'm finally back!
I go back to my room to drink the rest of my 1.5 liter water because I'm still dying. Then I head over to the restaurant for me free any-time/all=day breakfast. It was so good. & so much. Fresh juice (today I chose watermelon), scrambled eggs, a fruit bowl (papaya, watermelon, banana), tomato, and four things of toast. I couldn't finish it all so I put some eggs in some toast like a sandwich and took it back to my room for later.
Oh, also, let the record state that I was literally lost for about two hours. I didn't find Rama Garden until afternoon.
After my food I went back for a cold shower and nap until yoga at 5.
Because it was my first yoga here, I got another motorbike ride. It was much closer than I thought, and I actually passed it while I was wandering earlier. Ironically it's right before the mart. Interesting.
Caroline from England was the yogi, but she's been traveling a lot so it's been a while since she's called England home. Today's yoga was fly high, which uses swings. I felt like a circus performer; it was so much fun! I would totally do it again 100%. Who hasn't wanted to use the swings in the circus before?
Just like with zip lining, I had a bit of trouble getting myself upside down. I guess I need to work on whatever muscles flip you over. But once I was over I didn't have any problems. We did individual things and partner things and it was so much fun!
After yoga I went back and ate some pretzels (I ate my leftovers before I went to yoga) and went to bed. Auckland is four hours ahead and I'm still on Auckland time (not really, but when you gotta get up at 6:30 every morning...)
Until next time,
xoxo,
Tasha
Surviving, you are. Proud of you all around. xoxo
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