While everyone was celebrating Nyepi, Odysseys Surf Schools closed The office for four days and went to Lombok with a big a part of the staff, family and friends. Sunday evening we went to the harbor in Padang Bai. We took the boat at midnight and arrived in the early morning. We could see the sunrise above the wild landscape of Lombok, which was really beautiful.
Before we could check in at the guesthouse we went surfing at Seger. Crystal clear water, reefs and big waves. This was a perfect way to start the day. Everybody was excited to catch some good waves and after preparing the boards everyone was in the water. These waves are from a different level than Kuta Beach, Bali. It can be pretty scary for beginners because of the size of the waves, it was crowded and you can see the reefs under you. But if you fight yourself trough this feelings and catch a wave, the feeling you’ll have is unbelievable. It gives you some kind of freedom and it’s very addictive! After everyone had enough waves, it was time to check in at the guesthouse. We had some fun at the pool, had some sleep to gain energy for the afternoon session and went back to Seger to catch some waves again. There were big waves again which included a lot of fun. After the surfing we had some fresh fish soup, which was delicious. Everyone went to bed early to be fresh and fit for another day of surfing.
On Tuesday we went to Air Guling. This surf spot is better for beginners; the spot on the left side has smaller waves, more fun for long boards. At the right side the waves are bigger, more fun for short boards. You can also learn how to surf on this spot because the beach break goes slowly over into a reefs break. If you go surf at the right side, prepare for some long paddling. Once you made it to the waves catch some breath and have fun with the waves! Big waves are coming after each other so you don’t have to wait long before you are on one! After surfing we went back to the accommodation to relax, swim in the pool and around 5p.m. we went to Seger to watch the sunset. A breathtaking view with the ocean, green mountains and the colors in the sky gave us the opportunity to shoot some stunning pictures. After dinner, half of the team went to bed, half of the team went to party at shipwreck and the Sandbar. Dancing in the sand with some live music was a very entertaining evening but made it hard to wake up early the next morning.
Wednesday we went to Gerupuk. Gerupuk is a 20 minutes drive to the east from Kuta Lombok. When we arrived we needed to go by boat to get to the surf spot. At Gerupuk there are two surf spots, inside and outside. Inside is more easy for beginners because of it location and the currents are less strong. Outside is located to big cliffs and has stronger currents, which makes it harder for beginners. Because it was really crowded at the inside, we went to the outside spots. Really big waves when the set was coming, so everyone was excited to get good waves. The waves were not for everyone, but even because of that everyone enjoyed the day. After surfing we went back again to relax and see the sunset at Tanjung Aan. This was even better than Seger. The sky had beautiful colors, the view on the mountains is better and here u can see the sun disappear in the ocean. After everyone had some nice pictures and the sun had disappeared we went back to have some dinner. To celebrate our last night at Lombok, we went to the party at Shipwreck. A great party, live music and so many nice and fun people. If you want to have a good night, Shipwreck is really a recommendation.
Thursday we went home already. But before we went home, some of the crew went surfing at 7 am to catch some final waves. The surf spot was at Mawi and the waves were very good. There was no one else this early so it was good surfing. After surfing it was time to check out at the homestay and get back to Bali again. After a long trip by car and boat we arrived back at the office around 10 pm and it was time to go back home. Friday we were open again so we had to be fit again to welcome the customers.
This is how we spend Nyepi this year. It was a really nice surf trip with lots of fun and joy. We from Odysseys Surf School are interested in how you experienced Nyepi this year so feel free to leave a comment!