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SUR F TR IP : PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID CARSON When the office closed down for the holidays, we decided to hit the road in our own Blue style-a surf trip to Indonesia . We headed for one of the more remote settings we could find: away from our New York City home to the shores of Lombok. Indonesia has some of the most consistent and impressive waves in the world. Nearby Bali is home to the famed surf pilgrimage site, Ulu Watu, as well as Kuta Beach, known as "the best beginner break in the world." While overdeveloped and now very crowded, Kuta's waves are consistently manageable for begin- ners from October through March. You can rent boards right on the beach (if you don't want to travel with your own). Bali's summertime swells are among the world's largest and most challenging. But Bali's biggest problem for the new traveler is the obnoxious world of tourism itself. The island is heavily infested with bargain bulk hotel travel and tourists more concerned with suntans and souvenirs than with Indonesia or the soul of the waves. So we went further out to Lombok. Many travelers, surfers and non-surfers alike, believe Lombok to be as unspoiled as Bali was 30 years ago. But where Bali is green, verdant and predominantly Hindu, Lombok is dry, rugged and Muslim (like most of Indonesia). You can reach Lombok by ferry-slow or fast version-from Bali. The slow boat takes 3.5 hours, the fast takes less than two hours. For the best surfing head to Kuta Lombok (very different from Kuta Bali) on the southern coast. Once there, we recommend staying at the Segare Anak Bungalows which costs US$1.50 (at Indonesian cur- Lombok Surf Shops rency crisis exchange) a night for two. Everything else you might need is within that price range. You don't do much planning in Lombok-yOU wake up with the sun whether you like it or not. And you don't have to wander far to find a young Lombokian (who is probably looking for you) who can As far as we know, there are currently no international-level surf shops in Lombok. But growing fast is Blue Surf, man aged by Jaenah (pronounced "Gin "). The shop has' four rental boards (which we wouldn't suggest renting) and some bodyboards. Jaenah is very helpful in coordinating transport to the reefs. Ask for him. arrange for a fisherman to take you the 30 minutes from Segare Anak to Are Goling or Gurupuk, the two reef breaks. There are no beach breaks in south Lombok. Our 8'2" board (see review on page 62) was a little too big for the Indonesian winter waves. We suggest taking a shorter board for a greater variety of wave conditions (but of course this depends on per sonal preference). One thing we wished we had been forewarned about: �� li�� ��dl [Id�, We learned very quick ly that this is very important. Reef cuts in our feet became infected, preventing one of us from walking for two full days. Other maladies encountered: ear infections and food poisoning. Some fellow travelers fell ter ribly ill-we feared they may have caught cerebral malaria, which is prevalent in the region and very debil itating. So before you go, get the complete first aid kit that every surf traveler needs. Must include: topical antibiotics, band aids and bandages, oral antibiotics which you can get from an American or Balinese doc tor (recommended: Amoxillan), Tylenol (regular and with codeine, for emergencies), lots of Alka Seltzer, Pepto Bismol, medical tape, rubbing alcohol (available locally by its Indonesian name, Rivanol). Larium, a drug commonly taken to "discourage" malaria, is not 100 percent effective and has side effects that may make you sick. So investigate Larium with your doctor before deciding whether or not to take it. Bringing Your Board When you travel with a surfboard, many airlines charge a surfboard fee. Here's a sampling: Garuda: Free United: S50/board American: S75/board British Airways: Free