Surfing in Bali - next adventure?

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

I love Bali.

And I miss Bali.

I miss Bali so much that last night I started to look at the pictures I took during my Bali travel over the years, including Bali Marathon 2015 (click here for my Bali Marathon 2015 race report).

Then my eyes gazed and paused at the photos I took during the Bali trip in 2010.

I couldn't get my eyes off the colorful surfboards, the clear blue sky and the white sandy beach of Bali, notably the long stretch of Kuta, Seminyak and Legian.

All the memories started to flashback!!

Wow! Such an awesome trip, connecting to the sun, sea, and sand of Bali. 😊


I really miss Bali!

In the year 2010 when these photos were taken, I was crazy about photography. I was learning from a photographer friend on how to take beautiful shots. I used a basic Nikon D 5100 as part of my learning. At the time, smartphones were not as popular as today and the photo shooting capabilities and features of smartphones were not as advanced as today yet. Therefore, having a solid reputable camera was necessary.

Where else better to learn photography then to be in Bali? :)

The culture. The people. The sun. The sea. The sand. The mountain. The padi fields. The nature.

I remember one of the most intriqued and unforgettable moments during my 2010 Bali trip was seeing the surfing activities in Kuta, Seminyak and Legian. It was such an eye opening experience!

Even though I knew how to swim then, I wasn't an active person in sport, except fitness activities in the gym. And I wasn't into running yet at that time. Not to mention cycling which I picked up only last year (2016).

As much as I wanted to learn up surfing at that time, my reserved nature pulled me back. I thought surfing was dangerous. I thought I might injure myself. I thought I might be washed away by the strong waves of the mysterious Pacific Ocean.

I was holding back so much from letting my inner child come out to play.

I didn't let my childlike wonder and enthusiasm become alive.

I was an observer rather than a participant.

End result? I missed out a lot of fun!! Because I didn't "play" so much.

Running has taught me so much about life. 

As Oprah Winfrey said, "Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."

As I looked at the photos I took in Bali, I have also been doing some some reflection about myself.

I told myself that I want to turn from an observer to a participant to experience life, to live life more! Basically, I want to learn how to play "harder" in life!! lol!

It sounds simple, right? Go out and play! :)

Surfing in Bali - from the eyes of an observer

Below are some of the surfing photos I took with my Nikon D 5100 in 2010. 

No, I wasn't surfing. I was a photographer and an observer. :)

I really love these photos because of the clear blue sky, the beautiful and colorful surf boards, and the laid-back nature.

The Bali photos help to put a smile on my face. The Bali photos help to relax me. The Bali photos help me to think of the next holiday...... hahaha!

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali, Indonesia (captured with Nikon D 5100)

Surfing in Bali - next adventure?

Ok, after rewinding back to 2010, let's come back to today - 7 years later.

At this point in my life, I would say my perception of life has shifted tremendously. I really appreciate life much more now. My eagerness to learn new things, see new world, try new activites that life has to offer has never been stronger.

Surfing - it's also an attractive sport to me all these years!

I have tried body surfing in Phuket once but ended up with scratches over my chest from the body surfboard!! haha!

I have always wanted to try surfing one day in Bali, but many excuses have stopped me from experiencing it.

With the new lease of life I an embracing, I look forward to the day I become a participant and experience surfing like the awesome GoPro surfing video below instead of just being an observer in life.

I hope you are encouraged too to go out to do what you have always wanted to do in life!

Life's a beach indeed in Bali! :)

Written by Vincent Khor on 26 April, 2017.