Wednesday, January 25, 2012
I want to go to Indo
One of my dreams has been to get barreled for more than two seconds plus a closeout on the head. I never thought I would be able to realize that dream until now. SurfAid and Quiksilver have partnered on a fundraising contest, called Get on Board, that will take the top fundraiser for SurfAid to Indo to see SurfAid's good work in action and surf some amazing barreling waves.
I've been a SurfAid supporter for years now, even before the 2004 earthquake/Tsunami that devastated the villages of Western Indonesia. Now I'm more motivated than ever to help out this amazing organization.
I've pledged to match the top donation that SurfAid receives through my fundraising web page, http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=179815.
If you stumble across this blog and wonder what you can do to help a fellow surfer realize his dream, then please donate to SurfAid via my fundraising page and everybody wins (you get a tax deduction, I get a shot at being barreled, and Indonesian villagers get help from SurfAid).
thanks for reading,
Steve
I've been a SurfAid supporter for years now, even before the 2004 earthquake/Tsunami that devastated the villages of Western Indonesia. Now I'm more motivated than ever to help out this amazing organization.
I've pledged to match the top donation that SurfAid receives through my fundraising web page, http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=179815.
If you stumble across this blog and wonder what you can do to help a fellow surfer realize his dream, then please donate to SurfAid via my fundraising page and everybody wins (you get a tax deduction, I get a shot at being barreled, and Indonesian villagers get help from SurfAid).
thanks for reading,
Steve
Labels: Indo, Mentawai, Quiksilver, surf trip, SurfAid, surfboard, surfing
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Make sure you read the disclaimers on your travel insurance
It's been a while, but I decided to finish my magnum opus travel story quickly so that I can get back to blogging about current events. So, here is a summary of the last few days of the trip:
1) Storm blows in from the Pacific and brings lots of rain, washing out roads and making travel to surf spots hard. The surf is wind-blown and not good.
2) Mosquitoes attack many of the other surf travelers, but I survive mostly unscathed.
3) Stomach flu hits two of the other travelers, but not the guys I am traveling with.
4) AeroMexico, already under the cloud of chapter 11, announces that it is ceasing all flights as of noon on the Saturday that we are scheduled to return to the USA. Our flight from Hualtulco to Mexico City is scheduled to leave at 10:30 a.m., and we walk across the tarmac like we are in a scene from the fall of Saigon, a ragtag line of refugees trying to find safety in a distant land. As the plane lands in Mexico City, the captain makes an extended speech (in Spanish, of course) and the entire plane erupts with clapping when he finishes. it is surreal as we look out of our window at the rows of AeroMexico planes parked on the tarmac. The entire fleet has returned to Mexico City to be counted and we are the last of the planes to taxi to the gate.
5) Our excellent surf travel agent (Henry at Wavehunters), managed to find new flights for the three of us from Mexico City back to the USA. Nick and I had to wait a few hours for our departure, but Bob caught an immediate flight to LA and then a connection to San Jose. He arrived about 4 hours before we finally got to SFO.
6) My travel insurance did NOT cover bankruptcy of the airline, much to my dismay. I wish I had used TravelGuard. They took care of me when I had gear stolen in Nicaragua on my last international surf trip. Lesson learned.
1) Storm blows in from the Pacific and brings lots of rain, washing out roads and making travel to surf spots hard. The surf is wind-blown and not good.
2) Mosquitoes attack many of the other surf travelers, but I survive mostly unscathed.
3) Stomach flu hits two of the other travelers, but not the guys I am traveling with.
4) AeroMexico, already under the cloud of chapter 11, announces that it is ceasing all flights as of noon on the Saturday that we are scheduled to return to the USA. Our flight from Hualtulco to Mexico City is scheduled to leave at 10:30 a.m., and we walk across the tarmac like we are in a scene from the fall of Saigon, a ragtag line of refugees trying to find safety in a distant land. As the plane lands in Mexico City, the captain makes an extended speech (in Spanish, of course) and the entire plane erupts with clapping when he finishes. it is surreal as we look out of our window at the rows of AeroMexico planes parked on the tarmac. The entire fleet has returned to Mexico City to be counted and we are the last of the planes to taxi to the gate.
5) Our excellent surf travel agent (Henry at Wavehunters), managed to find new flights for the three of us from Mexico City back to the USA. Nick and I had to wait a few hours for our departure, but Bob caught an immediate flight to LA and then a connection to San Jose. He arrived about 4 hours before we finally got to SFO.
6) My travel insurance did NOT cover bankruptcy of the airline, much to my dismay. I wish I had used TravelGuard. They took care of me when I had gear stolen in Nicaragua on my last international surf trip. Lesson learned.
Labels: Mexico, Oaxaca, surf trip
