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Ricardo y Ricardo

Our misguided wisdom allowed us to think that flying to Panama on Christmas day, Heathrow airport would be quiet, as nobody would want to travel then. How wrong we were as when we arrived at the airport the KLM check in area was totally ram jammed full with a throng of people. However, it started going wrong before that. The hotel near Heathrow we stayed at gives free transfers to the airport when you stay there, but I forgot to tell reception we had surfboards. So we arrived in the hotel car park at 6.00 am Christmas day armed with an oversized bag of boards only to be informed that there was not enough room in the mini bus. Therefore, we had to wait for a taxi, making us on the last minute for our flight.

KLM had decided to implement a new check in system, which blatantly was not working so after combining queuing with a bit of defensive pushing we managed to get to the check in counter. The guy, that was checking us in was to be honest in the slow boat and decided to tell us we could not check in our boards in. Eventually we managed to check in the boards and all of the luggage. After more queuing to pay for our boards and waiting for the slow boat guy again, we just about made our flight.

When we got on the flight and settled into our seats a thickly accented voice came from behind us, "Hey, you are the guys who had the surfboards at the airport." He then went on to introduce himself as Ricardo and explained he was a surfer from Panama City. We chatted on the flight about how he had ended up living in England for a year and he gave us the low down on a whole heap of Panama's lesser-known surf spots. Once outside Panama City airport he and his father (Ricardo Senior, who was picking him up) invited us to their house for a Christmas Day party and gave us with there address. At first, we were keen to go but after the jet lag kicked in and the reality, that going to a party in a strange country where you do not know anybody or anything about the place is not possibly the best idea. Therefore, we opted to relax at the backpackers and prepare for the three weeks of adventure ahead.

During our time in Panama, we found the country to have an array of fantastic waves, an amazing culture and history; it was safe and beautiful with amazing wildlife and most of all the people to be very friendly. Disappointed to be leaving we left everything to the last minute and almost missed our flight again.

Entering Panama City, we soon realised that our map was rubbish to say the least and there was a distinct lack of road signage. We eventually found ourselves on a toll road going the wrong way so after paying the toll fee and getting some directions we were able to wave to the same toll women fifteen minutes later coming the other way still not knowing which way to go. Eventually we overcame the lack of orientation, negotiated the traffic jams whilst avoiding the gaudy former US school buses seemingly hell bent on destruction, to thankfully arrived in time and one piece at the airport. Not last to check in, but almost.

Joined to Colombia by the Darien Gap Panama has become a gateway for smuggling cocaine out of South America, so the airport has an army sniffer dogs and soldiers. Queuing up we obviously looked bedraggled from arriving late and unwashed after a six-hour drive from down the coast. Therefore, the dog handlers decided we warranted not just one inspection by the sniffer dogs but several. They came by so many times, that in my stressed out state I became paranoid they were going to find something we did not even have.

Glancing over my should expecting to see another sniffer dog smelling my sullied feet, instead there was the big friendly face of Ricardo Senior who by coincidence was on the same flight heading to Europe on business. Ricardo Junior was there also. By now we were very comfortable in Panama and regretting not visiting the Ricardo's' for Christmas or finding the time to go surfing with Ricardo Jnr. However, we shared our regret with them and swapped details for the future.

Then on the flight, we began to regret our mistake further as we ended up sat next to Ricardo Senior who entertained us all the way through the flight with his flamboyant Latin character. He chatted up the airline hostess and told us tales from his amazing life. It turns out he had been an airline lawyer then started Air Panama before selling it to become a politician and ambassador to the US. Apparently, he is very famous in Panama and a personnel friend of the president. He regaled one story of how he got so drunk on a flight to the US that when he arrived he accidently insulted a senior senator and had given himself alcohol poisoning. At the end of our flight, he gave us his business card and told us to stay in touch.

If everything had gone to plan before on the way to our flights and we had been on time, then we would never have met the two Ricardo's by such amazing coincidence.

17 Days Later

It is already over two weeks since I returned from the serenity of the tropics to my frost bitten home of Cornwall and finally I am getting back into the swing of the things. Although not quite as bad as the apocalyptic scenes of 28 days later, recently I do feel a bit like a zombie as I am going through the daily grind of the 9 to 5.

This morning I felt I was finally home as whilst walking the dog on Crantock beach the sun was shining through a clear blue sky, showing what a great place Cornwall is, and there was some reasonable surf. Even though I gave it a miss today due to the strengthening cross-shore wind, the banks looked good so definitely some good waves to look forward to when the right conditions transpire.

I also opted for some retail therapy of the practical kind this week by buying myself a new winter wetsuit as my dilapidated one from last winter was not doing much for my surfing enthusiasm during the cold snap we had and to go one better than that I decided to order a new board next week! In terms of getting around to doing things I have been more confused and disorganised than usual. A problem only compounded by my ambition to do more than I can, which has stacked up due to my holiday. I finally got around to finishing something this week and it is now on drift at http://www.driftsurfing.eu/index.php/archives/4047. Hopefully I'll finish the kitchen I just plastered next week.

Arriving Home To a New Year

We arrived back in old Blighty from the Philippines on Wednesday night just before the next dumping of snow came down. So luckily, the drive back to Kernow was fine. Now I am home I am dreaming I am one those people who spends all winter away. I wish could have stayed in Baler until the end of March, which is when the surf season there ends and things start to defrost a bit here. After a week on the west coast of Luzon where the waves supposedly get good but we found them average, the surf town of San Juan was nothing special and the seedy side of travel, sex tourists can be seen here due to the proximity to the red light district of Poro Point.

Baler is something else all together though. Four hours from the nearest town, you arrive in Baler after an arduous trip through the Sierra Madre Mountains that sandwich Baler between the Pacific Ocean. The mountains covered in lush jungle and rainforest still today is a hide out for the Communist rebels of the NPA. The land around Baler is a series of waterways, rice paddies, jungle and coconut groves where the people live a simple life. Sat in a wide bay, which stretches so far you cannot even see the end on days of low cloud. Throughout the bay, there is a fine selection of waves but many of which take some determination to get too. Some working under different conditions there are slabbing reefs, a barrelling yet remote left point and some point like peeling rivermouth waves. Whilst we were there we had two head high swells where we had the opportunity to surf some of the reefs where you find you way out to the reef through a series of mangroves. When the reefs and river mouth were not working there always seemed like there was something small to catch at the beach on a longboard, except the locals all have tiny yellow beaten up old shortboards, which they manage to launch through a series of big turns and airs on the sloppiest of waves. It seems to me the Philippines are not as fickle as people say there was a big swell in Baler a few days before we arrived, two while we were there, another big swell this weekend and one next week. You just need to know where to be, at what time of year and find the waves for yourself. It is not like other places with a surf camp out front or a queue of locals waiting to take you to the waves.

Talking of the locals, I was a bit concerned about security issues in the Philippines as they have a reputation for crime but the Philippines is as safe as anywhere, once you have left Manila. The local people everywhere we went were kind, welcoming and friendly which is the embodiment of the Filipino spirit, Mabuhay. This is a lot like the Aloha Spirit of Hawaii and we made many friends. The Filipino people's generosity and the beauty of their country overwhelmed us.

Now I am home I have an article to write for Huck about Baler. Another environmental surfboard article for Drift as well a couple of other things I have in mind for them. There is also a Paipo Glide story in the pipeline and I am just awaiting the photos. I am also looking into doing an article about the strange weather patterns of the last two years. In addition, I hope to have time finish my journalism course and write about more non-surfing topics.

Alan Partridge

We spent the night in Heathrow the night before our flight and I found on the internet what looked like a swanky hotel for a cheap price. On the way up to London I imaged myself living it up like Bunker Spreckles and his rock n' roll lifestyle but when we arrived it wasn't such a great hotel and I felt more like Alan Partridge.

Surfing Baler, Philippines

We have been hanging out at the Little Girls Surfers Lodge in Baler for a week now. We have had some fun little waves on the beach and even a few barrels on the reef at the end of the bay. We are planning though to do an outer island trip, where there should be more swell and a great left point. Been spending a lot of time working on a story about the local surf scene here for Huck Magazine and have met some great people. The swell is going to pick up in a couple of days and should be pretty epic.

The proprietor of the Little Girls Surfers Lodge is Donnie, an expat American surfer who has moved out here to escape the crowds and commercialism of California. Naming his lodge after his cute Little girls, this really is a great place to stay and Donnie can hook you up with the info to get good waves. If you head this way check him out on Sabang Beach, just after the Bays Inn.

Travelling Through Time and Space

At times travelling can feel like moving though space and time which in reality you are when crossing multiple time zones. Travelling at night can be particularly surreal to the senses as well.

We travelled four hours by van to Heathrow, twenty hours by plane to Manila, then one hour local flight to the coast and finally arrived in our first destination of Pagudpud, where we found it to be flat, Do!

The area we explored was remote, secluded and beautiful. It had great potential for surf but only during typhoons in the summer. So we headed south and found an amazing point setup but far too windy. Eventually we ended up at the winter surf capital of San Juan and scored some fun beach and point waves. Unusual weather patterns has left the normally consistent west coast of Luzon, with a distinct lack of waves.

So we have headed over to Baler where Apocalypse Now was filmed. The surf here is a mixture of fun beaches and heavy, hollow reef breaks. The surf is starting to look good and the story we are looking for is coming together.

The people of the Philippines are the most friendly we have ever encountered and really laid back. It is really amazing scenery and Baler is a tropical paradise. Its a lot like Hawaii but with out the development.

More stories to come...

Over the last ten years, I have travelled to the Basque region of France many times and have dreamed of one day living there. I have written an article that is a culmination of the experience and joy I have had in this special place. Indian Summers can be read in the current issue number 10 of Corduroy Lines available online at http://www.corduroylines.com/.