Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
We're a week out from boarding a plane to Indonesia and I've come to realise that travelling with my entire family is going to be incredible, but also quite different to travelling for work. Normally, I just have myself to worry about and the only pressure is to make sure I nail the photography or filming assignment. That alone is enough pressure for me usually.
My impending trip to Indonesia is a little different. There are four extra people to be concerned about and most of them are completely terrible at some of the basics.
Take for example my eldest daughter, Taya, who is now legally an adult, and right now still does not have a passport in her hands. Or my son Keo who "forgets" to apply sunscreen in the middle of a sunny summer's day and then surfs for four hours, because "the surf just kept getting better". Even after those two days of sunstroke and whole body shakes from the sunburn exposure, the whole ordeal is completely forgotten within a few weeks.
How's he going to handle tropical sun? Sunburn, as it happens, is the number one reason people get crook and miss days of waves in Indo.
I'm also an optimist and only think about all the amazing things we have to look forward to. Turns out my wife is quite fascinated by all the bad things that might happen in Indo: burglary, malaria, scammers, volcanoes, earthquakes, fresh lettuce, ice cubes and stray dogs and monkeys with rabies ... actually her list was a lot longer.
The kids are just focused on 27.7°C water temperatures and learning the starfish technique to avoid hitting the reef. They have no real idea of the experience they have in store for them ... this is going to be fun.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Jess Langtry learnt to surf a few years ago over on Vancouver Island in Canada and now she runs a coffee cart called Local Drifter right here in Dunedin. She makes delicious coffee, scones and even edible cups for those of us who cringe to discard a takeaway cup. You can find her at events around the beaches and during the week she sets up camp at the Ocean Beach Hotel carpark down by the St Kilda roundabout. Check it out ...
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: