Bali Anti-climax

Kuta Beach in Bali is a popular surfing beach for australian tourists and Indonesian locals alike © Soren Egeberg // Zeamonkey Images

Finally arrived in Bali after a week on the road. When you mention the name Bali, most people who has never been here, will think of a beach paradise with white sandy beaches to soak up the sun. If you expect this, look elsewhere. Apart from a few spots in the south, Bali beaches mostly consists of black pepple stone and coarse sand.  I’m not here to lie on the beach, but to dip below the waves in scuba gear carrying full DLSR gear protected by a waterproof aluminum housing with strobes attached.

The highlight of this trip was to visit Komodo Island and shoot some of the most interesting marinelife this planet has to offer, BUT thanks to our lovely online service Paypal, this is not gonna happen. Paypal decided at this critical moment to place my account under review because of my payment for this trip 994 Euro. Unable to provide all their required paperwork from my current location in Indonesia my payment cannot be completed and I’m forced to cancel my trip of a lifetime. Thanks Paypal, I’ll never require your services ever again!

Barnaby Caddick ready for take off with his paraglider on the hills above Candidasa, Bali Indonesia. © Soren Egeberg/Zeamonkey Images 

The day however opened my eyes to a new sport I’ve never tried before: Paragliding. A good friend of mine is currently in Bali and he invited me to come along to shoot with him and some friends for the day, in the foothills above the coastal town of Candidasa. It was awesome, and I’ve decided to take up paragliding starting with an 8 day course (replacing my long awaited Komodo-trip)to get my own license to fly and explore the photo opportunities in this area. I guess things happen for a reason…

Now I’ve landed safely in my usual hideaway the small village Jemeluk near Amed in the northeast of Bali. Some good friends live hear and it was great catching up – the next week will be spent underwater looking for seahorses and other small creatures. Time to dive!

A pair of colorful Harlequin Shrimp feeding on a sea star underwater in Bali, Indonesia. © Soren Egeberg/Zeamonkey Images