Bandidos Bali Bike Week

This was going to be one exciting week as we were going over to Bali Indonesia for the Bali Bike Week which is organized by our Indonesian Brothers and also two days before the Bike Week there was going to be the Patch Over Party and celebrations for our Indonesian Brothers who were moving up from Probationary to be proud full members in our Red & Gold Nation.



I flew in to Bali with my family on the 27th April 2011, we had departed from Phuket Thailand and the return flights for 3 adults was only total 500Euros. Anybody coming over to Phuket Bike Week next year might be interested to come the following week after to Bali Bike Week as it is very cheap to fly around Asia if you use the budget airlines and book in advance. Anyone interested can contact me directly for further details.

We arrived after the 2 hour 40 min flight in a very hot Denpasar and we'd hardly got outside the main terminal before I could hear my name being called and saw brothers arriving from Europe. It was a short reunion time for meeting brothers from Europe as our Indonesian brothers were waiting with a row of vehicles to transport us to our hotel. Driving from the airport you could see how the flight runway was built out into the ocean. As we had been getting ready to land it did look like the pilot would be ditching us rather than landing but it was only the unusual runway configuration. The scenery was very tropical and didn't seem so much unlike Thailand. And also very much like Thailand they drove or rode like complete maniacs and I'd have to adjust myself for riding in their traffic which was very heavy around the main tourist areas of Bali. Small bikes were abundant which is common for Asia but I kept seeing small mopeds with strange metal frames on the side and it was only actually later that I found out they were to transport surfboards around. Bali is one of the worlds favorite Surf areas and many Australians were there purely to surf. Bali was very much the tropical Island paradise for especially Australians as Koh Phuket and Koh Samui are to us Europeans. Walking around is was funny to hear the street vendors offering their goods in Aussie slang. This Island was definitely a big Aussie playground.

We arrived at our hotel which was on the outskirts between Kuta and Legian Beach. I'd chosen a big family room as my son was with us and the prices were very reasonable and like Thailand the local people were absolutely friendly and helpful. We grabbed a quick shower to freshen up after our early morning flight and I asked our hotel to organize a small bike so we could travel around a bit. The bike arrived and although it had seen better days it was running and at least the brakes worked. The three of us jumped on and headed first down to Kuta beach which was one of the most popular beach areas in Bali. Riding in the heavy traffic was not so bad especially as I'd had practice enough in Thailand riding with the bike but I had misjudged how big the area was and I think we spent more time lost riding around rather than actually getting to where we wanted to go. But it was still very interesting seeing all the different cultures in Bali and to see what they were selling comparing it to where we lived in South Thailand. My son found it even more amusing that his dad could get so lost and I was trying hard not to show that I was getting frustrated with my orientation. But we were on holiday and in great spirits, riding down one small street leading to the beach I heard my name again and at one Hotel entrance I could see nearly all of our Sin City Brothers. I've always had a special relationship with our Sin City Brothers as they started in our Nation a short while before I did in Thailand. It was again a short time for reunion and big hugs all around before we finally made it down to the beach. The beach was a huge expanse of beautiful white sand and it was sweltering hot. All along the beach vendors were offering various foods, fruits and sun-beds with large parasol umbrellas against the strong sun. I thought I'd been quite toughened up from the Thai tropical sun but I could feel the sun's heat searing at my skin. We would have to be careful here not to get too burnt. Although Thailand and Bali were very similar, the ocean here was a real surf paradise and the large waves not far out were certainly not to be fooled with and swimming or surfing was only allowed in certain areas between colored flags where there were life savers ready to take action if someone got into difficulties. After spending a short time in the water you could easily see how some tourists would underestimate the strength of the water and especially the undercurrent.



Then back on the bike and we set off to find my brothers from the Bandung Indonesia Chapter. We found their hotel more by luck than good judgement and it was so good to see the brothers from Bandung again. I had been over their with my family a few months ago as they were still probationary and we had flown in to Jakarta and Brother Oksent had driven the three hours up to Jakarta and picked us up. Here again a special thanks to Brother Oksent and Jimmy and to their lovely wife's for such wonderful brotherhood and hospitality. We spent a few hours with them before taking our bike back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

The next morning I needed no alarm clock as I had promised my son some surf lessons and at the first light of dawn he was awake excited about the day. So it was back to the beach first, getting lost in the traffic was all part and parcel of that and we eventually spent a couple of great hours sun bathing and watching my 8 year old son surf. He had a fantastic time taking to it like a fish to water and hardly wanted to leave later as we needed to grab a quick shower back at the hotel before we made our way to the first main event of the week which was the big Patch Over Party for our Indonesian Brothers. This time we took a taxi and soon arrived at a beautiful Restaurant in the middle of Kuta Beach where our Indonesian Brothers had set up for the Patch Over Party. The area was packed with Red & Gold and I spent hours walking round meeting old friends and being introduced to new ones. There were many Brothers from Australia and Europe including most of the Nationals and many members. It was a very proud day for the Indonesian Brothers and many members from all over the world had made a big effort to fly to Bali and be part of the proud patch over. The restaurant was right on the main beach road overlooking the huge white sands of Kuta Beach and our brothers had laid on an impressive buffet and drinks with some beautiful traditional Bali Belly Dancers to keep us amused. A couple of hours into the evening we moved closer inside the restaurant to start the actual patch over proceedings. Now this was certainly a special day and we had our European Presidente and Australian Presidente together with our Asia's Vice Presidente to hand over the full colors to the brothers. Indonesia has 4 Chapters Jakarta, Jakarta East, Bandung and Bali all of which had started in our great nation together and today was their proud day to receive their full patch. It was indeed a day to celebrate and with so many brothers receiving their full patch from Europe, Australia's and Asia's highest officers. So as you can expect tonight was a long night with good food and great company and before we knew it the early morning sun was starting to show and time for us to get a little rest.



A little rest was about all I was going to get as my son had got the surf bug and was continually waking me up to go back to the beach. But this was a holiday for him too and he'd made me very proud the night before with his behavior at the party so it was back to some big waves for a while with me sitting under a large sun umbrella and a large bottle of cold water and my hang over.

That evening we popped back into Kuta Beach and it seemed as if the party was still full on, many brothers had come back that evening too and it looked as if some hadn't even left yet.

Saturday was the start of the Bandidos Bali Bike Week, the event was being held at the far end of Kuta Beach in an area called Double 6. This was a pretty classy area of good hotels and restaurants right on the beach with a large party area that had the Double 6 name. There was a main walkway which followed the beach line and biker stands were packed left and right with interesting biker goodies. The walkway then split into a large open space with a stage and an enclosed area with a very high Bungy Jump and a bar. The whole area was packed with our brothers from all over Europe, Australia and Asia and there were also all the Indonesian Red & Gold support clubs and it didn't matter where you looked you just saw ONE NATION and ONE BROTHERHOOD.

We walked through the biker stalls and I could hear the sound of humming and it wasn't until we moved inside the area near the bungy jump that we realized there was a huge tattoo competition going on. It had started a few hours before and most of the artists were nearing the end of their work. I was impressed at how many tattoo artists were actually in Bali and had come to compete in the event and even more impressive was the class of tattoo work. Without a doubt there was some damn fine tattooing going on that day and the judges would have a hard time to pick a final winner from such excellent work.

As the sun started setting we all moved over to the stage area where now the judges would start voting on the tattoo competition work. There were quite a few prizes for different styles and although not everyone could go home with a trophy it was a big hats off for respect for the class of work.

After the tattoo competition every one moved back from the stage area leaving space for a traditional Indonesian Dance called “Kacak”. A large group of male Indonesians in traditional wear had built a small but quite fierce fire in the middle of the show area and were dancing around it and chanting and putting one of the men into a trance. I was first a little sceptic of what was actually show or a real trance but when he started walking barefooted through the glowing fire coals it did seem very real. Then it seemed as if the trance really took hold and the dancer threw himself full into the fire setting himself very much a light. Then the rest of his group jumped up and had to actually pull him out of the embers and put him out. The whole time the guy was in this trance and screaming some sort of Indonesian words and his friends had to physically restrain him till he came back round. What at first seemed quite tame turned into a very intense show.

As that part of the show finished all the the Brothers rode their Harley's up on to the stage around and parked them down before our cheering crowd. It was a fantastic and moving show and congratulations to the Indonesian Brothers for such an awesome show and Bike Week. If this is what you brothers can organize for your second Bike Week I'm definitely coming back next year.

Congratulations again to Chapters Jakarta, Jarkarta East, Bandung and Bali first on your well deserved full patch and then on a fantastic and very well organized Bike Show. We are all very proud to have you in our Great Nation.

Love, Loyalty & Respect
Bandido Crispin 1%er
President
Prospect Chapter Phuket Thailand BMC
BFFB