A Life List Of Adventure

There’s a first time for everything. But some firsts matter more: experiences that are life-altering, that change perspective, build confidence and teach you about all you can do and all you can be.

IT’S NOT CLEAR WHERE THE TERM ‘BUCKET list’ was first used but it’s entirely possible that it was in the 2007 Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson film of the same name. Certainly the idea caught the imagination: a line-up of experiences to tick off before your ticker gives out, before you ‘kick the bucket’.

It’s unnecessarily morbid though. Far more affirming to think of a life list – a collection of moments so impactful that they helped shape the person you are, and can help shape the person you want to be.

Their nature varies widely. Some are drawn-out physical ordeals; others sedentary by comparison but with the kicker of an intense mental challenge; a few offer visceral, life-enriching thrills for little effort at all.

SURFING ULUWATU

The cult 1971 movie, Morning of the Earth, was a soulful exploration of the life of peripatetic surfers. Bali’s waves were already attracting attention at the time, but the film debuted a new spot guarded by cliffs surmounted by an important temple: Uluwatu. Its fame was assured and today even non-surfers pick their way down the steps and through a cave to watch the action from the narrow beach.

American surfer and adventure photographer Tommy Schultz has made Bali home: “From the first time I paddled out of that craggy cave and into the lineup, Uluwatu has come to define my ocean experiences in Bali. Learning the contours of the reef, the way the phases of the moon, swell, and tides can shape the waves: the learning curve here is as steep as the takeoff on the main peak – hang on tight and hope for the best! Framed by that iconic temple on the cliff, the place is rich with local culture as well as with tales of epic surf sessions from years gone by.”