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Bali has a very strong energy one way or another. Even the staunchest disbelievers in all things ethereal seem to have a different outlook once they’ve spent some time in the place. Things seem to grow and change exponentially here, including people. One expat Bali has worked its magic on is Big Jim, who has turned his life around in a big way after moving here to retire to the big waves of the Bukit eighteen years ago.
“I just go in the morning, I don’t even look, I just go. To me surfing is a lifestyle more than a sport.”
A large portion of Jim’s time in Indonesia has been spent being a single father to his now twenty one year old daughter AJ, who is studying Biomedical Science and is about to get married back in Australia. But before Big Jim was a devoted father retired in Bali, he was a highly feared man amongst the milieu of Sydney’s heaviest criminals.
As the result of a difficult upbringing Jim found himself in and out of jail from a young age and by his own admission, Jim could easily have spent decades in prison instead of being able to surf everyday. He was actually taken into custody overseas. Apparently there was some confusion about the relationship between Big Jim and the importation of an illegal substance.
But Big Jim was able to turn things around by channeling his energy into running a successful tree lopping company in Sydney for many years before selling the business in order to move to Bali to surf better waves.
“I have been very lucky in life,” he says with obvious understatement.
“People would actually ring to get me to come and speak to them about how to run a successful business.”
Perhaps, understandably, he doesn’t like to talk too much about a lot of his past, although I can tell he feels no small amount of satisfaction in being able to give his daughter a whole different experience of life.
“When I had my daughter everything had to change. I couldn’t afford to get into trouble and have her left without me.”
The best way I could think of to describe the Jim of old is a combination of a big hard man that has done a lot of jail AND is a fourth (now fifth) dan Goju Ryu Karate black belt who fought with international martial arts competitors AND, last and most perhaps most significantly, a straight up sociopath who would look right through you with his piercing, clear-blue eyes. A man you knew instantly not to fuck with and as a result couldn’t quite fully relax around.
I’ve noticed that even now some people are still too intimidated by who Jim used to be back to see that he has become a very different person later in life. For sure he doesn’t like being taken for granted but he is calm, polite, courteous and considerate of other people. He is true to his word even if it doesn’t suit him, and he’s a loyal friend. On surfing he says
“I go even when it’s real big. On the giant days there’s not too many paddling out behind me.”
When we talk about a street fight that took place in Seminyak not too long ago he says bluntly,
“I like a fight to be over in twelve seconds, if it goes any longer I’m doing something wrong. But I just don’t fight anymore. Sometimes I’d like to say something but I don’t.”
It’s clear that the passage of time, parenting and the slow pace and subtle nature of Bali have had a huge effect on him. It’s easy to relax around him because he is so relaxed himself. He supports an Indonesian family and also runs a free martial arts class for kids twice a week as a way to give to the community.
After almost two decades here Big Jim is the same guy, but also different. Just like the t-shirts here that say ‘Same Same but Different’. It’s hard to argue that the strong Balinese energy hasn’t had a very positive impact Big Jim, who is now sixty seven and has no intention of returning to the hustle and bustle of Sydney, other than for quick visits.
“We’ve gotta go back sometimes just to remind us of how good we have it here,” he offers sagely.
