Hold harmless

In the past, I never read the fine print. I assumed it only said things I didn't actually want to know. As it turns out, I was completely right. I definitely should have stuck with the "ignorance is bliss" approach. Yesterday, I decided to peruse the contract for the Surf Goddess Retreat before I printed it out to sign it. Bad idea. Here's what it said:

"I expressly agree and promise to accept and assume all of the risks existing in the sport of surfing, including, but not limited to ... being hit by the board (sure, fine); cuts, bruises, abrasions (no fun, but fine); hitting the bottom of the ocean (also fine), exhaustion, dehydration, sunburn (expected); exposure to carnivorous sea creatures..."

C-A-R-N-I-V-O-R-O-U-S S-E-A C-R-E-A-T-U-R-E-S. Yep, sharks. Now all I can think about is that Australian guy presenting Shark Week on the Discovery Channel and explaining how surfers look exactly like sea turtles to sharks, with their legs and arms flapping off the sides of their boards. Fantastic.

Ah, well, luckily Bali is not famous for their sharks. I mean, they're not advertised in any of the tourism literature. So there must not be any there ... right?