Skating the Phillipines: James Astle

Skate, Sleep, Repeat

Alumnus James Astle creates new documentary out of 400-mile skateboard trek across the Philippines

BY NOAH SHOAF

On a wooden board with four wheels and a camera in hand, James Astle, a special instructor for the Willes Center, rolled through the Philippines. Astle had no camera crew or partner along for the ride, but he said he found support from the Filipino people. Astle turned his 400-mile, 12-day journey across Northern Luzon into “Rolling Moments,” a documentary available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Astle said the message of the film is simple. “If you’ve ever had an idea, go out and do it now. Because the world is waiting for you, but who knows how much longer that moment will wait for you.”

“Rolling Moments” begins with a voiceover layered with uplifting melodies and aerial shots of rice fields. Astle said, “Ever since I was young, I loved an adventure. I loved the idea of getting lost somewhere in a faraway land and not knowing what would happen next.”

From biking across Los Angeles without a phone to walking from Laie to Honolulu in a day, Astle said those adventures pushed him to make “Rolling Moments.”

Crazy idea

“I had the idea to skate across the Northern Philippines. Kind of sporadic, but it came to me one day, I’ve got to do this. It would be a challenge. And I thought, why not find a way to share this experience with others?”

Astle said he thought a documentary would provide viewers with inspiration and guidance to do something they have always wanted to do..

“It’s not as hard as it seems to get out in the world and do a trip of your own, whether it is on a bike, a unicycle, rollerblades or even just regular traveling. I am hoping people will see these kinds of adventures are possible, not as far-fetched as it may seem.”

According to Astle’s former classmate and alumnus Ben Joseph Howells, Astle is a creative genius. “I have made a career working and collaborating with creatives. Some of them are world-famous, but I have never met anyone more creative than James.”

Howells said he loves how Astle fully commits to his ideas. “The fact that he just had an idea, booked a flight, filmed the whole thing and then put it out of his own is incredibly brave on so many levels.

“He’s a humble guy, so he would play that down, but that’s brave. The world needs more brave people to chase their crazy ideas.”

How to prepare

Astle said if you want to follow through with your dream, you need a plan. That requires setting goals, creating expectations and having an open heart and mind.

“You shouldn’t be scared because it will only hold you back from experiencing what could potentially change your life. Just go out there and do it, but make sure you have a plan. It doesn’t mean you can’t be spontaneous. The plan is there to guide you to good opportunities.”

Astle planned for his trip by using Google Street View and mapped out every road he would take. He also skated 15 to 20 miles each day to get into shape and planned his expenses.

Live in the moment

Astle shared, “All you really have is right now. It’s the only thing that really makes life possible in this moment right here.”

If you are worried about something, whether that is in the past or the future, you miss out on the present experience, added Astle.

“[Right now] you have complete control of how you feel, what you’re doing and where you’ll go. But you don’t with the past and the future.

“Take a break, take a moment and take a breath. What is your goal right now? Where are you going? What steps are you making?”

Astle said his trip allowed him to be more present. He was not looking at social media or the computer screen. He was on the road.

“On the road, you’re aware, and your senses are engaged. As you’re skating, you’re just completely in the moment, and you feel everything. And you start using all your senses. A lot of times, we forget about [using all our senses] because we’re not engaged in the moment as we should be.”

The harder, the better

Astle shared the trip challenged him physically, but emotionally and mentally, he found strength.

“I pulled a muscle in my calf, and it was pretty hard the last 75 miles. It was really difficult. I felt like giving up, but I kept going because I knew it would be worth it in the end.”

Towards the end of his trip, it began to rain, making the streets slick, but Astle said he kept going, imagining finishing his trip without regrets.

James Astle pauses for a photo with children he met along the way as he skateboarded through the Philippines and filmed what he experienced and felt. His documentary can be see on Amazon Prime Video. Photo courtesy of James Astle

James Astle took photos of the people he met along the way and (right) himself as he skateboarded through the Philippines making a documentary. Photos courtesy of James Astle

Astle said there was always an unknown on his journey. “If I break my skateboard, if I get lost out here, if there’s no cell service, what am I going to do?

“The fact that it was hard made the trip a lot more meaningful because it pushed me in ways I would normally not be pushed.”

Astle said when things get hard, remember it’s part of the journey. “When you finally get there, you’ll be so happy, and you’ll enjoy it so much more. The value of your experience goes way up because you really earned it.”

Blessed by the people

Astle said finishing the trip was a great blessing. “There were a lot of opportunities where who knows what could have happened. I could have gotten sick pretty badly from the food or could have gotten injured by a car.”

Beyond safety, Astle said he was also blessed by talking, smiling and laughing with the Filipino people.

“The [people] helped me realize everything I had and everything I was experiencing was a blessing in itself. They didn’t really live fancy lives. Their livelihood was very, very simple and easygoing. That helped me realize my life needs to be simpler.”

The Filipino people also helped Astle document his trip since he had no camera crew on his solo expedition. He asked people he met on his journey to film him, which he said was a great conversation starter.

“You always think, ‘Oh no, what if somebody takes the camera and runs?’ I never really thought about that. I never really sensed that from the people because they’re so kind.”

Astle added people wanted to follow his journey, so he updated them on Instagram and Facebook. “No one really reacted negatively in the sense that they were like, ‘What are you doing? Get out of here. This is not your property.’ Everybody was very supportive and positive.”

Ruth D. Allauigan, cousin to Astle’s wife, said Astle is carefree and a jolly person. “When you’re around him, it’s always a happy vibe.”

She added she felt his trip was crazy and not safe, but she knew the Filipinos would like him, and he would be okay.

“Filipinos, in general, are welcoming, hospitable and always have kind words to say. And it has always been our culture to be like that to anyone.”

Part two

“Rolling Moments” is just the beginning for Astle. He said he wants to do a “Part 2” once traveling is safe and not restricted by COVID-19.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and some Latin American countries are all potential settings for his next documentary, which he said will feature people giving back in creative ways.

Astle said he wants his next adventure to go on Netflix, a more challenging platform to get published on than Amazon Prime. So, he is committed to make the film even better than “Rolling Moments.”

He added he wants people to review “Rolling Moments” on Prime Video to build up his notoriety and credibility.

For people who want an adventure but cannot travel due to the pandemic, Astle said, “Go out and explore your hometown. There’s still a lot of cool things at home that you may not have seen.

“And No. 2, plan everything you can do. Research, get inspiration and save money, so that when the time is right, you’ll be ready to travel, and you won’t have to worry about anything.”

Watch “Rolling Moments” using this link: https://amzn.to/3dKBChv

Visit Astle’s website, www.tukanproductions. com and follow him on Instagram: https:// www.instagram.com/aojma/