Ride the waves

I did not expect myself to be involved in any form of “adventure sports” and I wondered why I even thought of learning to surf.

(…)

After a few attempts of writing up some facts and thoughts, I decided that the reason was not a simple one.

Dare I say it was actually a compulsive decision. I’d blame the age (I am 21), the season (it is summer) and the state of mind (I am on a long vacation). I’d also blame a person (identity undisclosed), an incident (unknown) or a full experience (a complex make up of people and incidents).

It all resulted in only one thing, one place – surf, Torquay.

The first lesson

There were only four steps to be able to stand the wave – arch back, push to kneel, put a leg forward and stand up. But it was not just about standing the waves. It was also about reading the waves and learning about the power of Mother Nature.

To be able to catch a wave, I had to walk towards the vast opening of water. I was hit down by white waters, again and again. I coughed, regained my surf board and marched forward, again and again. Too low the temperature was; too much seawater I drank; too much distance the waves threw me towards the shore. But as I proceeded forward, there was only one thing on my mind, “Get to where the waves are.”

(Casper told me, “Actually I was pretty surprised that you just kept going, especially in the first five minutes. My girlfriend would have said it is too cold to continue.”)

I only stood the waves twice on the first day. But I saw a rainbow on the sea.

The second lesson

Finally I found the faults I made in the first day and was able to stand the waves every single time. My weakness lied in my upper body strength which did not allow me to be able to paddle strongly enough to gain speed to surf. I acknowledged that (although I was not sure if it was right – perhaps I should have tried harder?).

I was also able to jump over the white waters easily on the second day. On the split second on one of those “jumps” I made, I looked up to the sky. That was the prettiest perspective I ever had on water. It was like a still photographic moment – the water drops were crystal clear and separated (I could see each of them)… then fluxed into strings of white as the wave broke; the sun shone through the water; the background of all these dramatic moments was unmistakably the blue sky… “Splash”… I instinctively took a deep breath and let the waves knocked me down under the surface of the sea.

No, seeing this was not the purpose of going surfing. But when there was a wave charging towards me, I looked up just before it broke and witness the whole moment again and again (I wished I had the same instinct of knowing when to put my leg forward on the board so that I could stand on the wave earlier!).

Surfing had just opened up a whole new world to me.

I did not expect myself to be involved in any form of “adventure sports” and I wondered why I even thought of learning to surf.

How did it all start?

(…)

After a few attempts of writing up some facts and thoughts, I decided that the reason was not a simple one.

Dare I say it was actually a compulsive decision.

I’d blame:
/ the age (I am 21)
/ the season (it is summer)
/ and the state of mind (I am on a 6-month vacation).

I’d also blame:
/ a person (identity undisclosed)
/ an incident (unknown)
/ or a full experience (a complex make up of people and incidents).

It all resulted in only one thing, one place – surf, Torquay.

[View with PicLens]

Read more…

“Last Stop for Paul”

To all whom I met when I travelled, and all other travellers who I am yet to meet

Last Stop for Paul (lsfp), a movie introduced by my brother. He found it amusing, and said I would probably be able to connect more to the movie than him because I travel.

“Travel. It gets inside of you. It touches your soul.” – Charlie, lsfp.

Three short solo journeys I’ve made in the past three years meant different things to me every time. I found answers to questions I asked myself, asked more questions…and found myself in this big world through these questions or simply through the eyes of all the people I met on the way.

“You know, I think about chickens a lot. … No no no, listen to me: How many chickens do you think there are on the world? I mean it’s on the menu of every restaurant on the world and they never run out…!” – Charlie, lsfp.

I am having a long summer, and the odd feeling of traveling for so long suddenly struck me today when S asked how I felt about going back to university in autumn. Fact is, I feel like I am living in an entirely different world or dimension.

“Work…real world, yea, I know what’s that about.” – Charlie, lsfp

Too many times I thought a place is a place with its history culture uniqueness and everything that will touch me in a way. And too many times I’ve proven myself wrong because all would have left in the end as memories are up to the people who are with me – by my side or in my mind. Those special moments when I smiled, laughed and cried because of them.

“We both had no illusions – we knew what’s this is about: we’re having a moment. And you know what? We were glad to take advantage of it.” – Charlie, lsfp

Watch the movie and agree with Charlie, or not. The perspective I take in regards to “travel” is different from Charlie but it’s OK because everyone has one’s own background and ability and visits a place for various purposes.

… (I don’t really know how to end this note because travelling is such a continuous thing – like dancing through life. So let me just write:) The End (for now)…