Guys! I learnt to surf! (Sort of.)
Between frantically looking for a place to live, a job, and going through my savings at a worrying pace, I took a day out to finally go on my pre-booked surf trip with Mojo! I’d been putting this off for a few days, and not just because I’d been so busy. You see, the thing is: I can’t swim. At least, not very strongly. That alone – in a sport where you’re taken out of your depth and the whole point is to attempt to ride a wave (if you’re not too busy falling off your board) – is maybe not the best idea on its own, but paired with the undeniable fact that I’m a clumsy idiot with no sense of balance and you have a full blown recipe for disaster on your hands. Still, I’m glad I finally plucked up the courage to go, and it actually didn’t turn out too badly.
Our coach picked us up at 10am, with no clue on where we were going. Not the most assuring start, but only because they wanted to take us to a quiet beach with the best waves. They settled on Manly and, when we arrived just over an hour later, it was easy to see why this beach is continuously named as one of the best and almost synonymous with surfing. A totally white sand stretch of beach is met by beautiful blue sea (yes, British readers! BLUE SEA!!!!), and the tide was so far in that the sea got really deep, really quickly. We chose our boards and set to work – our instructor showing us the techniques of paddling and the easiest way to get up onto our boards. I’m not going to lie – I was definitely paying full attention – but I didn’t feel like I really ‘had it down’, something that I really struggled with when I got into the water. Definitely didn’t help that two parts on the underside of my board had broken off and I was wobbling EVERYWHERE. It wasn’t until after lunch (with a brand new board!) that I finally managed to get somewhere. One of the other instructors had seen how much I was struggling, and kindly took me under his wing – encouraging me to stand, and teaching me something I’d had the most trouble with: timing. It wasn’t until the last time, after countless efforts where I was too much of a wuss to stand up on the wave and stayed squatted, that I FINALLY managed to stand. And stand I did – all the way back to the shore (where I promptly fell over!). Clumsy tendencies aside, I really can’t tell you how great a feeling it is to ride a wave, and would highly recommend you give it a go. I will DEFINITELY be doing it again!
Oh, another thing… There’s a thing that surfers do when showing, I guess, excitement towards something (or just when something’s totally awesome): point your thumb and your pinky out (kind of like a telephone), shake your hand, and shout “YEEEWWWWW”!!
Note: Some users on urban dictionary seem to think that only total fuckwits with an IQ below 100 do this, and that it’s frowned upon by everyone else. Between you and me, they’re probably right. But, like most things, there’s a time and a place, and when the mood strikes in the right situation it’s hard not to do it!!
Finally, after spending most of the past week in and out of flat inspections and job interviews, I have managed to land myself one of each! My flat is right in the middle of the CBD, a modest, 2 bedroom space shared with 7 other girls that feel like family already 🙂 And my job? In Marketing, and will hopefully help pay for the rest of my travels!!
OK, now that I’m all caught up and settling into Sydney, I’ll probably be laying low for a while… Expect more frequent posting, of which may be shorter in length (and content). I will try to keep you up to date with any goings on though, and as always I welcome any questions/comments (replying will keep me busy!)
TTFN!!
xo.
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