Baler Love #4 Surf's Up

Day 1
Meg (wide-eyed watching the surfers): Hun, I want to learn how to surf
Von (busy preparing his photo gears): Ok, I'll just take pictures of you
Day 2 (after our surfing lessons)
Meg: Exhilirating. But waaaah, I'm so tired!
Von: Hun let's buy a suit and a board in Manila.  How do we travel if we have a surfboard?
So you see, I'm stoked. Hubby is stoked-er and bit stronger by the surf-bug.

Going to Aliya Surf Camp, I was watching the waves and how suddenly it looked gigantic more than ever.  But I can't back out now, can I?
We were taught the basics on the shore and after a few minutes, headed out to face the waves.

Facing the waves head on required every inch of energy.  My first few tries resulted to tumbling under the ocean with tons of water down my throat.  

Third try and tada! I was able to stand! I was glancing at hubby and he too was already standing. Hurrah! Except that I looked like doing yoga poses on top of a surf board.

 

You try to stand, you fall. You stand again, you fall again.  More falls than successful ones.  But hey, we loved even the falls.  We didn't even mind the cuts, bruises and rashes that came with it!
Day 3

Happy to see an officemate, Kryer!  Turns out she's a veteran, even considered a local since she's there almost every other week. Yehey, someone I can ask for tips and who can understand the journey I'm going through as a beginner.

So why surf? If it made my body sore all over.  If it gave me a cut and countless bruises.  If it means more tumbles under the ocean and more saltwater to drink.

It gave me a sense of humility.  I am type A personality.  In life, I want to perfect things right away and am afraid of falling and failing.  With surfing, it made me surrender.  It taught me that it's fine even if I fall and tumble. It made me more patient with myself.  And when I was able to stand a few times, it felt great! But you can't sulk in it because there comes the next wave.

As for hubby, he likes it because of adrenaline rush I guess. And he loves how the sport challenges him physically and drain his concentration powers to the highest level.

So here we are, patiently taking it step by step, until we get to the line-up and confidently paddle on our own. Surf's up!

To learn surfing, Aliya Surf Camp offers lessons.  It is Php350 for 1 hour of lesson with instructor + surfboard. Thanks to Kuya Joseph, Kuya Paquito and Kuya Ian for being so patient with us. 'til next time!