Let's go surfing now, come on along with me

They say that there is a zen-like calm that comes over you when you ride the perfect wave. That the goal is for surfer and wave become one on a run.
Well, after trying it for the first time, I’d say my thought processes while doing it were something like this: “Oh wow I’m riding this thing this is awesome how do I steer is that a person in front of me am I going to hit them, how do I sto-SPLASH”
Actually, I did totally love it and it was pretty awesome. The area on the beach was pretty crowded by beginners, and I had about 5 or 6 runs. The instructor, Patrick, who was your classic Spicoli-like dude straight out of central casting did a great job teaching us. His biggest piece of advice? “80 per cent of surfing is waiting.” Waiting for your turn, waiting for waves, waiting til you wipeout, and then cycle, rinse repeat.
After teaching us the basics –there were four of us in this class- each us of would lie on the board and swim out to meet him, and then he wait until a wave was coming, launch us and yell to “Arch up” – which is the manouevre to get standing up on the board. My first run was probably my best. The next few I usually wiped out at some point. Balance is, of course, one of the most important things, but he also really stressed being doing everything calmly and to always focus on the beach. He was right too. Anytime it drifted – like the time there was a lady and small kid in front me – I’d inevitably fall off. Of course, I was like, well, I was almost going to hit them, what else should I be focusing on?
Anyways, It was great, great fun and I was surprised by how subtly complex it was – especially considering how many of the laidback dudes excel at it, but they’ve had years and years of practice.
The hardest part was swimming out while lying on the board. You are basically only using your arms, and while I was impressed by how much of a workout it was. I’m even more impressed now, as it’s the next morning and my shoulders are painfully sore.
But I will definitely do it again, and try and convince my lovely wife to try it. With all her time on the Wii Fit, I know her balance is good and she’d probably do very well.

And I guess I should say here, that I wasn’t self conscious about the wife-adoring my last guest post. Obviously I adore her. I wouldn’t have married her otherwise. But I thank you fine folks the comments, especially my lovely sisters-in-laws. Actually, you should get a kick out this. While on the awesome tour around Maui, the driver gave us a book with definitions of our Hawaiian names. As usual, our ethno-names weren’t in there, but Sadie was. And so was Alicia. By combining the definitions of those, it turns out my lovey’s names mean “Irritable Princess” – which of course, I enjoyed having a spot of fun with for a little while. But the truth of the matter is that in this little over a first week and a bit of our vacation, I don’t think there has been a cross moment between us. Not even an eye-roll – which it seems my wife has been doing less and less. I wonder if that means I’m settling down or my wife is just rolling with my crazy ways. Either way, it’s has been pretty glorious, and another reminder that I know I can go to anywhere with my lovely lady.

And as she’s still sleeping, and I’m killing time, here’s a quick Hawaiian language lesson that we’ve picked up here. Basically, many words mean different things by the way that you pronounce them.
Aloha – It means just about everything. Hello, Goodbye, I love You. You can feel Aloha. One of our busdrivers said it kind of best. You should say it in slow breathy way, so you can convey that sultry feeling. We have definitely been feeling plenty aloha while we’ve been here.
Mahalo – Thank you.
Wai – means liquid or water. Our pilot said that in the olden days, having water was everything so Waiwai means assets or being rich.
And then there’s a joke that a couple of guides have told us, but I’m not sure how accurate it is (I’m sure of the above three).
Cowcow – means to eat. Because that’s what how they say that, when cattle was brought to the island, they gave it a new name. Pipi. And then appetizers are called Puupuu.
So basically, if you’re munching on beef jerky, or say mini-burgers. You are cowcowing pipi puupuu. Ba-dump-buh.
Anyways, I hear my lady stirring so off to the beach shortly, I think. And then a day of shopping.
Oh and I dispute my wife’s charge of a boring life back home, resulting in less blogging. Her life back home is not boring at all. But you all can bother her about that later.
Aloha!