About a two hours from Nadi is the coral coast. The coast has several resort hotel options, but being on budget, I opted to stay at a place called Fiji Beachouse. Beachouse might be the only backpackers along the coast, and it's chilled out, relaxed vibe, makes it a beautiful place to stay for a few days. This is my second time here, first time I took a day trip to Yanuca Island for snorkeling, swimming, an unexpected barefoot hike up a mountain, and a fishing adventure on the way back. This time, I'm here to hang out and surf. My two hour lesson was tougher and it physically took a lot out of me. However, after several falls, I finally caught a few waves in and it was the most exhilarating, happiest feeling in the world! There are really no words that explain my personal success today.
Surfing wasn't on my list of things to do in Fiji, but two years ago while visiting Queenstown, I met a fellow traveler who taught youth leadership skills. They told me that in life and on vacation I should try to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone every now and then. That piece of advice has always stayed with me, so when I found an opportunity to surf, I thought why not? Surfing is a lot harder than I thought it would be, the trouble being, I don't know how to predict the waves, it's different every time! This makes it a little overwhelming and scary, I also got caught under a wave a few times. For people who grew up near the ocean, this may not seem so daunting, but growing up in Toronto, and having nearly drowned once in Greece, I'm a little cautious. But today I learned the importance of going under the wave, and letting go and riding the waves without over thinking it. This meant I fell repeatedly, and thank god for patient instructors. But when I got the confidence, I did it and it was beautiful, the world was beautiful again. The extreme sunburn on the back of my legs was less beautiful, but it was worth every minute. After I was done, I video called my family telling them all about it, then celebrated with a beer, a big lunch and relaxing in a hammock. I'm looking forward to my next surf lesson, hopefully in New Zealand!
