Two weeks of surf, sand and sun. It's been amazing!!! I really really needed two weeks like this. Sunshine really does make everything better. After having a rough patch in Arequipa, leaving my life there and then getting robbed, two weeks in Mancora was exactly what the doctor ordered.
Sunshine and swimming in the sea every morning really make such a difference to your day. Lesina and I get up every morning head down to the surf school, grab boards and head out into the waves. Our first two days we had lessons. I was nervous at first as I am not keen on open water, but after I got up on the board a few times without falling off, my confidence grew, even though I cut my hand on a rock I was still determined to stay out...besides, I was proud to say I had a surf injury.
We took lessons for two days and on the third day we decided to go out on our own.
Let me tell you, it's not all about getting up on your board, it's about paddling; and then paddling fast enough to catch a wave. We were pooped after an hour, and we didn't even catch a wave but we definitely worked on our paddling.
Every morning we have been going out...it's a good way to kill a hangover and a great way to start the day. We suck pretty bad though lol, we cant even catch a wave properly but we have been building our abs and arms with all the paddling we do. We get frustrated and lie on our boards watching the other surfers who make it look so easy "we so suck" Lesina said after we watched our mate Peter get every single wave. "Your telling me."
We have met some local surfers who are always willing to help, or help Lesina at least. Next to her I am chop liver. Im paddling into waves and there is some random pushing Lesina's board from behind to get her out further and then helping her into a wave and yelling "Ariba, ariba" when it is time for her to get up. One morning, one of the instructors that we know - we have become friends with the local surfers - saw that I was struggling while giving our friend Sarah a lesson. He yelled at his friend and pointed to me "he will come over to help you." Perfect I thought as I was getting tired because it was a bit rough on the water that morning, help would be awesome. Oh wait, yup wrong person....and over to Lesina he goes completely ignoring me struggling in the water. This wasn't the first or last time this happened...the boys love Lesina, which is why we know the local surfers. "Hi Emmie, donde esta Lesina?" Gee I'm fine, thanks for asking, lol. It was a bit of a rough day for me; a swell was begining to come in so the waves were a bit bigger than usual. Catching a wave wasn't my issue it was staying afloat on my board that was more of an issue. Every time a wave came I held on to my board white knuckled hoping I wouldn't fall off. I see another wave off in the distance and I began to paddle the same way as the rest of the surfers. As it got closer it got bigger and bigger, I was pretty much staring up at it by the time it got to me. Fuck I knew it was going to kick my ass, in fact, it actually said that as it looked down at me "Emmie, I am going to kick your ass." I held on for dear life so I wouldn't fall off my board while going over the top of the way - though the proper way is to dive into it with your board but I couldn't move myself fast enough up on my board. At least say I can ride a wave upside down on my stomach. I had enough after that...I wasnt having fun anymore and I couldnt see the girls on the water.
The next day the waves were full force and I could barely get in the water with my board without getting pushed over. " Emmie!" I hear from the shore. One of my instructors was calling me back to shore. "Jaime, I will pay you to come out with my, Im not confident enough to go out in those waves by myself." So out both Lesina and I go with Jaime. The waves were huge and I was a bit scared. Every time a wave came at us I screamed. It was nice in between sets as I could breath and try to relax, but when they came it seemed like they never stopped we kept paddling over them as they brought schools of fish past us. "Oh jesus" I heard Jaime say as a huge wave came towards us. Great I thought, that sounds reassuring. It was a big one and I screamed, Lesina got caught in it and fell off her board, before she could get back on another one came and pulled her under. She started yelling for help and thankfully someone swam over to help her. Five minutes later Jaime and I went back in.
We havent been back on a board since. We wanted to take a day off...Lesina was shaken up a little bit and to be honest I was scared to get back in with the swell at full force. Im not good with open water so I was freaked out. Plus I hurt my toe playing volleyball in the pool and then Peter stepped on it that night when we were working so surfing has been crossed off my list.
Sunshine and swimming in the sea every morning really make such a difference to your day. Lesina and I get up every morning head down to the surf school, grab boards and head out into the waves. Our first two days we had lessons. I was nervous at first as I am not keen on open water, but after I got up on the board a few times without falling off, my confidence grew, even though I cut my hand on a rock I was still determined to stay out...besides, I was proud to say I had a surf injury.
We took lessons for two days and on the third day we decided to go out on our own.
Let me tell you, it's not all about getting up on your board, it's about paddling; and then paddling fast enough to catch a wave. We were pooped after an hour, and we didn't even catch a wave but we definitely worked on our paddling.
Every morning we have been going out...it's a good way to kill a hangover and a great way to start the day. We suck pretty bad though lol, we cant even catch a wave properly but we have been building our abs and arms with all the paddling we do. We get frustrated and lie on our boards watching the other surfers who make it look so easy "we so suck" Lesina said after we watched our mate Peter get every single wave. "Your telling me."
We have met some local surfers who are always willing to help, or help Lesina at least. Next to her I am chop liver. Im paddling into waves and there is some random pushing Lesina's board from behind to get her out further and then helping her into a wave and yelling "Ariba, ariba" when it is time for her to get up. One morning, one of the instructors that we know - we have become friends with the local surfers - saw that I was struggling while giving our friend Sarah a lesson. He yelled at his friend and pointed to me "he will come over to help you." Perfect I thought as I was getting tired because it was a bit rough on the water that morning, help would be awesome. Oh wait, yup wrong person....and over to Lesina he goes completely ignoring me struggling in the water. This wasn't the first or last time this happened...the boys love Lesina, which is why we know the local surfers. "Hi Emmie, donde esta Lesina?" Gee I'm fine, thanks for asking, lol. It was a bit of a rough day for me; a swell was begining to come in so the waves were a bit bigger than usual. Catching a wave wasn't my issue it was staying afloat on my board that was more of an issue. Every time a wave came I held on to my board white knuckled hoping I wouldn't fall off. I see another wave off in the distance and I began to paddle the same way as the rest of the surfers. As it got closer it got bigger and bigger, I was pretty much staring up at it by the time it got to me. Fuck I knew it was going to kick my ass, in fact, it actually said that as it looked down at me "Emmie, I am going to kick your ass." I held on for dear life so I wouldn't fall off my board while going over the top of the way - though the proper way is to dive into it with your board but I couldn't move myself fast enough up on my board. At least say I can ride a wave upside down on my stomach. I had enough after that...I wasnt having fun anymore and I couldnt see the girls on the water.
The next day the waves were full force and I could barely get in the water with my board without getting pushed over. " Emmie!" I hear from the shore. One of my instructors was calling me back to shore. "Jaime, I will pay you to come out with my, Im not confident enough to go out in those waves by myself." So out both Lesina and I go with Jaime. The waves were huge and I was a bit scared. Every time a wave came at us I screamed. It was nice in between sets as I could breath and try to relax, but when they came it seemed like they never stopped we kept paddling over them as they brought schools of fish past us. "Oh jesus" I heard Jaime say as a huge wave came towards us. Great I thought, that sounds reassuring. It was a big one and I screamed, Lesina got caught in it and fell off her board, before she could get back on another one came and pulled her under. She started yelling for help and thankfully someone swam over to help her. Five minutes later Jaime and I went back in.
We havent been back on a board since. We wanted to take a day off...Lesina was shaken up a little bit and to be honest I was scared to get back in with the swell at full force. Im not good with open water so I was freaked out. Plus I hurt my toe playing volleyball in the pool and then Peter stepped on it that night when we were working so surfing has been crossed off my list.
we went to see the turtles one day. I was really excited to go as we knew we could swim with them. However, it wasnt as great as I was expecting. They were huge! Like really huge so when you were in the water it was scary, it didnt help that the water was dirty feom the boats and turtle poo so you couldnt see a thing. All you had was the guidance from people on the dock telling you where they were which I tjink just made it worse because hearing "there is one behind you" or "there is one swimming towards you" just made everyone scream including the guys. One guy even got bit....no joke....thank god I was out of the water before that happened. The best part of the trip was the mototaxi. Man when they speed up they vibrate....and when I say vibrate your whole entire body is vibrating everywhere....EVERYWHERE. I couldnt even sit with my but down on the seat, i had to adjust but then that position sent my legs vibraring all the way up so thay didnt help as well. My buddy had is legs up and was holdinghimself because the vibration was too much and my other friend was sitring silently biting her lip. I couldnt stop laughing...I was laughing so hard I was crying. Imlooked at both of them with tears in my eyes and they started laughing too....well i hope it was laughter and not something else.
Most of our days are spent pool side, or playing volleyball in the pool, drinking slushies. I have a daily nap in one of the amazing hammocks. Ive been jet skiing with Peter which was an absolute blast. We were pretty far out when the jet ski decided to go retarded on us and we couldnt accelerate and the waves were still pretty big. We were both a little worried to get stuck out there and didnt want to turn it off incase it didnt turn back on. We slowly made it back to shore. Peter jumped off but I stayed on and me and the jet ski almost got thrown into a wall on the shore of the beach. In the end we just had to restart it. We flew across those waves so fast, we even caught some good air....what a great way to start my day.
Now however, my time and Loki has come to an end. In fact, my time in Peru has come to an end. Lesina, me and two of the guys we have met here are off to Ecuador tonight. Im stoked, but a bit nervous. I have been in Peru for 4 months and it is almost like leaving home, plus I am a little sad to be leaving Loki. The past two weeks were an absolute blast and exactly what I needed. Everyone here has been so great co-workers and guests. It is such an easy hostel to meet people and the people I have met here have been absolutely amazing and am sad to say goodbye to all of them. From the moment I wake up to the minute I go to bed, I can not complain about anything. Every shift was a blast, every morning in the sea, 4 am swims in the sea, late nights in the sand pit, beach parties, slushies, hammock sleeps, slip and slide, blood bombs, pirate parties,karaoke with Peter, "basically" meetings with Michael, Pierro is Lesina awake?....so much has happened in the past two weeks.
I am so going to miss morning chats. All of us in our staff dorm have been like a family and every morning we wake up the top bunkers will curl up with the bottom bunkers and we rehash what happened the night before and then all head down for breakfast together. I could not have asked for a better crew of people to work with the past two weeks.
It is time to say hasta luego Peru. Muchos Grazias. To everyone in my life the past 4 months thank you for everything but this feather is still on her gust and is floating to new boarders with some new feathers. See you at Christmas.
Hello Ecuador!
- My Beautiful Life -
(for those of you reading this for the first time please go to my Ecuador blog)
