Wipeout

The past few days have flown by; time was spent watching people set themselves on fire and then bungy jumping off a high platform (this is supposedly the only place in the world you can do this). We also went to surf mecca 'Ulu Watu' to watch the pro surfers tackle 8 ft waves. To get to the break, you have to walk through a cave that is only accessible at low tide and then swim out to catch the current- its quite tricky so only the really advanced guys surf here. I was inspired to get as good as them, but also very intimidated by the force of the sea.



My surfing lessons are not going as well as I had hoped. I have had two lessons so far, neither of which have gone particularly brilliantly. The school I am learning with promised my money back if I failed to stand up after one lesson, which I did, but there hasn't been any standing up since then. I know that a good workman never blames his tools, but the waves are just too big (in my expert opinion!) for novice surfers, and the boards look a bit rickety so I'm not confident they can take my weight.

Sometimes I sit and watch the experienced surfers to learn how they manage to hop up on their boards so quickly, so that I can replicate this in my lesson, but I strongly believe that fear is holding me back. I am so frightened of the swirling maelstrom of water surrounding me and pulling me under, resulting in drowning. I have tried so hard to be safety conscious throughout this trip; it would be a shame to die so close to the end. With my mind full of drowning thoughts, I lose confidence and concentration and then I fall in (which perpetuates the fear of drowning even more!), before I've even done so much as managed to kneel...

I've been hit in the stomach twice (quite hard, might I add), have numerous ugly purple bruises on my arms and legs from board assaults and have swallowed what seems like half of Kuta beach, but I am still trying! In McGuire world, we have 8 laws we utilise to speak eloquently and my favourite is number 5: Put in whatever effort is necessary. This is me, right now. By hook or by crook, I WILL be a good surfer by hometime. I'm prepared to come home with two black eyes, if that is what it takes!



I still have 5 days until I come home and to me, enough is enough now. I feel like I am sat in the waiting room, poised for the door to open and for the rest of my life to start! I shouldn't complain because, lets face it, the most taxing thing about my day is making sure a.) I don't drown and b.) I put suncream everywhere so I don't burn- neither of which is very stressful. Well, the not drowning part is quite stressful, but suncream application isn't. I am anxious to put my new plans into action and see where 2011 will take me, but I know I have to wait a teeny bit longer...