Things To Do In Your Favorite City

Image via Wikipedia

Surfing – the word might have been hi-jacked by people who like to sit in front of a computer all day, every day, “surfing the web” for bargains and information, not forgetting the gossip,  but for thousands of people the word surfing still means the same as it always has . . . the thrill of riding the swells, catching the waves, being at one with nature and just having the most exhilarating time imaginable.  No wonder surfers like nothing better than to book a full blown surfing vacation or even a surf trip for the day where they just know they’re gonna find the very best waves they can to challenge their abilities, and their nerves.

Surfing Vacations

Apparently, there are three types of dudes which plan surfing vacations each year.

• Surfer Dudes - the first bunch are the real hard core surfer dudes, often traveling alone to find the biggest and the bestest surfing waves possible. These surfing enthusiasts will often travel to faraway remote places and are much more interested in the quality and size of the surfing waves than they are in the other facilities available on their surf trip.
• Family Surfer Dudes – often the above surfer dudes plus 10 years or so, dedicated surfers who now have the next generation of surfing dudes in tow. They have to book a surfing trip with a good balance between excellent waves and other stuff for the less than enthusiastic members of their family to enjoy whilst they’re out to sea. Some beaches have it all, great surfing plus lots of activities to entertain the rest of the family . . . sounds like a perfect family surfing vacation location.
• Beginner Surfer Dudes – those who have just been bitten by the surfing bug and want to book a surf trip to practice their new found passion, maybe take a few surfing lessons whilst they’re at it. Beginner surfers have a much larger choice of surfing vacation place, ‘cos there are plenty of places with waves which are suitable for beginners, it’s only when you get to the top group that you really have to go out of your way to find a surfing vacation for real adrenalin junky surfers.

OMG . . . how did he survive that one? A-w-e-s-o-m-e.

Planning A Surfing Trip

So once you’ve established which group you belong to (actually, you probably already know which group of surfers you belong to, so that’s not the difficult bit), anyway, you need to make sure that you find the ideal place for your surf trip, according to your abilities, your needs and your companions. Just bear this in mind though, there ain’t no guarantees . . . you can visit the most popular surfing destinations in the world with high hopes of catching the big one, and when you get there it could be as calm as a mill pond. No matter how much information you check out on the internet about different surfing destinations, the best time of year for really good surf, wind data, swells, surf spots etc. etc. it’s still largely down to pot luck.  Sometimes the surf is fantastic, sometimes surf is okay, sometimes it’s not worth getting out your surf board.

Just remember this . . . a surfing vacation is still a vacation, even if the surf sucks. Hey, it ain’t the end of the world, you’re not at work right, you’re on vacation, you’ve got the beach, you’ve got the time to relax . . . look upon great waves as a bonus for a great surfing vacation (now maybe I’d better duck before some of the real hard core surfer dudes throw something in this direction – ouch!)

These girls are pretty chilled with it . . . way to go girls.

Packing For Your Surf Trip

It’s no good saving all year and booking the surfing vacation of a lifetime if you don’t have the right gear with you when you arrive in surfers paradise and are left stranded on the beach for the majority of the time. This list of stuff is essential for your surf trip, not necessarily for when you strap your surf board to the roof on “Woody” and head 10 minutes to the beach, but if you’ve booked the surfing vacation of your dreams you’re gonna’ need much more than ticket, passport, money . . .

• Surfboard – at least one, take two to be on the safe side, just in case one gets busted. You might have different surf boards for different surfing conditions . . . some surfers do you know. Don’t forget to book your surfboard on the plane if your surfing vacation involves a plane journey. You’ll have to pay extra for the privilege, the price depends largely on the airline and the destination but remember that it’ll cost anywhere from $25 to around $200. Some airlines will only accept surfboards up to a maximum size (6’2″ in some cases) and some won’t accept surfboards at all. Some airlines charge for each surfboard, some airlines charge for each surf bag. Check it out before you book your plane tickets.
• Surf Wax – don’t go on your surfing vacation without surf wax, enough for yourself plus a bit extra in case your mates have forgotten theirs.
• Ding repair kit – a few running ding repairs might be essential so that you can keep on surfing on your surf vacation. Come on, it won’t take up much luggage space so don’t forget it.
• Board leash and Spare Fins – this sort of stuff is easily replaceable on your surfing vacation, but take them with you ‘cos you might not be able to source any in some of the remotest surfing destinations.
• Surfwear – think realistically about what you’re gonna need to wear whilst you’re surfing. Will you need a wet suit? What about booties? If you’re surfing trip is to a coral reef then think about it.
• Sunscreen – don’t cut short your time on the surf by not protecting yourself properly from the sun.
• Visa – check out whether you need a visa to enter the country where you’ve booked your surf trip, if you need a visa and you ain’t got one you’ll be going straight back home – ouch!
• Tickets, passport, money – yes, don’t forget the obvious stuff for your surf vacation too!

Okay, so you might not need all of this stuff if you’re going to a place with plenty of surf stores and surf schools, but then again you just might . . . kinda’ depends on where you’re going!

Obviously I wasn’t gonna’ resist this one . . . brilliant!