I'd been putting it off, as I don't know what my work situation will be like then, but I caved in yesterday and contacted Errant Surf to book two weeks at a surf camp in Morocco at the end of January. I have some modest savings which came from selling a camera lens and receiving a tax rebate recently, so I decided to spend them on a trip instead and they'll more than cover this one.
I have travelled a lot over the years but never, for some reason, during winter (I have no idea why as I hate winter!) and, as my birthday is at the end of January and I usually spend it either sat in an office or factory or at home I thought that, for once, I'd spend it elsewhere, somewhere nice, warm and hopefully sunny. I have also never been on a foreign surf trip either!
I am going to the surf camp at Tamraght, which is near Agadir. There are direct flights from Gatwick with Thomson Air with arrival during the late morning. Of course that means a stupid o'clock (0700) departure from Gatwick but that's probably better than a stupid o'clock (midnight) arrival in Agadir, which the alternative is.
The trip includes 14 nights includes transfers from and to the airport, surf coaching sessions on each of the 14 days, equipment hire, meals and accommodation. Looking at the other info, the air temperatures should be an average 24° C during the day (which will be at least 20° warmer than here!) and the water temperature should be around 17°C, rather than the 7° it will be here, with the wave heights around 3 metres. So, with 14 days of surf coaching and plenty of waves in nice conditions - I hope! - I should progress sufficiently to at least be able to think of graduating to a smaller board.
I have never been to Africa before so this trip will mean that, by the time I return home, I will have visited all continents except Antarctica.
In the meantime, my back is on the mend. It's stiff but not that painful any more. Hopefully, I can take my board out next week.
Finally, in the new issue of Wavelength mag, there's an interview with a bloke who took up surfing at 55. He's now 59 and not doing too badly at all. He also seems to be the only Beach Boys fan who surfs! I'm 42, so it's always good to hear about older people surfing!
