I like starting an article declaring all the stereotypes I know about a country or a state.

Let’s talk about California. I’ve never been there, but when I mention this famous beach state I bet you thought about Pamela Anderson running on Malibu’s beach wearing her mythic, small, red swimsuit about to crack on her voluptuous… Hum, well you know. I’m sure you heard the Beach Boys singing ‘I Wish They All Could Be California Girls’ in your head and of course: one thousand long haired surfers paddling into the waves.

Wesley is from California. Is he surfing? Yep… And since we we’re in Bali he kindly offered to come with me in the water and help me for my first time on a surf board. 
  

I have to admit that I was just as excited as I was terrified to defy Bali’s waves. Wes had been in Canggu before and after he showed me some nice places around town we drove to Old Man’s (Batu-Bolong Beach) to find a surf board – one that will hopefully save me from drowning after five minutes in the water. 

  
Even is the waves were not gigantic, I was afraid to look ridiculous or never standing up. As a novice, and a girl, you can expect to be judge by the other surfers in the water. Not that I care about how people are seeing me really, specially guys that I will probably not seeing ever again but I was with a really handsome and brilliant guy and I kind of wanted to impress him a little bit…

After telling me the basics, there we were, in the waves, Wes paddling like a pro against the currents and me holding my swimsuit with one hand and pushing my hair from my face with the other. After three waves crushing on me, everybody in the water had the good luck to see my boobies happily liberated from the old swimsuit I was wearing. My sister’s credo is « free the nipples ». Well I’m not sure Bali is the best place on earth to do topless, especially during my first surf session! The gentleman I was with offered to paddle back in to take a tee shirt for me. For sure impressed him, I did, and pretty well my dear!

After saving my honor, we started the real “lesson”. In theory, I was fit enough to paddle for ever in the water. In reality, it is fucking exhausting mate! I really enjoyed being in the water, don’t make me wrong, but the incessant paddling against the wind and the current could have discouraged me. The only thing who kept me going on and try again and again was the incredible adrenaline sensation you got when you feel the wave lifting you up and that you only have to do one thing: standing up and enjoying, or I better should say FLYING.