Bali’s Waves are Wasted on Me

I really wanted to like surfing. Like really, really wanted to! I wanted to be all cool and athletic. I wanted the waves beneath my feet and the wind in my hair. I wanted to be an effortlessly balanced, bronzed, brazen goddess.

Yeh right!

I had the waves on top of my head, the saltwater up my nose spluttering back out of my mouth, and my bikini bottoms halfway down my backside. If there is a polar opposite to an effortlessly balanced, bronzed, brazen goddess, then it was me.

Sure, I liked it some of the time. There were brief moments of joy when I caught a wave (well, kind of caught a wave, I never did manage to stand up).

But the rest of the time, I swam tirelessly against the ocean treadmill, trying to get out far enough to catch them in the first place. I was frustrated, annoyed, and exhausted.

I would periodically declare, “Oh fuck this!” and storm out of the ocean in a mood. Then I’d sit on the sand and stare sulkily at the sea like a sullen teenager in a budget, college music video before sighing and trying again, as crestfallen as the waves.

If I could go back in time, I would ignore my ex’s words of:

“You don’t need lessons. I’ll teach you. We’re not wasting our money on lessons for you.”

I’d book lessons, join a group and learn how to do it properly. I’m sure I would have had a lot more fun, made friends, and maybe even gotten the hang of it.

But, if not, then I’d admit earlier that it just wasn’t for me. So I could happily move on instead of replaying this sad dance where I couldn’t follow the ocean’s lead.

You don’t always have to do the same thing as your partner; sometimes, it’s good to have a little space to do your own thing. You wouldn’t do all the exact same hobbies and activities at home, so why feel the need to when we’re traveling? It’s good to let each other explore what you’re passionate about and then come back together at the end of the day with so much to talk about.

With all that time, I could have been doing so many other things that I love — doing things that fulfil and energise me. I could have been going for long coastal walks, exploring temples and markets. I could have been practicing yoga, swimming, or doing a cooking course. Even just reading and relaxing on the beach.

I could have been watching the surfers and appreciating just how much harder it is than it looks because I gave it a try. And most of all, I could have looked back and laughed at myself. I wouldn’t have resented my attempts at surfing because I didn’t take up my whole holiday trying to keep up with my partner.

You don’t have to be good at everything, and you don’t have to like everything. As long as you are open to things and willing to give them a try, that’s all that matters.

Maybe Bali’s waves were wasted on me, but there’s a lot more to Bali and a lot more to me than the waves.

Thank you for reading! Hearts and tips are always welcome and your support is very much appreciated.

This story was originally published on Medium

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Georgina Nelson. Traveller. Writer. Photographer. Yoga teacher.

Sh*t Happens - because the things that go wrong make the funniest stories.