This post is long, long, LONG, LOOOOONG overdue, it is a testimony to my unjustifiable laziness. In fact I am well over a year late. I returned from my around the world trip on the 28th of June 2012. A part of me never wanted to admit that it was over, no daily waves, no constant new adventures, no new people and sights. I also hadn't realized just how difficult the return to "normal life" would be. No one had prepared me.
I am one of the very few, very privileged that had the grand luxury of saying "screw it, I am leaving my job and I am setting out to travel the world"; no responsibilities, no constraints, no boundaries. I even "cheated" along the way, I returned to Switzerland several times throughout my travels, the country where I grew up, to see family and friends that I all missed so much.
I went through so many life-changing experiences, met so many new friends, created a lifetime worth of memories. Was it the great experience I hoped it would be? Yes! And perhaps even greater than I thought, but it did come at a price: you come back and are a foreigner in the very place where you grew up, no one understands what you did, probably few really even care what you experienced and went through, you have changed, but all else has remained the same or changed in a different way.
I have spent the last year in a weird limbo, I have been a prisoner of the past and at the same time I have tried to get back to the "real life". During the final part of my travels I reflected and decided to move in with Anna, my girlfriend. I am very happy I took this decision, it has helped me mature and grow in new directions. At the same time it is difficult to leave home. My family means the world to me and often I feel that I am not capable of showing them just how much.
During the past year I have gone through a veritable roller coaster of emotions. I caught up with old friends, confronted myself with the past without making any solid plans for the future, rediscovered being Swiss. Moved to the German part of Switzerland with the intention of finally learning Swiss German dialect and integrating. I looked for an international sales job, found it and figured out that I do not want to spend the rest of my life working 14 hours a day 7 days a week, traveling left right and center without experiencing any of the true richness that real travel can award. I resigned after 3 very intense months, in which I hardly even had time to think of where I was and where I wanted to go, I was so caught up in the job that I almost gave up my own life for the sake of "reaching targets" and "meeting deadlines". I even "missed" my 30th birthday... I still have an immense craving for travel (real travel) and looking back at diaries I wrote over the past ten years I realize that in my fickle moods and my constant indecision one goal has remained unchanged, it has not faded, not wavered and still burns as hot as ever within me: to surf. Even after spending almost 2 years of "just surfing", it is still what I want for myself and my future. It is funny really, it sounds childish and possibly is childish. Ultimately I do not even care how ridiculous it sounds, but I want to spend the rest of my days surfing and expanding my horizons. I want to live a life rich of experiences and encounters.
I stand before a choice:
-I can work hard and save lots of money, marry, have children and buy a house, fill it with expensive objects, buy a new car, on occasion meet up with friends, spend two to four weeks a year on "vacation", possibly trying to "re-learn" how to surf in 14-28 days. The glory will be to watch my children grow up in safety with the possibility of accumulating even more precious objects.
Or I can invest my time pursuing my dreams, working towards shaping a future the way I dream of it. The courage to travel into the unexplored, fall and pick myself up again. To have children and care for their health and shower them with love and give them the opportunity to be whatever they want to be. To watch my children enrich themselves with experience and go off in pursuit of their dreams.
Ultimately, I firmly believe that we shape our own destiny. We have to look back at our life and feel that we have used time in the best possible manner.
Should I paddle against the rip and drown or should I let the rip drag me out to the open ocean? Should I not paddle out in the first place for fear that I could drown. If I sit on the beach watching waves break for the rest of my life, will I reach the end of my life and feel fulfilled?
The reason it has taken me so long to write this last chapter is that it is hard to put the word "End" on something you wish could last forever.
I was working as a broker, buying and selling bonds. In the back of my mind waves, travels, experiences.
It took a fair deal of courage and planning to quit the safety, great salary, familiar routine.
Getting on to the plane direction South Africa filled me with joy: I could enjoy time with my grandmother, discover the land of my childhood dreams, where everything felt brighter, one big joyful technicolor.
Was it as good as I hoped?ABSOLUTELY. Do I have any regrets? Once again: no, no, no and NO! My gran passed away in June 2012. It hurts to know that I will never be able to bring her back, but at the same no one can rob me of the time we spent together. It will remain in my heart until the day that I pass into the great beyond. Thanks to all (too many to be named and I would feel awful for forgetting anyone) that made my stay in SA memorable.
After South Africa I came home and spent even more quality time with my family. We had one of the most memorable Christmases ever and even managed to go on a family trip to Rome. It was hard to say goodbye. Harder to think that that would be the last time that I was with my grandmother. It is never easy to leave behind what you know and love.
I set off to Perù, with only stereotypes and my imagination to paint pictures of what I was to expect. Perù overwhelmed me. I went through all stages of cultural shock, fell in love with the people and the land. I loved it intensely one day and loathed it brutally the next and loved it even more on the one after. Full circle. The children I was supposed to teach English to ended up teaching me that it doesn't matter if you have a fancy home and lots of flashy toys, ultimately life is just as beautiful -if not even more beautiful- when you give up physical possessions and embrace life with joy, love and curiosity. I feel like a proper hypocrite for writing that, sitting here in my safe and cozy European home, surrounded by fancy flashy useless "toys". The point I am trying to make is that I wasted a lot of time in my life pursuing the dream of physical wealth at the expense of spiritual wealth. Life is about balance and I have never been good at balance. Years ago I lived in Germany, when I left a friend told me "I am going to miss you and your radical statements". Nothing like an outsider's perspective to show you what you truly are like. "Radical": no shades of gray, it is either black or white with me. I hope that age will soften the edges and enlighten me. In a way I think that the children in Perù definitely helped me continue the journey of self discovery. They were the engineers that aided me to connect my brain, soul and heart.
The end of my stay in Perù was as intense as it gets. Anna visited me in Perù for a crazy country wide trip. I liked Anna, but had mixed feelings knowing that a relationship would be complicated and that I didn't want one at the time when I still had a year of traveling ahead of me. We had a blast running around the country, taking in palm fringed beaches, ancient Inca temples in the Jungle and glorious glaciers in the distance.
On the last day of our intense Peruvian cross-country voyage I got a call from South Africa. Mom had flown to Cape Town to be close to Gran. "Gran isn't well". My whole world came crumbling down, from a state of bliss happiness to the feeling that the sky was going to fall on me and crush me. I was at the airport in Lima at the moment of the call. Never mind Trujillo. Never mind the last couple of weeks in Perù. I bought the first ticket to Cape Town, intensely wishing to be with my grandmother until she would get better again. When I landed in Sao Paulo I called my parents. Gran had passed away that morning, they sky did indeed fall and crush me: I was devastated, alone, crying in a gray internet café on a cold winter morning in a gigantic soulless city that I didn't know, surrounded by people that couldn't care less, people that had problems of their own. This was the lowest moment of my trip and possibly one of the lowest moments of my life. I cried so much on the subsequent flight to Cape Town that by the time I reached my parents I think my tears had dried up.
I remain convinced that my grandmother is still here with us: she is around me in the nature and the people, in all that is beautiful on this planet. Even now, as I write this, I can feel her love embrace me in everything that surrounds and it replaces the tears with a smile and brings the consciousness that life is beautiful. This is what I learned that June. And I think this might be the biggest lesson I have ever learned in my life. The people we love, don't ever leave us, they are always with us in our hearts, in our minds and in the world that surrounds us.
A blurred week in Trujillo, trying to say goodbye in a mixed state of mind with a veritable tornado of emotions going on within me was not easy. I am not good at expressing feelings, it was even harder at the time. I would like to apologize to all my friends in Perù for perhaps appearing distant at the time. Those five months were one constant adventure. I returned to Lugano for the summer. Lugano in June, July and August is at its very best. Everything comes to life in the warm season. I was in a constant state of trepidation: eager to meet as many friends as possible, of experiencing as much as possible, spending time with my family. Try to jam pack my mind with mental pictures to take with me on the upcoming trip.
In August, out of the blue my mom ended up in hospital. I postponed the departure and considered canceling the trip altogether. Fortunately she made a swift recovery and we were able to celebrate her 60th birthday in Cape Town not even a month later. I visited the Kruger National Park. South Africa truly is a multifaceted gem, the Kurger is the size of Belgium and is a plethora of landscapes and home to some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet: mastodontic elephants, elusive leopards, royal lions, rainbow colored birds, imposing rhinos, friendly giraffes, shy antelopes and many many more. It is beautiful to visit the Kruger to escape modernity and see nature in all its greatness.
Mom's 60th birthday party was a true blast, it was great to celebrate with so many family members, a novelty for me, usually our family consisted of Dad, Mom, Nati and Tessa and here we were surrounded by family in the South African spring exploding its colors left, right and center! We also celebrated my birthday and Nati's birthday with friends and family and it was the best gift ever!
No sooner had I arrived that I was leaving again, not even a 3 weeks in South Africa and I was off to Brazil.
I still often think of South Africa and all the friends and family that make each return sweeter and more pleasant, it is always hard to leave. South Africa has a troubled past, but a big heart and a big smile that ensure a radiant future.
I landed in Sao Paulo in October, I had sad memories here and in my mind the city was nothing but a hellhole, but I spent several days here at Gustavo's,Joao Paulo's and Binho's place, friends of my friend Thiago. The hospitality of the Paulistas proved to be unparalleled. People that barely knew me took time off busy schedules to show me around and introduced me to friends and family, making me feel at home (OBRIGADO GUSTAVO!). The whole experience made me see a different Sao Paulo from the soulless man eating megalopolis, there are no words to explain how grateful I am to my new Paulista friends for sharing their joy of life with me. Rio may look more beautiful on the surface, but the kindness of the people that I met in Sao Paulo is without compare. I visited the city center, went to the market and museum of Portguese language and really enjoyed my short stay here. I then took an overnight bus to Florianopolis and stayed at the amazing Barra Beach Club, one of the nicest youth hostels I have ever stayed at. I met tons of new people here and made many new friends: Anderlei, Luis, Amanda, George, Yasmin, Ale, Julieta, Javiera, the Carioca crew, the Paulista crew and the gringo crew and all those that I am probably forgetting, thanks you for the great times! I had a blast: hiking to praia Galheta, surfing, eating "uma tigela de açai", eating Brazilian sushi, partying Brazilian style, going rafting, going to the Oktoberfest in Blumenau, cooking, exploring the lagoon and sharing stories and experiences. "Toda joya, toda beleza!".
And then Rio, what can be said about Rio? So first of all Thiago and flatmates: OBRIGADO! Thiago, thank you for being a great friend and for all your great help in Brazil. It was fantastic to see you again and I am so happy that you are doing something you love. I'm also really jealous that you live in Copacabana and live two blocks from the beach. Rio is possibly as beautiful as Cape Town when it comes to scenic beauty. It is sensual, elegant and a bit self-centered. Rio is Rio and it is well worth a visit at least once in your lifetime, prepare to be blown away. It was funny to be in Rio and hang out with Thiago and Jeroen, that I knew from Lugano. Just goes to show that the world is indeed becoming smaller.
It was time to head to Costa Rica, but not before a short one week stay in Perù! One week was not enough, I had a lot of catching up to do, I didn't get a chance to see everyone and when I visited the schools I wished I could have stayed longer. I think of Trujillo as a home away from home and look forward to returning to see all the friends, as well as see the progress that the children have made. All the wonderful USDA people and Espaanglisch people: thank you!
No sooner had I landed in Perù and it was already time to leave, I was off to Costa Rica. I was excited to be heading there: considered a natural paradies, heard great things about the surf and a country with no army. What could be better? Anna had arranged to join me there and I was looking forward to my arrival in Santa Teresa. I embarked the tiny propeller plane in San José and got a sublime view of Costa Rica from above: pure nature on steroids, lush jungle and glorious aquamarine see. Santa Teresa was a true gem, pity that there are no local inhabitants left, but only expats. On the other hand I met Nico (Italy), Mar (Spain), Matias (Argentina), Pablo (Spain). The surf here was outstanding, so outstanding in fact that I badly injured a rib surfing after not even a week. Fortunately Anna arrived shortly thereafter and nursed me back to health. It was nice to get to watch her learn how to surf. We enjoyed the beach, the wild nature (Bob the iguana sends his regards), the great food and the hospitality of Nico and Mar.
I booked a surprise flight to Switzerland and showed up on the morning of Christmas Eve. It was wonderful to be with my family for Christmas. I will fondly remember it as one of the most special family holidays we ever had. After a couple of days a large contingent of South Africans joined us and insured that the holiday was even more joyful! Long time friend Robin and Anna joined for a couple of days too. I was sad to leave. I had rearranged my travel plans. Was booked to fly to Hawaii, but I postponed my flight to the islands since my ribs were still killing me. I decided to try Mexico instead, the waves would be smaller and I was excited to discover a new country. I had loved Perù, Brazil and Costa Rica and I always get along very well with anyone I meet from South and Central America, so I was certain I would have a blast. I think it was my mood and apparently the mood of everyone around me, but I seemed to have picked the wrong time, the wrong place and the wrong attitude to visit Mexico. It was one of the few places where I would venture to say that I was almost unhappy. I met some "interesting" people, that alone would provide enough material for writing a book (one guy was convinced, I mean ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, that mermaids exist and that there are no Somali pirates in the gulf of Aden, but that the navies of half the world are guarding a secret portal to another universe...). I did also meet some great people that insured that all in all my stay was not an absolute disaster. Maurilio above all, thank you for sharing some epic surf sessions and for letting me enter your jeep. I will go back to Mexico and visit new regions again, it deserves a second chance.
I was glad to get out of Mexico, and could hardly wait for my next destination. I had dreamed about it since childhood: Hawai'i. The ultimate pilgrimage in the life of a surfer. What the Vatican is to a fervent Catholic, what the Mecca is to a fervent Muslim, Hawai'i is to a fervent Surfer. Especially the North Shore of the island of Oahu, the 7 mile miracle (name it earns for the large concentration of high performance surf spots within a 7 mile stretch of coastline), the home of Pipeline, Waimea, Sunset and many other legendary surf breaks. I was even happier to discover that there were even surf breaks more suited to my laughable "surf skills". I stayed in a shabby hostel on the North Shore. What it lacked in infrastructure it made up in character. The entire backpackers was settled by surfers, it was all about surfing 24 hours a day. The questions were no longer only: "what do you do for a living?" "where are you from?" "how long have you been here?"... they were also "care to check out the Wall?", "how about a surf at this spot just after V-land?". Some A-grade surfers were staying at the hostel, Australians and Brazilians that had come to the North Shore for the almost compulsory and holy big wave pilgrimage. Impressive board quivers (a quiver is basically a "collection of surf boards", with different boards for different wave conditions), Waimea guns (big wave surfboards shaped to ride the giant surf in Waimea bay) and your run of the mill performance short board for those "small" days. I met Claudio, the Italian brother I never had. We had great times with all the people from the backpackers: Claire, John and many more. Surfing on the North Shore was one of my biggest dreams and I was able to realize it. All it takes is a little courage, a little luck and a lot of hard work and planning, but ultimately almost all our dreams are possible. Watching a pro surfer contest at the Banzai Pipeline was breath-taking, snorkeling with turtles at Puena point was a revelation, "body surfing" the Waimea shorebreak (imagine 2 meter waves breaking on 10 cms of water) was enlightening. I left Hawai'i with a sense of bliss happiness and fulfillment that I cannot explain, that I cannot express with mere words and that would most likely sound silly to most of you.
In Hawai'i I also learned that speeding is WRONG and that traffic offenses are SERIOUS and that if you ever get summoned to court in the US hire a lawyer (they are cheap and will get you out of trouble). Of course you always learn things the hard way. Pineapple fields to the left, pineapple fields to the right, the trillion shades of blue and green ahead of me.
The ocean scared me in Hawai'i, this was a healthy thing: to be reminded that nature is boss and that we are but small creatures, mere guests, that have to respect our green and blue cradle. I often pushed my own limits, but I think that Hawai'i taught me to show more respect to the ocean and to stop and observe nature, learn from it and love it with even more passion.
Humbled by Planet Earth and its wonders I proceeded to Fiji. You might have heard that Fiji is a little tropical paradise, that it displays glorious beaches, palm trees, coral reefs and much more. I would hate to lie to you: it is stunning. The Fijians are genuinely the most welcoming people I can think of. They are laid back and always ready to give you a big smile. The islands all look absolutely beautiful. Life for the Fijians has not been easy in these last years (military juntas, economic crisis, floods, etc.), but they keep on smiling with the same intensity. I stayed in a budget backpackers called the Funky Fish on Malolo Island. Play ukulele in the shade of trees, play chess with the only other guest of the resort (Eleonor) during the tropical downfalls, watch breathtaking sunsets. Joseph, who worked for the resort, would shuttle me to the distant coral reefs for some very solitary surf sessions. I love surfing alone, it regenerates the soul and lets you truly savor the moment without worrying about ruining other people's waves or getting in the way. I had never surfed in places like this before: coral reefs that were several miles from land, crystal clear water, techicolor fishes swimming all around you, the water so clear that you can see everything that moves beneath you. The waves were challenging for me, one mistake at one of the spots would have meant some very bad reef cuts. Live coral reefs cut more than the sharpest knifes, but they also leave a wound that burns, because the living organism on the reef immediately infect us. I was lucky never to cut myself. Later during the stay I was joined by Tobias, a surfer from Germany and we had an epic surf session at a spot called Namotu lefts. I will not easily forget this day: perfect waves in a perfect setting and just 3 of us in the water.
In Fiji I learned that paradise comes at its price: sometimes you will get lonely and even if you like being a hermit I can assure you that you will not enjoy being eaten alive by mosquitoes and sand flies ( I still have scars on my feet from the bites more than one year later).
The mosquitoes and sand flies had not quite managed to eat every last bit of me, so I made my way to the land of the Long White Cloud. Gloomy cold weather on arrival did dampen my spirits a little bit. However, Robin soon joined me and we embarked on an ambitious and unforgettable journey: to go around both the North and the South Island of New Zealand in 3 weeks. New Zealand is approximately 1600 km from the tip of the North Island to the tip of the South Island. I often still stop and think of the beauty of New Zealand. It has it all: mountains, sea, wildlife, lakes, rivers, geothermal sites, glaciers, snow, sun and some of the friendliest people you will ever come across. Some parts of New Zealand are so beautiful that even here the creator had to put sand flies to remind us that there is no good without bad, else it would just be too perfect. We drove for over 3000 km, over 400km per day and no sooner had Robin arrived that I had dropped him off at Christchurch airport.
It was a pleasure to travel with you Robin! Sorry for all the long drives in search of waves. I think the highlights while traveling with Robin were the glaciers, swimming with dolphins and visiting his friend Flavio in Wellington. Thanks for the hospitality Flavio.
I was sad to see Robin go, but it was nice to relax, I had an epic surf in Kaikoura and made my way back to the North Island. I was eager to get to Raglan, because it is a legendary surf spot. Talking about legends, Lana and Thekla were true legends in welcoming me into their beautiful apartment overlooking Whale bay, where the sound of the waves would rock me to sleep every night. The light here had something mystical, something holy almost. And the waves, don't even get me started! I have seldom in my journeys seen such perfection. I treasure the early morning (before dawn) surfs with Lana, there was something great and eerie about paddling out to surf before the sun has even risen. I would also like tot hank them for introducing their friends to me and making me a part of their social life. Wes, Andrew, Sarah, Curtiss and many more: thanks for the great barbeques and great times in general. Wes and Andrew it was inspiring to watch you surf, you both have great, unique styles, but more importantly you have a true passion for the sport of kings.
On the 27th of June I flew back to Milan with a sense of trepidation and was thrilled to have the whole family waiting for me at the airport. You don't realize how much you miss something until you no longer have it and until you are on a small island where hardly anyone speaks English and stays for more than a couple of days.
We arrived back in Lugano on a beautiful summer day, the green hills as green as ever.
My mom organized a big surprise party and most of my good friends were waiting for me! I couldn't believe it!
From the day I left for the first leg of my trip, on the 8th of October 2010, until the day I returned on the 28th of June 2012, I traveled in excess of 160'000 km by plane (the circumference of earth is ~40'000 km), many thousands by car and used several other interesting means of transportation: seaplane, combis, colectivos, rafts, boats, ferries, taxis, disco taxis, camper vans, crappy buses, luxury buses, trains, subway trains, many different surfboards, 50 cc. scooters, my own feet, cable cars, funiculars, mototaxis. Some trips were comfortable and memorable, others were nerve-wrecking and dodgy, but they were all unique: from the "private flight" with a propeller plane from Tambor to San José (Costa Rica) where I was the only passenger on the plane (and the pilot still insisted on using the speaker system for the safety drill before take off, despite the fact that I was sitting a foot behind him) to the white knuckle taxi and combi rides in Trujillo with the blaring raeggeton music in the background. From the jeep in the river beds of Costa Rica, to the funicular to the Corcovado. From the comfortable new planes of South American companies LAN, Avianca and Taca, to the horrible US Airways, Hawaiian airlines and United airlines flights. Whitewater Rafting in Perù and Brazil and then riding a scooter in the hellish traffic of Kuta in Indonesia. Freezing to death in the air-conditioned bus from Sao Paulo to Florianopolis, sweating bucket loads on a cramped combi in the dusty desert suburbs of Trujillo.
I estimate that I surfed over 1'000 hours. I surfed on longboards, foamboards, performance shortboards, twin fin retro fishes, funboards and I even bodyboarded. I surfed coral reef breaks, point breaks, beach breaks, sand banks, immensely small surf, to intimidating hawaiian waves. I bodysurfed the bone crushing shorebreak in Waimea. I surfed with seals, dolphins, turtles and even whales. I surfed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. I am still a lousy surfer, but I still get the same feeling every time I hit the water: child-like amazement and joy!
One thing I am absolutely certain about is that Mark Twain was right: "The World is a book and those who do not travel read only one page". That one page is good, no doubt. If you read on, you discover that some pages are worse, but that most of them are exceptional. You will not want to stop.
After traveling I am certain that good and bad are everywhere, globally. However I find that goodness by far exceeds evil and compensates for it anywhere you go. We are all different, but we are all flesh and bones and in a way we all are looking for happiness.
Happiness for me comes from my family, my friends, my girlfriend, surfing, the sun, rainbows, stars, music, waves, nature, mountains, rivers, oceans, ukuleles, food. Happiness is just being here and having the opportunity to share it all with you, be it in person or in writing.
The world goes through cycles, good times and hard times, but it always makes it out of the bad times eventually. It is sad to see suffering and pain, but comforting to think that things do get better. I loved chatting with people everywhere I went and asking them if things were better or worse now than they were 50 years ago, in some of the poorest places I would get big smiles and a big "yes, things are better now".
It is sad to see the planet suffer, but at the same time it is encouraging to witness an increasing awareness.
I don't know who "made us" (except for Mom and Dad), I don't know if there is "a purpose" (except for infinite love towards all creatures and things) and I don't know why there is badness in the world (except for us to better appreciate goodness), but I know that not a day goes by without me being thankful for it. I may often be grumpy and uptight, but even on my worse days, deep down, I know that it just keeps on getting better.
Even when I return to the earth (or to the sea in my case) and every trace of my existence will be erased from the face of this planet, I know that I will live on in the travelers, the dreamers, the surfers and everyone that lives.
I hope that some day there will be no borders, no religions, no wars, no food scarcity, no racism, no greed and that all cancers of society will be replaced by love.
Thank you for reading.
I am one of the very few, very privileged that had the grand luxury of saying "screw it, I am leaving my job and I am setting out to travel the world"; no responsibilities, no constraints, no boundaries. I even "cheated" along the way, I returned to Switzerland several times throughout my travels, the country where I grew up, to see family and friends that I all missed so much.
I went through so many life-changing experiences, met so many new friends, created a lifetime worth of memories. Was it the great experience I hoped it would be? Yes! And perhaps even greater than I thought, but it did come at a price: you come back and are a foreigner in the very place where you grew up, no one understands what you did, probably few really even care what you experienced and went through, you have changed, but all else has remained the same or changed in a different way.
I have spent the last year in a weird limbo, I have been a prisoner of the past and at the same time I have tried to get back to the "real life". During the final part of my travels I reflected and decided to move in with Anna, my girlfriend. I am very happy I took this decision, it has helped me mature and grow in new directions. At the same time it is difficult to leave home. My family means the world to me and often I feel that I am not capable of showing them just how much.
During the past year I have gone through a veritable roller coaster of emotions. I caught up with old friends, confronted myself with the past without making any solid plans for the future, rediscovered being Swiss. Moved to the German part of Switzerland with the intention of finally learning Swiss German dialect and integrating. I looked for an international sales job, found it and figured out that I do not want to spend the rest of my life working 14 hours a day 7 days a week, traveling left right and center without experiencing any of the true richness that real travel can award. I resigned after 3 very intense months, in which I hardly even had time to think of where I was and where I wanted to go, I was so caught up in the job that I almost gave up my own life for the sake of "reaching targets" and "meeting deadlines". I even "missed" my 30th birthday... I still have an immense craving for travel (real travel) and looking back at diaries I wrote over the past ten years I realize that in my fickle moods and my constant indecision one goal has remained unchanged, it has not faded, not wavered and still burns as hot as ever within me: to surf. Even after spending almost 2 years of "just surfing", it is still what I want for myself and my future. It is funny really, it sounds childish and possibly is childish. Ultimately I do not even care how ridiculous it sounds, but I want to spend the rest of my days surfing and expanding my horizons. I want to live a life rich of experiences and encounters.
I stand before a choice:
-I can work hard and save lots of money, marry, have children and buy a house, fill it with expensive objects, buy a new car, on occasion meet up with friends, spend two to four weeks a year on "vacation", possibly trying to "re-learn" how to surf in 14-28 days. The glory will be to watch my children grow up in safety with the possibility of accumulating even more precious objects.
Or I can invest my time pursuing my dreams, working towards shaping a future the way I dream of it. The courage to travel into the unexplored, fall and pick myself up again. To have children and care for their health and shower them with love and give them the opportunity to be whatever they want to be. To watch my children enrich themselves with experience and go off in pursuit of their dreams.
Ultimately, I firmly believe that we shape our own destiny. We have to look back at our life and feel that we have used time in the best possible manner.
Should I paddle against the rip and drown or should I let the rip drag me out to the open ocean? Should I not paddle out in the first place for fear that I could drown. If I sit on the beach watching waves break for the rest of my life, will I reach the end of my life and feel fulfilled?
The reason it has taken me so long to write this last chapter is that it is hard to put the word "End" on something you wish could last forever.
I was working as a broker, buying and selling bonds. In the back of my mind waves, travels, experiences.
It took a fair deal of courage and planning to quit the safety, great salary, familiar routine.
Getting on to the plane direction South Africa filled me with joy: I could enjoy time with my grandmother, discover the land of my childhood dreams, where everything felt brighter, one big joyful technicolor.
Was it as good as I hoped?ABSOLUTELY. Do I have any regrets? Once again: no, no, no and NO! My gran passed away in June 2012. It hurts to know that I will never be able to bring her back, but at the same no one can rob me of the time we spent together. It will remain in my heart until the day that I pass into the great beyond. Thanks to all (too many to be named and I would feel awful for forgetting anyone) that made my stay in SA memorable.
After South Africa I came home and spent even more quality time with my family. We had one of the most memorable Christmases ever and even managed to go on a family trip to Rome. It was hard to say goodbye. Harder to think that that would be the last time that I was with my grandmother. It is never easy to leave behind what you know and love.
I set off to Perù, with only stereotypes and my imagination to paint pictures of what I was to expect. Perù overwhelmed me. I went through all stages of cultural shock, fell in love with the people and the land. I loved it intensely one day and loathed it brutally the next and loved it even more on the one after. Full circle. The children I was supposed to teach English to ended up teaching me that it doesn't matter if you have a fancy home and lots of flashy toys, ultimately life is just as beautiful -if not even more beautiful- when you give up physical possessions and embrace life with joy, love and curiosity. I feel like a proper hypocrite for writing that, sitting here in my safe and cozy European home, surrounded by fancy flashy useless "toys". The point I am trying to make is that I wasted a lot of time in my life pursuing the dream of physical wealth at the expense of spiritual wealth. Life is about balance and I have never been good at balance. Years ago I lived in Germany, when I left a friend told me "I am going to miss you and your radical statements". Nothing like an outsider's perspective to show you what you truly are like. "Radical": no shades of gray, it is either black or white with me. I hope that age will soften the edges and enlighten me. In a way I think that the children in Perù definitely helped me continue the journey of self discovery. They were the engineers that aided me to connect my brain, soul and heart.
The end of my stay in Perù was as intense as it gets. Anna visited me in Perù for a crazy country wide trip. I liked Anna, but had mixed feelings knowing that a relationship would be complicated and that I didn't want one at the time when I still had a year of traveling ahead of me. We had a blast running around the country, taking in palm fringed beaches, ancient Inca temples in the Jungle and glorious glaciers in the distance.
On the last day of our intense Peruvian cross-country voyage I got a call from South Africa. Mom had flown to Cape Town to be close to Gran. "Gran isn't well". My whole world came crumbling down, from a state of bliss happiness to the feeling that the sky was going to fall on me and crush me. I was at the airport in Lima at the moment of the call. Never mind Trujillo. Never mind the last couple of weeks in Perù. I bought the first ticket to Cape Town, intensely wishing to be with my grandmother until she would get better again. When I landed in Sao Paulo I called my parents. Gran had passed away that morning, they sky did indeed fall and crush me: I was devastated, alone, crying in a gray internet café on a cold winter morning in a gigantic soulless city that I didn't know, surrounded by people that couldn't care less, people that had problems of their own. This was the lowest moment of my trip and possibly one of the lowest moments of my life. I cried so much on the subsequent flight to Cape Town that by the time I reached my parents I think my tears had dried up.
I remain convinced that my grandmother is still here with us: she is around me in the nature and the people, in all that is beautiful on this planet. Even now, as I write this, I can feel her love embrace me in everything that surrounds and it replaces the tears with a smile and brings the consciousness that life is beautiful. This is what I learned that June. And I think this might be the biggest lesson I have ever learned in my life. The people we love, don't ever leave us, they are always with us in our hearts, in our minds and in the world that surrounds us.
A blurred week in Trujillo, trying to say goodbye in a mixed state of mind with a veritable tornado of emotions going on within me was not easy. I am not good at expressing feelings, it was even harder at the time. I would like to apologize to all my friends in Perù for perhaps appearing distant at the time. Those five months were one constant adventure. I returned to Lugano for the summer. Lugano in June, July and August is at its very best. Everything comes to life in the warm season. I was in a constant state of trepidation: eager to meet as many friends as possible, of experiencing as much as possible, spending time with my family. Try to jam pack my mind with mental pictures to take with me on the upcoming trip.
In August, out of the blue my mom ended up in hospital. I postponed the departure and considered canceling the trip altogether. Fortunately she made a swift recovery and we were able to celebrate her 60th birthday in Cape Town not even a month later. I visited the Kruger National Park. South Africa truly is a multifaceted gem, the Kurger is the size of Belgium and is a plethora of landscapes and home to some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet: mastodontic elephants, elusive leopards, royal lions, rainbow colored birds, imposing rhinos, friendly giraffes, shy antelopes and many many more. It is beautiful to visit the Kruger to escape modernity and see nature in all its greatness.
Mom's 60th birthday party was a true blast, it was great to celebrate with so many family members, a novelty for me, usually our family consisted of Dad, Mom, Nati and Tessa and here we were surrounded by family in the South African spring exploding its colors left, right and center! We also celebrated my birthday and Nati's birthday with friends and family and it was the best gift ever!
No sooner had I arrived that I was leaving again, not even a 3 weeks in South Africa and I was off to Brazil.
I still often think of South Africa and all the friends and family that make each return sweeter and more pleasant, it is always hard to leave. South Africa has a troubled past, but a big heart and a big smile that ensure a radiant future.
I landed in Sao Paulo in October, I had sad memories here and in my mind the city was nothing but a hellhole, but I spent several days here at Gustavo's,Joao Paulo's and Binho's place, friends of my friend Thiago. The hospitality of the Paulistas proved to be unparalleled. People that barely knew me took time off busy schedules to show me around and introduced me to friends and family, making me feel at home (OBRIGADO GUSTAVO!). The whole experience made me see a different Sao Paulo from the soulless man eating megalopolis, there are no words to explain how grateful I am to my new Paulista friends for sharing their joy of life with me. Rio may look more beautiful on the surface, but the kindness of the people that I met in Sao Paulo is without compare. I visited the city center, went to the market and museum of Portguese language and really enjoyed my short stay here. I then took an overnight bus to Florianopolis and stayed at the amazing Barra Beach Club, one of the nicest youth hostels I have ever stayed at. I met tons of new people here and made many new friends: Anderlei, Luis, Amanda, George, Yasmin, Ale, Julieta, Javiera, the Carioca crew, the Paulista crew and the gringo crew and all those that I am probably forgetting, thanks you for the great times! I had a blast: hiking to praia Galheta, surfing, eating "uma tigela de açai", eating Brazilian sushi, partying Brazilian style, going rafting, going to the Oktoberfest in Blumenau, cooking, exploring the lagoon and sharing stories and experiences. "Toda joya, toda beleza!".
And then Rio, what can be said about Rio? So first of all Thiago and flatmates: OBRIGADO! Thiago, thank you for being a great friend and for all your great help in Brazil. It was fantastic to see you again and I am so happy that you are doing something you love. I'm also really jealous that you live in Copacabana and live two blocks from the beach. Rio is possibly as beautiful as Cape Town when it comes to scenic beauty. It is sensual, elegant and a bit self-centered. Rio is Rio and it is well worth a visit at least once in your lifetime, prepare to be blown away. It was funny to be in Rio and hang out with Thiago and Jeroen, that I knew from Lugano. Just goes to show that the world is indeed becoming smaller.
It was time to head to Costa Rica, but not before a short one week stay in Perù! One week was not enough, I had a lot of catching up to do, I didn't get a chance to see everyone and when I visited the schools I wished I could have stayed longer. I think of Trujillo as a home away from home and look forward to returning to see all the friends, as well as see the progress that the children have made. All the wonderful USDA people and Espaanglisch people: thank you!
No sooner had I landed in Perù and it was already time to leave, I was off to Costa Rica. I was excited to be heading there: considered a natural paradies, heard great things about the surf and a country with no army. What could be better? Anna had arranged to join me there and I was looking forward to my arrival in Santa Teresa. I embarked the tiny propeller plane in San José and got a sublime view of Costa Rica from above: pure nature on steroids, lush jungle and glorious aquamarine see. Santa Teresa was a true gem, pity that there are no local inhabitants left, but only expats. On the other hand I met Nico (Italy), Mar (Spain), Matias (Argentina), Pablo (Spain). The surf here was outstanding, so outstanding in fact that I badly injured a rib surfing after not even a week. Fortunately Anna arrived shortly thereafter and nursed me back to health. It was nice to get to watch her learn how to surf. We enjoyed the beach, the wild nature (Bob the iguana sends his regards), the great food and the hospitality of Nico and Mar.
I booked a surprise flight to Switzerland and showed up on the morning of Christmas Eve. It was wonderful to be with my family for Christmas. I will fondly remember it as one of the most special family holidays we ever had. After a couple of days a large contingent of South Africans joined us and insured that the holiday was even more joyful! Long time friend Robin and Anna joined for a couple of days too. I was sad to leave. I had rearranged my travel plans. Was booked to fly to Hawaii, but I postponed my flight to the islands since my ribs were still killing me. I decided to try Mexico instead, the waves would be smaller and I was excited to discover a new country. I had loved Perù, Brazil and Costa Rica and I always get along very well with anyone I meet from South and Central America, so I was certain I would have a blast. I think it was my mood and apparently the mood of everyone around me, but I seemed to have picked the wrong time, the wrong place and the wrong attitude to visit Mexico. It was one of the few places where I would venture to say that I was almost unhappy. I met some "interesting" people, that alone would provide enough material for writing a book (one guy was convinced, I mean ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, that mermaids exist and that there are no Somali pirates in the gulf of Aden, but that the navies of half the world are guarding a secret portal to another universe...). I did also meet some great people that insured that all in all my stay was not an absolute disaster. Maurilio above all, thank you for sharing some epic surf sessions and for letting me enter your jeep. I will go back to Mexico and visit new regions again, it deserves a second chance.
I was glad to get out of Mexico, and could hardly wait for my next destination. I had dreamed about it since childhood: Hawai'i. The ultimate pilgrimage in the life of a surfer. What the Vatican is to a fervent Catholic, what the Mecca is to a fervent Muslim, Hawai'i is to a fervent Surfer. Especially the North Shore of the island of Oahu, the 7 mile miracle (name it earns for the large concentration of high performance surf spots within a 7 mile stretch of coastline), the home of Pipeline, Waimea, Sunset and many other legendary surf breaks. I was even happier to discover that there were even surf breaks more suited to my laughable "surf skills". I stayed in a shabby hostel on the North Shore. What it lacked in infrastructure it made up in character. The entire backpackers was settled by surfers, it was all about surfing 24 hours a day. The questions were no longer only: "what do you do for a living?" "where are you from?" "how long have you been here?"... they were also "care to check out the Wall?", "how about a surf at this spot just after V-land?". Some A-grade surfers were staying at the hostel, Australians and Brazilians that had come to the North Shore for the almost compulsory and holy big wave pilgrimage. Impressive board quivers (a quiver is basically a "collection of surf boards", with different boards for different wave conditions), Waimea guns (big wave surfboards shaped to ride the giant surf in Waimea bay) and your run of the mill performance short board for those "small" days. I met Claudio, the Italian brother I never had. We had great times with all the people from the backpackers: Claire, John and many more. Surfing on the North Shore was one of my biggest dreams and I was able to realize it. All it takes is a little courage, a little luck and a lot of hard work and planning, but ultimately almost all our dreams are possible. Watching a pro surfer contest at the Banzai Pipeline was breath-taking, snorkeling with turtles at Puena point was a revelation, "body surfing" the Waimea shorebreak (imagine 2 meter waves breaking on 10 cms of water) was enlightening. I left Hawai'i with a sense of bliss happiness and fulfillment that I cannot explain, that I cannot express with mere words and that would most likely sound silly to most of you.
In Hawai'i I also learned that speeding is WRONG and that traffic offenses are SERIOUS and that if you ever get summoned to court in the US hire a lawyer (they are cheap and will get you out of trouble). Of course you always learn things the hard way. Pineapple fields to the left, pineapple fields to the right, the trillion shades of blue and green ahead of me.
The ocean scared me in Hawai'i, this was a healthy thing: to be reminded that nature is boss and that we are but small creatures, mere guests, that have to respect our green and blue cradle. I often pushed my own limits, but I think that Hawai'i taught me to show more respect to the ocean and to stop and observe nature, learn from it and love it with even more passion.
Humbled by Planet Earth and its wonders I proceeded to Fiji. You might have heard that Fiji is a little tropical paradise, that it displays glorious beaches, palm trees, coral reefs and much more. I would hate to lie to you: it is stunning. The Fijians are genuinely the most welcoming people I can think of. They are laid back and always ready to give you a big smile. The islands all look absolutely beautiful. Life for the Fijians has not been easy in these last years (military juntas, economic crisis, floods, etc.), but they keep on smiling with the same intensity. I stayed in a budget backpackers called the Funky Fish on Malolo Island. Play ukulele in the shade of trees, play chess with the only other guest of the resort (Eleonor) during the tropical downfalls, watch breathtaking sunsets. Joseph, who worked for the resort, would shuttle me to the distant coral reefs for some very solitary surf sessions. I love surfing alone, it regenerates the soul and lets you truly savor the moment without worrying about ruining other people's waves or getting in the way. I had never surfed in places like this before: coral reefs that were several miles from land, crystal clear water, techicolor fishes swimming all around you, the water so clear that you can see everything that moves beneath you. The waves were challenging for me, one mistake at one of the spots would have meant some very bad reef cuts. Live coral reefs cut more than the sharpest knifes, but they also leave a wound that burns, because the living organism on the reef immediately infect us. I was lucky never to cut myself. Later during the stay I was joined by Tobias, a surfer from Germany and we had an epic surf session at a spot called Namotu lefts. I will not easily forget this day: perfect waves in a perfect setting and just 3 of us in the water.
In Fiji I learned that paradise comes at its price: sometimes you will get lonely and even if you like being a hermit I can assure you that you will not enjoy being eaten alive by mosquitoes and sand flies ( I still have scars on my feet from the bites more than one year later).
The mosquitoes and sand flies had not quite managed to eat every last bit of me, so I made my way to the land of the Long White Cloud. Gloomy cold weather on arrival did dampen my spirits a little bit. However, Robin soon joined me and we embarked on an ambitious and unforgettable journey: to go around both the North and the South Island of New Zealand in 3 weeks. New Zealand is approximately 1600 km from the tip of the North Island to the tip of the South Island. I often still stop and think of the beauty of New Zealand. It has it all: mountains, sea, wildlife, lakes, rivers, geothermal sites, glaciers, snow, sun and some of the friendliest people you will ever come across. Some parts of New Zealand are so beautiful that even here the creator had to put sand flies to remind us that there is no good without bad, else it would just be too perfect. We drove for over 3000 km, over 400km per day and no sooner had Robin arrived that I had dropped him off at Christchurch airport.
It was a pleasure to travel with you Robin! Sorry for all the long drives in search of waves. I think the highlights while traveling with Robin were the glaciers, swimming with dolphins and visiting his friend Flavio in Wellington. Thanks for the hospitality Flavio.
I was sad to see Robin go, but it was nice to relax, I had an epic surf in Kaikoura and made my way back to the North Island. I was eager to get to Raglan, because it is a legendary surf spot. Talking about legends, Lana and Thekla were true legends in welcoming me into their beautiful apartment overlooking Whale bay, where the sound of the waves would rock me to sleep every night. The light here had something mystical, something holy almost. And the waves, don't even get me started! I have seldom in my journeys seen such perfection. I treasure the early morning (before dawn) surfs with Lana, there was something great and eerie about paddling out to surf before the sun has even risen. I would also like tot hank them for introducing their friends to me and making me a part of their social life. Wes, Andrew, Sarah, Curtiss and many more: thanks for the great barbeques and great times in general. Wes and Andrew it was inspiring to watch you surf, you both have great, unique styles, but more importantly you have a true passion for the sport of kings.
From Raglan I decided to resume my life as a hermit and what better place than the Taranaki area! The local highway is called surf highway and the whole region is all about deserted beaches, farms and nature. The Oakura holiday park was quite something: I parked my camper van right close to the water and it was never difficult to wake up in the mornings. Here I was adopted by a club of lively septuagenarians and
octogenarians that are living proof that you are only as old as you want to be! My highlights here were my surfs at a spot that could only be reached by walking past grazing cows and then along a blazing hot black sand beach to a long left hand point break. I often surfed here alone, a very irresponsible and stupid thing to do, because it was in the middle of nowhere. I would spend my days driving up and down the coast in search of the best surf. I then briefly returned to Raglan and got my lost surf here and got to say my goodbyes to all the Raglanites and then headed to Auckland where I was to meet old family friends. The Ellison family was a shining beacon of hospitality. I felt so welcome and so part of the family that I almost felt like never leaving again. Greg, Madeleine, Claire, Colette, Simon and David: thank you!
octogenarians that are living proof that you are only as old as you want to be! My highlights here were my surfs at a spot that could only be reached by walking past grazing cows and then along a blazing hot black sand beach to a long left hand point break. I often surfed here alone, a very irresponsible and stupid thing to do, because it was in the middle of nowhere. I would spend my days driving up and down the coast in search of the best surf. I then briefly returned to Raglan and got my lost surf here and got to say my goodbyes to all the Raglanites and then headed to Auckland where I was to meet old family friends. The Ellison family was a shining beacon of hospitality. I felt so welcome and so part of the family that I almost felt like never leaving again. Greg, Madeleine, Claire, Colette, Simon and David: thank you!
I left for Sydney and met up with Stefano, a long time friend, that is always in my thoughts. I wish that Sydney were a little closer so that I could see him more often. Thanks to modern day technology we still manage to communicate on occasion. It was really nice to meet his girlfriend Ganga whom I had heard so much about, and it was also quite a treat to have some fine Angus stakes on the grill in the company of Claire (who I had met in Hawai'i and happened to be traveling around Oz at the time), Ramiro and Ramiro's wife. Thanks for lending me your board Stefano ;) and sorry for breaking the fin. Broken fins seem to have become the new normal with me.
I landed in Bali and the tropical heat took my breath away. Anna was waiting for me on the other end of arrivals and I was really looking forward to seeing her.
We exited the terminal and were assaulted by taxi drivers. After some tough haggling we managed to agree on a price and were off to Puri Dukuh, a homestay run buy Linda in Kerobokan. The traffic in Bali is insane, millions of motorbikes zig-zagging at full speed through a maze of cars and trucks. Bali is a legendary surfing destination, made famous by the Australians in the 1970s and now "zooed out" by surfers from all over. Anna and I still managed to make the best of it. Bali has an intriguing culture and some stunning sights. We enjoyed fantastic Balinese food and went surfing in crowded and polluted surf breaks. But we had a great time and I think we enjoyed it despite all the stress caused by the density of population and hassling. "Yes please, you buy, cheap cheap". When Anna had to return to work I decided that I needed a quieter setting and headed off to the small island of Lembongan. Lembongan is truly a small island, only about 4x2 km and it is connected to the even smaller island of Ceningan by a wobbly suspended bridge. I rented a scooter visited every square inch of the island. Met lots of backpackers that would come to the island for a couple of days and leave for the mainland again. The locals thought I was crazy, one of the few who stayed for almost a month. I loved that small island, beautiful landscapes, enchanting snorkeling, challenging surfing and great food. But I had had enough. I was feeling lonely and tired. I wanted to live somewhere where I had a cupboard and my own kitchen. I wanted to see my family and my friends. The end of my dream journey was nearing. I returned to Bali and decided to stay close to Balangan beach, one of the very few unspoilt beaches in South Bali. I avidly surfed some of the biggest waves of my trip and I would spend the rest of the day pondering my travels and thinking about all the great places I went to, the unique experiences I went through and the wonderful people I met along the way.
I landed in Bali and the tropical heat took my breath away. Anna was waiting for me on the other end of arrivals and I was really looking forward to seeing her.
We exited the terminal and were assaulted by taxi drivers. After some tough haggling we managed to agree on a price and were off to Puri Dukuh, a homestay run buy Linda in Kerobokan. The traffic in Bali is insane, millions of motorbikes zig-zagging at full speed through a maze of cars and trucks. Bali is a legendary surfing destination, made famous by the Australians in the 1970s and now "zooed out" by surfers from all over. Anna and I still managed to make the best of it. Bali has an intriguing culture and some stunning sights. We enjoyed fantastic Balinese food and went surfing in crowded and polluted surf breaks. But we had a great time and I think we enjoyed it despite all the stress caused by the density of population and hassling. "Yes please, you buy, cheap cheap". When Anna had to return to work I decided that I needed a quieter setting and headed off to the small island of Lembongan. Lembongan is truly a small island, only about 4x2 km and it is connected to the even smaller island of Ceningan by a wobbly suspended bridge. I rented a scooter visited every square inch of the island. Met lots of backpackers that would come to the island for a couple of days and leave for the mainland again. The locals thought I was crazy, one of the few who stayed for almost a month. I loved that small island, beautiful landscapes, enchanting snorkeling, challenging surfing and great food. But I had had enough. I was feeling lonely and tired. I wanted to live somewhere where I had a cupboard and my own kitchen. I wanted to see my family and my friends. The end of my dream journey was nearing. I returned to Bali and decided to stay close to Balangan beach, one of the very few unspoilt beaches in South Bali. I avidly surfed some of the biggest waves of my trip and I would spend the rest of the day pondering my travels and thinking about all the great places I went to, the unique experiences I went through and the wonderful people I met along the way.
On the 27th of June I flew back to Milan with a sense of trepidation and was thrilled to have the whole family waiting for me at the airport. You don't realize how much you miss something until you no longer have it and until you are on a small island where hardly anyone speaks English and stays for more than a couple of days.
We arrived back in Lugano on a beautiful summer day, the green hills as green as ever.
My mom organized a big surprise party and most of my good friends were waiting for me! I couldn't believe it!
From the day I left for the first leg of my trip, on the 8th of October 2010, until the day I returned on the 28th of June 2012, I traveled in excess of 160'000 km by plane (the circumference of earth is ~40'000 km), many thousands by car and used several other interesting means of transportation: seaplane, combis, colectivos, rafts, boats, ferries, taxis, disco taxis, camper vans, crappy buses, luxury buses, trains, subway trains, many different surfboards, 50 cc. scooters, my own feet, cable cars, funiculars, mototaxis. Some trips were comfortable and memorable, others were nerve-wrecking and dodgy, but they were all unique: from the "private flight" with a propeller plane from Tambor to San José (Costa Rica) where I was the only passenger on the plane (and the pilot still insisted on using the speaker system for the safety drill before take off, despite the fact that I was sitting a foot behind him) to the white knuckle taxi and combi rides in Trujillo with the blaring raeggeton music in the background. From the jeep in the river beds of Costa Rica, to the funicular to the Corcovado. From the comfortable new planes of South American companies LAN, Avianca and Taca, to the horrible US Airways, Hawaiian airlines and United airlines flights. Whitewater Rafting in Perù and Brazil and then riding a scooter in the hellish traffic of Kuta in Indonesia. Freezing to death in the air-conditioned bus from Sao Paulo to Florianopolis, sweating bucket loads on a cramped combi in the dusty desert suburbs of Trujillo.
I estimate that I surfed over 1'000 hours. I surfed on longboards, foamboards, performance shortboards, twin fin retro fishes, funboards and I even bodyboarded. I surfed coral reef breaks, point breaks, beach breaks, sand banks, immensely small surf, to intimidating hawaiian waves. I bodysurfed the bone crushing shorebreak in Waimea. I surfed with seals, dolphins, turtles and even whales. I surfed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. I am still a lousy surfer, but I still get the same feeling every time I hit the water: child-like amazement and joy!
One thing I am absolutely certain about is that Mark Twain was right: "The World is a book and those who do not travel read only one page". That one page is good, no doubt. If you read on, you discover that some pages are worse, but that most of them are exceptional. You will not want to stop.
After traveling I am certain that good and bad are everywhere, globally. However I find that goodness by far exceeds evil and compensates for it anywhere you go. We are all different, but we are all flesh and bones and in a way we all are looking for happiness.
Happiness for me comes from my family, my friends, my girlfriend, surfing, the sun, rainbows, stars, music, waves, nature, mountains, rivers, oceans, ukuleles, food. Happiness is just being here and having the opportunity to share it all with you, be it in person or in writing.
The world goes through cycles, good times and hard times, but it always makes it out of the bad times eventually. It is sad to see suffering and pain, but comforting to think that things do get better. I loved chatting with people everywhere I went and asking them if things were better or worse now than they were 50 years ago, in some of the poorest places I would get big smiles and a big "yes, things are better now".
It is sad to see the planet suffer, but at the same time it is encouraging to witness an increasing awareness.
I don't know who "made us" (except for Mom and Dad), I don't know if there is "a purpose" (except for infinite love towards all creatures and things) and I don't know why there is badness in the world (except for us to better appreciate goodness), but I know that not a day goes by without me being thankful for it. I may often be grumpy and uptight, but even on my worse days, deep down, I know that it just keeps on getting better.
Even when I return to the earth (or to the sea in my case) and every trace of my existence will be erased from the face of this planet, I know that I will live on in the travelers, the dreamers, the surfers and everyone that lives.
I hope that some day there will be no borders, no religions, no wars, no food scarcity, no racism, no greed and that all cancers of society will be replaced by love.
Thank you for reading.
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