I spent the last week in Nosara, Costa Rica at Surf Simply (surfsimply.com), a boutique Surf school that offers the most incredible holiday a person could ever imagine.  I wanted to get away and do something I had never done before.  I chose surfing mostly because I love the ocean, love warm weather and have always wanted to try it.  

I skipped around the internet a bit before landing on the surfsimply.com website.  Once I hit it, I knew this was the place I had to go.  The Surf Simply resort looked beautiful, their pictures showed guests, both new and experienced, catching waves and having a great time.  I bought into the hype and booked my trip.

From the first second I got to the resort, a bumpy 2 hour ride from Liberia with a language barrier the size of my gigantic head, my expectations were consistently exceeded.  Becky greeted me with open arms, gave me a tour of the resort, showed me the beer fridge, gave me my rash guard and made me feel right at home.  

To be very honest, my anxiety was pretty high.  I didn't know how to surf and wasn't sure I would be able to do it.  What if I was the only one who couldn't learn?  I came alone and wasn't sure if I would end up being the odd person out.  I don't get away very often and so for me, the stakes were very high that this vacation pay off.

It did.  Every day it did.  Feet, hips, hands, head.  It paid off in my body, my mind and my soul.

"The salty ocean birthed me a new man", as one wise new surfer quipped.

Starting with the surfing.  The coaching style, the coaching method and the coaches themselves were brilliant.  We were all met at the levels we were at and every single lesson was full of learning and encouragement.  Granted, the lessons were also filled with massive amounts of salt water being rammed into the dark depths of your sinus cavities (only later to drain unexpectedly during a session of Yoga).

I love surfing.  It's my new sport.  I'm a surfer.  I might not get into the waves for another year or two, but that doesn't change a thing.  I'll try to avoid comparing surfing to life and expounding into the philosophical depths of which I know nothing, but suffice to say, surfing took on a very personal presence this week.

So the surfing was awesome.  And if that was all the vacation gave me, I would have been satisfied.  I was stretched, I was challenged, I failed repeatedly and I succeeded in surfing unbroken waves.  I did it.

But there was so much more.  The food was incredible.  Gem set out a wonderful breakfast, an incredible lunch and the best dinner's of any place I visited in Nosara.  Being a vegetarian, I made things difficult, but all I can say is wow.  The baked avocado with walnut and blue cheese was one of the tastiest things I've ever eaten.

The yoga, which I had only done once before, was easily one of the highlights of the day.  Whether it was the uncontrollable laughter during one particular session where my yoga mat neighbour kept snapping her elastic band or the ridiculously painful pencil pose or the soothing final few minutes that brought unexpected calm and peace into my soul.  Francela was awesome.  

And then the part that surprised me the most.  The people.  I don't think you could have picked a more random set of people who got along so incredibly.  Maybe this is just how surfer's do, but there wasn't a single person that wasn't able to connect with any one other person.  There was so much laughing (maybe too much drinking), great conversations, great arguments, great encouragement both on and off the water.  The camaraderie was really cool.  The help, the advice, the sarcastic incredulity - I made great friendships.  I was challenged and enlightened - I will miss everyone.

I will miss everything.  I was so sad to leave (at some ungodly hour this morning).  I should be surfing right now, or falling face first into the water, or pulling a beer out of the fridge or jumping into the pool, or watching the monkeys watch me fail at yoga, or listening to the birds on the Nosara river, or watching the sunset over the ocean, or laughing with new friends.

I will come back.

Ru and Gem have something very, very special here.  I feel like I discovered Mt. Everest nestled secretly in my backyard.  I feel a loyalty and connection to this place that can only come from an truly authentic experience with real people sharing their passion and their life.  

Surf Simply is an incredible place.  I know they are going to find themselves booked up months and months in advance as word of mouth spreads.  You'd be best to make your reservation early, and often.

Thank you, Surf Simply,

- Brad

(it's just a seashell btw)