We have many amazing women joining our trips, and there are always a few that stand out and who’s story is an inspiration to us all: to keep dreaming and that it’s never too late to start that thing you’d always dreamed off!
Andi, one of our Byron Ladies Surf Getaways participants is one of those women. Before joining our surf trip, Andi, had never surfed before, wasn’t even a confident swimmer. She made the life-changing decision that this year was her time to realize that dream – to learn to surf. Super proud to share time in the water with her, with the result that she is now hooked on surfing and was committed to continuing surf coaching back home, in New Zealand, and headed back home with a brand new wetsuit.
We’ve stayed in touch with Andi, and thought the 6-month mark of her surfing life would be a good time to check in with her how her surfing is progressing and share her story with us!
“I never really thought much about surfing… I mean I drooled over Kelly Slater in magazines as a teenager and thought he was hot/cool but didn’t everyone! 😉 I guess that was due to a few incidences in my teens & 20’s in the water, that made me shy away from most water activities. Coming from NZ people expect you to be a water baby but I was the sit on the beach in the sun type as opposed to getting in there.
That changed on a trip to Bali in Aug 2017…I was in Bali after all! I arranged a surf lesson at Balian Beach…but forgot about Bali time & they canceled twice! Maybe it wasn’t meant to be… But something was drawing me to surfing! I started following surfing pages, watching surf videos…
I saw an ad on Insta/FB for Surf Getaways and liked that it was a female surf trip. I loved Byron and after talking to Jenny, I instantly wanted to sign up…& did! The forms asked if I could swim 50m…heck I doubt I could swim 5m! But I didn’t want to say in case it ruined my chance to go, so I signed up for Adult Swimming classes 6 weeks out. I’d had lessons as a child but it was more the fear of putting my head underwater I had to work on. The teachers were awesome, I made good progress & was prepared for Byron!
I knew it would be no easy feat teaching me (who’d never been on a surfboard), but Jenny & Serena were amazing! After getting up on my first day, I told them about my history… they were surprised but thought it was great. I had the best time with Surf Getaways, both Jenny & Serena really know their stuff. We received so much encouragement & support on the trip and seeing the video analysis was great to see from someone else’s eyes what was happening on the water. I’m so happy that I chose Surf Getaways to start my surfing journey, I really wouldn’t want it any other way. They, along with the ladies in my group, really helped me find my surf stoke and realise that you’re not too old to learn something new, plus it’s a fantastic way to meet like-minded women, not to mention keeping fit.
I really have met some lovely people since I started this journey in Oct 2017. After that holiday I came home and instantly found surf schools in Auckland so I could continue learning… I was hooked! It looked like there was no going back, especially since I purchased my first wetsuit in Byron and my first board in Feb 2018! I’ve also signed up to the Surf Getaways Fiji trip in Nov 2018.
I now look at holidays on whether I can surf there haha and it makes me feel really good when I get out every weekend, even if it’s only once. It just all feels so right, like it was all meant to happen this way, at this stage in my life… as if I was always meant to surf.
Surfing has definitely changed my life 🙂
Does this make you want to plan your next surf trip? We’d love to see you on our Surf Getaways!
Check out our upcoming Ladies Surf Getaways.
