I was never interested in wave pools.  Friends have been trying to get me to surf it throughout the years but I always refused.  On this trip, my brother started surfing again after a 10 year break which made me super happy.  He wanted to challenge himself to the expert level at the best wave pool in Japan, so I couldn’t say no to that.  I had no idea what to expect.  

I was pretty surprised how challenging it was.  But after a couple mistakes, it was actually fun.  Would I do it again?  No thank you.  That was my first time, and probably my last time.  I prefer nature and free waves.  Will my brother do it again?  Absolutely!  Haha. Photo by Todaheli 

Came back to Wakayama and went straight to Maruta-ya ramen!  

Then woke up this morning and opened up my Christmas present from DOVE!  I was singing Jingle Bells all day long!!!

Chest high and clean offshore!

I met some cool surfers/foilers here in Shizuoka.  Shinjo-san is a professional windsurfer that now foils.  He’s really strong and has good flow.  Super happy to foil with him.

Harada-san is a local here that is super friendly.  Always smiling and sharing waves.  He surfs any board he rides really good with lots of style.  

Makoto-san can foil and smile at the same time.  That’s how you enjoy life.  

Thank you Deco-san for sending me this photo.  It seems very long ago but it’s a recent day we surfed this secret spot in Sumatra.  Nobody out at this spot so it was only the 9 of us having a good time.

Toda-san riding one all the way to the beach.  It’s sessions like this that make a surf trip memorable.  It’s not only about the waves, it’s about the experience.  We were like 9 kids having fun at an Indonesian Disneyland.