Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

After about a dozen hours of instruction (mostly learning to control the kite), several gallons of swallowed seawater, a not-so-small dent in my bank account, learning a lot of new lingo, and shedding a layer of skin off my sunburnt shoulders, I finally got up on the board today, if only briefly. If there exists a more enjoyable or more intense sport, I know not what it entails. Kite-surfing combines so many elements, and not just the sea, sun, and sand, but of body coordination too--the hands, arms, legs, eyes, and mind all need to be concentrating on different things for everything to come together. But once you learn to synchronize everythingand the wind is zipping you across the water, the rush is incredible, like nothing I've ever felt. With snowboarding, you can just point down the mountain and go. With wakeboarding, you have the boat to get you going. With kiting, you've got to figure out how to harness the wind, and make it take you where you want to go.

Hopefully after another day riding tomorrow, I can describe further...right now I just feel giddy!