| I first had the pleasure of seeing kite surfing and having | | | | to be honest I didn't care, I just wanted to know how |
| kitesurfing lessons for the first time some 18 months | | | | to do it! |
| ago when I was on holiday in Miami. There I was, | | | | We started off and much to my disappointment we |
| corona in one hand and my good lady in the other | | | | actually started on dry land. Apparently you need to |
| when I looked up and saw a dude being taken off into | | | | get used to flying the kite before you let it take you up |
| the air by a kite. Ha ha, I laughed before I realized the | | | | into the sky! Being not even an amateur kite flyer I |
| guy had a turtle attached to his foot. After putting my | | | | was a bit slow learning but I eventually, after a good |
| beer down I realised he was in fact flying along a | | | | half hour learned how to fly my fancy flexifoil kite. |
| great speeds with a kite and what appeared to be a | | | | The next step was to actually get into the sea and |
| boogy board attached to his feet. It really was one of | | | | actually let the kite drag you along for a bit in different |
| the craziest things I'd seen. The guy was travelling at | | | | directions so you get the hang of whats going to |
| about 50mph and was jumping up waves before flying | | | | happen when you actually get on a kitesurfing board |
| into the air and back down again. I was amazed and | | | | with the kite! This was good fun and really helps you |
| watched him all the way up Miami beach, which is dam | | | | to understand which way to turn the kite to go where |
| long. I was so impressed by this mans guile and | | | | you want to go. Control is the key! |
| courage I decided to ask some of the locals if this | | | | Well in the end I finally got the kitesurfing board |
| was a regular thing I just saw or some secluded | | | | attached and the real kitesurfing lesson began! I have |
| basket case that was doing it all by his little self. | | | | to be honest I was pretty awful and certainly couldn't |
| Obviously being a resident Londoner I don't see a lot of | | | | do any of the fancy stuff I saw the guy do earlier but |
| kite surfers or boarders on my way into work so, with | | | | hey, it was my first attempt. After staying out way too |
| respect, the locals permitted my ignorance. By all | | | | long and getting minor sunburn I headed back for a |
| accounts this wasn't the only guy, in fact the very guy I | | | | well deserved beer and some food. I was completely |
| saw actually teaches kitesurfing lessons for a living | | | | hooked and obsessed with finding a place to do this |
| and was just on his lunch break (nice job). Naturally | | | | back home, so much so I almost forgot I even had a |
| having put my good lady on a site seeing trip of the | | | | girlfriend, who made it back safely from the |
| Everglades I enrolled on the kite surfing lesson. My | | | | Everglades. If you ever get the chance to have |
| guide for the day was Jonny Taylor who's apparently | | | | kitesurfing lessons, forget money, just do it. This is the |
| a well known pioneer of the sport, amongst other | | | | future!..... |
| extreme sports. The lessons seemed good value and | | | | |