My Ever Growing Bucket List

My name is Tammy and I am addicted to bucket lists. I know, I know. Bucket lists are for dreamers and most people struggle to tick off even a few of the simplest items from their list but this year, I am on a mission. Over the past two years I have managed to tick off a lot of things from my list of must-do adventures from seeing Angkor Wat, to cycling down Death Road in Bolivia, to trekking in the Amazon. I even managed to go hiking in the Himalayas which for a cold-fearing person like me was quite an achievement. However, I have a confession to make. The more and more I travel, the bigger my bucket list grows. I told you I’m an addict.

Most recently I have been obsessing about a new item to tick off my bucket list: learning how to surf. I am somewhat terrified of oceans if the water is not very clear – I watched Jaws as a three-year old which left me somewhat traumatized – and so I would need to book a surf trip with a well-known company such as The Perfect Wave in order to not completely freak out every time I see a little fish beside me. Yes, I am that traumatized, but that is exactly the reason that makes surfing so exciting for me.

If you happen to have followed this blog previously you may know that I enjoy nothing more than confronting my many fears. This has seen me eating a hairy tarantula in Cambodia, crossing a 110m high suspension bridge in Nepal, and abseiling down a 50m high building in Bolivia. If it is scary I want to do it and for me this includes running the risk of bumping into a mean looking sea creature as I cruise a killer wave, much like the fella below surfing with The Perfect Wave.

So with that in mind, next week we arrive in Arica, Chile, a charming little surfer town where I am determined to learn how to surf because once I have learned the basics, I can then move on to a proper surfing operator such as The Perfect Wave to go to grander and more exciting surfing destinations such as Bali, the Solomon Islands, or of course that world famous surfing destination, Hawaii. Did you notice something? I’ve just added three more destinations to my bucket list. Damn it! 🙂

What about you? Would you rather go on an organized surfing trip with someone like The Perfect Wave or would you go it alone? Also, have you ever tried surfing and if so do you know where can I find the best waves to practice my no doubt terrible surfing skills?