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| walking through the history |
- when you visit India you bring a part of that in your heart for the rest of your life - bs
India is not only a surf trip, it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life!
I spoke about this magical land many times with my uncle Piero before my visit. In the past he traveled all around the country and one day he decided to live in Goa for six months every year.
I had the opportunity to meet with my Uncle Piero in Rome, where he explained many details of exciting trips he had taken by trains and buses. Piero took the train with other passengers, their belongings, along side with animals such as sheep, monkeys, dogs and other wild animals! Imagine the condition you find inside the trains and buses. On Pieros visits he also discovered that while dining in a restaurant one might eat by using their hands.
He remembered also to have seen some waves breaks in the south area. When I asked if he saw surfers, he seemed to be confused!
He opened my eyes to a country that I never considered for a surf trip before, because the global business of surfing, sponsors always mention the same famous surf spots such as, Indo, Aussie, France….
To me surf trips sound like unknown places; where you can find who you are, confront yourself with your limits in the different situation, find a good waves, while you in are tuning in with your surroundings. It’s a state of mind!
When you travel for a surf trip, your are moving to keep in contact with local people of different cultures, with their habits, different food and religion.
I have traveled to places in the world where not many surfers may have, the opportunity to visit. I have visited places that the surf tourism is still undeveloped. The couple of surfers that I met in India were happy to share the waves with me.
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| - respect local people and share waves with them - |
No localism only for true people!
SURFTRIP
When I planned to go to India I remembered what Piero said me: “ you must go to the south and you will find new spots for surfing!” He was almost sure….
I bought a flight ticket through Emirates Airlines from Rome to Trivandrum on 10thMarch 2011 for 18 days!
I tried to find some information to help me locate surf spots from this websitewww.wannasurf.com, I printed some maps that I needed during my trip.
I had a big question in my mind if it was possible to find a shop for rent a surfboard in India. After a few days I decided to take mine, a 6.4 retro from Italy, and it was one of the best decisions that I made because it was almost impossible rent a surf board.
I planned this trip with my friend Alberto. We left from Rome for Trivandrum Airport to start this magical surf trip in the mysterious India. I still remember when I checked the map by Google earth that there were some potentially good surf points where I could find waves.
I encountered a local taxi driver by an Italian tourism agency, which drove us for 18 days…(thanks Madù!) He is a typical Indian man, quite small, with tan skin, really friendly, a true gentleman! He drove a comfortable wagon car in the crazy traffic of India. Every night he slept inside there, to me it was really weird but for Indian taxi drivers it is a routine.
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| - Bs, Madù and Alberto at the airport - |
Traffic in India, is something that I never saw before, in Rome where I live there is heavy traffic but the streets of India it was unbelievable, million of tuc-tuc, cars, motorbikes, animals, people that going to different directions without any rules!
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| - tuc tuc - |
The main rule is: ‘ go fast and take risk!’
When I arrived at the airport of Trivandrum, I met Madu’ for the first time, I explained my intention of my vacation to explore and find new spots for surfing.
We drove to the south of Kerala for 3 hours, we passed through small village where people live in extreme poor condition and we decided to check at Kovalam beach.
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| bs - Kovalam beach - |
The big red lighthouse at the end of the main beach on the top of the rocks surprised me! Being there made me feel peaceful, there weren’t many tourist on the beach, there are small typical shops of every kind of handcraft, old women set up on the street they sold fruits in exchange for coins and there were fisherman that prepare fishing nets for the sunset. It was incredible how in front of that unique place there is one of the most famous spot for waves in south India. That point breaks on an artificial reef. There is a left hand that works with a good combination of wind and tide. When it doesn’t work there are different breaks fast that close out, but are really fun!!!!
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| bs - Kovalam beach - |
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| bs - Kovalam beach - |
After Kovalam beach we went to the extreme south point of India at Kanyakumari. It’s a point where three different oceans meet there. There is a small island that I visited, where on the top stands a big statue. In front of that there is a beach where fishermen park their colorful boats, here you can find some waves but the water is really dirty. For that reason and for bad conditions of the waves I decided to continue my trip to visiting some old cities in the middle south of Kerala.
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| - kanyakumari - |
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| bs - Mahabalipuram - |
On the south east cost of Tamil Nadu there is Mahabaliphuram, it’s a small village of fisherman where I found one of the best surf points in India and a great community of local surfers.
The spot is situated in the main beach of the village, on your right you can see an Indian monument and in front of you a big rock in the middle of the bay. It’s just in that point that works, that when a great wave comes, it produces a big, wonderful barrel! The bottom is quite soft sand and some rocks, the locals there are really quiet. It’s normal that you may surf with dolphins that want play with you!
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| bs - Mahabalipuram -
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| - Mahabalipuram beach -
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I met there some really good guys like Mumukesh and Josh, I spent time in the water and at their bar for three beautiful days!!! It was unreal how their surf was so good because they surf on really old boards. There isn’t market of surfing there; no possibilities to rent or buy new board, some people that have spent vacations there left their surfboards for the local guys.
I want say to everyone that decides to go surfing at Mahabaliphuram to bring with some old surfboards with you, to give one possibility to the local surfers.
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| bs - relax resort - |
