High tide

The day after I wrote The bright side, Andrea proposed we went for a session together. It was small at the Cote des Basques, log-high and perfect for my first session after a long time.

We had fun and I finally had the chance to get my new board in the water!!! Ok, I caught just a couple of good waves actually, but I decided it was a good start anyway.

So, we went when low tide was beginning to pick up and didn't manage the time. If you surfed there during spring, you know that the sand banks totally change the identity of the spot after winter storms. So that when the tide is low you can see the waves have dug some holes just in front of the rocks. And this causes difficulty to reach the beach during high tide, since there's a lot of stream and the waves break directly against the rocks.

But we didn't care that much or, at least, we cared but underestimated it.

So, long story short, when it was the time to go out it was already too late. Too much water and the waves were breaking on the rocks. We paddled to reach the one exit we thought it was the best and suddenly we were stuck between the waves and the rocks, the stream pushing us towards them and far from the exit.

I couldn't touch the ground (hello 1,50m tall!) and was panicking. I unleashed my board and climbed on the rocks, Andrea with two boards trying to walk against the stream.

In the end he managed to push my board towards me and he reached the exit with his 9'8 ft, which meanwhile had already had a tour on the rocks.

We kissed the ground and went home. God knows how we ended up with just a few bruises, a stiff neck and some dings on our boards.

It wasn't a great experience and even if we probably weren't in life danger, I assure you in that moment I thought I was about to break my head on the rocks.

So, why did I want to tell you this little story of mine?
In surf blogs we always read all about the love for the ocean, the amazing feeling of riding a wave or the latest shark attack. If in your country there are no sharks, you might think that surfing is just the breeze in you hair and the tan lines of your surf suit.
Well, surf is not only that.
It's also efforts, struggles, a lot of mind training and sometimes a few tears too.

With this being said, I don't want you to run away if you thought about learning to surf. And neither I am trying to keep you from the love you feel while you're in the water. I'd be a complete fool!

But if you want to paddle out smiling, it's sometimes better to be aware of all of these not-so-easy steps you have to overcome, in order to be safe and enjoy every second of it.
And believe me - when the fear and struggles are gone and you're sliding on that amazing peeler, your heart will be pumping for the excitement and you'll be ten time more stoked!
This for sure.


If you, like me, are trying to overcome fear while in the water, you can also check a previous post here.

I hope you're having a fearless salty week! ;)


xo


Credits // Author // Photography: Marta Tomasini

The bright side

Recently it's been quite a rollercoaster. You know I haven't been surfing for almost two months now, due to a pain in my lower ribs. Since then I've been doing a lot of exams and the doctors found there was nothing to worry about. But the pain is still there and the only advice I've been given was to rest and start doing sport LITTLE BY LITTLE.

So I decided I'll get in the water as soon as possible and as long as my body lets it.

Anyway, recently my mood reflected what I felt in my body and I've been quite a huge container of negative vibes and stress. Which led to skin rashes too and my mood went even worse!

That is when people started telling me that the more I think about bad things the more they really happen to me. And I'm not talking about kharma and stuff. I'm talking about the power of the mind.

And even if I frowned at my mom telling me this at the phone about half an hour ago, I admit she may be right.

So, today I decide I want to concentrate my energy on the positive side and start thinking about the little simple things I sometimes give for granted, but that make my life unique.

And I dedicate this post to the special people I love and who care about me no matter what - and the experiences we live together everyday.

Because they really are my bright side.

The picnics on the grass watching the waves breaking

The man who gets me when I fall or when I'm scared (by the ducks!)

The days on the shore, capturing the sweetest details

Happy hours waiting for the sun setting with the most special people

Watching Andrea surfing 

And the sunset... How I love the sunset!

I challenge you to only think about the positive side of things this week!

I'm sure you'll feel better and your week will be sweeter!

Let's share your good vibes in the comments!

xo

Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini

Slow down and enjoy your journey

I'm a traveler, I've always been. Living far from home in a foreign country means I sleep with my hand-luggage under my bed. My strong yet fancy luggage, always half-done and always ready for the next flight, the next adventure.

What I discovered during my last visit at home was the beauty I was surrounded with. A beauty I never realized was there. I was born and raised in Italy, the bright, loud, beautiful country- the Bel Paese of art, stunning landscapes and cuisine. And somehow something I always underestimated was then suddenly so bolt and strong to my eyes.

This made me question why have I been so negligent, why I didn't take advantage of it all when I could.

I am still trying to answer. But something I understood during by never-ending travels from one country to another is that the chaos and rush our minds live in, our routines and habits and the stress from our job keep us from discovering the real world. Stuck in this everyday circle, we seek success and wealth in the wrong places, putting job and stability on a higher level than what it should matter the most.

When I first came to Biarritz, where I moved to be closer to the ocean, I could even feel the waves breaking in front of my little house and the salty breeze saluting me in the morning.

After a while I got a new job, new habits, some friends and suddenly I forgot the reasons that led me here first, finding myself stuck in the routine limbo.

My mind was busy with everyday duties and responsibilities when I got in the water, the tide was always too low or too high, no more sparkles and excitement while running to the beach after a long day at the office - just a tiny little smile when the waves were good enough for my personal entertainment.

But now I'm understanding we are not made for this.

We are humans – we have the privilege to be here, to feel the ground under our feet. We are lucky enough to enjoy the beauty around us, to see it, to touch it, to surf it.

Forget the way home after work and get lost in unknown neighborhoods. Take time for a midnight walk on the beach. Surf with seagulls when the sun is yet to rise. Take pictures of the autumn leaves and have the courage of smiling to a stranger. Rise up your eyes to the sky and play with the clouds like in a childhood game.

I want to do it all and even more.

Career and material wealth are not the way for that successful life we dream of.

We don't have to let the goals we set in your life distract us from the journey we are living.

Slow down and enjoy every moment of your life travel – this is the real richness.



Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini, Photography: Marta Tomasini & Andrea Scatolero

What I learnt in 2014

2014 has been such a rollercoaster to me! Lots of things changed and my life turned upside down... in a good way! I took big steps and risks in the pursuit of something more, that at the beginning was just blurry and definitely scary. But all these changes turned out to be great and taught me a lot, even more than what I expected.

So here the lessons of this past year I am grateful for.

CHANGE IS GOOD

In 2014 lots of things have changed in my life. From moving in with my boyfriend in another country to starting being indipendent, from welcoming new family members to starting a "real" job. Even if change is unexpected, challenging and you're never prepared for it, it always turns out to be good and make us grow up in multiple ways. Change is life and it prevents our existence from being too boring or not going further.

GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Pushing our mental barriers to the next step can be scary. New places, new people, new challenges - all of them freak us out, since we feel like we've lost our way. But giving life a chance to surprise us, to adventure into the unknown can teach us a lot, especially of ourselves. We don't have to fear what we don't know yet, because sometimes it turns out to be the best experience of our life!

FAMILY IS GOLD

Moving far away from my family has been such a tough challenge (I'm Italian, don't you remember? ;) ). And it still is - every time I'll go visit them, I find myself driven into melancholy for not having them closer.

But what I learnt from this past year is that you don't need to live in the same neighborhood to feel they're part of your everyday life. Thanks to technology, we are able to talk everyday and see each other as soon as our lives let it. Plus, they will always be there for you just because they love you so so much and you're part of them too.

TRAVEL AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Having a full-time job is rewarding, but of course, when I was attending university I had a lot more spare time. This is not preventing me from weekend getaways and roadtrips - time management and organization are the keys! Traveling is such a great way of getting to know the world and the people living in it. It has the power of opening our eyes and soul and it's way more instructive and inspiring of any class you could attend. So, don't let everyday duties make excuses for not discovering it!

BE PRESENT

I have to admit that I'm quite a melancholic person. The type of girl that loves thinking about the golden era of her early twenties or telling people her first date with her boyfriend. Please, don't judge me! ;) Sometimes this keeps me from jumping into the new and get people to know who I am now, instead of who I was then. Being stuck in the past and overthink everything can be such a ball-and-chain. A laid-back lifestyle and a little less care of what people might think of us, can help us being present and take the best out of every day.

DON'T TAKE FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE FOR GRANTED

Usually I'm not the kind of girl that calls her friends and beloved ones regularly just to say hi and catch up. They know I love them and I'm always there for them any time they need. But last year, when I was more than 1000km far from the people I care, I realized that I am wrong. It was me the one who needed someone who called just to say hi and that feeling of being put apart made me reconsider my position. We all love and always have each other - and we know that. But relationships are like plants - they need cares and pampers to grow up stronger and stronger. A little something to remind your family, friends and loves that you care about them can really make the difference and put a smile in someone's face.

TREAT YOUR BODY WELL

Yes, well, what else to say? You know I'm not the gym and fitness classes kind of girl. But what goes around comes around and now I find myself with back pain, sore muscles and a little shoulder issue that my doctor doesn't really know what is yet. So, people, pleeeease don't do like me! Exercise, exercise and exercise! You don't need to do it in order to loose weight, but to be healthy and prevent from all the pains due to bad habits.

SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO INDULGE

Yes, it is. It doesn't mean you should do whatever you want. Date with your girlfriends and you see that amazing red velvet calling you and begging for a bite, but you swore you're over sweets. You don't need to eat the whole cake, but you can have a slice - then maybe do a little more workout to compensate. You got the point. In my case I have to say I am not a big spender. That's why I feel awfully guilty when I spend money on something I don't really need. But then I realized that pampering yourself once in a while is good for your soul and mood! So yes, it's fine to indulge sometimes. Just make sure it doesn't become a habit!



Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini, Photography: Floraine Carlot

Home is where your heart is

Being back home has been great. I loved spending time with family and friends talking about everything and nothing and just being together. 

After the Christmas lunches and dinners marathon (see previous post), I went to my parent's house at the mountain. It's a small village in the Italian Alps and I used to spend my winters there with my family until just before moving here.

So, it's been quite like being back to my roots, to a place in which I spent a big part of my adolescence. Here's where my parents put me on skiis when I was 2 an a half - so I can say I learnt to ski just right after learning to walk! Most importantly it's the place where I became passionate of snowboarding and of all boardsports in general. At the age of 15 my parents gave me my first snowboard for Christmas and from that day on I never stopped being on a board.

Seeing familiar places and landscapes, feeling that biting cold and pungent air hitting my face... It all felt like home. I decided to took some pictures to bring to Biarritz with me. They remind me of an era where there were no problems, no responsabilities... Just myself, the mountains, a bunch of good friends and huge smiles.

Sometimes looking at these pictures and feeling so far away make me sad. But then I realize that in those places time had stopped. And even if I am not 15 anymore, home is where your heart is and I know somehow it won't change and it'll be still there for me when I'm back.


Credits // Author // Photography: Marta Tomasini, Andrea Scatolero

Discovering new places

Back in Italy, whenever we decided to go surfing it turned out to be an adventure. Two hours drive, car sharing with friends, packed lunch and the tour of all the spots in order to find good waves (most of the times surfable waves were fine). And I remember sometimes, after 5.30 am alarm clock and an endless drive, we arrived at the spot to find out it was totally flat and the forecasts were wrong. Too bad, we spent the day with friends at the beach. And it was good enough to make us come back home with half a smile.

Ever since my boyfriend and I moved to Biarritz, surfing turned into a regular activity in our everyday lives. And we became quite lazy. We usually surf the spot in front of our home and if the waves are not that great, we surf there anyway :) During those bad raining days if the spot doesn't attend our hopes, we prefer laying on the couch and waiting for the next swell.

Shame on us!

But the past weekend blessed us with warm spring-like weather. So, even if Côte des Basques wasn't working at its best, we decided it wasn't time for laziness and we put ourselves together for a discovery mission. Of course the Basque coastline is well known for its surf spots, and there's almost no place which hasn't been surfed yet and visited by tourists crowds. But we found a spot in Bidart we hadn't surfed yet.

We were not alone (Sunday - what news!), but far enough from the city to enjoy a beautiful and a little more sauvage, wild landscape and to surf good peeling waves.

It was like a road trip without leaving home, if it makes any sense?

Anyway, it was definitely worth it to step out of our comfort zone for once and go discover new places. I really hope we'll do it again soon... Too many unsurfed waves are left waiting for us.

Credits // Author // Photography: Marta Tomasini

Learning to fall

Since we were kids, we were taught not to fall - or at least try not to. Not to fall while learning to walk, not to fall while cycling, not to fall while standing on a ladder or on our high heels..... ;)

I know all those life lessons were meant to protect us. And at a certain point our mums told us to put the helmet on because, if we had to fall, at least we wouldn't get hurt.

But what if we were taught since children not to protect ourselves from being hurt, but how to stand up again after falling instead?

What if we had been prepared to react after failing challenges, instead of preventing them?

When we're young we live in that cozy shelter where nothing and nobody can hurt us, protected by the warmth and care of our parents and the people who love us. But as soon as we grow up, we understand that, although life is surprisingly beautiful, it can sometimes put us in front of obstacles and difficult tasks we're not prepared for.

Here comes the tough part!

Recently I understood that failing is a big part of this process of becoming "adults". 

We're humans and can't expect to do everything good and perfect every time. The life lessons we learn from falling down and then jumping up on the train again make us stronger and ready to face whatever life puts in our path.

So, it's time to shake this fear off our shoulders. It's the imperfections that we're made of that make us so unique.
No matter if it's caused by our surfboard while doing a cut back or by a test we studied our ass off for, sometimes we can't avoid the fall - the only thing we can do is embrace it and be ready to get on our feet again.


This is something I'm understanding recently and I hope that sharing this can help some of you too.




Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini, Photography: Floraine Carlot

Dance

When it's windy outside you put your fanciest skirt on and start dancing

Dance when you're tired because you can always sleep later

Dance at the beach because there's no better place to do it
Dance when your happy because it will make you feel even happier
Dance with somebody because two is better than one, but you can dance alone anyway
Dance when it's raining because you have the sun inside
Dance with your hands in the air because you'll be closer to the sky
Dance when there are no waves, because when the swell comes you'll be surfing it



Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini

Through the stone fence

Recently I found myself asking whether I made the right decision moving here or not. My mister and I had to face all the problems you can find in your path when you are an immigrant in another country.

Papers, dossiers to be filled, a new language to be learnt...

Then the rainy weather and the not so frequent winter surf, which is always not as good as you expected.

You see pictures of your friends surfing at your home spot, your brother is telling you his wife's waiting a baby, and your mum just made that dish you love...

But you're far away from all of this.

Then the other day I was walking the little path down to the beach in front of my flat here in Biarritz. Breathed the salt air and my sight went right through the stone fence, to those beautiful breaking waves.

Suddenly I understood that sometimes things must be seen under a different light or from another perspective in order to realize how beautiful they really are.

So yes, every journey encounters difficulties and obstacles. But if we stop and change the way we look at them, we may find amazing adventures and beautiful shining water masses waiting to be ridden.

I feel lucky to live by the ocean.

Credits // Author // Photography: Marta Tomasini

Sunset sessions

I was born at 6pm on a mid-May day, and I always thought this influenced my life in some way. I wouldn't call myself a morning person at all – let’s just say you had better not talk to me before 10:00am… and I always feel at my best around happy hour time.

That's why I have always preferred surfing at the end of the day. My energy is awakened and my senses can feel the light breeze, while the day melts into the night.

Sunset sessions bring something magical with them... You can say it's the golden hour, with its amazing surreal colors. Or the perfumes coming from the houses before dinner. Again, the sound of seagulls and the people leaving the water to let you finally enjoy that bit of solitude. And me mentally singing "Golden Brown" by The Smiths...

And everything is just so peaceful and quiet. It's only you, a few friends maybe, and the waves. Beautiful golden waves silently approaching to you. And you slide along them smiling, knowing the sun is calmly going down.

Until you can't see your own shadow reflected on the surface any more...

Yes, sunset is definitely the most magical moment of the day.



Credits // Author // Photography: Marta Tomasini

Things that matter

If you thought that the life of a full-time-job/surfer was difficult, you never thought about the life of a full-time-job/surf-blogger. This is particularly true for those who don’t blog professionally, but just do it for their own pleasure.

Being a surfer while trying to build a career in another area means you're always torn between duty and passion, and you spend your spare time checking the forecasts and driving around to find the right spot to surf. And then what usually happens is that the tide isn't the right one, the waves aren't that good, the spot isn't working as it should.

And then comes the life of a surf blogger. This is the person who always takes her camera with her, and then forgets it the one time when the waves are oh-so-good… and yeah, I wish I had my camera with me. The one who thinks: ‘My readers would love that!’ and who spends her Sunday afternoons writing new articles and getting inspirations wherever she goes.

All for the love of it, trying to inspire other girls to follow their dreams.

I sometimes blame myself for not having a more "professional" style and not having higher quality pictures and poses.

But no, I'm not a pro, and I'm not surrounded by professional photographers snapping pictures in and out of the water wherever I go... Not that I don't wish for that, but it just isn't the case.

I have a wonderful boyfriend who on his birthday spends the afternoon trying to capture a few moments in the water for me, and then doesn't get mad when I complain that the light wasn't good, that he wasn't in the right position, and that I wished I surfed better...
Sure, this can't replace the best photographer, and maybe sometimes I wish I had a few more good pictures, but the love I'm surrounded by is the real thing that matters most.

So, to everyone out there, if you have a boyfriend, friend, or a sister who spends their time helping you achieve your goals, don't take it for granted.

Embrace the love you're surrounded by and smile.

And when you read this blog, think about the love and effort that I and the people who care about me put into it.


Spread the bliss.



Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini, Photography: Andrea Scatolero, One-piece swimwear: Adalù