Surf School Stories Part II: Last Night Out

What a week it's been, new board, no clothes for 8 days and a couple of wonderful new friends.

Before I get to our big night out, I supposed I should elaborate slightly on my 8 days without clothing situation. When I arrived in Lanzarote last week, I was amazed to discover that while the airline had managed to deliver my surf board to me in one piece, they had some how left my duffel bag with everything else in it behind. Keeping in mind that the plane I flew from Frankfurt to Madrid and the plane I flew from Madrid to Lanzarote were the exact same one I was pretty amazed it had happened, but oh well. So after a few days of being told the bag was on the island and would be delivered only to have it never show up, the airline finally confessed on Sunday that they had NO IDEA where my bag was. So I called. Every day five times a day until finally they asked me for a list of "Identifying Objects" in the bag so they could put out a search to the entire European network to see if they could locate it.

Long story short, after calling for days on end, the owner of the surf school finally just swung by the airport on Friday only find my bag and have them telling me that it had been sitting there for at least THREE days. Yup. Three days, and every time I had called the airline had claimed that they had no idea where my bag was but they were looking for it throughout the European network. I hate to say this, but honestly, so Spanish. Fortunately I got everything back just in time to leave, but it did mean that I was able to spend a day surfing on the fin set-up that came with my board. So much better. I am in love with my new board.

So last night, my very last evening in Lanzo, I went out with a couple of new girls, Kerry and Suzie who just arrived on Thursday to this bar/restaurant/club kind of thing called Lago Mar. Apparently this place was built for the actor Omar Sharif and before he ever moved in he lost the house in a bridge game. I don't know much about that, but the space was incredible. It was built into the lava flows and is this huge complex of tunnels and lagoons and caves.

Plus the bar was fantastic. The bartender, Nino, was from Columbia but learned English from some American that had taught down in South America. Such a funny guy, and he made absolutely excellent capirinhas and mojitos. Who doesn't love a tasty drink on a Saturday night?

George and his newest girl showed up around 11pmish, just in time for the DJ to get things going in the bar. A few shots of rum, a few capirinhas and a lot of pictures of shoes later and I managed to find myself lounging down by one of the lagoons staring up at the stars. I guess there was only so much excitement I could handle in one night.

I have to say, it was a totally different Lanzo experience than Christmas/New Year's was, but it was still a good one. Quiet, reflective, sans my own clothes (you learn a lot about yourself when that happens by the way), and major progress in my surfing, or at least that's what I thought. I did learn to do a flick jump this time around! For those who don't surf that means I can now get up with out using my feet, I can basically just kind of flick myself into the air. Pretty exciting.

Anyway, I'm off now, already at the airport, and although I didn't manage to get a morning surf in today with Kerry, I did manage have breakfast with George, his new girl, Suzie and Kerry before heading off today. I do love the fact that I keep coming away from these surf trips with new friends. I'm hoping to get to Croyde this June with Kerry before I have to head back to the States. Oh well, gotta board the plane now, I'm homeward bound to rainy Frankfurt.