I met my wonderful friend Bryony on a beach in Sri Lanka. We were both there to learn how to surf, on a week long "intensive surf course".
If you've never been surfing before, a warning for your first time - it's not as easy as it looks and you don't look anything like the surfer girls do in the Quicksilver videos.
The reality is mouthfuls of sand and salty water and very grazed knees. Saying this, you will have the most fun you've ever had, and laugh more than you've ever laughed....especially if you go with Bryony.
Surfing technique aside (that's another story), when Bryony stacked it, or got crushed by an oncoming wave, it was quite the show for the rest of us.
She would emerge near shore, meters away from where she first went under, gasping for air with her rash vest inside out over her head. The curious thing was her arms would still be in the sleeves, and these would be raised over her head. From a distance, it did look a little bit like she was being attacked by a giant black octopus.
Poor Bryony would splash about aimlessly until her head popped out and she could breath again, and clamber back on her board, only to be knocked by another wave and washed up on shore.
For the rest of the week she was known as Tom, after Tom Hanks in the film Castaway. Much to the amusement of Boki our instructor, we would shout "WILSOOON" every time Tom tried to get back on the board.
It just so happens Tom is a very talented graphic designer, and has made me the beautiful Woman with Altitude logo - thanks Tom!!!
