Yes, today, finally, all those trips to the surf coasts in Japan in winter chills, the photos, the conversations about surf and surf culture, the Tokyo Olympics...all for a twenty minute presentation today.
Up and at it early, Gold Coast 'peak hour' traffic to deal with, settle in at the Currumbin RSL, seated behind, or in the same row as, those surfing heroes of my younger years, the surfing years...phew.
My paper headed up the session immediately after lunch...that time of day everyone likes to doze off after a good lunch and a chat. My friends at ABC Gold Coast got wind of my attendance and after some years, I spent a bit of time at the studio doing an interview with Drive host Matt Webber about Japan, surf, Olympics and, well, politics, of course and how a kid from the coast ends up teaching at a university in Japan, and is now researching the history of the sport there, and gets to present a paper at a conference just down the road.
Yeah, nah, the reality still hasn't quite hit home and when the aforementioned surf heroes approached me to continue the conversations...well, it took every little bit of self control to not go into full fangirl mode.
A good day.
Before the drive home, a little pause by Currumbin Creek to watch life float on past...
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| Outriggers... |
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| Fringe paddler |
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| Leaf blown |
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| Ibis steps |
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| Tidal |
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| Tree |
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| Peli-can |
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| Paddled |
...and give me a chance to reflect for just a moment on what a day it had been... And worth every moment on those cold winter beaches in Japan last month. Bring on the Japanese summer, I'm ready to go surfing, again.
[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 5.39pm-5.44pm; 14 March 2017]
