Newquay...

So i've just arrived back from Newquay...i'm fair shattered! It was a really good holiday- a proper adventure- I had intended to to take 3 surf lessons but sadly my fear of water got the better of me. I was so scared! For the last week i kept thinking..'but on Thursday i have to surf..eeeeek' It was my challenge, no on emade me do it and i wasn't sure how i would feel it has been many years since i tried to conquer this and i've done so much scary stuff in the last year thought maybe my new found balls would carry me through. However, by the time we reached the beach i was shaking...the instructors were two brothers who were both very nice and understood as i explained why i was there. The first time i went under the water, the panic ran through me and i almost left there and then. I didn't though, i continued to try but the fear of going under was huge. I didn't stand up, which i would have liked to have done- if only for a few seconds!
The Italian surfed really well though- He didn't understand at first- i hadn't told him, something i had to do by myself, for myself. He understood when i explained and tried to gently convince me to go back for another try- he may have been right but on the first day, i didn't sleep or eat and i was so nervous my stomach was upset. I didn't want to spend the entire time worrying about the next morning- not really the point of a holiday! And also not really fair on him- being so nervous i was very distant after the first lesson. Maybe in the future I can try again....
We walked to Crantock beach which was beautiful- very few people were there and the waves were wild. It was a long walk but totally worth it. We found a local pub and sampled many ales.....The weather was minging! but it didn't detract from the holiday we had a lot of fun. I did some drawing while he surfed. and spent some time wandering along the beaches. I introduced him to cornish pasties and the concept of pie, we tried cornish ice cream and i explained the difference between jam and marmalade. the tiny things we take for granted are usually the things that foreigners overlook- are are astounded by (It's the same for me in Reggio)
Tonight i meet Bex, Al. Chris and Debs for a farewell drink before I go back to Italy for the next year, on Tuesday. This time I'll truly be saying goodbye to 27a and my old life.....and when i reach Bologna, I'll say goodbye to the Italian.....da sola ancora