Jak na novy rok, tak po cely rok

Pity that I don’t know how to translate this Czech proverb. Basically it says that what you do on the New Year, that you will be doing during whole upcoming year.

And 2009 started very well with clear head and appointment for my first kite boarding training. I was thinking about trying it already back in Costa Rica because I found this sport exciting. I know windsurfing and kite seemed to offer more potential as snowboard offers over ski. Oh…orthodox skiers and windsurfers feel free to stone me J Here in Dubai I finally gathered enough courage to try to take off.

Around 12pm I got out from taxi and started walking along the beach under the watchful eye of the highest hotel in the world Burj Al Arab and I was looking for some kites in the air or on the ground. After 3 kilometers I finally saw a typical shape of a kite. My task that day was to find a spot where kiteboarders ride and maybe get some information about possible training.

So I sat into the sand and began to observe what they would do. After an hour, when wind was slowly getting stronger, started coming more people with colorful parachutes and boards. Among them a duo of a man looking like Vin Diesel and a youngster with glasses. After couple of minutes it was clear that the younger is a student, so in a moment when Vin went to the sea to try the wind, I asked him “Hi, are you trying to learn kite?”. “Yes, I am trying” he replied. “And this is your instructor?”, “No, he is my father!!”.

His name wasn’t Vin and he was not American. His name is Ahmed and he is Arab. “No problem. I can teach you…let’s see…I can give you an introductory lesson…hmm…take this small trainer kite and try to do like this…”. Before I could have even said a word and asked about a price and style of the training, I was already holding a kite steering bar and flying the two meter wide toy up and down. After an hour when he completely shifted his attention from his son to me we agreed that the real training we start next weekend. Actually I wasn’t surprised that such a kite addict as Ahmed is, he let his son who was obviously forced to the training and attend to a person on the same wave of enthusiasm J

This weekend was really fast. I went through almost all exercises. Launching, landing, diving the kite, safety release, water launching, packing, inflating…only thing missing was riding on the board. At the beginning Ahmed told me that I was progressing very fast, but after some failed launching and bad kite diving the rocket fast progress slowed down and I started thinking that maybe he was overestimating me. Friday evening after the training I was disappointed, sad and seriously thinking if I really want to do that, give it all my time and practice.

On Saturday according to Ahmed were the worst conditions for beginners. Right onshore wind and big waves. I was fighting the sea and wind for four hours and then finally I made it. I was standing on the board and sliding lightly on the sea surface. I felt the enormous power of the wind in the kite and with every successful dive my self-confidence and joy was rising. After 50 meters a wave hit my board and this time I successfully dived. But it couldn’t change my final decision.

I will get some used equipment and I will practice every hour I can. I really want to learn this J It will be so much fun…next Friday I will hopefully finish my training and add “License of an independent kiteboarder” to my collection J