Kalpitiya

The wet season hits the southwest in May, however the northwest stays dry and windy. With its long stretches of lagoon, it is the perfect spot for kite-surfing. Derek was excited to have a few weeks perfecting his skills and I thought I might have a lesson or two, do some yoga and hang by the pool.

I’d been following The Rascals Kite Resort in Kalpitiya on Instagram for a while. Stylish pics of the decor and food but also quirky photos of the characters that make up this funky little boutique resort. I loved the vibe and I could just tell this was going to be a great choice for our stay in Kalpitiya.

The owners Mondy, Johanna and their cutie-pie 2yr old Benji, welcome you in like part of the family. Their mix of backgrounds is certainly where the quirkiness comes from. Mondy being Italian brings the passion, humour and kite talent. Johanna being Swedish and Sri Lankan brings Scandinavian taste and Sri Lankan sincerity. The food is fresh, hearty and delicious (perfect for big days out kite surfing) and always served with beautiful flower garnishes. Totally my vibe!

We waited patiently for the wind the first four days as the season doesn’t quite set in till after the full moon around the 15th of May. So we made use of the fantastic pool and lounge area. The resort was unusually hosting 13 kids, and they were quick to form into a pack and roam together through the resort. Derek and I took an Ashtanga yoga course (a challenging, more strength based style of yoga), with the in house yoga teacher, Sven. Every morning out on the serene jetty was an amazing way to start the day.

Once the wind picked up Derek was itching to get moving, so we’re all the others staying at the resort and I have to say with the anticipation in the air and discussions about the wind etc I was keen to see what all the fuss was about. So after watching everyone from the beach hut for the first few days I began to feel the need for some adrenaline too.

Our days turned in to a nice routine. Derek would take the first boat at 9.30 and kite till lunch time and I would stay at the resort with the kids. It was so peaceful when everyone was out kiting. The kids and I would do school work and take dips in the pool in between. Derek would come back on the lunch boat and I would head out for my lesson in the afternoon. The kids and Derek would either come to the beach or stay behind.

Kiting is definitely the hardest sport I’ve tried. Initially, it’s like patting your head, rubbing your stomach and trying to do the waltz all at the same time. You have this massive kite above your head that will do damage if it lands in the wrong place and don’t even get me started with the 22 meter lines. Terrifying!! Then you need to get in the water, get the board on your feet (all while keeping the kite up one handed) then just let the kite pull you up, start surfing, keep the kite in right spot to keep power and then turn around and do it on the other side so you don’t get stranded in the middle of the lagoon. All the while other kites are zooming past you making it look like a piece of cake.

Derek kept saying that it is easier than surfing once you learn and I really thought he was just conning me but sure enough as the days went on each step got easier, thanks to muscle memory, more confidence and my egerness to show the kids you can do whatever you put your mind too.

I had moments of pure embarrassment with tears prickling my eyes, my kite fell out of the air (for the 10th time that day) and landed on beach with an almighty thud. I was frustrated when I could not get the kite or board to do what I wanted, then afraid of the sudden force from the kite! It can wip up the air, drag you through the water and air. I drank many litres of sea water. At the end of the session there is muscle fatigue, but also brain fatigue from the effort of understanding the different movements and angles.

There is a real sense of community among kiters, when i dragged my self out of the water, I was always greeted with gentle words from my instructor or a thumbs up from other kite-surfers. Everyone has their own kite-mare stories. I loved when Derek and the kids were cheering me on. The looks of pride made it all worth while. I came to realise at every stage, everyone is learning and making mistakes. I didn’t feel so stupid for my kite dump or face plant.

When you learn anything new you need to be gentle with yourself. The best part for me was letting go of the emotion and feeling the kite smoothly lift me up on the board and then suddenly I was riding across the water (fighting the urge to catalog everything I should be doing) I was doing it and I felt like a sporting star!

We are in our last few days of beautiful Sri Lanka. Thankyou to all our wonderful hosts and new friends. The country has challenged us in many ways. To stretch ourselves culturally, to communicate across a language barrier, to share a simpler village life, to try new food, and to complete school from afar. We’ve also enjoyed the challenge learning yoga, surfing and kiting. We have loved every minute of Sri Lanka and imagine we will be back.

Next we are excited for chocolate, coffee, wine and food. We also look forward to some time with visiting family and friends. Onwards to the next adventure.

Play break in between school work