BACK!

I'm back on the rock and it feels really, really good.

I know, I know... two weeks in Italy are not the worse thing that can happen to you. Better than two weeks in the Gaza strip, that's for sure!
Plenty good things out of it. Let me mention a few in random order.

Food and wine were, as usual, outrageously good (got a good three pounds on the belly).

I picked two perfect gorgeous sunny uncrowded days to go ski. Here's my 15 years old nephew showing how to effectively use the new carving skis without poles.



Here's my 13 years old niece.



And here's the 46 years old uncle showing a perfect Zeno Colo' style.
No, it's not slow motion.



I sipped wine with some good old friends.

I bought a few really good of italian music CDs.

I saw my parents in good health and I spent a lot of time playing with my younger nephew and niece (five and three).

On the bad side, there have been some really cold NE wind days and I didn't like that... I'm not used anymore. And I even used to go sail in those days!
But the thing that really I can't stand when I go back there is the lack of smiles. Everybody seems to be pissed off of the jobs they have, and in general of the lives they have.
It's like they're doing things because they think they're supposed to but they don't really want to do them.

Less freedom = less happiness... it's a simple equation.

That's why, no matter how good my stay is, I'm always euphoric when it's time go back to Maui. The trip is atrociously long and tirening, but the thought of the destination helps a lot.
It also helps to have a good book.
It also helps if the book is a damn good 1000+ pages long novel about the history of Hawaii.
It also helps if in that book it's described how the first Polynesians discovered the islands travelling on a canoe or how the first missionaries took 6 months to travel from Boston to Hawaii having to double Cape Horn... can't really complain about your narrow airplane seat anymore after having read that!


Sun, no wind, fun waves and warm water... God, it felt good to get wet in the morning of the first day of the year. And in the afternoon more waves at Lanes in super light wind on T.E.

Soon the windsurf photos are going to be back... it seems that it should be very windy (but also very offshore and gusty) for the next few days. In the meantime, enjoy this photoshopped ad that I saw on the the cover of a note pad when I went to see my brother at his office (he's a doctor).
Imagine my surprise when I had a closer look and said:"Hey, that's my friend Keith Baxter!"


Also in the meantime, enjoy some photos from yesterday's surf session at Hookipa.






And here's some of the duck dives you guys like so much...


Hey, all or none...


That's how it's properly done.