Surfing, Bouldering, and the Joy of Movement

I’ve got writer’s block. There’s so much I want to share, but I’m just not feeling it 😢

I think I figured out what’s wrong: I haven’t surfed in three weeks! Finally got out there today. As usual, had an absolute blast. Sport is everything.

I used to go bouldering regularly. I honestly think it’s the most accessible and well-rounded sport out there and I recommend it to everyone. There’s a constant challenge, a short dopamine cycle, no need to compete with anyone (except yourself), a low barrier to entry, a super welcoming community, and it’s easy to meet new people.

For the longest time, I thought rock climbing was just for extreme sports junkies who scale cliffs in the snow and sleep in hanging tents tied to ropes.

Turns out, you can just walk into a climbing gym, rent some shoes, and start climbing the wall. In bouldering, you don’t even need a harness. I was hooked from day one, immediately bought my own shoes, and I’ve been climbing for about 5 years now. A couple months ago I tweaked a finger, so I’m taking a break for now.

I had similar thoughts about surfing before I moved to Portugal 😄 From Russia, it seemed like something only rich kids could afford — flying off to islands in winter, dropping a grand on gear, then posting YouTube drone footage of themselves riding three-meter barrels…

Turns out in Portugal, surfing is basically like soccer. You walk out of your house and go surf. From Lisbon, there are dozens of beaches within a 30-minute drive. Every spot has rentals for €20. With a wetsuit, it’s warm enough even in winter on a gloomy +15° day. It’s a bit more extreme, there are risks, you need to know how to swim and be careful.

But I was hooked from the first time. Even just splashing around in the water was a blast. Doesn’t matter how many waves I caught — I’m vibing with the process. Though a lot of people struggle with it. You gotta try it a couple times in good conditions with an instructor to see if it’s your thing.

Planning to try kitesurfing next. That’s even more complex — besides the board, you also need a kite-parachute thing. And there’s a lot to learn, the first lessons are literally on land. Gonna try it soon, there’s plenty of that here too.

What else would you recommend from the not-so-obvious but awesome sports?