Utopia or Dystopia
I’m off to Newquay in a few days. A pilgrimage to the surfing capital of the UK and a chance to check out if flying from the midlands and avoiding the 5 hour drive makes it a viable option for future short surf trips. However, I have a small worry. I have created 2 Newquays in my head. I’m excited by the idyllic picture I have and somewhat worried about the other, darker picture. With no idea which one I’m going to encounter I just hope I can find a tiny piece of the ideal.
In Dystopian Newquay there are A level results parties, Magaluf reunions and stag and hen do’s all in our surf house. There’s loud, screaming, drunk girls and lads with an inflatable sheep in the beer garden with knickers on their heads and shitty dance music being played in the bar. With visions like this in mind and to minimise the threat of being chucked up on and kept awake by people who could very easily be my children even if I had birthed them in my mid twenties, we have booked to go after the schools and colleges go back. This should also help us avoid feeling approximately 653 years old. We have a private room with a private bathroom and we will lock ourselves in from da youth and barricade the door if we have to!
Utopian Newquay is chilled out and laid back. Glassy, mellow, late summer waves with friendly locals and gentle sunshine are the backdrop to a revival of the soul which only the sea can bring. There’s hot surf blokes over the age of 30 everywhere to perv at ….ahemm I mean admire respectfully through sunglasses while pretending to read or something. There are hammocks in the beer garden of the surf lodge and Morcheba’s The Sea is playing. There’s cute little shops selling handmade wares, surf shops full of lovely things I don’t need and there’s fish and chips and watching the sunset on the cliff after a glorious surf session. There is no ‘you should have been here yesterday’ because it’s perfect!
*Neither of these Newquays are based on reality, fact or experience
Whatever Newquay brings I can’t wait to get surfing again and to give my best girl friend her first surf experience. I’m hoping to catch up with the guys from The Wave Project who I ran a half marathon for last year and see my name on their van. We also have a fun little photography project which I’ll be posting here when I get back and of course a very sensible travel report on whether I found my Utopia or whether I ended up drunk and upside down in a flower bed with my knickers on my head!!
Surf, Sea & Shenanigans 
Have a great time! I hope it’s utopia or as close to it that you experience. My trips to Newquay have always been good. We just avoid the pubs and clubs in the centre at night. There are some brilliant places to surf outside newquay so you don’t necessarily need to stay central and also lots of restaurants, bars and cafes away from the main streets.
LikeLike
cheers! I’m so excited. Will report back on what we get upto. I’m already looking at booking a flight for a short wed-sun trip in mid october before the flights stop for winter! Unfortunately we will have no car so will only be going to places we can get to on foot with boards and kit. I’ll let you know how we get on x
LikeLike
Hey up chuck, just read your post, enjoy Cornwall, it’s lovely down there. I’ve been getting some big runs in during my hols, including a 6,000+ feet decent today and a 1,700+ feet climb yesterday – boom – all powered by cheap red wine. Back to blighty tomorrow for a slightly less exotic running experience. See you on the mean streets of lestestershire.
LikeLike
Hey, I’m jealous of your running prowess but, not the hills. Perhaps cheap red wine is the way forward, I must remeber to include that in my Park Run review next week. I did a very boring and dull ( compared to yours) 7.5 miles on sunday which is the furthest I have been since skate-gate so I feel like I can be ready for the half marathon afterall. I may even be able to come and do that run I bailed out of last time! I also finally got out for a skate on Big Bruce the longboard last night which was bloomin ace! Anyway, enought of my exciting news I’m off to Newquay with me pant on me head!
LikeLike
Hi Clare. Great to talk to you yesterday about why you support the Wave Project. Thank you for taking the time to do the video interview.
I did send an email but it bounced back, if you can send me your email address I will send you the photos and the link to the video.
I enjoyed reading your blog and hope that your experience of Newquay and Cornwall was one of Utopia.
All the best Terry
LikeLike
Hi Terry it was brilliant to meet you and Tab and to see the project in action! I’m such a soppy sap weeping on the beach when I saw the kids having an awesome time! haha! I certainly did find my Utopia in Newquay and I’m hoping to get back soon and more regularly next year when the flights start up again. What a wonderful weekend. YOu can use the surfabella e mail for the pictures and video, although I’m not sure I want tro watch myself. The address is surfabella@gmail.com . All the best. Clare
LikeLike