The irony of it all is that I met my soulmate ten years ago in a little town called Jeffrey’s Bay. I was passing through from the Grahams Town festival. The driver of the car I was in wanted to stop and stay over in J Bay as all his surfer mates were there.

I was like “No freaking ways are we staying here, we are stopping over for 30 minutes to take some pics and I wanna be in the Mother City by this evening!”

About six months later I met a guy, we started chatting and it just so happened that he was the guy who took the pictures for us in J-Bay. Needless to say we ended up in Jeff’s for our honeymoon and frequent it at least twice a year.

Being the partner of a surfer comes with its trials and tribulations. You may spend hours driving up the West Coast from Derde Steen to Yzerfontein or St Helena Bay, Pappiesfontein and all the spots on that side. This escapade could even happen in the city… I kid you not.

The most testing of times being when you have stopped to check at least three spots and they end up suiting up at the first spot – ONLY a surfer understands how that works. You soon realize that you need to accept surfing in its totality and for what it is or else your relationship will not survive.

I have experienced and appreciated the most picturesque sunrises, sunsets and scenery on our many trips. Be it on the dry rugged West Coast (PS! not forgetting to take lots and lots of reading material with you) or the green lush East Coast.

Our marriage has even survived trekking two boards to Bali and back with my 35kg’s worth of goodies that I bought over in Indo (overweight according to the airlines… go figure!).

But remember, there is nothing like spontaneous day trips which sometimes carry on to a two day camp. Trust me, when it’s no longer there you will miss it… I surely do!

By Soheir Hamdulay