Travel - 9 Aug 2023

5 Days At Playgrounds

In a typical day we were up with the sun and out in the tropical gardens of Playground Surf Resort. We loved getting on the boat first thing in the morning to check a few surf spots and to show Siska some of the islands she’d never seen before! We would be in the water all day long, making the most of every wave that we came across.

Our captain Doris was such a trooper, with his trademark crooked grin he was ready to go wherever we desired - no matter how rough the weather, or how tired he was from a full day out on the water!

We would return to land for a quick refuel with chef Erick’s delicious food and drinks - sometimes even coming back to kilos of freshly caught tuna sashimi and ceviche!!! What a dream!

After lunch we were back out on the water, surfing until the sun set. The boat ride back to the resort was always a favourite, filled with laughs and gratitude for how incredible each day was.

Exhausted and sunburnt we would crash in the air conditioned room until we heard sous-chef Lucy proudly announce “Yummmm yummmmm,” signifying that our dinner time feast was served! Every meal was shared together like a family - the true Mentawai style.

We loved being surrounded by like-minded guests in the resort. Everyone was supportive of Siska and her achievements as the pioneer of women’s surfing in Mentawai. A few wonderful guests, Holly and Alex, even volunteered a day away from their surf holiday to tag-along with us to Siskas village. We spent the day immersed in the roots of Mentawai village life and were lucky enough to take a group of eager groms out on the water to learn to surf!

A highlight for everyone was the chance to be a part of a traditional Sikerei ceremony. Sikereis are medicine men, the holders of Mentawaian ancestral wisdom, they are the gateway between our realm and the spirit realm. On their visit they shared their traditional songs, dances, and tobacco leaf.

Our trip to Playground Surf Resort was incredible. The days we spent creating this dream come true project were truly some of the best of my life and I am eternally grateful to both Billabong and Playground Surf Resort for supporting us to achieve our goal.