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If trapeze was the scariest thing I ever tried, then the waterskis, definitely was the hardest. Ever.

I am not one of those people who is just a “natural” at this or that. Getting a great deal of flexibility, I was spared from strength, coordination and an ability to retain a level-head during an adrenalin rush. Nope, none of those.

Though, I’ve got super loads of stubbornness. You can call me persistent, willful or even obstinate, but I don’t quit. Whether i am pursuing a Photo that eludes me, reading a book that I find annoying, or trying a new skill that just doesn’t work out.

Like words in a song, things “don’t come easy to me”, so I am particularly good of making a fool of myself. Again. And again.

When it came to waterskis, I wanted “just to try and see if I like it”. Well, I never expected to fail so epically. Yep, all four times in a raw. “Don’t push”, - advised the guy (all muscles and sunglasses) at the wheel of a motor boat. Oh, trust me I didn’t push at anything!! As the boat was going straight, one of my water skis was racing to head left and the other was as eager to rush in the opposite direction! I am sort-off attached to both of them, so instead of choosing either one of them to chase, I would just flip face down into the water, smile meekly, and wonder where did I go wrong again.

The guy was already dragging me back to the pier, when I accidentally actually got up and started riding!! It was horrible. Painful. Uncomfortable. Ugly. But I emerged from the water triumphantly and gave myself a word that I would give it one more chance just to prove to myself (and all the onlookers at the pier) that I am not such a useless dork afterwards.

Boy, did I present quite enough of proof. In my next (5!!!) attempts, I couldn’t nearly stand up even once. Even remotely.

Struggling a smile through the clenched teeth (only to keep tears from turning this version of Home-funniest video into lousy soap opera), I was ready to pray to all the river gods, boat ones and weird feet attachments there could possibly be, just to grant me a few seconds of being successfully dragged behind the boat and to be free to leave this forsaken place forever.

Religious rites turned out unnecessary.

One of the sweet guys in charge of the pier, took me aside to show me “the ropes” again. I tried to complain that doing it on a ground is not the same: here, nobody is trying to knock my feet away from me, or pulling my legs in the opposite directions. So he made me pull the bar and even himself (I didn’t know I could do that!!) off the ground just to get a better feel for it. Yep, as weird as it gets. He was trying to be helpful so much, that I just couldn’t say no...

So I slid back into the water, clumsily got my bearings, aligned the skis, cursed my own stubbornness, and... suddenly got up!!! Yep, got up and took a ride across the whole river!!!

I was so much in shock, that I didn’t even leave... i made a fool of myself a few more times, took another big ride, hastily slipped out of my safety jacket and started a bee line to the exit, when the same sweet guy caught me by surprise with a question if I’ll come back tomorrow. Ha-ha, so sweet, so innocent. How do I tell you, dear, that this is absolutely the last time I am subjecting myself to this torture and embarrassment? Hm, would it be “definitely not” or “never again”? Well, I mumbled something along “I see how it goes”...

... and was back the next morning.

... and the next.

... and the next.

And I’ve got it!! No, I didn’t learn to ride gracefully or skillfully, I still look like a drunk wading duck clutching the rope for her dear life.  But I did learn to get up on a first try, turn without taking a flight head first into the water in the opposite direction... and the most important - to really enjoy it!!

Am I coming back again? You bet!! They have quite a number of torture devices in their little shack - boards, single skis, etc - that will allow me to repeat the wonderful experience of making a fool of myself... and hopefully learning to love it in the end :))

Dream Come True Photo - waterskiing sunflareDream Come True Photo - waterskiing sunflare