Adventure #236

First hike in the Dolomites, Italy, to Refugio re Alberto
On world-class winning wave at Nias, Indonesia
Image by WSL
PAIGE
HAREB
HAVE BLOG...
WILL TRAVEL
Words by Paige Hareb, Images by Lauren Murray
I’ve been a pro-surfer, and a
self-proclaimed pro-traveller for
over 14 years now. Sitting here
reflecting on the last six months
of my travel, I’m feeling a lot of
gratitude. After semi-deciding and
semi-being forced to stay in NZ
for two whole years because of
the pandemic, I felt it was time to
make the most of travelling again.
Ironically, the week before
I started my first adventure
overseas, I got Covid for my
birthday, June 6. My week of
isolation just finished in time for
me to fly out to Indonesia for two
surf competitions.
I had contests at Krui and Nias,
which were amazing! The finals
day at Nias has been a real
standout moment for me this
year, the waves were absolutely
pumping, the best I’ve ever had
for a contest! The win there
made it that much sweeter too.
My travel agent was telling me
not to do it before South Africa
because she didn’t think I would
get my boards in time. I’d always
wanted to go there so I just
ignored her and risked it. I’m so
happy I went, it paid off. It was
the very first time I’d travelled
alone to an event and stayed by
myself, maybe I should try doing
that more. All I wanted to do was
keep getting through more heats
just to surf perfect waves with no
one out. Two weeks in Indo and
I was already head over heels
in love with travelling again.
Next stop the United States of
America baby!
"I didn't
realise how
much I missed
travelling"
I didn’t realise how much I
missed travelling. I was in
California for the US Open at
Huntington Beach, but I stayed
on for a few months with my
girlfriend and pro-photographer,
Lauren Murray, exploring
the area, and hiking through
Big Pine Creek, the Grand
Canyon, Yosemite, Joshua Tree,
Colorado and Big Sur. America is
such a big country with so much
to do, I think it will always be in
the top 10-holiday list for me.
Next we headed to Italy, I had
never been there before so
wanted to do the classic tourist
thing and visit Venice before
we headed to the Dolomites in
Northern Italy. We did several
hikes here as well as one just
across the border in Austria. The
hiking ‘Huttes’ in Italy and Austria
were very impressive, positioned
in some crazy, amazing spots in
the mountains.
After a quick competition Near
Lisboa, Portugal and an even
quicker road/surf trip South to
Algarve, a place that seemed a
bit like a Bali destination for the
UK and other Europeans.
With a quick overnight in
Denmark (another new fav city
of mine), we then headed to the
Faroe Islands. A self-governing
archipelago, part of the Kingdom
of Denmark, that I had only just
heard of and had no idea where
it was or what to expect. I felt
lucky to be there because not
many people get to go there.
The landscape was amazing,
waterfalls everywhere and huge,
steep cliffs dropping straight into
the wild sea. I managed to fit a
surf in there too, it was small but
Right: A grand view in the Grand Canyon.
20//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#236 ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//21