Those who have fallen in love completely with one of these sports may wonder what might happen to them if they could never do it again. It’s because both snowboarding and surfing are likely to cause addiction. I remember when I first tried to keep my balance on the snowboard, I kept falling on my back and besides that it was pretty fun. But when you manage to “master” the board and you feel those unique sensations of speed, freedom, going down on an immaculate, white slope, with beautiful fir woods around and the great blue sky above, you can’t help thanking God you’re alive and able to enjoy those moments. After the first time I could keep myself on the snowboard, without falling down and actually doing that great sport, I know I was completely dumbstruck, speechless. You have to try that feeling and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

The only catastrophe such a passionate snowboarder may encounter, besides a terrible accident that can kill if not him/her, his/her hope of ever getting back “on board”, would be some strange change of climate that will stop the snow from ever falling down again on those gorgeous peaks. Or, to put it in a more realistic way, that person would have to move to a country where it never snows. Where there is only water, let’s say ocean.

Would a snowboarder manage to learn surfing? Or vice versa? Which one is more dangerous? Which of them is easier to learn? Answering all these may be rather tricky.

According to those who’ve tried them both, the art of turning differs completely. Because of that, when you first try snowboarding or surfing, you are very likely to lose balance plenty of times. Then if we are to consider the aspect of choosing the right wave, this might be the most difficult thing for any sport lover. In snowboarding, in order to evaluate the area properly, you have to think about the weather conditions, the visibility and the quality of light, etc. It is highly recommended to have someone who’s good at that sport when you first get on a snowboard or a surfboard. Otherwise you might be looking for trouble.

In this respect, surfing seems safer because there are many beaches with plenty of people and lifeguards, compared to the immensity temptation of deserts of snow waiting to be explored by a brave snowboarder. Nonetheless, a seemingly dangerous temptation is awaiting those who have already mastered the footsteps of surfing. They might want to try some incredible waves, which can unfortunately slam them against rocks or corals. This can still be prevented by asking good advice from the elders of surfing, those who are familiar with the best zones to surf and with those zones that are to be avoided by novices.

So each of these sports has its own advantages and disadvantages. For those who manage to ride the waves, it’s a great deal less expensive than snowboarding, because you don’t have to pay to use the waves. And lift tickets in alpine resorts are not so cheap. As far as the equipment is concerned, surfing is again more cost effective. All you need is a surfboard, whereas for snowboarding you need special clothes, bindings, boots, and not to forget the snowboard. As for the rest, nature takes care of you. It depends on what you prefer-good tan, or fresh, cool mountain air.

And yes, you can take your I-pod while snowboarding, to enjoy some of your tunes and have a soundtrack for your sportive activity. Although one cannot say for sure which of them is more boyish or more girlish, apparently there is a somewhat better balance of males and females doing snowboarding than surfing. So which of them is better? Which of them is more fun, safer or more advisable to try? The answer is quite “relative”, like Einstein would probably say if he were inquired on this issue. Either way, the idea is to be ready to have an amazing, unforgettable time, to take up risks and remember how great and miraculous it is to be alive. And of course, to do what’s available in the area you’re in at that particular moment.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 4:57 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.