When was the last time you lived in the moment? Modernday humans are constantly plugged in. Broadsided by emails, phone notifications, crowds and pressure, our animal brain is in a constant fight-or-flight state.
Though it seems the dream job, a pro surfer’s livelihood hinges on every heat. Gruelling training schedules, funding travel, fluctuating emotions, and the need to appease sponsors with a social media presence leave little time to let go of the “athlete” mindset.
Imagine the benefits of unplugging for a moment. Can we find “Zen” in a place where the journey is an enlightening adventure and escape from our complex lives by experiencing the simple joy of being?
Australian junior champion Marlon “Marsy” Harrison and perennial contender Charli Hurst had just competed in the Nias Pro QS, bowing out in the early rounds. As a surfing couple navigating their early years on the open-age tours, they intimately share each other’s journey.
“You don’t get much time to relax on tour,” says Marsy. So, it was a no-brainer when an opportunity afforded them a ten-day stay at Togat Nusa Surf Retreat, a short flight away. He adds, “We had no clue what to expect.”
Togat Nusa is a 12-hectare oasis of vibrant palms set like an emerald inside a brooch of aqua-watered reef. The island’s buildings are handcrafted by owner John Price, a Californian (via Hawai‘i) who’s not been “home” in 30 years. Thick branches serve as pillars and beams, roots as handles, and the roofs are covered in palm-leaf-wrapped slats. The quaint, technology-free jungle bungalows offer the perfect space to slow down in nature.
Carrying a surfer’s arsenal through the labyrinth of connections and layovers of a typical Ments trip is complicated. So Marsy and Charli’s short journey from Nias to Padang before boarding the ferry to Sipura should be a breeze. However, upon arrival, their luggage went off-grid itself.
“We arrived without any boards,” Charli says. “We found out they’d ended up back in Nias.”
So much for Zen.
“[After losing our boards], we were pretty
