August for me has been down in Cornwall
The Ticket to Ride Surf Academy always gives me a good excuse to be down there. Having said this, Julian and his team have really got it sorted and have not needed me really at all. We are coming to the end of our third summer season in Perranporth and this one has been our busiest by a long way. A mixture of returning surfers and new students from all over the UK has been enough to make us feel really established in Perranporth and we are really proud of the quality of surf lessons that we are offering.
I also decided to take my week's holiday in Cornwall staying down in Trevone (just outside Padstow) we have just bought a place down there and have come to the conclusion that there isn't really anywhere we would rather be. Having spent the past 6 months leading the rebuild of all the Ticket to Ride Website which included a new side for our newly acquired ski and snowboard division Basecamp.
Sticking to what you know is a moto that Linley and I have held close whilst continuing to grow the business -and bringing in Basecamp into the Ticket to Ride Group enables us to do exactly that. We have always planned to diversify into winter sports however remained aware of the fact that the ski and snowboard world is a highly competitive area and you need to know what you are doing. Thankfully Basecamp was one of the pioneering gap year ski and snowboard course providers and with 10 years experience, it is fair to say they do know what they are doing. Having a company of this callibre in the Ticket to Ride Group has been one of the most exciting business decisions that Linley and I have ever made.
Having said this, big organisations need big websites and the new Basecamp one is certainly that!! We hope you like it!
10-14th August was spent down at the Relentless Boardmasters – we have taken a small stand there every year since the very beginning and this year we decided t really go for it taking the ecquivalent of 2 stands giving us room to have our own tent alongside the Ticket to Ride Truck. This turned out to be a winning combination and we can safely say that this has been our best boardmasters yet.
Not only was it great to see so many old faces from previous Ticket to Ride Adventures, it was also great to meet so many future Ticket to Riders. Having a sign infront of the tent saying book surf lessons was a winner aswell, Julian and his team have been full every day this week. We have barely had enough boards to cope with how popular we have been down there.
I was stoked to be able to get my new kites out of the bag and had some epic evening's kitesurfing on Watergate Bay as well an eventful session on Daymer Bay.
There really isn't anything like a bit of Cornish sea air to refresh body and mind.
Travelling all over the world has it's merits (infact it is the driving force behind our genuine love for what we do), however it is also great to appreciate what is right on our doorstep.
A-Level Result are out on Thursday…! Best of luck to all of you waiting. This year is not like every other year – we have never had so many places on hold whilst people wait to see what they get before making the decision on taking a gap year or going straight to uni.
There is so much written about whether to take a gap year or not. The debate over whether gap year's are a good thing or not is alway the same. The simple fact is, some gap years are a waste of time and money and some gap years are the complete opposite, setting you up for life as a well rounded and most importantly interesting person. This is a debate with no simple answer and one that people often drag me into. From personal my gap year set me up for life and was the single most rewarding year of my life so far. The couses and adventures we run are developed to live up to the same expectation…!
We have an open office all next week for anyone wanting to come and find out more about either Ticket to Ride or Basecamp.
Thanks for tuning in
Will