First kite lesson

Velika Plaža · clear head, humble start · Wind: kite week in progress · theory first

The first kite lesson took place as planned. It began, correctly and slightly unglamorously, with theory.

Theory is the grey part of the story: no spray, no heroic board angle, no photograph that makes anyone look like a sea-based athlete. It is also the part that decides whether the rest of the week becomes fun or a small insurance case with a suntan. So, this time, I paid attention.

I could easily be the cautionary example here. Years ago I tried the optimistic YouTube route — watch a few videos, understand everything in principle, then spend the actual session fighting the kite more than enjoying the beauty of doing it properly. A very educational method, if the lesson you want is humility.

So the restart is deliberate: back to the basics, from the beginning, with an instructor and proper safety habits. I chose Kiteriders Montenegro here on Velika Plaža, and the week is now officially moving toward VDWS certification rather than toward another collection of avoidable injuries. I am old enough to consider that progress.

After the serious part, the day slowed down nicely. A short stop at the local market became a full selection process, because apparently choosing the right olives is not a quick administrative task. Domestic vegetables, fruit, cheese, cured slices, a bottle of local milk labelled qumësht, and the kind of small food table that says dinner does not need a committee.

The rest was long-beach rhythm: quiet roads, restaurants ready for people who have not yet arrived, clear refreshing sea, and a coffee stop at Caffe D. The coffee was the local Albanian / Turkish style, brewed in a džezva — strong, slow, and very good at making you sit down for a moment instead of pretending every vacation minute needs a purpose.

Late evening ended on the terrace. Good mood. Head cleaning in progress. Positive expectation. All around Velika Plaža, the infrastructure is ready: beach places open, signs lit, terraces waiting. The crowds are missing, which is exactly why travelling outside peak season feels like cheating politely.

Everything is set. The beach has space. The wind week has started. Love that.