One of the greatest pleasures in finishing phase 1 of the AfricanSurfer trip is the fact that now we get to randomly bump into old friends and strangers who we got to know and love en route. Just like last weekend when Stone happened to bump into Marco searching for waves somewhere north of Lisbon. Marco was an exceptional surfer who we met in the lineup in Dakar, and subsequently kindly took us into his home when we arrived slightly bewildered in the South of Spain from Africa.

Marco in our 80′s vehicle, Southern Spain

This time Marco was on the road, in the suitably adapted 80′s Citroen van that you might expect a surfer of Marco’s calibre to be driving. He was on his way, really slowly, from Marbella to Biarritz, catching as many waves and selling as many of his second book as possible, ‘Panoramica’.

Anyway, of course one of Marco’s first questions: “so what the hell are you all doing these days?”. South African Man-of-the-month was probably not an answer he expected for Tim. He batted an eyebrow, processing, before leaning back in the chair and laughing approvingly. It clearly takes considerably more to shock Marco.

It was only a matter of time before the paparazzi caught onto our vibe. Latest South African HEAT magazine #272; 20 July

Eddie Murphy narrowly pips Tim to the “cut-out-and-keep-treat” section…

Heat magazine votes Tim…

Marco and Stone ordered another Super-Bock each and carried on catching up as if rummaging enthusiastically through an old drawer full of notes, postcards, and all the interesting odds and ends you have that you had nearly forgotten about…

Not just an economic-whizz, Tim with another cause in Cote d’ivoire, circa Oct 2007…

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IN OTHER NEWS

Congrats Angelique on winning the Surf-Lesson raffle, Bournemouth awaits! Thanks to all those who entered the comp, AfricanSurfer raising over GBP100 towards new clean water wells in Africa.