It is a brisk 5ºC here. Still, the local surf shops are starting to put their new summer stuff out.

Apparently people here take holidays someplace warm where bikinis, beach bags and cute, skimpy tank tops might actually be needed. You most certainly do not need anything like that here. Ever. As I’ve unfortunately discovered. First hand.

Still. Local climate notwithstanding, I’ve never been able to resist the allure of a surf shop. Not when I lived in Seattle, definitely not in the Caribbean, and surprisingly not even here. Especially when there is an artfully crafted window display beckoning me with Roxy tote bags, straw hats and flip flops.

Oh well…I will eventually need this. 64 days to be exact. But who’s counting?