Day 60

May 30th

	The mounds of sand pile in the distance.  Wheeling my way towards the dunes only heightens my adrenaline.  Riding the dunes yesterday ( by way of motorcycle AND camel) was electrifying.  The instability of the sand made for a fun challenge and added a shade of suspense to my day.  A landmark like this is an instrument for creativity.  

The ever-evolving hills are brushed by the changing tide, constantly changing their palette.  The present, but unstable nature of this place has one reflect on their perception of reality (and what they can create from it). Today, I’m taking my meager boarding skills to the dunes.  

Truth be told,  I haven’t been boarding (of any kind) in years.  It was watching the people shred through the dunes yesterday that inspired my courage to break the streak.  The only thing I remember to do is to lean back…  And that’s about it.  Fortunately, the same rental place I went through yesterday offers boards to rent (along with some quick coaching).  

Upon arriving at the rental company, I was introduced to their resident “board guy”.  To begin, he told me to strap my front leg onto the board and to have my other leg free to move.  He wanted to make sure I could properly balance and guide the board, before having both feet strapped in.

Initially, the awkward movements reflected my feelings, as the leg fastened to the board was useless for navigating.  It felt like a wood paddle was strapped to my foot. To aid in my comfort, the shop helper took me to the nearest mound, which gave me the chance to balance on an actual incline.  

Little by little, I felt my footing gaining ground on the grains of sand.  As much as I think I’m athletic, trying different pursuits like this puts your abilities into perspective.  We gradually climbed taller hills, hoping to gain fluency.  I eventually found my footing and bid adieu to the rental staff. 

In a land full of dunes, I immediately felt lost in the choices.  Surrounded by countless hills, I’m struggling to find a maiden dune.  Off in the distance, I see a crew of sand boarders having their way on a pair of hills. The adrenaline-filled smiles on their faces made my choice an easy one.

There was plenty of space to tear down the dunes, as I did my best to mimic the hobbyists out there.  The two biggest tips that the shop workers gave me were to keep my knees bent and to constantly look forward. By keeping the bent posture, it allows my knees to be the suspension for my body.  The posture also allows my body to feel more relaxed and flow through different slopes.

I was lucky to stay on the board for more than 10 seconds, at a time.  The unpredictable stack of each dune causes instability in my knees, quickly buckling under the eroding slopes.  It was a rare moment, for me.  For someone that loathes the thought of failing something, the sight of my misfortune wasn’t dogging me.  Instead, I felt carefree energy that bounced me back onto my feet.

For the first time on this trip, I felt vulnerable (in a good way).  There wasn’t a moment during my sandboarding experience where I felt like I had to coerce my body into working. I’m such a competitive person, so the idea of failing is just embarrassing, to me.  Yet here I find myself, in the middle of these dunes, enjoying the mishaps.  

It was in this comedy of errors that I began to live in the moment.  So much of this trip has been a reflection of how I live my life. Organized, controlled, and proactive.  Today has been anything but that.  I’ve done my best to live “in the moment” throughout my time in Japan, but nothing has produced more spontaneous fun than today.  The hours of sliding through the sand resulted in little success, but a ton of joy.

Perhaps doing something like this alone helps my immersion into failure. The lack of peer presence disarms any peer pressure. Regardless, sandboarding on the dunes was a fun experience that breathed a new, carefree attitude into me.  Before leaving the dunes, I took a different peek at the landmark from a nearby observation deck.  

Overlooking the sandy terrain and out into the Sea, I have a new appreciation for mother nature.  With the relentless tide being blown in, I’m seeing the landscape change in real-time. The parallels between the dunes and the human experience are uncanny. Like the sandy dunes along this coastline, your path in life can drastically change with one change of the wind. 

An hourglass analogy would be to cliche, for this scenario. Seeing the dunes reshaped before my eyes needs no such comparison. Watching this place take form is a great reminder of how quickly life can change.  Maybe one of the best qualities about being human is our ability to adapt.  Like I learned (the hard way) today, it’s hard to pick up a new skill.  

Instead, sandboarding around these dunes brought back a time-tested lesson.  It’s not about how (or why) I’m falling, but it’s how I respond that makes me a stronger person.  Despite the constant barrage of changing tide and coastal winds, the dunes persevere and remain a geographical marvel.  It’s a gigantic reminder of how humans need to adapt and overcome the obstacles that they’re facing. 

I spent the bulk of my day collecting parcels of sand all over my body.  Some grains will never leave me, as it’s the material that seems impossible to expunge.  Despite that, I had a day to remember at the Tottori Sand Dunes.  By far, this day has resulted in the best carefree experience of the trip.  

Tomorrow, I’m going to see another hill (mountain, rather) and get a glimpse of the area from the view of Mt. Daisen.  Like the dunes, this is a place I know little about. I can only hope that the lack of knowledge produces another eventful, energetic day.

Thanks and I’ll see you soon!

-Ayden