Firsts Class

WH Editor-in-Chief Liz Baker Plosser goes halfway around the world for an intensive surf retreat-and learns a lesson that hits much closer to home.

-  Liz Baker Plosser

▶ Before

On our honeymoon in Cabo, Mexico, 16 years ago, my husband, Matt, and I rented surfboards. Miraculously, despite receiving no coaching from the overwhelmed guides overseeing a crowd of tourists, including us, we both managed to get up... and then crashed directly into each other, like cartoon characters. Romantic! Last spring, in Bali for a long-anticipated vacation, we were determined to try again. This time we had a lot more support: retired pro surfer Brad Gerlach, who led the retreat at Uluwatu Surf Villas, a gorgeous destination nestled atop the beachfront cliffs in this year-round surf hot spot.