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Nowadays, travel is easy. A few clicks on your phone and an international odyssey can be locked in to commence the very next day. But is it maybe, dare I say, too easy? The journey, after all, can be just as important as the destination.
That's exactly what was at the heart of Johanna Brebner's incredible cycling and surfing journey of Aoteroa, New Zealand. The film by Milo Inglis, with support from Needessentials, is an epic portrait of slow travel that follows along as she traverses over 2,000 kilometers in 90 days.
At just over 68 minutes in length, with an impeccable soundtrack, the film hits much closer to a feature-length documentary than a standard, short surf film. Johanna is joined by Hahnee Chelkowski for three weeks of her journey and, although the two had never met prior to the trip, they quickly become fast friends as they share in the triumphs and tribulations (like excruciating hill climbs and persistent 30 km/h headwinds) along the way.
Not having any prior cycling experience, Johanna throws herself into the proverbial deep end with innocence. Despite the grueling conditions, she maintains a positive mindset throughout the adventure and basks in the simple glory of connecting with the land and making progress along the map.
She admits that cycling certainly isn't the best way to go if all you care about is scoring waves, yet, score she does. The fact that she has to power herself to get there, sometimes going more than 200 kms in between surfs, makes it all that much sweeter. While there isn't a single air-reverse in the whole film, her surf mat and trusty twin fin fish provide all the glide she needs over numerous sessions.
The waves seem to always be at least head-high and highly rippable to the point that you start thinking, 'maybe I should do a bike tour of New Zealand...'.
There's no shortage of good things I could say about the film. Rather than give it all away, I encourage you to watch it for yourself, ideally with a best friend and travel buddy. Slow down, take it in, and let the inspiration flow for your very own slow travel surf mission.
Related: No Crowds, No Signal: Inside Katin’s New Zealand Surf Odyssey
