· By Maria Nilsson
FRIDAY TUNES BY MARIA
Describe to us your ultimate dream day:
Well, my dream day starts with heading down to the beach with my dog Gurfy and my baby Milo and a weak latte (I drink coffee again now that I have a baby…) and there are perfect little peelers, and Pete (for some weird reason) doesn’t feel like surfing and he is happy to hang with Milo and I can surf for hours and hours! Then I come in from surfing because my arms are about to fall off, and there is a little fire on the beach and someone has made damper! Yummo! So we eat the fresh damper with honey. Then perhaps one more little sunny surf before heading home to have some wines on the deck with all of my friends whilst simultaneously watching the sunset and the moonrise.
If you could be any animal, what would you be?
A Narwhal. They are so ancient, and like so many mammals of the sea they seem to know a lot more than what we do. Plus, they are essentially a unicorn dolphin.
What do you catch yourself daydreaming about?
A surf trip! But a trip that would be fun and safe with little Milo, maybe to New Zealand or perhaps Hawaii.
What is an environmental or social issue that hits close to home for you?
At the moment, the waste management situation in Australia. I feel like there needs to be some better systems put into place, especially when it comes to recycling and plastic. In Sweden for example where I grew up it is really clear and easy to see how to sort the different types of plastic.
What are some of your daily/weekly rituals?
Well, breastfeeding Milo is a new one I am getting used to! Also I go to the New Brighton Farmers Market every Tuesday. Since having a baby my routine has shifted a little bit.
I also make sure that I at least see the beach everyday, as well as meditate.
What is your stress relief?
To go for a surf! And if the surf is no good, a swim at least, to try and forget what I was thinking about before. And putting on some good music always helps me too.
Staple healthy meal?
Good old roast veggies with quinoa and Tahini (aka Maria juice) on top.
Favourite surf memory?
Well I have so many! But the one that comes to mind right now is from during my pregnancy, I was pretty far in, like 7 months, and I wasn’t feeling all that great because I was starting to find some of the everyday things a little challenging, like surfing for example. But this one day out at Belongil with my friends, it was small and nice and I caught this one wave and did my classic Maria move of a cheater 5, and it just felt so good!! So good in fact that I actually ‘Yewwwed’ myself and Pete caught it all on drone footage!
Do you have any irrational fears or phobias?
Crocodiles. Or Crocodiles with wings that take over the world.
What is Maria’s life motto?
It is all going to be ok.