I was back in the Swiss Alps for Christmas catching up with the family. Thought I might get some “freshies” in too, for old times’ sake. The other guys at Surf Europe don’t like it when I talk about snow surfing. I guess it’s that age-old Amphibian vs. Mountain Goat conflict they talk about. Right now, I’m hoping my surfing might get some respect in about 10 years… Anyway, it’s ok, guys, I didn’t actually go snowboarding because there was hardly any snow. It was crap, and the one day I did go up the mountain to check out all the mud, rocks and long queues, I decided to really kook it and go on skis.

Ok, so maybe make that 20 years.

It’s been over two weeks since I returned to Biarritz and it still hasn’t got any colder. In fact, today, as PE and I headed south of the border in t-shirts to take care of some unfinished Babyshambles refund business, it dawned on me that it’s actually got hotter!

So what seemed like a bad thing at New Year has now, in mid-January, turned into a very good thing. And an even better thing this afternoon when I found out that, on his way to work in London this morning, my brother Simon snapped his umbrella in the gale-force winds. Oops, I guess that’ll be why the surf is cranking down here right now.

The only problem is the fit weather girl on Cannal + says it’s all going to end on Sunday.

PE in San Sebastian showing the Spanish ladies more of a short-sleeve polo shirt line.