A blurred shot of the surfer-boy

All the lineups were packed. The internationals were out en force, rudely jostling for position, their bodies burnt by the sun. Forget about civility--it was every man for himself. Cameras were everywhere, with photogs all jockeying to capture that perfect shot. Of course, everyone was here for the same reason--to catch the rides of their lives.

Surfing on the North Shore? Nope. My family and I went on vacation to the "happiest place on Earth"--Disneyland!

Actually, the only things remotely related to surfing that I encountered on the trip was saying 'hi' to Tony Moniz on the plane, then seeing the surfer-boy in "It's a Small World."

Part of the beauty of surfing is that it is unbounded--there are no seatbelts or rules of operation or queues. Having the freedom of setting your own limits is so much more exhilarating and challenging.

The hands-down best ride at Disneyland is the "Indiana Jones Adventure", a shuddering jeep ride through a booby-trapped temple. It's pretty fun, but I'd rather take a fat tube at Pipeline any day.

Aloha from the (Second) Happiest Place on Earth,