- Welcome to Fujian White Crete Kung Fu
“Are you still coming after Brexit?” read the text message from our hosts in Crete. Somehow we seem to hit geopolitical turmoil when we travel for training. Last year it was Grexit, with banking controls, empty ATMs and fairly empty beaches. But it takes more than political upheaval and financial crises to stop us training.
All aboard!
After meeting early in the morning, braving the Easyjet self-service bag drop (they really do mean “join the dots”) then the new style queueing system for Gatwick security (“feels like I’m a cow in an abattoir”), the rest of the morning was pretty uneventful. Quick 3 hour flight to Chania (helped by speedy tailwind) and feel the first blasts of heat on the buses between plane and passport control. Lovely black tracksuits feeling a bit less glamorous. And then it started, ‘Anyone not got their bags?” A lone hand goes up, a young superhero we brought along. What does it look like? – “Er, it’s red. Well crimson really, or you could say scarlet, but really it’s closer to crimson.” ‘Maroon maybe?” “”Oh, no, certainly not! Let’s say crimson.” “Hello Ground Control, we are waiting for a red suitcase, with a dent in the side and a name label with a phone number.”
Chief Instructor, Dennis Ngo, teaching on the beach.
Oh dear – the self service “join the dots” bag drop had somehow sent the bag to Spain – must have been the wrong sort of dots. So Young Superhero went out to equip himself with Spiderman beach towel and well-fitting Greek flag shorts.
Dinner was at Christos’ beachside restaurant which we have raved about every year and I’ve run out of superlatives.
The Future of Press-Ups
Early night, early morning. Lovely breakfast – greek yogurt, honey, bread, ham, etc etc. Discussions of recent training articles on this wonderful website led to plenty of press-ups. Am considering setting up a press-ups futures markets, where challenging students can gain access to someone else’s shoulders, and call in when necessary. Students seeking increased strength and stamina can contract out their energy. Think it will take off? Maybe we could take it global – I feel an IPO coming on (Indefinite Press-ups Offer). Take-overs, derivatives, leveraged buyouts all in the offing. And then there’s hedging…
What You Doing?
Back to the reason we’re here. Training full-on as usual. Rooted Stance and Three Part Power leading to Variations on a Theme and ultimately fully improvised Breezin’.
A Star is Born on the Ancient Island of Crete
Whilst working on our horse stance we devised a new game – Donkey Diving. Currently a niche sport, but set to take the extreme sport enthusiasts by storm, regulation has quickly set in, with corner judges, a points system, and maybe even “rules”. Leading on the score board is our very own Φιλλιππ – what a revelation this rising star of the Donkey Diving world is proving to be, living up to his name on talented mount Stargazer Lily out of the legendary Chinese Peony on loan from the Στεφανακις Stable.
Just goes to show if you can do Fujian White Crane Kung Fu, you can do anything.
Watch this space…
