European vs American kite culture

[airsurfer]

Based on the response so far it seems that the real question is why is there such a "vs" culture on these forums (not saying your question was but certainly some of the responses so far) why does it seem to attract the mine is better than yours culture even though 99 percent of kiters I've ever met around the world were just great people. My take is love the sport and enjoy it whenever and wherever posssible respect the people that participate and those who don't and appreciate their cultures you may end up with some great friends. In Miami we have people from all cultures many Europeans and South Americans tc... so the vibe on the beach is diverse and fun . Happy kiting.

[Starsky]

It is not kite culture is continent culture .
we work for living you live for working!
we like stay 20 days or more with friends and all amenities!
US ctz do not do it ,cannot do it ,do not have the thought of doing it .
in terms of living you are bodydragging while we are facing hawaian jaws.
time is needed maybe 2 or 3000 years of history !
better talk of kiting !
ciao
ps. do not get me wrong ,it is not an offense ,you come from 200 years ,we are much older and have been taught from time to time what to do!

Some people are so pompous they think that by simply stating no offence whatever insult they hurl is just fine.

Regardless of where they're from, its the attitude of entitlement that goes along with "resort" type vacationing that I find in stark contrast with those that are more traveler than tourist. It always amuses me the shortsightedness of kiters not local to a spot. They travel thousands of kilometers to kite and then ironically miss out on the best conditions that may be no more than a few hard tacks upwind, simply because they cant bother to seek something thats not right there at their doorstep. Cant tell you how many times Ive seen infested launches of convenience that are pretty much the choppiest conditions made 50x worse by the traffic that thrive on ingnoring common sense rights of way while developing pathetic little hate ons for whatever member of some rival contingent. If thats what a few thousand years of evolution does for you, I'll stick to the road less traveled. Lack of rigging, and riding etiquete are endemic amongst those that have learned to expect the world to revolve around them while they are spending money rather than earning it. I say they can have their crappy little beach clubs and shitty launches. Serves the rest of us better to keep em all together and away from the good spots. NONE of those type of riders ever make it to Peahi. They generally never develop the skill, know how or self reliance to ever really venture beyond the kiddy pools of the world.

[Babel]

Isn't it also a question of amount of vacation and funds? If you have at least 5 weeks a year to spend somewhere, might get boring just always staying in your country in a cheap accommodation. I do both, Egypt or South of France, Spain, which I consider cheap, or something like Nitro City Panama, which I consider expensive kite resort. Keep it interesting!

What I found is that americans tend to not care so much about safety systems but more about the performance of the kite. Thats refreshing!

[sijandy]

It is not kite culture is continent culture .
we work for living you live for working!
we like stay 20 days or more with friends and all amenities!
US ctz do not do it ,cannot do it ,do not have the thought of doing it .
in terms of living you are bodydragging while we are facing hawaian jaws.
time is needed maybe 2 or 3000 years of history !
better talk of kiting !
ciao
ps. do not get me wrong ,it is not an offense ,you come from 200 years ,we are much older and have been taught from time to time what to do!

By any chance do you have a beard and a hook for a hand?

[POACHER]

Interesting thread....... I'll bite.

Whatever floats your boat. I don't think there's a wrong way or right way......It's a KITE vacation. (are we really arguing about how to do one of the best things in the world?)

I don't think you can accurately lump all Americans and all Euros into one way or the other.

As an American, I just prefer to have the variety of several smaller kite trips with different locations, chasing the good wind/condtions and flying off the radar. I like discovering new spots, new people, different kinds of food and beers. Quite honestly, staying at an all inclusive doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't want/need watered down drinks, shitty buffets, crowded beaches, or a kite launcher. (wtf is a kite boy anyway?........)
I much prefer to fish (or buy fresh) or seek out where the locals like to eat. As for being around other people, call me a shut in, recluse or anti-social, but I deal with humans all day long, the last thing I need is MORE interaction. Other kiters, that's a different can of corn. I like most other kiters I meet. But just random tourists?............no F'in way man. I want nothing to do with the loud, obnoxious, drunken, morons laying around frying in the sun typical of most All Inclusives.

As from my travels, I think our brethren to the north can be associated with how we Americans do it. I always seem to run into Canucks in every corner of the globe on a kite trip. They're the polite people that are willing to help you launch or land!

Variety is the spice of life. If I'm hanging at one spot for a month it better be par excellence.....
(Hatteras ALL October would be nice!)

[Toby]

Hey Johhnn, just go to a Fun place with good wind and you will meet many more of your age.
Don't waste time waiting for your friends to have time to kite.
Life is short, so go out to the world and enjoy!

Guess I will see you in Brazil soon

[Laughingman]

Interesting thread....... I'll bite.

Whatever floats your boat. I don't think there's a wrong way or right way......It's a KITE vacation. (are we really arguing about how to do one of the best things in the world?)

I don't think you can accurately lump all Americans and all Euros into one way or the other.

As an American, I just prefer to have the variety of several smaller kite trips with different locations, chasing the good wind/condtions and flying off the radar. I like discovering new spots, new people, different kinds of food and beers. Quite honestly, staying at an all inclusive doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't want/need watered down drinks, shitty buffets, crowded beaches, or a kite launcher. (wtf is a kite boy anyway?........)
I much prefer to fish (or buy fresh) or seek out where the locals like to eat. As for being around other people, call me a shut in, recluse or anti-social, but I deal with humans all day long, the last thing I need is MORE interaction. Other kiters, that's a different can of corn. I like most other kiters I meet. But just random tourists?............no F'in way man. I want nothing to do with the loud, obnoxious, drunken, morons laying around frying in the sun typical of most All Inclusives.

As from my travels, I think our brethren to the north can be associated with how we Americans do it. I always seem to run into Canucks in every corner of the globe on a kite trip. They're the polite people that are willing to help you launch or land!

Variety is the spice of life. If I'm hanging at one spot for a month it better be par excellence.....
(Hatteras ALL October would be nice!)

Canucks or Quebecers.... lol you ever notice everyone else from Canada say they are Canadian, but the french, they are from Quebec....lol I bet they don't even realize what that looks like...
Anyhow, you can always count on me for a launch...even if you are from Quebec...lol

[L0KI]

A friend of mine just left for a TEN MONTH kite vacation with his wife.
She quit her job and they leased their house, my friend is a freelance software designer, so he works wherever and whenever he wants, but has enough scratch to not work for the next year.
They went to Turks and Caicos first, next they are going to Costa Rica, Indo is on the list, Tenerife Canary Islands, Egypt and I'm not sure where else but the list is twenty locations long.
I have to agree that somewhere we (USA) went wrong to set up a precedent that requires two incomes per household to live sufficiently, and that everyone's children get raised in school/daycare and that most people get only two weeks (or less) a year paid vacation.
I guess that is the price we've paid to become what the USA is, in the relatively short amount of time we've occupied this piece of land, but all work and no play makes Joe a very dull boy.
I agree with Starsky about the attitude that piccio has, and Starky's observation seems to be spot on.

[Tiago1973]

i´ve travelled and keep travelling to distant places and always book stuff by myself, but if I ever talk my other half to go into a kite trip then better buy an all inclusive kind of thing, or get ready the papers for the divorce

[KYLakeKiter]

I am with Tiago on this one. When travelling by myself or on a kite road trip with the buds (usually a 3 or 4 day weekend) I go "American style", but when I take the wife, there better be some "Euro style" involved or my next vacation is liable to be to some cultural center no where near the water.

I am a fan of both styles BTW. When out with the buds, I get much more time on the water. When travelling with the wife, as long as I managed to find a place she likes, I get in a little kiting and all the other benefits that come along with spending quality time with my spouse. (I totally wrote that last part just in case she reads this )