Karen Aisyah

Our next rider is from a region in Spain where the people have autonomy, this means they have their own local government and a lot of control over the region.

The region is also blessed with 220 km of coastline along the Bay of Biscay with over 90 beautiful beaches to choose from.

It is also home to a Gaudí masterpiece, El Capricho, a fascinating building of quirky turrets, chimneys and brightly coloured glazed tiles and also home to The Picos de Europa one of Spains most stunning and dramatic natural parks in the Cantabrian Mountains.

"Hi guys!

Im Karen I am 32 years old but I still feel like I am 22.

I'm from Cantabria but six years ago I made the decision to live between Indonesia and Spain.

When I was a child my family and I spent summers in our little van on the coast, most of the time in a place called San Vicente and there, I could spend hours and hours sitting on the sand watching the crazy boys surfing, I knew then I wanted to do the same as them!

I knew two things for sure when I was really little, one was that I wanted to surf and the other was that I wanted to become vegetarian, over the years I have now turned vegan. I think we have to respect all creatures and nature, it is our duty.

I starting playing with a boogie board that belonged to my brother, I still remember my first wave around 25 years ago! What a feeling!

My first board was a blue Genesis, I think I was about 14 years old, I was so excited to have my own board and I used to love stealing my brother's bodyboard magazines 😂😂😂

When I was younger I freaked out over Hubbard, Skipper, Virtue, Ronquilio... and with the girls like Karla Costa, Eunate Aguirre...

But it wasn't until I turned 18, I got my car lisense and I started doing what I wanted from many years ago.

I met one of my best friends through bodyboarding, Deva (she was champion of Spain for many years), she gave me bodyboard lessons and she adopted me, thanks Devs! 😊

We starting travel together and I accompanied her to all the contests, I starting enjoying this beautiful sport that has given me so many things.

I have never competed, I still feel useless, I like enjoying free riding with good waves and a few people around.

On my second trip to Indo in 2015 I met a lovely guy, now my husband! We met while surfing a perfect left in Mentawais. He is the best surfer in the area, our life changed, for better for sure!

We live on a small private island in the Playground area, the family of my hubby have a beautiful and humble local surfcamp on that island.

On the island, we live happily, in peace, and surrounded by nature, palm trees and the best waves in the world.

If you looking for the travel of your life, you can check the website, they have a nice history behind. www.theshadowmentawai.com or looking for them on Instagram as @TheShadowMentawai. You can also just click on the link below to be taken to the site.....

We can drop you to the best waves for bodyboarding in the area!

I really love it, the island life.

My local beach break in Spain is Los Locos in Suances a very good place for surfing and my local place in Mentawais is Shadow left, I can go paddle from my home, and there are never people around, it's amazing!

My favourite wave in Spain is El Brusco, it is a beach break, I think it is a mix between Hossegor and Puerto Escondido, it usually starts working in autumn when the south winds and the big swells start.

My favourite wave in the world, of course is in Mentawais but I have a few candidates it"s difficult to choose! Eret, Hideaways, Beng Beng and Shadow left for sure :)

When I'm in Spain I work with my mum, she has two boutiques of women clothes, so my shops are my sponsor, but if someone want to help me with the material... are welcome! 😂😂

My boards are a VS and a Funkshen I can ride with the same boards for years, these two I have had for around four and three years respectively. I got two weeks ago Kpaloa fins second hand and they are sooo comfy and my leash, one from Gyroll (I really hate it, is too short and very uncomfortable) and the other one from Trash. My wetsuits are from Roxy and Billabong but I don't like to wear them. I love surfing with out them and with warm water.

I don't buy bodyboard brands, as I said before I have clothes from our shop but yes I have many clothes from surf brands... Contradicted? Maybe

My kind of music motivation, is a topic, but almost all, mainly rap but I love all kinds of music included reggae.

I have many memories from when I was young.

For a few years, I spent part of the winters in Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) with friends and a story they always remember was one day we were going to surf (I drive) in our old car that we bought (300€) and excited looking at the waves I crashed the car on a dirt track off a cliff. I was very lucky because the car was dead but we only had two days more before we left the island.

In all these years, I met many people from all over the world.

I hope to still create many memories in the water because it is my happy place to be 😊

Always grateful

Thanks a lot! See you in the water!"

Photo credits include:

@theshadowmentawai

@shootingbythebarrel

@cristiankony_

@annararo

Pre orders being taken tomorrow for the new PLC SEN NO SEN wetsuit just click the link below for your chance to own one.