From Paris to Morocco: Backflips, Surfing, and the Best Fries Ever

Alright, we’re back here again,

January was (As always) packed. From surfing to standing with the Eiffel Tower, hopping between continents, and trying to get over my flip fears—it's been a wild month. Here’s the recap:

Surfing for the First Time in 10+ Years
I went surfing again after over a decade, and somehow, I got up on my second try! Sure, I was riding tiny waves on a sandbar, but I’ll take any win I can get.

Four Days in Paris

Notre Dame – Day 1
First day in France, and we went to one of the most famous churches in the world—Notre Dame. We joined their service and sang in French (even though I had no idea what I was saying 🤣). Apparently, they have the crown of thorns that Christ wore and fragments of the cross, which was insane to see in person.

Seeing the Mona Lisa – Day 2
We hit the Louvre, where we saw the Mona Lisa, the Aphrodite (Venus) statue, and the Nike statue (yes, the inspiration for the shoe brand). It’s one thing to see these things in textbooks, but standing in front of them in real life? Just an entirely different level.

Vincent Van Gogh’s Paintings – Day 2
We also saw some of Van Gogh’s paintings, though no Starry Night (I didn’t realize it was in London 😔). Luckily, we went at the least touristy time, so I got some great photos without an army of people in the way. Downside? It was absolutely freezing.

Eiffel Tower – Day 2
This was THE highlight. I’ve seen so many photos online, but nothing prepares you for the moment you turn a corner, and there it is—950+ feet tall, staring down at you. It’s hands down the most iconic and impressive work of architecture I’ve ever seen. They seriously have their architecture down.

St. Chapelle & Arc de Triomphe – Day 3
By this point, we were exhausted—20K+ steps a day, freezing cold, and definitely not packed for the weather—but we powered through. St. Chapelle was beautiful, and the Arc de Triomphe was massive. As I said, the French definitely know how to build.

Basilique & The Best Fries Ever – Day 4
Our last day in Paris before heading to another city for our flight. We saw yet another beautiful church, but what I need to talk about are these fries. Imagine your grandma’s best mashed potatoes rolled into balls and deep-fried to perfection. Easily the best fries I’ve ever had.

Welcome to Africa – Morocco!

Marrakech, Morocco was a total switch-up from Paris. The fact that I went from the Caribbean (Puerto Rico) to France to Africa, all in one week, is still crazy to me. My body was probably trying to figure out what was happening the whole time.

At a restaurant in Morocco, I somehow ended up eating random food with random guys I just met, and honestly, it was one of the best and funniest food experiences. One thing I love about traveling is moments like that—just being with people from a totally different culture.

Backflip Mental Block (Mostly) Gone?

Okay, I know this sounds weird coming from the flip guy, but I kind of forgot how to flip (on flat ground, at least). After barely flipping in 2024, I developed a mental block. But after winning a handstand contest against my sister, I knew I had to celebrate with a victory flip.

Problem? It took me five minutes to find the "perfect spot" to commit. First flip—I landed on my knees (definitely didn’t jump high enough). Second flip—landed clean. Third flip? Mental block again. But after fighting through it, I got it. So I think I’m mostly over it... I think?

Camel Sahara Trip – One of the Coolest Things I’ve Ever Done

Okay, this was insane. My family and I did a 3-day camel excursion in the Sahara, and it easily made my Top 10 coolest experiences ever—maybe even Top 5.

The trip started with a brutal 5 AM wake-up (not a morning person at all), followed by a 10-hour drive to where the camels were. Luckily, it was split over two days, so we got to stop in some villages—including one where they filmed the original Indiana Jones.

But the real magic happened on day two. At sunset, we rode camels to a massive sand dune to go sandboarding. Riding a camel felt so surreal—getting lifted several feet in the air and just cruising through the desert as the sun set was a moment I’ll never forget.

Oh, and of course, I had to do a backflip in the middle of the Sahara. But here’s the thing—I got hit with that mental block again. The fear just came out of nowhere. But after a few minutes of overthinking, I finally sent it. Probably the most scenic flip I’ve ever done.

Backflip Mental Block (Mostly) Gone?

Speaking of flips, I’ve been struggling with a mental block on flat ground for a while. But after winning a handstand contest against my sister, I knew I had to celebrate with a victory flip.

Problem? It took me five minutes to find the "perfect spot" to commit. First flip—I landed on my knees (definitely didn’t jump high enough). Second flip—landed clean. Third flip? Mental block again. But after fighting through it, I got it. So I think I’m mostly over it... I think?

What’s Next?

As you’re reading this I’ll be in Portugal (Getting this out the night before I have to fly out) So I’ll have some more content coming out. I also want to start posting more on social media and becoming more consistent. I’ve also been making a ton of web apps with Replit.com, which is amazing for getting ideas out fast. Right now, I have a bunch of half-finished projects, so hopefully, I’ll have something cool to share with you all next month.

Thanks for reading this month’s newsletter—I hope you found it entertaining or interesting. See you all next time! (also let me know what you think about this new style with the photos :)

Peace ✌️,
Michael Shaw

MichaelJamesShaw.com