Travel: Earning your ticket to Ryde a kite; There is life after 40. Phil Brown got a rush of adrenalin in his veins on the Isle of Wight when he experienced the dynamic sport of kitesurfing.(Features) From: The Birmingham Post (England) | Date: April 6, 2002 | COPYRIGHT 2002 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Byline: Phil Brown

The theory is simple. Man, board, fivemetre kite. Connect the three in whitecaps off Ryde sands and, with a decent wind behind you, away you go. Kitesurfing. After swallowing enough saltwater to warrant gills, I can tell you that in practice it's quite a challenge - but worth every extra milligram of sodium chloride.

For 48 hours, I was signed on to the books of the UK Sailing Academy on the Isle of Wight as a kitesurfing student. Previous ...