Australia,
The land of meat pies, good waves and a lot of cool shit. Equipped with nothing but a bag full of boards, my back pack and a suitcase, I stepped out of BNE international airport into 80 degree humidity. With nothing to compare this new and exciting place to, I adapted a mindset of “time to learn”. After being welcomed into this country and getting a feel for it, I found myself longing to be immersed by people who care more about the Earth and each other. This was not a hard thing to come by in places like Byron Bay, Avalon, Noosa, etc.
The level of intelligence and depth in the people is unreal, much like the striking natural beauty of their landscape. This land gave me a very nostalgic feeling, for while it was much like home, it felt like I got to look into the past. A time long ago when people cared for the Earth and respected others. It felt like I went to America in the 1900’s, but instead of using their industrial power to destroy, they used it to coexist and improve symbiotically. Having a strong similarity with home, made me felt like I belonged there, even though home was far from me.
Showing up in Brisbane, going down to Byron, up to Noosa, back to Byron, back to Noosa and finally embarking on a road trip to Sydney had me feeling like the world will never be boring again, since there is so much to go and do. Surfing with some of my best friends like Kahu Andronicus and Roisin Carolan, shooting with unreal photographers, talking to brilliant people, eating delicious food, and legally drinking has some sort of allure that is hard, if not impossible to pass up.
If I wanted to write about all the good and bad and great and sad, It would end up a novel.
So for know I leave it with this.
Thank you Australia, for some of the best times yet, and thanks to all my Sponsors, especially Dark Seas for all they have done.
- River Covey
