Everyone knows how great traveling is, and with that everyone tends to get a different experience out of their travels, or for that matter is traveling for a complete different reason. For us snowboarders, the obvious reasons for traveling are contests or filming, each of which allows for a very different experience.

For me, Australia is a trip based mainly around the Mile High slopestyle competition, with a side order of taking in as much of Australia as possible in 2 weeks. Everything from exploring the outback and mountains to roaming around different areas of Sydney, Bondi, and Jindabyne.

With the contest at Perisher not beginning till the middle of the week, I took it upon myself to brush off the jet lag with a bit of partying in Sydney with a couple of my college roommates currently living there. I instantly came to the conclusion that Sydney is full of young adults set on throwing back some drinks and having the best time possible. With all the cool areas a short cab ride away, we bar-hopped all night long, attempting to interact with as many attractive ladies as possible.
With that solid night in the books and winter awaiting me, we wrapped up the trip to Sydney with some kangaroo and eggs for brekkie and got me on my way to the mountains. The landscape in Australia has been nothing shy of gorgeous; the abundance of trees, rolling hills, turquoise waters and majestic sunsets (and rises) means there is no need of a vivid imagination.
As snowboarding was still the main reason for my visit, I was pleasantly surprised by an amazing course, proper organization and an insanely high level of riding at Perisher for the "Mile High slopestyle presented by Carlton Dry". I mean, what's better than receiving a 6-pack of beer at registration, right? Still, even with a beer company as main sponsor, the riders weren't getting too loose. With riders like Stale Sandbech, Chas Guldemond, Sage Kotsenburg, Torstein Horgmo and 30 or so more top-level shreds in town, there was no room for distractions. Numerous double cork variations, insanely tech rail maneuvers and even some triple corks made for the best slopestyle event Australia has ever seen. Carlton Dry rained from the sky as Gjermund Braaten, Billy Morgan and Torgeir Bergrem stood atop the podium, with an extra novelty check going to Billy for the big air win.
Things wrapped up about as smooth as a light beer, as Seth Sentry and guests crushed the packed dance floor at the Station resort. As with any good night, the party didn't stop there, basically every hotel room became its own party as random guests as well as competitors bounced from room to room, enjoying endless amounts of Carlton Dry. Really, as far as events go, the Mile High left no one disappointed.
With this trip leaving room for adventure, I did just that and got my explore on. I really try to get the most out of my travels and this trip has been pretty good for unique experiences. I finally got to interact with some kangaroos, which is what every tourist (and no Australians) wants. Being the tourist I am, a road-side stop to check out some dead animals was a must. There was seriously more road kill than you can imagine. Yet despite that many dead kangaroos littering the ground, you still had to make an effort to see them doing their thing. Luckily, with the resort located a bit out of town, I didn't have to go far to find an abundance of roos, of every size, age, and activity level. I was actually surprised by how docile they are. But even being timid, they are still a bit intimidating as you are surrounded by 10-20 of the clawed beasts. After seeing some joeys poking out and babies nursing, it's pretty hard to be scared though. A quick flight back to Sydney allowed for some rest before a weekend of adventures to wrap up an insane trip to the other side of the globe. With more goon than any person should drink and an assortment of exotic meats for dinners, only one thing remained to do: skydiving! And that we did. I feel pretty blessed in my travels and adventures. Without a doubt though, skydiving has been one of the most amazing and indescribable experiences of my life. I highly recommend taking the step if the opportunity ever presents itself. Now back to the States, to rest my liver and get back to a competition mindset.
Words and Photos by Seth Hill