Ah the life of a pro surfer. Who’d want it eh? The constant surfing, and being paid and being given free clothes, and then there are those gruelling team trips they make you go on, to places such as Sumbawa in Indonesia (pictured above).
It’s makes you feel really sorry for the likes of Courtney Conlogue, Justine Dupont, Laura Enever and Felicity Palmateer, they look like they’re having such a bad time…ha not really. Here’s what Felicity Palmateer actually had to say about her trip:
Every year the gang at Billabong throw together a surprise team trip for us lucky ladies on the world surfing circuits… Needless to say, these dream locations have a plethora of world class waves and picturesque settings to match. It’s always nice to take a break from the competitive grind and go back to your purest surfing roots… which of course, is sunburnt cheeks, noodle limbs and a content surfed-out-grin with your friends.
My travel companions were none other then the World tour title contender from Santa Ana Courtney Conologue. Laura Enever the stylish blonde from the Northern beaches of Sydney. Alessa Quizon from the westside of Oahu, Justine Dupont the charger from France. The grom of the trip Steph Single from Lennox Head and the Gold Coasts Ellie Jean Coffey and of course yours truly.
Indonesia is the proverbial playground of surfing and the location for this year’s trip. As most good Indo trips do, we started our journey on the island of the gods Bali, were we then took a short flight over to Lombok followed by a not so short bus ride, ferry trip and jungle bush-bash to our final destination of Sumbawa. The surprisingly arid terrain, juxtaposed by tropical pockets of lush rainforest was in stark contrast to my previous Indonesian experiences. This surprisingly rugged element reminds me so much of home in Margaret River. The waves are hollow and fast with a razor sharp shallow reef, all the makings of a pleasure or pain experience. However when the conditions line up it’s postcard perfection… not a drop of water out of place. Needless to say we had a week of bliss and surfed to our little hearts’ content.
Here’s a teaser for the trip, and we’ll post the first webisode when we have it.
The range will hit European stores in April, head to the Billabong site for more info.