Byron Bay

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I've spent the last couple of days in Byron Bay, the hippie capital of Australia. We've finally crossed the border into New South Wales which means Sydney is nearly here, and there's been yet another time change - my fourth in this country! We're now 11 hours ahead of the UK. Our accommodation here is hilarious - it's a mobile home park where there's quite a few permanent residents, and we're in tiny little houses with floral bedspreads and sliding doors to the bathroom. Some people are in slightly larger "cottages" which have shagpile carpets and smell really strongly of old ladies. It's brilliant! Quite a contrast to Surfers though where we had huge hotel rooms.

Yesterday it was grey and rainy all day, so we mooched round the town centre looking at floaty dresses and beads and speculating as to what a "herbal high" might entail! We also stopped off at the lighthouse on Cape Byron on the way into town, and I visited the most easterly point on the Australian mainland.

Today the weather was much better, with bright sunshine by the afternoon. Most of my friends went to do a skydive this morning, but being a sensible person who feels that if she's in a perfectly good plane she doesn't need to leap out of it, I went to the cinema instead and saw Juno which had some lovely lines and a great soundtrack. I picked up a smoothie and a wrap for lunch (I'm getting addicted to smoothies and yoghurt out here!) and went back to our accommodation where everyone returned unscathed and with all limbs still intact. We then walked down to the beach and Claire and I walked along the sand and up the hill to the lighthouse again. The views were lovely in the sun and it was a really enjoyable walk, although I did get very hot and sweaty! On the way back down we went along a little headland to Julian Rocks and watched the waves crash against the rocks - it almost felt like Cornwall until we spotted the dolphins in the sea!

This evening a group of us headed out for a quiet drink in a really classy bar - clearly the hippies haven't got everywhere here. I had a cocktail with a big pool of honey in the bottom which was delicious.

We're up at 5.30 tomorrow for a long drive so I'd better sign off here. I can't seem to attach my photos but rest assured they'll go up soon!

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Photos

A common bird of the area
It reminded me of an Oystercatcher but with yellow bits instead of red