Leaving Byron

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The lazy days in paradise are finally coming to a close as we prepare for our 12 hour bus ride to the big city - Sydney. In the past week we've met some amazing girls and guys and had a few more adventures around Byron. A couple of days ago we rented free bikes from the hostel and headed down the highway to the old quarry. When we found our way through the bushes we came upon a huge fresh water hole that resembled a crocodile breeding area - luckily it wasn't. Here we proceeded to plunge off the surrounding cliffs into the dark, warm inviting water. Hillary and I both jumped off the smallest ledge on the first day, though we did watch someone run off the highest jump - no thank you! The next day we came back with the girls and Kat from England, Fanny from Sweden, Gabby from Wales and I all jumped off the medium sized jump. It was the biggest cliff jump I've ever done - about 10 meters - and what a RUSH. One morning I woke up to watch the sunrise over the light house for some great photo opportunities, though Hill was a little too tired to make it out of bed at 5:30 am. Fanny, Hillary and I booked a tour to a nearby town called Nimbin and at 10am a big rainbow coloured converted school bus pulled up outside of the hostel to pick us up. We stopped off at a few bars on the way to Nimbin, listening to rock and reggae, our legs stretched out on the dashboard (we lucked out and got the front seats!). We stopped off at a nice park for a BBQ after the town then headed for a dip in the waterfalls nearby where the local boys jumped dangerously off the surrounding rocks. Hill and I are sad to leave, especially after getting so close to some of the people we've spent the past 2 weeks with, but it's on to some new adventures. If you ever decide to go to Australia, all I can say is: Do not pass up Byron Bay.

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Photos

Tree marks the spot
this was our marker on the beach where our hostel entrance was

Rainbow Tour
Grasshopper bus to Nimbin

Grace
thoroughly enjoying myself at the bbq

Hillary
probably laughing at me

Fanny
our swedish/german friend!

Hillary in her element
we hitchhiked a ride with some hippe lesbians and their children

The abandoned railway
this was the long (but more fun) way to our hostel from town.. occasion snake sightings

Graces Plunge
prior to the ear infection

Hill and Grace
triumphant after the cliff jumping

Hill, Kat, Sian, Fanny
our Byron family :)

Grace and Trace
canadians in byron!

Our girls
Tracy, Sian, Fanny, Kat, Hill, Gabby, Grace

Our boy
Me, Tim and Hill