Bays, views and bohemian nights

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Byron Bay is home to around 1.7 million backpackers during the year, not all at once of course, that would be silly. Just a few hours down the coast from Surfer's Paradise, Byron might as well be on a different continent.

The contrast is startling, where Surfer's is high rise and tacky, Byron has a lighthouse and a shuttle bus to Nimbin, Nimbin being the unofficial drug capital of Australia. The propensity for drugs in and around Byron is due to its hippiish history. For years this place has been the hang out for all kinds of bohemian bums and wackos. The Byron market can attest for this. Sprawled out over a field is a large array of food stalls, hemp stalls, music stalls, book stalls, a chai tent (complete with wacked ancient hippies), legal weed stalls and massage stalls. In fact its like a Strawberry Fair every month, not every year.

The main beach is a beautiful half moon of sand broken up by dividers of boulders. One can spend an entire day peacefully chilling in the sun, the only interruption being the touts giving away wristbands for free drinks. Because of its locality with Surfer's the three big clubs in Byron try to emulate the kinds of offers that get handed out futher up the coast. Firm in the knowledge that the backpackers in Byron have either come from or are going to Surfer's there is the strong possibility that such backpackers aren't here just for the surf.

The lighthouse is a beautiful accessory to the already fantastic panorama, built in 1901 it has spared boats from the rocks and is now a tourist attraction. Because of the arduous trek up to the house it is still relatively quiet, even at sunset when the whole world changes colour before your eyes.

I would have liked to stay on in Byron, it is the kind of place where you can lose a couple of weeks easily. Alas a busy schedule down to Sydney and the end of my Australian adventure beckons.So till next time.

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Photos

Shine on you crazy diamond
This thing protects shipping by sending out a pulse of light that is crashed into the sides of ships thus propelling them back out to sea.

Byron beach and the most easterly point
Just near the lighthouse is Australia's most easterly point. Any futher and you're hitting NZ.

Red Sea at Night
Shepards delight

Lighthouse looking
The vies of byron and the bay are simply fantastic.

This kind of thing only happens once
Once a day though, well the sun has to set sometime. And I've been told that the sunrise is just as spectacular.