DAY SIXTY-ONE: Tropical Fruit world

DAY SIXTY-ONE: Tropical Fruit world

Today we left Byron Bay and headed off to Beachmount to spend the night.

            Along the way we went to ‘Tropical Fruit World’, we must be the only travellers who pay to go into a fruit plantation and not work. It was a nice afternoon we sampled a few fruits we had never heard of, went on a tractor ride and a boat ride. In all a nice day just ridiculously overpriced.

            After there we drove to our camping spot, we had to pay which was disappointing since there were the same facilities as there are at the free sites. We didn’t mind too much, the evening made up for having to pay. Firstly the sky was clear so we could see hundreds of stars which was breath taking. Suddenly we heard rustling in the trees near the van. I went to investigate, there were about 10 possums’ eating the leaves, I quickly grabbed my camera and started snapping away.

My camera isn't very good in the dark but the light blob is a possum

DAY SIXTY: Surfing Lenox Head

DAY SIXTY: Surfing Lennox Head

Today was our induction to the world of surfing we were both looking forward to it. We were picked up from the hostel and after a short drive we arrived at Lennox Head. We had a short tutorial of how to look for rips, how to handle the surf board and how to stand up. Then we were off into the sea….. Needless to say I was rubbish I either nosedived into the sea like a submarine or I’d jump on one side and slide off the other. I was convinced I was too big and heavy for my board. Vicki on the other hand looked like she grasped it as I saw her standing more than once, it must be because she is light. As soon as I shuffled further back with my feet in the sea I was off, the wave picked me up, I hurled myself onto my knees and I was partially surfing, hopping onto my feet I crashed into the sea disaster. After about two hours of fighting with the board I finally managed it, I was elated so much so I crashed into another learner and wiped us both out. Over the three hour lesson I managed to stand up about six times. I don’t think I’ll be taking up surfing any time soon. 

Vicki showing me how it's done

DAY FIFTY-NINE: Lessons in jewellery

DAY FIFTY-NINE: Lessons in jewellery

Turns out I was right. Today Vicki wanted to go ‘The Bead Shop’ and attempt to make more jewellery. Most of her ideas were relatively simple all I had to do was twist them together, however, one I had to make a loop. It kept us entertainment all afternoon.

            Whilst we were making the jewellery we were approached by a hostel staff member who invited us to have a crafts lesson. I’d had even with the earrings but Vic wanted to try it, where she made a caged pendant. I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t have our petrified wood to cage as it looked pretty good. 

DAY FIFTY-EIGHT: Two weeks later still not killed each other

DAY FIFTY-EIGHT: Two weeks later still not killed each other

It must be monsoon season here in Byron bay because since six o clock last night it has rained none stop accompanied by a thunder and lightning storm. The lightning was like nothing I’d ever seen before, flashes none stop that lasted all evening.

            There wasn’t much improvement in the morning, heavy rain seemed to be set for the day. Every now and again blue sky would tempt us away from the van but then it would rain again this was driving me mad as there is nothing to do when it’s raining. What made things worse was that we had planned to go to the beach which we were both looking forward to.

            Eventually we decided to leave the van to stretch out legs we walked up and down the main street, along the way Vicki saw ‘The Bead Shop’ a like a moth to the flame she was drawn in. There was thousands of different beads and dangly things to make jewellery with, eventually Vicki settled with peace symbols and decided to make her own jewellery. My job was to put them together and it was quite easy. I think I’m going to be busy making more tomorrow. 

DAY FIFTY-SEVEN: Exploring the town

 DAY FIFTY-SEVEN: Exploring the town

After being woken up by some idiot trying to spend over an hour to close a car boot which was clearly broken the day hadn’t started too well. It turns out some travellers are somewhat inconsiderate, as I was getting up I heard a cracking sound on our van someone had decided to pull out the electric mirror so she could put makeup on. Things could only get better.

            The day did improve we went into town for a wander it was over 30 degrees Celsius so keeping in the shade we went into all the shops. Byron bay is Australia’s version of Cornwall only warmer. Along the way we went to the beach which was really nice we’re going to go tomorrow, we walked back along the road continuing looking in the shops. We came across a brightly coloured shop ‘The Rainbow Shop’ in there Vicki got a dream catcher to decorate the van, the cashier said, ‘love & peace to you both’. Then we went into the Hippie shop where I bought prayer flags, I thought it was appropriate because people hang them at the bottoms of mountains for safe travel, I decided to hang it in the van. 

DAY FIFTY-SIX: Byron Bay

DAY FIFTY-SIX: Byron Bay   

We left Thora today to go to Byron bay we took a detour along the way to Lismore to go to a koala research centre. We thought it would be big but we were sadly mistaken so we didn’t go in. We continued onto to Byron bay, the streets were teaming with people and the shops were all ‘hippie’ themed, tie dye, beads, dream catchers, etc. It looks nice we look forward to going tomorrow.

            When we arrived at the hostel it was packed with people from all around the world. It was a shock because we had become use to our little environment of the van in the middle of a field. It was very difficult to make dinner in the busy kitchen and it was difficult to move full stop. In the evening we watched the hostel talent show. 

DAY FIFTY-FIVE: April Fool & Three Spiders

DAY FIFTY-FIVE: April Fool & Three Spiders

We had a late start today which is typical of us by the time we got up all the other camper vans had gone, not to worry we had nothing much planned. I thought it would be nice to go to Coffs harbour but Vicki wanted to do that tomorrow. So today we went to a little farm shop and bought fruit and vegetables at a fraction of the supermarket price. During the trip there Vicki April fooled me and I was not amused haha.

            The rest of the day we went to Dangar Falls and Dorrigo National Park for a walk. It was nice there but we didn’t see any wildlife. We went back to the campsite Thora were we stayed yesterday. A jucy rolled up and it turns out it was the same as yesterday a German couple got out and we chatted for a bit. Throughout the evening more campers arrived, mainly all German speaking couples. Vic wanted to go and photograph a sign why she wanted to go in the dark was beyond me. As we walked over to the sign we saw a massive web which I nearly walked into it. Arhh it scared me….. Then to see a huge white spider in the middle which was about the size of a golf ball. Then something tickled my foot a small huntsman spider. After this we made a hasty dash back to the campervan and yet another spider was waiting for us, luckily this one was much smaller.