We had a very enjoyable night listening to the pleasant sounds of an inebriated individual molesting a bongo drum till the wee hours.
Washing day today! Nicole diligently set about washing everything, including the bedding. Personally i would have left that and just done the clothes but that's one of the perks about travelling with a woman. Clean little creatures!
Off to visits yet more of Nicoles friends in Brisbane. This time a family of fellow South Africans who had emigrated to Oz a few years prior.
Diana, Eric and their 2 boys Carl and Cliff live in Brisbane and used to live in Durban. We met them for lunch and headed to Brisbane via the ferry to see the sights and sounds.
Magic city. Very aesthetic and reminded me of London in many ways as you have this large business district on the river.
It was interesting to hear about what could have been the Trompeter's lives had we left SA all those many years ago and moved to Mooloolaba and the Sunshine Coast.
Eric and family had left SA a few years earlier and lived in a great house in a friendly neighbourhood with no fence and where cars are left on the street at night.
After spending the rest of the evening on the porch, sharing stories and sipping wine it was off to the comfort of the blow up mattress. I had by now learnt the fine art of levitating on a bed of air at night.
Friday, 25 June 2010
Byron Bay Sat 17 April
Despite a night of heavy rain, we awoke to sunshine and went for a walk along the beach.
It was school holidays and the "schoolies" (children) were out in full force.
We watched dads and sons (and the odd daughter too) going surfing together.
Kids as young as 7 were out surfing away and having a lovely time. Great lifestyle i must say.
Fathers seemed very engaged with their children. Family values still appears to be prominent. Maybe I have only seen a subset of the culture...?
People had mentioned that Nimbin was an interesting place to visit with aging hippies even more odd than those in Byron.
We saw a number of physcadellic buses offering trips, so we had to go and check it out.
Very small community full of old hippies. Every second person offers you giggle twig and loads of "far out" types of artists who had licked one too many stamps in their youth created vivid art works and heaps of hemp paraphernalia.
Off to Mullinbimby! Nicole lead us down all sorts of off road trails and we rallied along in our little Toyota. When we got there found it to be a quaint little town and if we had blinked, we probably would have missed it.
We drove straight through and headed for Pottsville.
We had lunch at a nearby beach and watched as a couple of locals had a wedding...in the parking lot. Surfers dressed in suits and sneakers and bronzed girls in high heels stood around sweating in the midday sun waiting for her Majesty to arrive.
Very strange and quirky.
I went out for a swim and attempted to get to the backline through a farily sizey break and rip. I soon gave up and realised just how far i had come from the old days as a Surf Lifeguard back in SA.
We continued north and drove through Tweed Heads which was very pretty and then into Coolangatta and QUEENSLAND!
Headed for Surfers Paradise and were very underwhelmed! I was expecting a better beach and scene from what people had told me and what one reads about. Guess we were just not into tall buildings and loads of people and noise.
We went to a caravan park nearby and settled in for a nights rest.
It was school holidays and the "schoolies" (children) were out in full force.
We watched dads and sons (and the odd daughter too) going surfing together.
Kids as young as 7 were out surfing away and having a lovely time. Great lifestyle i must say.
Fathers seemed very engaged with their children. Family values still appears to be prominent. Maybe I have only seen a subset of the culture...?
People had mentioned that Nimbin was an interesting place to visit with aging hippies even more odd than those in Byron.
We saw a number of physcadellic buses offering trips, so we had to go and check it out.
Very small community full of old hippies. Every second person offers you giggle twig and loads of "far out" types of artists who had licked one too many stamps in their youth created vivid art works and heaps of hemp paraphernalia.
Off to Mullinbimby! Nicole lead us down all sorts of off road trails and we rallied along in our little Toyota. When we got there found it to be a quaint little town and if we had blinked, we probably would have missed it.
We drove straight through and headed for Pottsville.
We had lunch at a nearby beach and watched as a couple of locals had a wedding...in the parking lot. Surfers dressed in suits and sneakers and bronzed girls in high heels stood around sweating in the midday sun waiting for her Majesty to arrive.
Very strange and quirky.
I went out for a swim and attempted to get to the backline through a farily sizey break and rip. I soon gave up and realised just how far i had come from the old days as a Surf Lifeguard back in SA.
We continued north and drove through Tweed Heads which was very pretty and then into Coolangatta and QUEENSLAND!
Headed for Surfers Paradise and were very underwhelmed! I was expecting a better beach and scene from what people had told me and what one reads about. Guess we were just not into tall buildings and loads of people and noise.
We went to a caravan park nearby and settled in for a nights rest.
Byron Bay Fri 16 April
The Yamba mozzies had left enough fluids in us to allow us to get moving the following day.
Nicole managed to avoid the worst of the onslaught and it was just me that looked like a chicken pox victim.
We got to Byron early afternoon and drove to the local lighthouse (Cape Byron) to admire the view.
we saw dolphins in the distance and we went and stood at Australias most easterly point.
The bustling centre of Byron Bay was alive with all sorts of folk from all sorts of places. Definitely not short of the odd Hippie or ten.
I did have to agree with my parents who had been there not so long ago...Byron is a great place. Full of young back packer types and hippies (old and young). Good bars and restuarants and a fantastic vibe.
We stocked up on food and then headed to the beach for lunch.
I had my afternoon swim and could not help but think that the whole time i had been in Oz, the surf had been very small. Not the way i had imagined it.
We found the most expensive camping spot in Australia to settle down. It was also probably the best as it was in Byron and on the beach and very pretty.
We headed to town for a few drinks and to see the sights and sounds. Really nice selection of bars along the way.
In the spirit of adventure I made Nicole try an oyster. Needless to say the image of her contorted face will stay with me forever. The napkin ate her oyster and i had the rest.
Nicole managed to avoid the worst of the onslaught and it was just me that looked like a chicken pox victim.
We got to Byron early afternoon and drove to the local lighthouse (Cape Byron) to admire the view.
we saw dolphins in the distance and we went and stood at Australias most easterly point.
The bustling centre of Byron Bay was alive with all sorts of folk from all sorts of places. Definitely not short of the odd Hippie or ten.
I did have to agree with my parents who had been there not so long ago...Byron is a great place. Full of young back packer types and hippies (old and young). Good bars and restuarants and a fantastic vibe.
We stocked up on food and then headed to the beach for lunch.
I had my afternoon swim and could not help but think that the whole time i had been in Oz, the surf had been very small. Not the way i had imagined it.
We found the most expensive camping spot in Australia to settle down. It was also probably the best as it was in Byron and on the beach and very pretty.
We headed to town for a few drinks and to see the sights and sounds. Really nice selection of bars along the way.
In the spirit of adventure I made Nicole try an oyster. Needless to say the image of her contorted face will stay with me forever. The napkin ate her oyster and i had the rest.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
