The plane ride to Byron bay went smoothly (I even went to the right airport, yay for me!!) and I got to Byron at about 4pm. Had a bit of a mooch around the shops before heading up to the lighthouse which is at the most easterly point of Australia for the sunset (one of Byron Bay's must do's). It was absolutely amazing and I took about 1 million pictures trying to get the best photo. I want to get one of my photo's blown up and put on to canvas as my sister Laura did it and it looks amazing but I think I'll struggle to pick one at this rate.
Headed back to the hostel where I caught the end of Die Hard (classic!) before going back to the room for what I thought would be a quiet night. However.... there were 3 girls in there who were all getting ready for a night out, Abi from Liverpool (proper scouse!), Onya from Ireland and Charlotte from Kent. Abi was instantly friendly and offered me my 1st cup of goon which is what Aussie's call all boxed wine. The box she had was 5 litres and was $8.95 (about 4 pound 50) so you can imagine, it's proper classy and to make it classier, we drank it out of coffee mugs - this is the proper backpacker life!
I was informed that they were already drunk and that I HAD TO play catch up as we were going to Cheeky Monkeys where you HAVE TO be drunk (sound familiar Jabez lovers!!). I actually love the wine as it is a little bit sweet (although it looks totally like hangover wee - very very neon yellow) so I followed their instructions and drank fast (sound familiar Helen - allocator of one of 'my songs' by Blue!!). Consequently, I was home by about 12.30 and was very very ill - I was informed the next day that 'most people are after their 1st goon experience' - cheers.
Obviously, the next day was a bit of a wash out spent sleeping on the beach and wandering to and from the sea when I felt a bit ropey. I did get a bit of boogie boarding in, in the afternoon though and saw an amazing sight of 2 dolphins cruising by about 20 meters from the beach - soooo cooool.
That night we went to Cheeky's again for their $2 meal night ahich is obviously a ploy to get everyone in early drinking beer while they take an hour to make meaty pasta. I had about 2 schooners of lager before crying off and going to bed at 10.30.
The next day, me, Abi, Charlotte and Onya spent the day on the beach with thie really cool guy who was about 48 and had loads of Kites, mountain boards and snake boards. We learnt to fly the kites and then how to drag ourselves through the sea and across the beach on the mountain board using the kite as power. After we did all that he tried to teach us to ride the snake boards which are like skate boards but wobbly-er. It was a very cool day but well tiring - my arms, legs and back were killing the next day.
As it was mine and Charlotte's last night in Byron that night we (very tentitively) had some goon before going for a nice meal in the town and then on to a few clubs (obviously, including cheeky monkeys!!) had a great night dancing to all the cheesy choons including S club 7, backstreet boys and Spice girls - sweeeeeet.
Was a bit hungover the next day so didn't do much in the morning (even though I had such good intentions to go tandem handgliding). Got the greyhound bus at 1pm and slept all the way to Surfers paradise. I feel like I'm becoming a proper traveller now as it doesn't matter how long the journey to somewhere is or what mode of transport I am on, I can always sleep - it's amazing - now I know how it feels to be Clare Shawcross (except obviously, my eye's are closed and not freakily open!!)
Had a very tame 1st night in Surfers last night after wandering around the town. Charlotte is staying here too but is in a different hostel but a girl called Amanda who was in my room in Byron Bay, came to surfers on the same day I did and is in the same hostel as me so we have been hanging out.
I'll do a separate blog in a few days about what I've been up to in Surfers but I can guarantee, there will be less goon and more action packed days!!!
take care all
Jo
xxxx
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