Before I knew it I was on my own again, heading south on the Greyhound bus to Byron Bay. As soon as I stepped off the bus I knew I would like the place. There was such a laid back vibe, people walking the streets barefoot, healthy living and organic shops, not to mention bicycles everywhere!
The following day I was heading out of Byron for a night camping in Mt Warning Rainforest Park. A one night camp out, to celebrate the land and rainforest, as well as to enjoy some amazing music from the band OKA. This group takes inspiration for their music largely from tribal music (yes, there is a didgeridoo involved), reggae, hip hop and electronic sounds giving them a real eclectic feel.
At the beginning of the campout they asked us to gather into a circle and be silent for a few minutes. It was beautiful to be part of so many people stood silently, taking the time to listen to the sounds of nature that surrounded us.
It was an amazing night, full of free spirits. People of all ages dancing side by side without a care in the world, enjoying the moment and appreciating the sky, the stars and the rainforest.
The next morning I joined some of my fellow campers for a swim in the creek, a refreshingly cold escape from the heat of the day.
Back in Byron, I was finally going to get my chance to scuba dive in Australia. Whilst not the Great Barrier Reef (which will have to sit on my ‘to do’ list a little while longer), I was still promised some great and varied sights below the water. I was not disappointed encountering animals such as manta rays, as well as an adorable baby turtle!
On my walk back from the dive centre I passed a small shack type building, decorated with graffiti and labeled The Spirit of Byron Bay. The notice board outside offered hula hoop lessons later that day. It had been a long time since I had done any regular hooping, but I had discovered in Laos I was still capable of doing so. In the spirit of learning new skills I decided to sign up.
It turned out I was the only one there for a lesson that day. The teacher was a young woman my age, who had grown up as a contortionist and hooper in the circus. She was a great teacher and with my base skills already there, she had me spinning the hoop from my waist to my hand above my head in one fluid movement by the end of the hour! Though granted, it didn’t go quite to plan every time. I had found a new love for a secret skill and left feeling really chuffed, vowing to find regular lessons once I arrive in New Zealand.
My final day in Byron was another test on my skills. This time my driving. As it had been six months since I had last driven and I had only passed my test 15 months previously I was a little worried as to how things would go, but was determined not to let this hold back my exploration. Apart from some initial confusion getting the hang of an automatic car (I now realise automatic does not mean automatic handbrake), I needn’t have worried, the day did wonders to improve my confidence behind the wheel.
My first stop was to Crystal Castles and Shambala Gardens, about 30 minutes drive from Byron (or one hour if you head the wrong way down motorway). The original concept of this place was based around crystals, understanding how they are developed and the qualities the different varieties have. Although I don’t know anything about crystals or their perceived ‘powers’, it was interesting to learn about other peoples’ understanding.
The gardens had been a later addition, with several Buddhist and Hindu statues being brought across from Indonesia. Their hope was to create a peaceful, spiritual place for visitors. It was interesting for me to see such statues in a Western habitat. Although I did feel a sense of calm when I left the place, the statues did not evoke the same emotions they had whilst in Asia.
From here I drove to Minyon Falls, providing me vistas of epic proportion. A viewing balcony placed the waterfall on my right hand side, cascading many metres below. On looking down the tops of tall rainforest trees were close to being specks in the distance. Out in front, a green forest landscape stretched along hills into the distance.
On my way back towards the coast I stopped off in Mullumbimby, a small town with a similar vibe to Byron, though without the sea and surf element. Though there didn’t seem to be a lot to do inside the town tourist wise, this would be a lovely place to relax and enjoy some country air a little off the beaten track.
I ended my drive with the Coastal Road, which turned out to be the only disappointing part of the day, as I failed to see any coast the whole distance along it!
The next morning after checking out, I set off on the famous lighthouse walk. This took me in a circuit through bushland up to the lighthouse and alongside the coast on the return leg. I had been told the walk was beautiful, but hadn’t quite been prepared for the views I would enjoy. Every element you could ask for in an amazing picture was there: white sand; deep blue sea; near cloudless sky; green rolling hills; and at one point, even the silhouette of a volcano!
The experience was improved all the more by an hour long impromptu conversation with Shaanti. A 65 year old man who had spent 17 years travelling the world, who still travels whenever he can and who still enjoyed a morning surf!
Sitting on the bus as it began to leave Byron Bay, I felt a real sadness for leaving when each day there seemed to bring a new joy. I was though, happy to have nothing but perfect memories for the place.
