Tuesday 26th March 2013

I had a great nights sleep, not really stirring at all. My alarm went off at 6.30am, as I panned to get up early and walk to the lighthouse, but I couldn't get up, I rest my alarm several times and dozed. I had some very strange dreams during this doze. I also think one of my roomies sleep talked, as occasionally words were said (in a foreign language) and then silence would fall. I eventually got up before 8am and sorted and tidied my bags, showered and went for breakfast. My whole room was still sleeping. I had my left over pinapple and cereal and tea for breakfast. From today I was going to be good with good and start some exercise. The TV was on and it was showing sitcoms. I was in no rush, so after I finished breakfast and put my things away I sat watching TV and wrote some of my diary. The day plan was to walk to the lighthouse, go into town and then back to the hostel hopefully in time for a swim. At around 9.45am I headed out for my walk. The bus driver the day before said it was about an hours walk, so assumed I would be back easily by lunch time. But I had an apple, cereal bar and some rice crackers (in the free section of the fridge) with me. I started walking down the beach, it was a hot day I could already feel the sun in my arms. The beach already had people out and about in it, swimming, sunbathing and walking dogs. I was at main beach in what felt like no time, the receptionist the previous day had said to follow the cycle path. I jumped off the beach onto what looked like a cycle path, it was paved and people were cycling on it. I followed it, there were no signs or maps to let me know I was going in the right direction, but I carried on the path, I was heading out of the town. I was going past lots of holiday homes, campervans parked up. I would have preferred to walk along the beach, but I stuck to my path. I thought about the type of campervan I would want if I travelled around Australia in one, that would be an ideal dream, to go around Australia in a campervan, and go all over the country, all around the coasts and into the middle, but for this I would want company. As I walked down the path I soon came to a sign post about the lighthouse and the paths around it. The loop starts at Captain Cooks Lookout. It was just under 3km and there were various paths to beaches and lookouts along the way. I set off, I walked along beaches where I could but stuck to the path. It was a warm day which turned out to be a very hot day. The path climbed up and up, either by path or steps. The signs directing the way were clear and regular now. They kept saying how long it was to all the points (a beach, the most easterly point of Australia and the lighthouse). I stopped off at one beach early on, it appeared to have a set of wooden steps that led to a platform. I climbed over the rocks and climbed the steps, the view from the platform was beautiful and looked out to sea. I climbed down and started on the path again. I then look the 'Palm Loop' which was a quick 300m walk through some palm tree which took me back to the main path. The incline felt hard work, although it was hot I was alarmed about how unfit I felt. There was another look out point, each gave a different but equally stunning view of the sea and coast. I was very glad I had a proper camera. This look out meant a flight of steps back to the path and then more steps up to the easterly point...this was tough and very hot. I stopped and chatted to an man as we laughed about the heat and the trek. There were some crazy people running around the path, to be fair it would be a stunning and good run. When I arrived at the easterly point I was relieved, by the looks of the incline it would be so difficult from now on. I asked a couple of lads to take my photo at the sign, although I knew I was a sweaty mess. I was pleased to see others looked as equally as hot and bothered. From here I walked up to the lighthouse. It was a more gradual incline and still the views were stunning, helped along the way with the clear blue sky and clear blue sea. After walking around the lighthouse and taking lots of photos I walked down towards the cafe. I sat in some benches and finished off the rice crackers (I'd been picking at them in the morning), had my apple and drank plenty of water. I then headed back down the road and continued the loop (so I didn't have to go back on myself). I assumed the path would follow the road back but I was wrong it went through a wooded area, a rain forest. It was a nice change of scenery and shade. The route had information boards throughout and these gave helpful bits of info. The rainforest walk was only about 1km before I was back at Captain Cooks Lookout, on the walk back through the wood I was slightly disorientated about where I was in relation to the beach. Once I was finished on the walk, I headed back down to town. The plan was to check my emails, get a few foodie bits and then head back to the hostel. Emails were simple and easy to check as I only really had junk ones. I then went to Woolworth's to grab some instant noddles (for tomorrow night), I ended up with 2 packets, as then I'd have a spare pack and I also grabbed some peanuts (the own brand unsalaried peanuts were cheap here). I then went back to Aldi and grabbed some more pineapple, some biscuits, some nectarines and a yoghurt. It was more than what I planned to spend on food, but it would keep me going way past Sydney (not including food with Kate, and staying with the Wilson and Vic).
As I left Aldi the sky was dark and then heavens opened. The rain simply hammered it down, practically torrential. From bliss blue sky came this rain almost immediately. People were sprinting about. I thought about my walk back along the beach. I rearranged my bag so electrical items and paper were in carrier bags. I then considered walking and waiting to catch a shuttle back, but I had a feeling it would be a long wait. As I looked at the sky with the rain coming down harder and harder I could see blue sky coming in behind the grey. I decided to wait it out and assumed I would stop in about 10mins. Alas, my plan worked, slowly the rain eased and literally as it was stopping I started walking (I was taking cover outside a pub which was covered). I had a wonder down into an alley and found some quaint little shops. I really was a nice beach town, with a lot of its own personality. I just which I had the money to really enjoy it. I headed back to the beach (after taking a wrong turn and getting slightly lost), by now the sun was back out and the sky was blue. I made quick time back to the hostel, I was hungry.
When I got back up the rocks in front of our hostel I found a security fence stopping people getting to the rocks, however it was easy to just walk around the end. In the hostel I sat down in the common room, the TV had the New Zealand vs England test cricket (final few overs and it was close, NZ could win or it could be a draw and this would effect the series). I sat down and watched this as I ate my yoghurt. I went to make my cream cheese and ham sandwich from toast (plus I picked at the free pasta in the fridge, it was very and I picked at it yesterday), when I got back England had lost 2 wickets, 3 overs to go and all NZ had to do was bowl one more out. The cricket ended in a draw. I sat there for a while after be others watching had left, I wrote in my diary and started watching some rugby league that had started. It was around 4.30pm when I decided to head to the beach. I went to my room and re-arranged my bag (I didn't want to take money with me), went to reception to collect a beach towel and went to the beach. It was relatively quite. I out down my stuff and jumped into the sea. It was bumpy and the waves at first took me my surprise. I spent about 10mins in the sea, I enjoyed it but I was a bit lonely by myself. I got out and headed for my towel. At first I sat wrapped in the towel as the sun was behind a cloud but as it came out I laid down. I read a good few chapters of my book, I was nearing the end. At one point I laid my head down, I don't think I nodded off, but I can not be sure. I finished my chapter and headed back to the hostel.
I got back and found my roomies back sat outside the room, they had been there previously too, God knows if they did anything. I sat down in the common room, it was 6pm but I wasn't hungry, so I sat whilst a very strange old school werewolf film was on and wrote my diary for an hour. I then got bored and went to heat my dinner up, it was a nice feeling not having to cook. Before I went to get dinner I changed the channel and the only decent thing I could find was Australia's world cup qualifier against Oman was on.As I came back into the common room the pre-may hype was going on. Once I finished my main I had some pineapple and watched the match whilst writing my diary. At half time I made another cup of tea, grabbed my biscuits and settled down. I wrote my diary and watched the football. I had seen a note in reception about an open air film in Byron at dusk and the receptionist said it was normally really good, I was tempted to go but I had no way of getting back without forking out for a taxi by myself which I couldn't afford. After the football had finished, I went to bed. 2 of the German girls were outside talking and one was in bed. I got changed and got into bed. The girls outside were talking loudly and I wanted to turn out the lights. It wasn't too long before the French girls came back in and the German girls came in and everyone got ready for bed. I feel asleep before the lights went out.