Having left Brisbane my original intention was to stay in Byron bay for about 3 or 4 days - I ended up staying 6 and then returning again after visiting Fiji. I stayed at Aquarius backpackers and started my stay with 2 days of surf lessons!! Learning how to stand up and catch waves was fun but to become a good surfer you need to practise everyday. The weather was gorgous with most people, not wearing alot, working on their tans.

Cape Byron is the most eastern point of Australia and a popular site is to catch the sun rise from the lighthouse - apparently it'ss quite a sight but I never managed to get up early enough to see it! Byron has everything from bars, coffee houses, surf shops to camp sites. I met alot of people especially during happy hour where lots of card games were played when the simpsons were on in the hostel bar! Two beers for $5 - all good! So special shouts out to Enda (Ireland), Rachel (UK), Phillip and Hans (Sweden). Phillip and Hans were about to start fruit picking so hopefully they have their ipods and back braces ready - enjoy!

For the few days we hung out Enda and I were "partners in crime" in Nimbin and on the beach. Cheers for the invite to Cork - will definately see you in Ireland) Nimbin can only be described as a hippy comune thats stuck in the 70's where dreadlocks and long hair seemed to be everywhere.(guess I would have fitted in alot more a few years ago!) THC tour (The Happy Bus) being especially entertaining with Jo and Emma providing amusement as they hadn't been to sleep from the previous night! Happy days.

A visit to Byron Bay means you have to go to Cheeky Monkeys - a backpacker bar. Something always seemed to be happening in this place - funny enough on the night I went it was the wet T- shirt competion! Lets just say that some female backpackers will do pretty much anything to get a freebie tour to some of the many Australian east coast locations! Most of them should have perhaps stayed at home and practised a bit more in the mirror I feel!! Pretty funny stuff.

On my return to Byron Bay I managed to get up in a hang glider over Lennox Heads, previously I got as far as starting to unpack the glider but then the heavens opened and it was game over. The tandom hang glider took me upto around 600 feet and I got to steer reaching a speed of around 40 miles an hour! I had to wear a harness that made me look like a catapillar but apart from that it was all good!

I also dived with Katie around Byron seeing sharks but some of the currents were particularly strong on some of the coral swim throughs which lead to faster air depletion that usual. Once back to the dive boat Katie went sheet white and looked like she was going to be spew up!! I was really nice about it - I said if she throws up over me she can buy me breakfast - needless to say I didn't get a free breakfast! lol

So, leaving Byron I started to travel with Lerissa and Katie camping down the east coast to Sydney - road trippin again!