While planning this trip, Brenda and I asked everyone we knew who had visited Australia what their ideal itinerary would be. One place that kept coming up was Byron Bay and once we arrived, I understood why. This beach town is laid-back, yet bustling. It’s full of good restaurants, talented musicians busking on the streets and numerous tranquil beaches with clear, turquoise water. The weather is mostly sunny and the water is terrifically warm.
I am always most at peace in nature. Whether it’s hiking through a forest, sitting by a lake or swimming in the ocean – being outside and amongst nature will always bring me serenity and joy. Being in Byron Bay is all about being outside and enjoying its natural treasures and that is why I’ve come to love this town after only a few days.
On our first day, we awoke early to hike up to the Cape Byron Lighthouse. We were told to be prepared for the many steps to the lighthouse but inadvertently found a back route that led us on a gradual climb up to the most easterly point in Australia. We watched person after person panting as they finished scaling the hundreds of steps and were proud of our secret route to the top. We were lucky enough to see several whales from our vantage point atop the cliff as they are very active at this time of year in Byron Bay.
After a quick lunch, we headed off for some sea kayaking in hopes of seeing some dolphins, turtles and whales. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much marine life due to the choppy conditions but still enjoyed paddling out and riding the waves, only flipping the kayak once when we got a little too relaxed as we approached an incoming wave.
During a break on shore, I jumped into the water to do a bit of body surfing and found myself smiling from ear to ear as I splashed in the water. There is something so peaceful and joyful about being in the ocean, it is definitely one of my happy places.
After getting some work done on Tuesday morning, we headed to town for a delicious organic lunch before heading back to the beach for some body boarding and sunbathing. As noted above, the water is beautifully clear and we rode the waves with fish swimming around us, the soft sand under our feet.
In the evening we walked downtown, both dressed in long dresses that had us fit right in to Byron Bay. At dinner we enjoyed some pumpkin pizza (pumpkin is a winter staple in Oz) while sitting outside and people watching. After dinner we strolled the streets and walked into a group of travelling musicians who proceeded to take our hands for an impromptu dance on the sidewalk. After walking a little further, we ended up at an outdoor bar with great live acoustic music, playing the likes of Bluegrass and protest songs against the current government, a common theme in Australia at the moment. Our Tuesday felt like a typical day in Byron Bay, a day that included music, dancing, the ocean and lots of laughter. I could really get used to living in this little piece of paradise.
We returned back to our hostel to find Skype voicemails from our dear friends from San Francisco who are currently travelling together in Cambodia. I marvel at how much has changed in our lives since we all met a couple years ago and how much we have grown as individuals and together. Here we are, backpacking literally across the world from where we first met and yet connecting as we so often do back in California.
Our final day in Byron Bay was yet another beautiful example of life in this treasure of a town (can you tell how much I love this place?!). We spent the morning at a cute café, catching up on work before heading out to learn paddle boarding. Since it’s the off-season here, our lesson ended up being private and we were paddle boarding like pros in no time. The fact that there were stingrays smiling up at us as we paddled along probably also helped me be sure to stay standing! We paddled along a peaceful river for 2 hours and both Brenda and I managed to stay dry – not too bad for two complete beginners. In the evening, we went for one last stroll in the town (we’re catching a very early bus tomorrow morning) and bumped into a friend we made in Melbourne. It’s so nice to see familiar faces even on the road! We watched some more great acoustic music at the outdoor bar before retiring to our hostel to pack up and get some solid R&R in preparation for our day of travelling tomorrow.
As I have been after each place we’ve visited, I’m sad to leave Byron Bay. Even though we’ve only been here a few days, I’ve gotten used to this town. I love its laidback vibe, many hippie residents, smiling faces, great music and beautiful beaches. I’ll strive to keep a piece of Byron with me as we travel onwards and head home, something Brenda and I have talked about at length. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to keep that feeling of wonder and openness that we have on the open road, once we get back to the hustle and routine of real life. What changes in us when we’re no longer in an unknown place, no longer travelling, that prevents us from reaching out to strangers and finding adventure on a daily basis?
Ps. Check out photos from Melbourne, Tasmania, Sydney and Byron Bay in the gallery to the right!
