Byron Bay: The Folly Beach of Australia

We woke up at our friends' place in Parramatta after an exhausting trip to New Zealand and started packing for our next adventure: our trip up the east coast of Australia! We were all set to fly into Byron Bay-the northern part of New South Whales-that day. We woke up around 7am and started packing at a leisurely pace. Around 9am I thought it would be a good idea to double check that our flight was still at 3:45pm like we were SURE we remembered it was. Once I logged into my e-mail and saw that the flight was at 10:45AM the packing pace picked up! We threw everything into one big bag and stuffed our backpacks full and raced to the airport! Luckily, we made it there just on time. Whew!

We arrived in Ballina Airport at noon and hopped on a 20 minute shuttle bus to Byron Bay where we checked into the Main Beach Backpackers' Hostel. We took some much-needed showers since we were still wearing the clothes that we flew out of New Zealand in (we slept in our jeans and sweat shirts) and then walked the streets of Byron.

Main Beach Backpackers' Hostel

Byron Bay reminded me so much of Folly Beach in Charleston. There were hippies everywhere! The town was full of free spirits, artists, musicians, surfers and bare feet. It was so cool to see a place with so much character! We grabbed some lunch at a little spot on the beach called Fish Heads.

Fish Heads Restaurant on Main Beach

Fish Heads Restaurant on Main Beach

After lunch we walked around and did some shopping and sight seeing. There are lots of unique little one-off shops in Byron so we kept ourselves occupied for awhile.

It ended up being a rainy night so we had a drink at a bar called Rails and then picked up a pizza from next door at Eagle Boys and took it back to our hostel. We ate in the TV room and watched a movie and had an early night.

The next morning we woke up at 5am and then went for a walk on Main Beach, down Clark's Beach to The Pass.

Main Beach
Main Beach

The Pass

We found a lookout point nearby called Captain Cook's Lookout so we climbed up and took a few pictures from up there.

Captain Cook's Lookout

Julian Rocks from Captain Cook's Lookout

Captain Cook's Lookout

We walked the streets of Byron a bit more and then used some of the afternoon to book our future tours/trips up the coast.

Jonson Street-main street in Byron Bay

We had lunch at a sushi bar claiming to have the best sushi in the New South Whales Region and then set out for a self-guided walking tour.

We walked the Cape Byron Walking Track past Watego's surfing beach to the eastern most point in Australia.

Eastern most point in Oz

Further up the track we found the Cape Byron light house and snapped a few shots in front of it before the rain started again.

Cape Byron Light House with Miss America hair

Cape Byron Light House

Our hostel was having a $6 BBQ night so we decided to take part in that. We bought a box of "goon" (Australia's term for a bag of wine in a box and the choice drink of backpackers) and headed back to the hostel for dinner.

Our hostel

We met a few other backpackers at the hostel and played a friendly game of beer pong....

Goon

Rob and I vs. the Canadians in beer pong. We won!

Later that night after making friends with what seemed like EVERYONE in the hostel, Rob returned to the hostel from the bars and called it a night and then I decided to go out without him. I was with a group of people from Britain and I got about halfway to the bar called Cheeky Monkey and then decided I was too tired, to tipsy, or too bored so in what seemed like a bright idea at the time I turned and full sprinted back to my hostel. For whatever reason, tackling the curb was too much for me and I tripped and skinned both knees and twisted my foot. I hopped back to the hostel on one foot and tried to wake Rob up to tell him. He was out like a light and when I shook him he leaned forward, bit my arm HARD and went right back asleep. This was not my night! You'll see the arm bruise in pictures to come. I fell asleep anyway and work up the next morning barely able to walk!

Trying to tough it out I agreed to rent surf boards for half a day and head out to the beach. I wasn't able to ever stand up on the board but I blame it on my foot. Rob wasn't able to stand up either. He has no excuse. At least we got a chance to wear our wetsuits!

Rob in his "budgee smugglers"

After our attempt at surfing we returned our boards, packed our bags and had a quick shower, grabbed some Subway and then boarded a Greyhound bus north bound for Surfer's Paradise.