29/01 - Welcome to hell

The alarm rang at 8am, we were up 15 minutes later and having breakfast by half past. It is time to leave Yamba and our new found friends. I managed to see Shane before leaving and got a pic with him before checking out and taking the bus for Byron Bay.

The bus was full and on time. We could not find sits together. I read and Damien listened to music. After one stop, seats freed and we managed to sit together. We arrived in Byron Bay around 11.30am. A shuttle bus from the hostel picked us up (Aquarius, as both YHA were full...). The driver showed us around quickly (the beach, shops, hostel). As soon as we arrived we met Jo&Gavin (friends made in Yamba). We checked in (no room until 2pm), put our bags in storage, got changed and went to town.

Stopped at Aldi and in a bakery for some lunch. We ate near the beach (on the grass) where a boat was being removed after being stranded over night against the shore. It was quite impressive and apparently the talk of the town for the afternoon for the locals.

We found Jo&Gavin at the beach and sat with them. We both went swimming. I stayed a long time, D. gave up before me! The current was really strong but the waves felt good (I am really happy with my new swimsuit). We stayed on the beach reading, the sun kept on coming and going.

Around 4.30 / 5pm we went back to the hostel, got our room keys and moved in. It is a spacious 11 shared mixed dorm on two levels. We found two beds on the mezzanine. We showered and rested for a while - a thunderstorm was going strong outside, it felt really tropical. Around 7.15pm we went down to get our FREE dinner : pasta bolognese. The portions were quite small but we can't really complain it was free food. So we also had cheese toasts.

We walked into town for cash under the rain and bought dessert (with chocolate!!). Back at the hostel we rented a set of cutlery and bought internet. I logged on on my phone for around 1h30. Then I went to bed and journaled for a while.

The plan for tomorrow is to get up at 5am and walk to the lighthouse to see the sunrise and maybe some dolphins?! Jo&Gavin are also doing it, with people in their room.

Overnight, the hostel was really noisy. It is a party place, full of really young backpackers. They kept coming and going a good part of the evening. Luckily around 10.45pm they were all gone to party some more elsewhere. I was so tired that I barely heard them coming back.

PS: Gavin won 3 days scuba course

 Walked 3.4 km today.

Slept in a 11 shared mixed dorm, in Aquarius Hostel, in Byron Bay

28/01 - More surfing with Shane

The alarm rang at 8am, and we were up around 8.30, 10 minutes later we were eating breakfast, Nearly ready for our 9am Surf lesson! James & Lily, our roommates, are also coming, so this should be fun! 9am, Shane is running late, school is starting again today and he took his kids. By 9.30am we were all practising how to get up on the garage floor. Shane gave me a smaller board because he found that I was "doing good during Australian Day!". Smaller = harder. We left the hostel under the rain again. It is fine, like that we don't have to worry about getting sunburned!

It took me 3 goes to get up and going ! After that I was on a roll! It took D. a bit more time. After a little while we were practising on our own and Shane went surfing farther with James (experienced surfer). The current was pretty strong and we had to keep swimming back to the right area on the beach/water. At some point I held the board badly with the cord and twisted my left fingers badly... + after that I landed badly on the same hand towards the end... This was the sigh to stop. D. also injured himself and bled in a few places (hear, feet and burned his skin on his belly with the frictions against the board and his top).

no photos as we were all surfing + crappy weather

We went back to the hostel around 12.30, exhausted, drenched. We had no energy left to do anything especially cooking! We had showers and ate out in a café at the end of the street (too tired to go farther!) D. had a burger and I had a lovely salad with grilled veg and halloumi. I also had a dessert in the café at our hostel: a brownie DELICIOUS! D. bought some Rocky Road + Cherry. After that we spent some time reading in bed.

D. went for a walk all the way to the end of the rock pier at Turner Beach, I was too exhausted so I stayed in. In the evening we joined James & Lily downsairs in the Hostel café watching tennis. We ate leftovers for dinner around 9pm, packed our bags for tomorrow, and finally wen to bed with a book around 10.30pm

 Walked around 1 km today (D. maybe more) + surfing!

Slept in a family room, in Yamba YHA

27/01 - Mending our wounds!

Super lazy morning! I am SO soar.... and I have bruises starting to appear on strange places on my body (elbows ??). D. went shopping for breakfast. I tried to use the internet but too crap... After breakfast we signed up fpr Shane's surfing lesson tomorrow ($15) and extended for 1 night. 

Before lunch we went into town to look for furfing gear and a hat for D. We went in a few places but all too expensive... In the last shop, I found a top and a short both in sales for a total of $60 (around £30), and D. finally bought a cap HURRAY!!!!

After lunch we went to Pippi Beach, had a swim in the lifeguard area and then walked all the way along the coast to Truner Beach (where we were yesterday), and then back to the hostel.

Pippi Beach

Walk along the coast

"green" sand

foreign fruit

sand crabs and their "balls"

Yamba Lighthouse

Looking down on Turner Beach

Clarence Head

 

Turner Beach

surfer on Turner Beach

D. cooked & I picked photos for the blog + sorted the ones from Australia day to send to surfing buddies! We ate and D. went to rest in the bedroom while I stayed upstairs in the TV room and sorted more photos while watching 10.000 BC, but after a while I was too tired and got to the room around 10pm, when straight to bed with my kindle.

 Walked 2 km today.

Slept in a family room, in Yamba YHA

26/01 - Celebrating Australia Day in Style!!

Happy Australia DAY !!!!!

The alarm rang at 5.30am, we got ready and by 5.50 we were outside of the YHA waiting for our pre-booked taxi. 6am still no taxi.... 6.10 D. finally decided to call a taxi company and luckily we got one at 6.15 (and had 10 min to get to the bus stop...) We arrived on time & luckily (in a way) the bus was 20 min late. I t was the same driver as last time. We tried to sleep some more but without success. I read my Kindle and D. worked on the computer (to update his CV). The bis stopped for 20min while people had breakfast and we changed driver. We arrived on time in Yamba, under the rain... Luckily the stop is closed to the hostel this time and most of the pavement is covered anyway.

The hostel is above a trendy café, on our way we could see someone waiting at the door and waving at us, he seemed really friendly!  This is Shane, he wished us a Happy England Day (due to the weather!). We checked in and got an upgrade (in a family room) and signed in for today's festivities ($15). The bedroom is not ready, so we went to he bakery and ate in the kitchen (still pouring outside). Everyone was getting ready, putting on Australian fake tatooes, paint, flags... They seemed like a big family, but kept us apart :(

We dumped our bags in the room, got change quickly and were ready to head out. Shane told us to get a board, we reply that we could not surf, he replied TAKE A BOARD!! He was going to teach us! We walked under the rain with a small group of people direction the beach where a marquis waited for us. On our arrival we saw dolphins in the canal!

We settled under the marquis and made a few friends: Jo + Al, Jo + Gavin and Laura. We also talked to the owner of the YHA. It is 2 families (brothers) and there children (young). This hostel was elected the best YHA in Australia and Yamba the 1st town in the world! We are off to a good start!

Shane taught us how to surf, I got up after 3 trials, and a few times after that! So excited!! The sun came out, and it became a lovely day/hot! We ate crisps and BBQ sandwiches (not great but who cares!) + cakes.

 

In the afternoon, D. went surfing with the girls, while I took a few cool pics! We stayed at the beach until 7pm. 

We went back to the hostel to take a shower and get change and met our new roommates James & Lily (too bad we could have had the room for ourselves... we kept the double bed though :) ). On the way back to the beach (for a truck party) we got chips and chicken garlic balls (nice!). The party was dying when we arrived so we sayed a little, talked to our new roommates before heading back. We went to bed early (9.30pm) and read for a little while. 

What a day!!!! Dolphins / Beach / BBQ / Surf / Sun and Fun!!!

 Walked 1.2 km today + surfing!

Slept in a family room, in Yamba YHA