Captains Log. Star Date 04.03.05 Well I dont know why the picture of the shark but I kind of like it so thats why I guess!! Byron Bay is cool, very hippy and new age but really cool. Came down from Brisbane and randomly met up with a couple from Sheffield who were in my room in Brisbane, (Lee and Esther) so hung out with them for a couple of days, chilled on the beach one day, its a nice beach, and the waves were pretty strong, I didnt swim but paddled, and could tell from just being ankle deep they were strong! One afternoon when walking back from the beach, I noticed a group of abuot 15 homeless people sitting around in a circle, one had a guitar and the rest were singing along, clapping and smiling away, it stopped me in my tracks and made me smile, it truly was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. People who really do have nothing are still happy and smiling, that, to me, is Australia in a nutshell. On Sunday we hired a car and drove to Nimbin, Nimbin for those who are interested is known as the unofficial Amsterdam of Australia... so we had to go and check it out. It was so funny, we had literally stepped out of the car and within around 4 minutes we had been asked if we would like any pot! (I think we must of been asked in the space of around 4 hours while we were there a total of around 15 times!) All the shops in Nimbin are even more hippy than those in Byron and all the townsfolk are rallying to get marajuana legalised, by rallying, I mean, of course, that they have signs up in their shop windows, but they sit around stoned thinking about it I'm sure!! : ) We went into a 'museum' it was quite bizzare in there, but worth checking out as we had made the trip down anyway, I got some pics that I will upload soon... Also there was an awesome bakery, I guess as the munchies are a common occurance in the town maybe??! But it was rather bwud! A funny story: Well I thought it funny anyway, you can make your own mind up! In one of the shops, the (stoned) lady who worked there was kind of talking to myself and Esther or at us or to herself, I wasnt actually sure, so anyway I started talking to her, just making conversation, asked how long she had lived in Nimbin etc etc, but I think she was a bit paranoid, she was staring at us like we were trying to catch her out or something, maybe because I was asking about families and children around the area and perhaps she thought I was judging (I probably was a bit!!) anyway, a (stoner) girl came into the shop and enquired about getting a job, well the (stoner) lady looked incredibly suspiciously at us again, and told the girl "I might have something for someone of your disposition" then nodded her head in our direction and told the girl to come back later!?!? I think she thought we were under cover cops or something!? It was really quite strange, but amused us. Freaking out the stoner's! Mu ha haaaaa!! You are allowed to smoke gear anywhere apart form the one pub in Nimbin, and they have a really cool set of street rules to abide by, I got a snap of these and will add to the piccies soon. Very hippy as I said, but a cool way to spend an afternoon. The drive back from Nimbin provided some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. It could of been England, all green, but it was just so vast, in England you would see a house dotted around here and there, but I could see for miles and miles and no houses around, just acres of greenery. And a pair of camels. Yes, a pair of camels, so that reminded me I was in Oz again! I shouted when I saw them which made Esther reverse back along the road so we could get a photo just to verify their existence on the green hills! We then went over to Cape Byron, which is the most easternly point of Australia, there is a little hill to climb up and a white lighthouse at the top, it was very windy and people were hang gliding all around, got some pics, felt content that I have seen the most easternly point in Oz (I'm sure that might come in handy at a quiz at some point in my life eh Tom!) we went back to the hostel to prepare for a 13 HOUR bus ride to Sydney. 13 HOURS!!! Thats like one end of England to the other!! Its so vast here it really does amaze me each time i get on another bus!! : ) Over and out xxx