Day 24 Today we head back to the beach. Suddenly a sand storm takes over and we have to fight our way off the beach. We are left looking as white as ghosts, covered from head to toe in white sand. That evening Simon enters a Hoola hoop competition in the local pub. He comes first and wins a day beauty therapies.

Day 23 Our hostel has free bike hire which is a brilliant way to see the local area. Accompanied by our new friends Genene and Simon we cycle to the Bryon Bay's lighthouse. It's a tough ride up the steep hill to the lighthouse but well worth it. The views of the beaches and the coastline are amazing. The water is deep blue and very clear. From the lighthouse a few of us walk to the most Easterly point in mainland Australia.

Day 22 Bryon Bay is a small town with a mellow vibe inhabited by surfers and Bohemians. People sit in the street gently playing the guitar or tapping the drums. The beach is in walking distance and as the sun is out we decide to take advantage of the good weather. It is so much fun swimming in the sea, the waves are ferocious. Later we get some fish dishes from a seaside café. It is the best fish I have tasted in a long time.

Day 21 Surf Camp to Bryon Bay 6.30 breakfast, 7.00 surfing. It's not a bad way to start off the day, very refreshing. In fact surfing turns out to be a great deal of fun. I manage to catch the waves with a little push from the instructor and by the end of the lesson I'm standing on my board surfing the waves. Ryan who said he'd been surfing before but wasn't very good turns out to be a real pro. There's always one. Later on we say goodbye to the girl from Isra...