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Byron Bay is lovely
We arrived in Byron Bay, not quite sure what to expect. Everone says its lovely and chilled out!!!?? hummm. Following the map in the guide book we had, we ended up walking a 15 min loop to knowhere as the book was wrong!! I would just like to say if anyone is thinking of writng a guide book, just make sure you get the directions and locations right. Cause if you dont the result will be an abusive letter and possibly a visit from to very hot and swetty travellers who will, somehow, muster eneought energy to smack the hell out of you with 2 very heavy back packs, 2 day bags and a selection of mouldy friut.
The Arts Factory Village
This place can only be described as a hippy haven. The strong smell of grass hit our noses on arrival. The place is a 'village' backpacker complex set in forest, which has the choice of cool wooden huts, tepies, a lodge or tent site to stay in. Being the hard-core people we are, we ended up camping in an over-crowded forest, with surfers and people who clearly hadnt seen sunlight in days. We were clearly underprepaired again. It looked as if this lot had been here longer than the caravan park guys. They were travellers like us but had luxury sized tents with matresses. We must have been there for no longer than 10mins with our 2 man tent (actually baby sized with all our luggage) when some girl found it her duty to inform us that our tent was too small! so much for the place being laid back!
In our bid to escape we headed into the town. There we came across a bead shop. No it was THE bead shop. It was the best bead shop in the whole world. Jenna would have been right at home. There were beads of every possible, shape, size and material, all arranged according to colour, with some being stacked in pots on shelves high up so i couldnt reach them, like a child in a sweet shop. As you can imagine we spent hours whiling the day away creating various bits of jewlery. Then we headed down to the beach was is situated in a vast bay surrounded by greenery. It was lovely to spend the day lazing on the beach and people watching. And there we remained untill we went back to have tea and meet Bryoney, who has caught up with us again, for a drink in the Budda bar at the Arts Factory. It was there we discovered a wierd band who looked off thier faces playing an electric organ thing, a laptop (haha), guitar and electronic drums, whist giving each other the nod or an encouraging 'ohh yeaaa' sound every so often. The music was quite good tho- a bit electronic chill-out. There was a drunk woman up dancing by herself who looked like a nut job. Being the t*** i am, when in the loos i said to her 'ohh you were the one dancing, well done for getting up. I fancied it but couldnt get up'. In reply to this she told me off for not getting up and said i should have cause she had to dance by herself. Then she proceeded to tell me off for spending the day on the beach in the sun. b*****. Me and my big mouth. I went to sit down with the girls in stunned silence. When the crazy dancing lady (Beth) got back on the floor and tryed to get my attention. I did well at ignoring her for a bit then she got me. Eye contact; s***. She was motioning me to come and dance. I couldnt ignore her after she saw me so i had to go and dance. To be honest i was jigging in my seat and asking the girls to go and dance. When i got up there Beth said i was not moving with the music or feeling it. She said i had to dance sexy and tryed to put her hands on my hips. I started to get a bit freaked out and kept looking to em and bry to save me. Bu they never came and i was stuck with the lesbo woman till the end of the never ending track. After that we made tracks and i never will speak to strangers in the loo again.
The next day we woke and headed over to the main 'clearing' in the village to find Bryoney. There we were also reunited with Rodger and Julie which was nice. We chatted for a bit then me, Em and Bry headed off into town. There we introduced Bry to the bead shop where she was well at home. We all did some more creating and then basically spent the day goosing around the shops in the swealtering heat wishing i was dead. Late afternoon we went back to the Arts Factory and took a dip in the pool, dicking about like young lads!! Ha ha. Then we dryed on contact with the air and got ready for the cinema.
Arts Factory Cinema
You may be thinking 'oh cinema, how riveting!', but this is no ordinary cinema; its a lounge cinema with sofas, and as its in the arts factory is was bound to be unique. As we approced the enterance in the resturant foyer, we were met by a nice ticket man. He sold me what i thought was sweet pop-corn (dont take it for granted here) but was actually salt! Despite the flaw it was THE best pop-corn i had tasted, and im not one for the salt kind, but it was just right. We decided to watch The Prestige which was about two magicians in a battle to be better then one another. I was a bit nervous as the guy at the ticket office said there was abit of gore and i am not the kind of person that can take trauma. Anyway, we headed through the door and saw those bendy mirrors that you get in circuses mounted on the wall. Then we went through a palm tree door into a dark corridor with uv lights. It reminded us of our trip to the observatory in Port Macquarie, and the solar systen model. There were lots of planets and stars and stuff painted on the wall in the uv paint and everthing was glowing. It was so cool. Then we went through some more door into the cinema where we were still covered in the glow of uv lights, and confronted by a massive fish tank, which turned out to the a film dispalyed on the big cinema screen. We made our way to the front where we could get prime seating. The chair looked so comfy; they were large 2 person sofas level with the floor. All were covered with cow print, with drinks holders, popcorn holders and some with cushions. Emma and Bry shared a sofa and i was luck to get one to myself with a massive teddy i could snuggle up to if things got too bad!! Fan-bloody-tastic. This was bliss. All i need now was chocolate, oh i have some. Could things get any better- well yes. The film was absolutly amazing. It had hunky men, affairs, magic, science, adventure and an endeing that makes you go wow! It was a classic thriller and no gore. Was i happy- yes. Would i go there again? should you go and see the film? Was it the best cinema ever? The answer to all thes question is YES, and if you dont believe me you should get saving sharpish for both tickets and go see for yourself!
In the Budda bar we then sat on the sofas for abit and had a drink wher we met an Irish guy travelling by himself. He came over to sit with us and ened up having to put up with us asking why all men are idiots, and our usual laddish ways! Poor bloke seemed very quiet and prob shocked at how women think and act. Bless. He got us all a drink anyway so we couldnt have been too bad.
Tallow Beach (renouned for surfers dying)
Saw Roder and Bry in the morn and arrange to go to the beach as Rodge has a car. Pitched up base right by the surf and Bry went snorkelling and Em swam whilst Rodge went body boarding. I sat and was lasy. The sea was really rough witha strong rip current which pulled me along the beach. The surfer were good and some were really young and small! This is a locals beach so i am surprised we didnt get beaten up. When Rodge came back in Bryoney sun baked for the rest of tha day, Emma jumped waves and I did some body boarding. Got addicted and really went for it! I love being in the water over here, it is so warm yet refreshing. In fact i think its the only palce where you can bear the heat.
That eveing we came back to the Arts Village and bumped into a guy called Jack we met in New Zealand! Is really bizarre how you bump into people all the time you have met previously. Jack was there with his brother who was leaving him the next day so we introduced him to the 'Possie'. Me and Em then decided to go down to the beach for an evening walk and chill out with a cappachino. We bumped into Jack again who told us about his slap up dinner, and we invited him to join us for a drink later. After we had chilled out eneough and watched the sea we ventured back. On the grren just above the beach there was some live music ( not organised, just mates who got togeather and started playing) and a large screen showing aboriginies and Austraila landscapes accompanied by Digeriedoos. That was good to watch in the warmth and dark for a bit. Then we headed back to the Buddah bar and met Jack ther and later his brother for a few beers.
Chillin at the Factory
Met the 'possie' again on the benches (which grows everyday when anyone meets someone new). There was a girl called Lottie who was only 18, and a guy called Stuart. Today i felt really lazy and i ended up sitting doing nothing on the benches with people coming and going. It was so hot you didnt want to move. It was really lovey there tho as you are under the eucalyptus trees, by the pond, where there are always these big lizard animals scutting past. Emma, in the meantime, was doing poi in the volleyball sandpit with some hippy-guys 'workshop'. She was the best at it and good to watch. I joined in later for a bit but was too hot. We managed to sort out a surf lesson for the afternoon and i was glad as i was getting sea and adrenalin deprovation. I am sure you would know what i mean if you were 'travelling in the hot places' (repeat to yourself in jamacian accent for added effect).
Surf Lesson
We rolled up at the surf school wher they sorted us out with rash vests and told us we wouldnt really need wet suits but could have one if we wanted. Ha ha, its not britian in winter!!!! They then told us about what would happen in the lesson, and we all jumped into the van and drove off to the beach. Yesterday, at Tallow beach, we had ssen our instructor teaching, but today we were headed for the far right hand end of Byron Bay main beach. There the four of us hopped out at the beach and had to lug these massive longboards down this steep slop and across the beach. We did warm-ups and practiced getting up on the boards on the sand then headed intot he water. The waves were really tiny and i was wondering 'how in hells name are we going to catch them?'. The instructor ( a she, cant rember her name) said it would be ideal for learning in. To we went out to waist height, and lie down ready to catch a wave. She then, each in turn, pushed us off on a wave. I couldnt believe it when i stood straight up and went in! It was so much fun. As there were only a few of us we got lots of help. We had loads of gos and ended up standing up most of the time. There was a surf photographer there to get photos of us looking idiots so you will have to check them out when we get them up. It was so good when you caught a wave yourself and stood up, riding it all the way in. Its even more fun when you fall off. Me and Emma are hooked and cant wait to do some more in Nz.
b******S
When we arrived back at the Arts Village we were knackered. We were going to go out and have a drink with everyone as it was our last night but we just wanted to chill with some dinner on the beach before going out as planned. When we got back to the camp kitchen ( a hut with loads of food bags everywhere, and much gone off food rammed into the fridge that was way too small for the amouht of people there) we noticed our food bag had gone. We checked all the bags and everwhere and i was not where we had left it. Some b****** had nicked our 20-quid-really-good-fold-up-origami-plastic-flatpack-crockery-set-and-my-bloody-pen-knife-which-we-love. We were so pissed. I mean who in hells name thinks that its within their rights to take what is not yours? I ask myself!!! We just couldnt believe it. We really spoilt the last day in Byron. The Arts Factory is ment to be all about karma and some p****does that. Loads of peiople were asking us about it, and it made us wonder if it was someone who knew we had it. We decied if we ever found out who it was then we would kill them. You may think we were over reacting but it reall upset us that someone would do that. When you are carrying everthing you have on you back, everthing you have is important. And when someone decided to help themselves to the only stuff you have, you feel violated. As you can imagine we told the others and they were as mad as we were. We had arranged to go out to dinner at the Buddah bar the day before, but me and em decided that we definatly needed to go to the beach and just chill out before we met the others for a drink later. So they went to dinner and we went beach.
We had a delish take-out of tacos (em) and Burrito (me), and sat on the beach under the stars to eat. We also had two bottles of 'good old' Bundaberg ginger beer, as drinking when pissed off is not good for you. We sat talking about the star formations, as we now do on a regular basis after our visit to the observatory. Thinking there, we wondered why we trust people. Since we have been on the trip someone has tried to sell us a dodgy car, someone did sell us a dodgy car, the mechanic failed to pick up major faults on the car, someone nicks our food, travel cutlery and crockery and we have stayed at one of the s***test/ most expensive backpackers ever. And we never learn. Each time we think we learn but we dont. Emma was really down about it but i was ok. I then told her about all the lovely people we had met, people who owed us nothing yet helped us out; The Harpers, the AA and garage guys when the car b*****ed, Erica, Kim, Draco and Coby in Sydney, Rick at Bell Lodge, People who gave us lifts etc...and the list goes on. Emma felt a bit better then, and we realised for the few people that are t*** , more people are very good to us. And these people we have only just met put themselves out for us, with no beniefit to themselves. God are we lucky! It still didnt make us want to stop killing the b****** who nicked our food bag. We had chilled out no are where ready to go and have a drink.
Dancing on the tables at 'Dirty Monkeys'
Walking through town we searched for a nice place to have a drink before we met the others at 10. We walked into bar and the guy said have you got a table reserved and we said no. So he told us that we couldnt have a drink now as they are serving food, but we could later. I know we looked scruffy but he could have told us we were not the kind of people they want in their establishment, and not lied to us. So we went on and we found this bar that was pumping out music and went ot go in there. Only the bouncerssaid have you got a ticket and we said no but went in anyway. It was empty and and we headed straight to the bar. Ther we got asked if we ahd a voucher and me and em looked at each other and thought 'is there something we are missing?'. We managed to order cocktails darling. We sat and supped and the place got busier and we felt even better. The bar guy asked me how my cosmopolitain was, and if i had had one before. I think i must have been getting a bit cockey with the travel thing, and get this, i said ' Yes thanks, Ive had one in New York' WHAT A PRAT. We finished our drinks and went on to the Railway pub place and found everyone outside on the benches. We got more drinks and chatted and it seemed that everyone was there, even the Irish guy. So we all chatted and drank and it got later and i was in the mood for dancing. We had to be at the bus at 8:00, had hardly any sleep the past few weeks, and had to put the tent down in the morn. As it happens Em was up for going 'out out' to, and on the walk back everyone elce gradually decided it would be a good idea too. So we all marched on to Cheeky Monkeys, a place renounded for good night life and dancing on the tables. When we arrived the qeue was massive and most people jibbed out apart from me, em and Bry. We hugged everone and said our goodbyes and waited. Once we were in it was great. Good music, and get this, we were in a club at last. It was rammed and swetty and the tables were actually wooden picnic benches covered in metal. It was cool tho. And there were like palm leaves and coconut things all around too. No sooner than we ahd got in the door and emma was being chatted up by some guy! Me and bry went to dance on the tables. Everyone was sooo drunk but we were ok for once. Then emma came to dance with us and this other hippy guy tried it on with her. Where were they all coming from? It was so funny. We all danced for ages and Bry then left as she was nackered and had been out all nights that week. She is a bit of a party animal and over did it! Emma then joined this french guy she met earlier and i talked to his mate. After chatting for a while he asked if he could stay with us as he had no where to stay. I said no, and there was no room in our tent anyway, and it was broken and on the verge of falling down. Now no matter how many times i told him she kept on and on. Now if you had seen the tent you would have know what i ment. There wasnt eneough room for me and em without arguments, let alone bags. Two man tent! bhah!!! You know the story. Anyway this guy would not drop it, so regardless of his intention it was time to leave. We left the club shouting about french guys being idiots and got in a verbal from the other end of the street with some other french guy i managed to offend. So we got back and crashed at about 3. It was boiling hot in the tent and i got woke about 6 with screaching birds and the light. We got up early, tired but fine. I then got really hyper. I couldnt belive it as we hardly slept. Emma saw some girl with some blue crockery stuff like ours, but we couldnt do much or prove it. I think karma will get them. Thats good eneough. We said good bye to Rodger the early bird and Bry came wiht us to the bus in town and waved bye. We will miss her as she was a good laugh, and a bit weird like us. So we were off and away again, to discover new adventures.
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