Byron Bay

It was time to leave the northern Sydney suburbs. It was more than accommodating to welcome me to stay for as long as I liked but I missed my independence I had gotten used to. I was itching - literally - to start travelling, really do it backpacker style, to meet people, see some beech beech places, and have some horrifying hostel stories. Baby Ryan was on the way and my time was running out. I booked an overnight bus to leave Sydney at 11pm and was heading to Byron Bay. 12 hours on the bus is worth it, I suppose, when a night's accommodation and transportation are included. 

Byron Bay is a really cute beachy town. It definitely has an eco-friendly, hippy, surfer vibe to it that's very laid back. There are a variety of restaurants from kebabs and pizza by the slice to vegetarian Indian, dining by the sea, and dietary-friendly cafes. I wanted to buy everything in the boutiques and everyone other person was eating an ice cream.

Since I couldn't check in until 2 I wandered over to the beach, Main Beach. It was really quite striking. I've found that beaches either take your breath away right away, try desperately to, or just stare right back at you blankly. This one made me smile and I knew right away I wanted to stay in Byron Bay for longer. To the right the beach was quite crowded so I headed to the left where I found myself amongst wave-lapping dogs and topless sunbathers. The Australian sun is impressively strong, but I was quite happy lying there in my clothes soaking up the fresh sea air, listening to the waves, and knowing that sand was mischievously tucking itself away in all crevices, wrinkles, and folds. I looked up at one point to see a standing older woman drop her stuff off in front of me as her dog ran off into the water. With her back facing me, she started to take off her cover up and I thought, that's awfully brave of her to be wearing a two-piece. Then she took off her cover up and she was topless! Just sauntered down to the shore through a group of boys, no problem. Brave. That was not even the right word! 

I took a walk to the end of the beach where I found a look-out that I had entirely to myself. I sat down enjoying the peaceful silence, watching the surfers below, and looking back onto Byron Bay quite proud of myself for having embarked on this adventure on my own. With a bit of nervous anticipation, I had no idea what to expect, who I would meet, how I would meet anyone, and what I would do. 

I felt really lucky in Byron Bay. I had booked in a 6 person all-female dorm (I didn't want my first hostel experience to smell like feet) and on the first night, there were 4 of us in the room who were traveling alone so we decided to go out to dinner together. Each of us had our own reasons for traveling: one girl from Canada was divorced and was using her alimony money to travel, another was an Australian flight attendant who had three days off inbetween her international flights and decided to come up to Byron for the weekend, and another English girl had always wanted to travel and her boyfriend urged her to follow her dreams. 

I had booked three nights to stay in Byron as I had read that people come for one day and stay for a month. I stayed for five nights. Mic, the English girl, also decided to stay on longer with me. We got along so seamlessly well. We met some really funny people together, in groups of three of course, and had a lot of laughs - of course of course. Although I had a list of places I wanted to see along the coast, she proved to me, or really made me realise that it's not about the place, but about the people who you meet who make the place memorable. I could just travel to see places, check them off a list, but it wouldn't be the same trip without the people you meet along the way and share these experiences and places with. Part of the reason I planned my trip the way I did, as in not having a plan at all except to head north, is because I wanted to have the flexibility to have these experiences, meet people along the way who might be doing something I had never heard of or be open to their suggestions, I wanted to be able to stay longer if I liked a place, and have to sleep on a beach if my no plans actually turned into no plan at all! 

I had a lot of fun in Byron Bay. I like it. I like it a lot. 

Sydney: The Opera House and Bridge.

Yes, I did say before I was not particularly looking forward to going to Sydney. Not not looking forward to it, just didn't really have much of a desire to go. Although I saw the iconic bridge and opera house from the plane, actually seeing them in person closer up, and on a gorgeous sunny day is really quite wonderfully worthwhile. 

The opera house. 

The city from the bridge.

We walked across the bridge.

Had to get a tourist shot.

Panorama.

This guy is really enjoying the view.

We didn't actually go in, you can just walk around.

Goodbye Melbourne. Hello Sydney.

I never wanted to go to Sydney. I will probably write that again as I write about Sydney. Rachel was in Sydney and I was in need of a familiar face, a good laugh, and some red wine on the beach. Sydney also seemed like a good starting point to head north and see the coastal beaches and sights I have on my list of to-do's before I have to leave. I thought Sydney would be just another large international city, lacking Australian personality and cultural characteristics. But as I left Melbourne and flew over the eastern coast of Australia, I actually was excited. I felt almost giddy in my cramped but bargained Tiger Airways seat. I felt lucky. More than anything, I felt fortunate and grateful for having the opportunity to go to such an iconic city. 

 First view of the opera house and bridge. 

another stop on the australian adventure :)

The Great Ocean Road: Part III

Like I said, the Great Ocean Road is quite a lengthy 243 kilometre road. After visiting the Twelve Apostles, driving along the same coast fittingly becomes a bit repetitive with similar yet not quite as impressive limestone stacks left behind in the ocean as the cliffs continually give way to the power of the aggressive natural forces of water and wind. Arches abstain from disintegrating into the swirling currents below as caves creep further into the wall of the coast forging grottos and blow holes. From the "damage" done, it is quite easy to understand why this is called Shipwreck Coast. 

 We picked up a map from the breakfast place the next morning and deciding to venture back the way we came to visit the London Arch, but not to go as far back as the Twelve Apostles again (our photos were good enough *smirk). The bit shown below used to be attached to the mainland and was previously known as London Bridge, until the arch collapsed in 1990.

Following the map and the brown scenic road signs along the way, after the Twelve Apostles there were stopping points every couple kilometres. We stretched our legs at the Grotto, known for one of its shipwrecks in which only 2 people survived and were washed up upon the beach below. 

The beach was actually accessible by some winding wooden stairs, which would have been nice for a private picnic had we known about it! But, we had more to see according to the map and a long drive back to Melbourne ahead of us. 

The spry Southern Ocean wrecked havoc along the Victorian coast, but at every stop, even if it was the same ocean just a few kilometres further east or west, we paused in between photos to absorb its immense vastness and tremendous potential, knowing that these photos could not capture what we were beholding. 

It captivates you into silence. It inspires you to think about your life. It teasingly stimulates your desire for answers. It provokes you to grasp how little you are in this world. It urges you to be strong as it reminds you of its own strength.

 After a while, we had seen enough. Drive. Stop. Photo. Go. Drive. Stop. Photo. Go. Drive. Stop. Photo. Go. We were on the same mission as every other car we kept following and bumping into at each of the parking spots along the way. We probably all had the same exact photos from that day.

 The Bay of Islands.

 It was time for the four hour drive back to Melbourne, for me to find a job and for Ted to return to his in Perth. But not before of course visiting a whale sighting spot at the end of the Great Ocean Road.

Ted face.

not even a view in the background.

And yes. We did see a whale!!!!! 

The Great Ocean Road: Part II

The drive along the Victorian coast is pretty. Pretty is a boring word. I can't say it is the prettiest view I have ever seen throughout my years of traveling, but it is impressive, if not memorable. It's definitely a drive you're glad you've done - it's in all the top lists of Australian sights, after all. But once is enough. (unless anyone wants to come visit, then I'll definitely go again with you!)

  I suppose because the road is so long, that after hours of driving, it gets a bit repetitive, even though the ocean is always an inexhaustible companion on a road trip. The road veers inland for a bit, through unfurnished fields and modest farms lacking mobile reception to the outside world, until all of a sudden the ocean welcomes you back to what you recognise as the Great Ocean Road and reminding you of the purpose of your rambling drive. Directional road signs reappear gesturing towards a parking lot to welcome you to the most famous and most photographed spot along the road: the Twelve Apostles.

 

After a couple hours of driving and still dim sunlight in the sky, we decided to stop instead of saving the views for the following day. We arrived at dusk, as the tourist information centre was closing, but being a natural landscape, the viewing deck was still open.

After driving along the windy, curvy, cliff-dropping Great Ocean Road, the Tweleve Aposotles makes the drive worthwhile, as though you've accomplished something, something to check of your list of things to see, but I couldn't say it is exactly breath-taking. Don't get me wrong. The limestone stacks which used to be part of the main land but have eroded from years of harsh waves and forcible winds are extraordinary. Striking. Monumental. Remarkable. Stunning. 

We were lucky to visit when we did at dusk and without the summer crowds so that we had space to absorb the sight we left only because it was getting dark and we didn't know where we were staying for the night or what the next town along the road would offer. In that sense, it is a rewarding destination, but it is a lot of hype for the same pictures you can see online - you know what you are going to see and expect, but need to see it for yourself, kinda like the Eiffel Tower. 

That's sorta the funny thing about the internet. You see all these places you want to witness and enjoy for yourself, and if you're lucky, the places won't be deceiving from glorified photos, but in exchange, you already know what you're going to see and lose a bit of that  breathless expectation.

It's quite impressive that no more then wind and water created this natural formation, causing caves that washed away to become arches until those crumbled to sole stacks. You can't see all the Twelve Apostles from the viewing deck, and apparently, in 2005 one of the "apostles" collapsed leaving what is today only eight, so it is definitely a site you want to see before it erodes and disappears completely. 

Oh, Instagram.

(this one below is the only one instagram-ed, the other ones are untouched!)

The Great Ocean Road: Part I

Ted came to visit :)

 Mining is where it's at in Australia, especially in WA. It's why Perth is so expensive and why there are more self-made millionaires there than anywhere else. It's big bucks because it's hard work. It means going out to the middle of red-dirt-nowhere for maybe 4 weeks at a time, working 10 hour days, and then having 1 week off to go home. Luckily, for a few of those days off, Ted came to Melbourne. And we decided, as we do, and knowing that we have a limited time frame left in Australia, to be touristy. 

So where to go when in Melbourne? 

To the Great Ocean Road. 

We rented a car early on Sunday morning without much of a plan except to drive west along the road that is considered to be one of the 100 things to see and do before you die. After leaving the city, it takes at least an hour before you reach the beach town of Toorquay and the start of the drive. 

There's something about the ocean that just makes you want to smile. 

We stopped at a couple beaches along the way, but knew we had much more to see. 

 Luckily the sky was blue and the weather was warm. Well, not according to Perth-ians. It was warm. It was.
 Could have stayed all day...

The roads twisted and turned and we rose high above the sea. There was hardly a banister to keep us from going over the edge. Falling, tumbling, tossing and turning, plunging and plummeting down the cascading coastal cliff as we sank into the crashing waves upon the rocks below us. Could've happened. It didn't - obviously. 

On our way here along the highway, the speed limit was 80km/h and seemed like a crawl. Here along the coast, the speed limit was the same, but warned of slowing down to half that speed to turn every couple of meters at every corner. Even going 60 km/h seemed like racing dangerously, peering around every bend and holding your breath as another car passed. 

It was a bit like Malibu. A bit like Cinque Terra. A bit like Donegal. 

But very much it's own Great Ocean Road.

This sign post definitely wasn't the start of the GOR according to the map, nor did they make it very safe or easy to pull over after seeing the sign to take touristy photo opps, 

but luckily the road was long enough to spot on coming cars and safely get a shot. 

Livin' wild!

I was driving, so this was my view looking back  - and taking pictures!! 

My camera died right about here. So all remaining photos were left up to Apple: Ted's iPhone and my iPod. I was unprepared. I didn't realize, or even think about what we were doing, so I didn't have any chargers with me.

 Forget all the scenic, breath-taking views. This next sequence of events was probably the highlight of the day.....Scene above ^ nice rocks, calm ocean, warm breeze....

Ted off to explore the rocks to see how far out he can get to get a good photo of the ocean while I bitch at my flashing, dying camera battery....

Then! BOOM! Waves crash over the rocks and he runs to stay dry without slipping. 

Nope, smells like wet sea for the rest of the day. 

Me: laughing hysterically

The ocean: laughing hysterically.

Ted: can't believe that just happened. 

We drove along, away from the ocean, with my trusty Australian guide book (that we went back for, so might as well put it to good use) and followed the suggested road to a turn off which pretty much promised and guaranteed a wild koala sighting. However, we drove and drove along the one-laned dirt road, up and around the windy curves with our heads leaning out of the windows, desperately trying to seek out the camouflaged marsupials sleeping in the contours of trees' branches. Of course, just my luck since I was looking, we saw no koalas. However, a kangaroo, or a wallby I think because it was small and dark, hopped out right in front of us from one side of the sloping hill up onto the other side and disappeared into the trees. For the slight detour, I suppose that made the trip somewhat worthwhile. No, not really. Even the little pub at the bottom of the road called Koala Kafe was a smug smirk at our fruitless digression. 

Along the road we go to see what else this adventure has for us...