At last some sunshine at Byron Bay

After the constant bad weather we'd had for most of Anna's holiday, we didn't have high expectations for Byron Bay. I'd been here twice before, back in my camping days, and both times, the torrential rain took over.

We arrived in Byron at 8pm, and were greeted off the bus by my friend Louise, who I'd met in Melbourne months before. She was in Byron working in a hostel and driving the hostel's minivan. She took us to where we were staying and we chatted for a bit, over some old faithful goon (we'd brought 2 casks of the stuff with us, which was left over from Fraser Island). Having done nothing but sit on a bus for the whole day, Anna and I wandered around this lovely 'hippy chic' town, but headed to bed at a reasonable time - for a change.

In the morning we woke up to a glorious day, clear blue skies and a blazing hot sun. At last, we were in a beachside town, and had all the ingredients for a perfect day of sunbathing and sightseeing. First of all we took a stroll down to the lighthouse, which is the most easterly point of Australia.

After that, we met up with this guy Brad, from Queensland, who was our driver for the day, and had come to meet us in a 1930s Ford Tudor Hotrod. we headed to a craft market which was full of hippies and only hippies. The three of us stood out from a mile away, as none of us was in tie-dye, had dreadlocks or facial piercings. After wandering around taking in the most bizarre sights - for example a tall skinny man with bleached hair, laddered tights and a blue sequinned skirt - we went on to Nimbin.

Nimbin is a town about 30/40 minutes inland from Byron Bay. Byron Bay attracts all sorts of people; there are celebrities with million dollar sea-facing properties, goon-drinking backpackers, surf dudes riding the waves, and of course the hippies.

Nimbin is just a town full of hippies. Backpackers generally go there to eat hash cakes and look at psychodellic paintings etc. The problem is, over time, the local hippies aren't just smoking marijuana, they've moved on to crack and heroin, which they try to sell to anyone passing by. Generally as a female you don't get bothered, it's mainly the guys that they try and sell to. Well, Anna and I, being neither marijuana smokers or hash cake-eaters, were quite satisfied that we'd seen it all in about half an hour, and didn't feel the need to stay any longer. For some backpackers who go on an organised tour, this is the highlight of their stay in Byron Bay. However a weird town with every local passed out on crack, and every tourist spaced out and stoned, this wasn't really my kind of place. Give me some ice cold beers on the beach any day.

So we got back in the car and went to a National Park to see Minyon falls, an incredible waterfall slightly further inland.

After this, we drove back through the forests and found a nice country pub where we stopped for a drink, before we spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach, basking in the sunshine.

The next day, awaking to yet another beautiful day, we decided to spend the whole day at the beach. To be honest there isn't much else to do in Byron Bay, once you've been to the infamous Nimbin. The town is full of quirky restaurants and lovely boutiques, but as we don't have the money to spend in either, we make do with our picnic at the seafront.

That evening we meet Louise and head out to one of the many nightspots in Byron, Cocomangas. Here, we drink cocktails out of jamjars, and just generally dance and drink the night away. It feels like a while since I've been surrounded by drunken backpackers, and it feels good!

The next day is pretty much a repeat of the day before, expect now, my trusty camera which has lasted me all this time, has died on me. I took it in the sea (it's waterproof by the way) but it stops working, which I'm really upset about because I am one of these annoying people who takes photos of anything and everything. So no more photos for the rest of this blog entry....

Anyhow, like I say, another chilled day at the beach, and then in the evening we meet Louise again, and go to the very well known Cheeky Monkeys. Now I know I said that I liked being around drunken backpackers, but this is most definitely a step too far. I've never seen anything like it, it's like a mosh pit of drunken, sweaty, half naked bodies (does the fact that this bothers me make me sound old)!? Well anyway before long, we're fitting right in; drunken and sweaty from a combination of dancing hard, and this hot bar crammed full of bodies. Thankfully we at least remained fully clothed, no dancing in our underwear for us (yes - this really does go on - if only their mothers could see them)!!

The following day, unable to have the lie-in we want because it's check out time, we drag our hungover selves out of bed, and make the most of this last day of sunshine. I'm so glad that while Anna's been here, she's been able to see Byron Bay at it's best. We make the most of every minute of sun, then head back to the hostel to shower and change, and go to get our bus.

By 9pm we're on our way to Sydney on the night bus. Exhausted from a day in the sunshine, we sleep most of the way and arrive at Central Station at 10.30am. We leave our backpacks in lockers at the station so we can spend a few hours in the city. Unfortunately, and typically, it's pouring with rain. We go to Darling Harbour, which doesn't look quite so nice when it's grey and overcast. Then we wander round Paddy's market, have some lunch, then we collect our luggage and get the bus to Paul's in Coogee, so that Anna's got time to get freshened up in order to get her flight home that afternoon.

It has been an absolutely exhausting and hectic couple of weeks, but we have crammed in so much, and I think Anna has seen a fair bit of Australia in this time. What a shame that the weather has been crap (so for anyone who thinks it's sunny all year round, it most definitely isn't). I think the only real disappointment that she's had, is leaving the Land Down Under without having seen a single kangaroo or koala! Looks like she'll just have to pay another visit....

So Paul and I drop Anna off at the airport. There are no tears this time, as my visa's up in a matter of days, and I know I'll be seeing Anna back on UK soil in just a couple of weeks.

Back at Paul's I spend the next couple of days just organising myself. I need to speak to people regarding my tax, superannuation etc, and basically need to get everything sorted whilst I'm still in the country. Paul and I go for dinner on my last night, and then I pop round to see my friend Louise (the one I spent xmas with, not the one from Byron Bay). The intention is to have one bottle of wine, but of course this turns into 3 or 4, and the next thing I'm trying to hail a taxi, drunk, at 2.30 in the morning, in the pouring rain. I promise Louise that I'll be back in Australia in no time.

And this is it. The next day, packed and ready to go, Paul takes me to the airport.

The last year in Australia I've seen so much, and yet there's still so much left to see. I've camped up the east coast, braving wild dingoes as I walk to the 'long drop' toilet in the middle of the night. I've stayed in the suburbs of Melbourne, where I settled and became a true local, joining the boys in watching Karingal FC every Saturday without fail. I lived in a small hillbilly town, on two occasions, hours away from 'normal people' and picked/ packed fruit. I mean who'd have thought that I would have at one point climbed ladders in the blazing hot Queensland sun, in order to fill a half-tonne crate with lemons!?!? I sailed the Whitsundays, drove a toy Barbie car round Magnetic Island, snorkelled in the Great Barrier Reef. The list is endless.

However, there are so many boxes that remain unticked.... I haven't done a skydive, swam with sharks, learned to surf, seen the Ausrtalian outback and Ayers Rock.

And so I say goodbye to Paul, and goodbye to Australia, but not forever, just for now......