Night 6, Days 7,8 - Byron Bay

At least the trip ended on a good note. Byron Bay was easily the highlight of our spring break on the road. A little town nestled along the coast, featuring Australia's most easterly point, Byron Bay was my kind of place. There were plenty of things to do outdoors away from all the people in addition to a vibrant night life.

On the first day there I embarked on my first real "adventure" of the trip. I went rainforest biking with four other outdoor enthusiasts. Yes, it was pricey, but it was well worth it. We drove over an hour out of town into complete seclusion. Hardly any people. No sounds except for the colorful chirping of birds. We biked over 40 kilometers (approximately 27 miles), starting out on a small dirt road, but also turning off onto some paths into the forest. These paths were not easy biking. Covered by sticks and roots and with plants jutting out from either side, you simply could not take your eyes off the terrain in front of you. Several times we had to stop to lift our bikes over logs, but not enough times to ruin the experience. It was a completely new adventure to me, and I loved it. It was also physically taxing - just my kind of day! The first half hour and the last half hour were almost strictly uphill. By the end of the journey I was spent, which made the stop on the way back at a nearby creek for a dip all the more ravishing. Even the downhill portions of the ride was far from relaxing. With several potholes and rocks on the road, I had to keep my eyes peeled and my hands on the brakes. Going full speed could have spelled suicide. But I didn't fall once, and I feel a better biker now than I did before the ride. Now I just need to bike down a mountain. I actually think I might be able to do it. I'm teeming with confidence.

Although I knew just about anything after the rainforest bike ride would be a letdown, I enjoyed the remainder of my stay in Byron. That night the hostel hosted a barbecue and I made some cool cats. We sat around a picnic table and played cards well into the night. Maybe I stayed up too late, because in the morning I slept through my alarm which was set to wake me at 4:20 a.m. for a sunrise tour of the bay. It would have been absolutely indelible, but Mike and I made up for it in the afternoon. But before we could do that, it was time to watch the Tigers close the deal. After missing Game 3 because of the bike trip, I wasn't going to miss the end of the possible clinch-a-spot-in-the-World-Series game. I finally found the hostel's TV in the top of the eighth inning and then watched as Magglio Ordonez's three-run shot sent the crowd back home into a frenzy. I stared in awe at the screen, wishing, at least for that moment, that I was back home.

I needed to do something to make me feel good about where I was, so Melvin and I embarked on a beach walk to Byron's lighthouse, the purported viewing area of the sunrise (of course, now, I'll never know). It was an amazing walk. About halfway there, we stopped at a lookout hill, jutted out over the ocean. As we were taking the customary pictures of the ocean below and in front of us, another person on the deck spotted a large group of dolphins frolicking in the surf. Soon enough I spotted them, too, and took some spotty pictures of them. It was nice to see something other than a washed-up jellyfish at the beach. We continued our walk, cutting through some rainforest and finally ascended hundreds of stairs to the lighthouse. It definitely was the sunrise-viewing hangout. It offered panoramic views in every direction. What more can I say? I felt as if I was on top of a mountain, albeit a Rattlesnake. Nothing more than that.

On the way back from the lighthouse, I stopped at a city festival for lunch. There were a plethora of food booths offering fresh cuisine. I didn't know what to choose, it all looked so good. I finally settled on some delicious, spicy curry. Then I "washed it down" with some gelato, a semi-healthy kind of ice cream. I have to reiterate: delicious. I was considering a swim before our bus ride home, but on the walk from the festival to the hostel, I saw several jellyfish on the shore. I thought better of it.

A 13-hour bus ride and a jelly fish bite don't go together too well. At least I think that's the case.

Well, that's my spring break story. We made it back to Sydney at 6 a.m. on Monday morning and prepared for class that day and the start of our internship the next day. It was back to the busy life. Ain't that sad?

pictures to come.....

jake