Byron Bay (Lennox Head) and Surfers Paradise 5/1/12 - 9/1/12

Hello again guys,

Sorry it is taking so long to write these posts, it is just we have been manic for the last few days and have been stranded on islands and boats so we haven't had the internet!

We ended up staying in a place called Lennox Head instead of actually staying in Byron Bay as the whole place was booked up! Lennox Head was about 10 miles outside of the Bay and I think after speaking to a lot of people further north, quite a lot of people end up doing the same as us. So, when we arrived at Byron Bay we had to get on a bus to take us to Lennox Head and in doing so we met a couple who were doing the same thing as us. We all dropped our bags off at the hostel and then went to sleep on the beach for the afternoon!! That evening a lot of us from the hostel sat outside and had a few drinks while playing cards which was nice. I was reminded of the game s**thead that we used to play in sixth form all the time so that took me back, although I am sure all the rules are different to what we used to play but I didn't push the point because I didn't want to sound like a grandma!! We had over 20 people playing at one stage!!

The next day we went to the beach again with a big crowd of us from the hostel and in the evening we cooked a huge bbq and then went out to see a random drum n base band play! They were really good!!

We managed to get up early the next day though as my amazing friend Faye from back home said her and her boyfriend would come and pick us up so we didn't have to do another coach/bus journey. We had a great morning, we went to the Byron Bay lighthouse and saw wild dolphins wave surfing and jumping and then had a lunch time bbq before looking around Byron Bay itself and seeing the beach!

We ended up having a really good few days in Lennox Head and to be honest from what I saw of Byron Bay it looked a bit too 'hippy' for straight laced old me!! Although I did get a nice anklet from one of the 'hippy' shops and very nice it is too!!

After Lennox Head we went to Surfers Paradise for two nights and stayed at the YHA near the marina. The first night we went to a really nice restaurant on the marina and I had a Ceaser salad, it is surprising how much you actually crave salad, fruit and veg when you are constantly eating rubbish for 6 weeks!! It is just so expensive out here. The next day we went to Wet n Wild the water park just outside Surfers which was a really good day. They had some really good rides, especially the only loop the loop water slide in the world. It was so funny to watch though as some people didn't make it all the way round, so you had to get out of the escape hatch at the top. Generally though the people that didn't make it round were size 8 tiny women as they were too light, needless to say, I made it all the way round no problem!!!

We cooked dinner in the hostel on the second night and then James went to bed relatively early as he was not feeling too great, too much excitement for one day I think! ;) I went for a few drinks with the girls we met in Coffs Harbour.

We spent the next day sunbathing in the morning, then looking around Surfers itself in the afternoon. We then sat in the park on massive beanbags until the coach picked us up at 5.00pm.


We had heard relatively bad things about Surfers paradise, that it was a bit like Blackpool abroad but James and I thought it was okay. We really enjoyed our time there although there is not much 'scenery' other than beach which is probably why some people don't like it! It is also full of high rise buildings too, but it just meant it was a bit different then some of the other places we have visited!