The Water's Brown So We Might As Well Swim

Goodbye sweet summer.

We've now got 100 hostel mates, and it'll grow to 130 by this afternoon. It's back to brushing up on my calculus, physics and chemistry... and crocheting, painting and drawing. I just picked up a couple books from the library on colour and upholstery. Scotty is back in school and I am sooo jealous (weird how that happens- you get out of school and then can't wait to go back), so I am going to pick up some notebooks and a day planner (I love day planners!) and do a little self directed studying.

Last night Scotty and I went for a "late" (10pm) night walk. The air was warm, the city lights twinkled below us and everything was quiet (except for our street- where a drunken party had been raging since dinner). I got nostalgic for the nights of summers long ago when I used to play with the neighbourhood kids and return to the house when it got dark. We ran into an animal I have never seen before, and I have no clue what it is called (like a giant bushbaby/squirrel).

Anyways,

....once upon a time in Australia, two weary travellers travelled south from Brisbane and found themselves in Byron Bay.

I would describe Byron Bay is the "Whistler/Tofino" of Australia. We pulled into this magical little town after dark on boxing day. Boys in board shorts and women in gauzy bohemian dresses spilled into the streets. One hopped-up lady actually flashed the car as she was crossing the street in front of us.

"Where are we?"

"Where everybody else is."

Sleeping in a car is an art. Not only do you have to perfect balling your clothing into a pillow, make "curtains" out of shirts by closing them in the top of the door or finding that perfect balance between leg room and seat recline (because you can't have maximum of both at the same time in a Suzuki Swift), but you also have to find a place to park the car.

Australia is awfully accepting of people sleeping in their cars. Many of the rest-stops are overflowing with camper vans, but many are just off the freeway, and the art of sleeping through semi-trucks straining to get up a hill just isn't something I am interested in learning. Luckily, we had Brian's GPS (I switched the voice to an Aussie bloke named "Brad"), so we'd usually search for a neighbourhood park (and I would start to get testy after the 3rd "miss"). We stumbled upon this amazing, dark and super quiet lot. Our headlights revealed a handful of camper vans also staying in the lot with us.

That night was hot. So hot. I slept in a tank top and capri tights. Despite having our windows down and sleeping barefoot with no blankets, I woke up a few times plastered in sweat. There was zero air flow- not the slightest bit of breeze, so it was quite a surprise the next morning, at 6am, when I pulled back the t-shirt curtain to reveal a parking lot full of (noisy) surfers (apparently we were sleeping next to the beach). Scotty had been up since 5am. By 6:20 I threw in the towel and grumpily admitted that we needed to move.

BYRON BAY CATERS TO RICH HIPPIES AND YOGI'S

As we pulled out, people were actually waiting for spots! We pulled into a side street and tried (and failed) to have a nap on the beach. While I was gone to fetch some fruit from the car, Scotty spotted dolphins playing in the surf. When I got back, he had this wild-eyed look as he told me about it- his mouth was moving, but his brain was thinking about swimming the 600m out to them. Instead, we hiked along the beach path and took in the amazingness of this place.

WE TRIED FOR A NAP, BUT ENDED UP WATCHING SURFERS AND DOLPHINS

AN ABSOLUTE STUNNER OF A BEACH, AND IT JUST GOES ON FOR MILES AND MILES. SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE IS ELLE MACPHERSON- WE LATER SAW THAT SHE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED ON THE BEACH THE DAY WE WERE THERE

After wandering the boutiques and grabbing a coffee in town, we headed to Lennox Head. There were breath-taking views of seven mile beach from the top of Pat Morton/Lennox Point lookout- we watched a pod of tiny surfers below as they carved along the waves and disappeared into barrels.

NO GOLF, NO SHOOTING, NO GROUND CAMPING? LIGHTEN UP PAT.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO BRUN HIS SCALP

A mere few hundred meters off Seven Mile Beach lies Lake Ainsworth.

The deep rust-coloured water is a result of tannins from the therapeutic oils effused from surrounding tea trees. Swimming in this natural tea tree lake seems a bit odd at first, but seeing the crowds of people along its shores makes it seem okay to climb into its dark brown water. Not being able to see my feet while standing knee-deep in the water was a bit unnerving for me, but as I got past the overhanging branches, the leaf-covered bottom turned to sand and the water was so warm- it was begging to be floated in. If I had a tube, I would have floated in those peaceful waters all day.

TEA TREE LAKE

I'VE REALLY MASTERED THE STARFISH

But we didn't have all day. We towelled off and climbed into the car with our drippy hair and damp togs and drove, windows down, to Angourie. This tiny town, and I mean tiny (population under 200 people), is home (he grew up here and now has a sprawling manor) to Gordon Merchant- founder of Billabong. Despite the lack of signs, Scotty and I found the blue pools. These popular swimming holes are separated from the crashing surf by a rock shelf and lie only 20m from the ocean. Scotty scaled the limestone cliffs for a little cliff-jumping.

WATCHING HOW IT'S DONE. MAKING SURE IT'S SAFE.

These pools used to be a rock quarry until an underground spring found its way into them, and now provides an unreal bathing haven- a peaceful place to watch the giant waves smashing into the rocks just footsteps away.

HELLO BLUE EYES

Our day ended in Coff's Harbour. I was completely blown away by the kindness of an old highschool friend who had gone out of her way to make sure that we be able to enjoy her house while she and her family were away. I cannot even explain the elation we felt dropping our bags onto the floor, putting groceries for that night's dinner on the table and seeing a bed waiting to be slept in! No matter how much you recline the seat, you are never totally horizontal sleeping in the Swift. Three nights om the car later, Scotty's ankles were huge and my toes were like sausages (next time we'll wear pressure stockings). A night in the Hammill's bed did wonders for our swollen feet. I think we slept 11 hours straight. Bliss.

Becky and her hubby Steve are gold in my books. She had seen that we were coming to Australia and made sure to let us know that we were welcome to stay with them whether they were home or not. After dropping our bags on the floor, we immediately bee-lined to the back yard to meet the beloved Ruca. There was an immediate bond between Scotty and her. It's moments like the photo below that make this girl's heart swell with love for that man. The tenderness of a man who melts for animals and talks to them in a higher and softer voice (which they are completely unaware that they're doing)- it just kills me.

THEY ONLY JUST MET, AND ALREADY BFF'S

WHOA. THAT IS AWESOME.

We spoiled Ruca and not only let her in the house, but Scotty shared his teriyaki chicken with her... it's what aunties and uncles do best- break all the rules.

SHARE YOUR CHICKEN, GET A FRIEND FOR LIFE

And to top it all off, not only did the Hammill's leave their house and puppy to us, but Becky also wrote out some spots worth seeing in the area and set out a bottle of wine with two glasses with directions to a spot to enjoy the sun set. Sadly, we an hour late, but the wine was enjoyed in the backyard- Ruca happily chewing on a bone nearby, birds singing a final song against the pale pink sky, and dinner cooking on the stove.

Sometimes You Have To Share Your Cheese

Two nights ago we heard a clatter out on the back steps.

It's either a cat of a ghost I thought to myself.

Scotty got up to inspect it. It took him a while of staring out the window at this little form until he figured out what it was.

"It's a hedgehog!"

I could barely contain my excitement. Wild hedgehog. On my back step. Eating the cat food I left out for the stray neighbourhood cats (we feed so many more than just Sullivan).

I got Scotty to quietly open the door so that I could throw more kibble at it.

He froze when he caught sight of my giant eyes and even bigger grin. His little spikes all standing on end.

We closed the door again and listened to him "crunch, crunch, crunch." I was too distracted to watch TV an kept going back to watch the little guy eat. After he left, Brian came by and told us that you can actually pick them up and they don't bite.

30 mins later, we heard the food dish getting pushed around. "He's back!" I squealed. Scotty grabbed the video camera and I grabbed the hedgehog (after awkwardly figuring out what to do with the cheese I was eating). Below is a little video of meeting our first wild hedgehog.

I put him back outside with lots of food and some cheese. He came back last night after I fell asleep (he leaves lots of crumbs behind), guess he forgave me for picking him up.

I'm Just Counting Time Zones

Christmas Day night.

Another late night arrival. We slept in the parking lot of a strip mall just outside Brisbane. Scotty rolled his t-shirts into the windows and covered the windshield with our towels so we would have a little privacy the next morning when the shop employees arrived to work.

TOOTHPASTE SPLOT RIGHT BEHIND THE CAR. YOU CAN CAGE THIS ANIMAL, BUT I'LL ALWAYS BE WILD.

On our way in, we drove past the Australia Zoo- owned and adored by the late Steve Irwin. The next morning we went to one of the memorials, and I totally surprised myself by how choked up I got. Anyone who knows me at all knows I am a hopeless animal maniac. Someone who had such a passion for all living things, who never could contain his excitement when he found a lizard, snake or crocodile and would gush about how much of a "beaut" said creature was... to lose him was a loss for the human race, but it was an even greater loss for those who can't speak for themselves... aaaaannnddd I'm getting choked up again.

THE ROADWAY THAT THE ZOO SITS ON WAS NAMED AFTER STEVE IRWIN. I WAS ALL CHOKEY AND TEARY.

The world could use a few more giant-hearted lunatics like him.

Sadly, we only got to the gates of this zoo (which means I'll have to come back with my lunatic animal adoring friend who rescues every dog and cat she looks at)- if I went in, I would be there til closing, and we didn't have a full day to spare, but seeing that memorial was huge for me. Totally unexpected. Sparked a little something in my heart maybe?

SECURITY THOUGHT I WAS MAD IN MY PJS AND BARE FEET AT 7AM. LADY- THE ZOO DOESN'T OPEN TIL 9:30, YOU'VE GOT TIME TO PUT ON REAL CLOTHES AND RUN A COMB THROUGH YOUR HAIR

We tend to live in a continual state of time zone counting, but Boxing Day down here meant it was Christmas at home- so throughout the day we kept track of what people at home might be doing ("it's 6pm at home, I bet everyone is sitting down to Christmas Dinner" *stares at rumpled piece of bread*)

By 9 am we were gazing at the Glass House Mountains- a group of 11 hills that rise abruptly from the landscape. Access to the peaks is restricted as they are of significant spiritual meaning to the Gubbi Gubbi people. In Dreamtime, Mount Beerwah (the tallest mountain) is the Mother mountain- the giver of life.

We walked through the eucalyptus trees and kept our eyes peeled for 'roos and koalas, but all we found were the source of all the loud buzzing noises above our head: a beetle the size of a june bug- how they can make such a racket is a mystery to me.

After swooning til our swooners were sore, we headed to Redcliffe to see Moreton Bay. While Moreton Island and its abundance of wild dolphins sounds like a total dream (accessible by ferry, but can only get around the island by 4-wheel hire), the mainland side of the bay wasn't as spectacular. Moreton Bay is a sanctuary to dolphins, whales, sharks and boasts the largest Loggerhead turtle population in the country. I presume the water is normally quite calm, but the Christmas swells were still churning up the water on boxing day. If there were turtles, there was no way we would be able to see them. 

BEACH GYMS- I AM FAR TOO AWKWARD TO USE THEM

YOU'RE CUTE. I'LL KEEP YOU AROUND.

STILL A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER BEFORE NEW YEARS EVE.

So it was on to the David Fleay Wildlife Park to see a real live Platypus. 

"Established by Australian naturalist David Fleay in 1952, the Park today is home to many native animals, which are displayed in surroundings similar to their natural habitats. Managed by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Park aims to raise community awareness about the need to protect native animals, especially rare and threatened species. The Park has a long tradition of breeding native animals and also includes an animal hospital for sick, injured and orphaned animals."- wikipedia

What a peculiar little creature- like a duck, beaver and otter rolled up into one seriously adorable animal. Pictures were tough, as they were in a noctournal house and they just wouldn't sit still. They were so much smaller than I had expected- maybe 10 inches bill to tail. I think we watched them for 30 mins straight. I got a serious kick out of the little lady-platypus who loved to climb up into the waterfall and then belly slide down it into the bigger tank. The keeper said he was pretty sure she enjoyed it because the other girl couldn't figure it out, so it was more of a "look what I can do" than anything. He also told us that the Platypus is the only venomous mammal (males have a spur on their hind leg)- some interesting trivia (you can put that in your back pocket for the next time there's a lull in the conversation).

EXHAUSTED FROM EATING AND "BEING KOALA"

Koalas are what does it for me. Living, breathing, lazy-as-anything teddybears that spend their days eating, sleeping and thinking about sleeping. Rumour is that Koalas are lazy because they get stoned off the eucalyptus leaves. It's a lie (they are very laid back due to their low energy diet), but they do look like little happy stoner teddy bears. 

OH PLEASE, JUST ANOTHER GOOGLY-EYED TOURIST... TOO BAD THE BEARS IN YOUR COUNTRY WILL MAUL YOUR FACE OFF.

And then we saw an animal I didn't even know existed: the tree kangaroo. He actually came down his tree while we were watching him and hopped along a beam just like a kangaroo, and then he got fought his friend away from the food like a boss.

POCKET-SIZED WALLABY ON THE LEFT AND THE TREE KANGAROO ON THE RIGHT

It was probably around then that I realized we were the only two people in the park. I got a bit giddy at the thought of being locked in for the night (I'm totally climbing in to the koala enclosure). Instead of leaving, we went back to watch those batty little Platypuses again (it's happening, I'm gonna spend the entire night in a tender embrace with a koala). Those blasted exit doors were still unlocked when we tried them, completely killing my dream.

EVEN THOUGH I'M IMPRESSED, I'M STILL SCARED OF YOU

Surfer's Paradise isn't a surfer's idea of paradise- it's more for people who love to spend money... it felt like the Vegas of Australia. Definitely a lively spot. I imagine a lot of backpackers and caravaners plan on spending one day here, but wake up 4 days later in a ditch. It is full of glitz and glamour and you can hear the voices urging you to pretend you're not sleeping in a car and go out and spend big. We settled on $5 pizza, people watched and wandered through the shops (I've been to Vegas. Twice. I know how to enjoy without spending much). 

JUST STAY THERE SUGAR... I'M GETTING SOME REALLY GOOD SHOTS (STORYOFHISLIFE)

THANKS FOR DOING YOUR PART METER MAIDS.

THEY LOVE THEIR PIES DOWN HERE. WE HAVE "FRIDAY PIE-DAY" AT THE HOSTEL. TOO BAD THE VEGETARIAN OPTION IS A WHITE BUN AND A STINK EYE

But city skyline plus beach?... I'm a total sucker for it. Reminds me of that beautiful city I call home.