5 full days of salty air, sandy toes and good vibes - what more could a gal ask for? Best part, I got to live out my life long dream of traveling and sleeping in a camper van all while experiencing the amazing beaches on Australia's east coast. Having ended our last week of classes, my good friend Jess and I decided to head up to Byron Bay for the long weekend. We flew in to Brisbane on Friday and picked up our home on wheels. Called the El Cheapo, our van from Jucy was a site to behold. Featuring two seats up front, a full bed in the back with a cooler, electric stove and pump stove, it had everything we could need. Our first stop was the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the oldest and largest Koala Sanctuary in the world. I was able to finally hold a koala, something I have been wanting to do since I landed in Australia and it was well worth the wait. After we explored a bit of Brisbane, we spent the rest of the day heading down the coastal highway toward Byron Bay. We passed waterfalls, gorgeous mountain views, rolling farm hills, and the iconic Surfer's Paradise. That night we made it to Byron Bay and found a camper van park for the night.
Byron is by far my favorite place I have been to in Australia. It's a quirky beach town, where every car is topped with a surf board, shoes are a foreign concept, hippies gather from every corner of the globe and good vibes flow in every direction. In short, it felt peaceful and harmonious, something that is hard to come by in today's world. It reminded me to slow down, go with the flow and take time to appreciate this life I am lucky enough to be living. As you drive into town you are welcomed with a sign to cheer up, slow down and chill out and that's just what we did. On Saturday we woke up to see the sunrise over the iconic Cape Byron Lighthouse, well worth the 5 am wake up call. After enjoying the view, we watched the surfers catch the early morning waves before wandering around town. In the late morning, we met up with our friends who had rented a villa in Byron (beyond thankful to them for letting us park in their driveway so we didn't have to pay to park in camper van parks every night). We spent the rest of Saturday at the beach, absorbing every bit of sunrise we could with them. Sunday was another day dedicated to the beach, soaking in the tide and the sun. On Monday, I did what anyone would typically do on a Monday morning, I jumped out of a plane and it was AMAZING. Now don't get me wrong, that moment dangling out of the plane before free falling, had my heart beating a million miles an hour. But I have never felt so alive and exhilarated. It was a weird mix of being in total peace floating through the air and losing my mind that I was flying or should I say falling. As soon as I landed I wanted to go up and do it all over again - sorry Mom and Dad. After an adrenaline rush in the morning we spent the rest of the day at the beach and ended the perfect day by walking to the lighthouse along the coast for sunset. On Tuesday, Jess and I had to head back to Brisbane to return our van. We woke up early and took the day to drive around and explore. It was my favorite sort of day, with only a few stops planned and everything else being spontaneous and surprising. We found the most beautiful places on accident and it was the perfect end to an amazing trip. Couldn't have asked for anything more; great vibes, sandy toes, and wonderful friends. As you can see from the pictures below life is freaking good (musings continued after).
4 waterfalls, 2 scenic routes, 6 beaches, 1 abandoned rail road, 1 Team GB, 2 sunsets, 3 family dinners, 2 birthdays, 1 lighthouse, 4 beaches with squeaky sand, 1 El Cheapo Camper, 2 snakes, 1 airplane, 3 lizards, 1 parachute, 5 new profile pictures, 6 VW vans, 300 new freckles, 20 surfers, and 5 days later I am filled to the brim with salt water and good vibes. Life in Byron Bay is what dreams are made of and I want to spend the rest of the days with sandy toes surrounded by salty air. Such a good long weekend with great friends in another beautiful place.
Cheers - keleniak
p.s. Before this experience I promised myself I would do one new/possibly scary thing a week: This week I did so many new and exciting things. First, I held a koala!!!! Dreams do come true my friends and it was the cutest lil'fluff ball. Second, I got to drive around and sleep in a camper van!!! Third, I jumped out of an airplane and it was the most exhilarating experience. Now that's what I call a good week!