Okay, I attempted this letter about a week ago and the computer kicked me off as I pushed send! Arrgg!
Hey there my beautiful friends and loved ones!
Last time we wrote we were in the lovely Byron Bay between Sydney and Brisbane on the coast. Did I mention what an amazing place it was? I could live there for an eternity. We spent nearly all of our time lounging on the lovely beaches bathed in salt and sand and sunshine. Our second day there we found a great music store that gave free didgeridoo lessons and we took one with a fun little girl named Cherry who gave me a monstrous smack on the ass for talking shit at one point! I think I like that girl!
Day fifteen and we sit a our new favorite restaurant, I sip strong soy lattes and Jeff feeds himself this cardiac arrest breakfast that he has come to love. We rented a surfboard that day but the water was all chop and we couldn't surf, we are also becoming increasingly aware of how dangerous the waters can be with there tremendous rip tides. Jeffrey got a bit grumpy because he couldn't surf that day but he pulled out his harmonica and ripped out what I call "the shitty surfing blues" and immediately appeared to feel better. I also decided to buy my new didge and shipped it home to my sis's house for her to rock the house with, what an amazing instrument! It is created out of many different varieties of Eucalyptus Tree. The termites burrow through long branches hollowing the piece. The Aborigines then paint up the exterior with there individual dreamtime and tribal markings. Mine is lovely!
Jeffrey wasn't sure if he wanted to buy his own so he asked the wonderful man that owned the store if he could rent one and he replied by saying, "rent? why don't I just lone you one?" and without a deposit, social security number, driver's license, or whatever we went to our hostel with one. Have I mentioned what amazing people these Aussies are?
The following day, Jeff and I did our separate things (because we might just have a murder/suicide on our hands soon if we don't!) I went for a beautiful hike along the white beaches and played in tidal pools. I then hiked up to an old lighthouse (1901) first, taking a shortcut where I narrowly escaped with my life as I nearly walked into a spider web that appeared to be made out of nylon rope! (insert horrible images of a gargantuine spider sucking the life out of Rebbie). Then on to a loop track with no one around and I saw a male bush turkey who nearly walked into me before he noticed I was watching him ( I am a stealth bomber when it comes to animal watching!) The male Bush Turkey looks just like the kind you used to draw when you were in Kindy by tracing your hand. They are all black and there tail fans vertically, there heads are bright red and vibrant yellow. Later I found two huge nests that the males were building which apparently take months for them to create and are several yards across and seated on the rainforest floor.
At the lighthouse I had a 360 degree view, 300 degrees of which were open ocean in which the whales are currently migrating. I also got to set foot on the most easterly portion of the Australian continent.
Later, Jeffrey and I went to a local festival/market that takes place on the first Sunday of every month. There were lovely hippies everywhere selling there wares, yummy vegan food, etc.Cherry on the sundae? The delicious drum circle afterwards!
Highlight the next day (besides the lovely ocean of course) was the chocolate shop we stumbled into in the middle of nowhere! When we walked in we were immediately given fresh blueberries dipped in chocolate, mmmm. We were told the main ingredient that they used was love. This place is a kicker! We sampled chocolate covered fresh strawberries, a macadamia butter cup, and the best dark chocolate with chillies in it. After that, more didgeridoo lessons! Jeffrey bought his own didge the next day, I knew he would he hasn't stopped practicing since he borrowed one. He didn't want to ship his home and wants to get rid of some of the weight in his pack so he can have it with him . I got kicked out of the bed so that he can sleep with his didge now, can you believe it?!
On day nineteen, we headed to a place called Surfer's Paradise up the coast. (against my will, I could have stayed in Byron forever!) We had been told that Surfer's was like Miami, Cancun or Hawaii. We hated it, with its skyscrapers right on the lovely beaches, looming over and shading them out in early afternoon. It is a city of hotel sprawl and complete isolation, ugly. We decided to go on a club crawl that night because we met a nice guy that was one of the guides. On the shuttle over to the first club Jeffrey and I crossed our fingers and just repeated our mantra "oh please, oh please, let this be halfway fun!" It was okay after a couple of drinks though. However, the night turned livelier, as I got seriously ill from the food we had eaten earlier on. We had gone to a Thai restaurant that didn't have anything veggie listed on the menu and I foolishly believed the woman when she said it would be easy to make something vegan for me, nodding her head when I listed the things I couldn't have. I ended up explosively vomiting all over the club we went too, it was horribley embarresing! Jeff found it hilarious that I got sick from food in Australia but never in Mexico! It took me two full days to feel better from that one.
Surfer's Paradise was a terrible let down and we struggled to find something to do there. We settled on a weak game of Mini Golf which I won but I suspect that Jeffrey might have let me! We ended our visit there with more walks along the beaches avoiding washed up Jelly fish, and watching Surf Sailing (amazing sport!). The beaches are funky, you have this huge, expansive beach and are only allowed to swim in one area defined by brightly coloured flags that represent the current conditions of the ocean. We suspect that you need to stay in front of the lifegaurds because of dangerous rips, or that the area might me "screened" in due to sharks and salt water crocs. (we read about this previously). Then off to Brisbane the next day.
Okay, out of time, tune in next time kiddos, same bat time, same bat channel. I love you all with all of my sappy little heart and cherish all of the beautiful notes you have been sending us.
My heart to all of you, Rebecca
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