A bit Down Under - Byron Bay, Australia

Feb. 7, 2009 –

It was here that we hooked up with 10 other friends boy did we have a fun time! We stayed in apartment like facilities a block from the beach. Byron Bay is sort of like Santa Monica, but 50 years ago. The scene was surfer young with long sandy beaches, warm waters, scrumptious food, shopping and fabulous waves.

Debbie Hart, Michelle’s dear friend, set up a fun filled itinerary for all. We started with a bus tour to Nimbin, Steve’s favorite place on earth. It was an hour ride from Byron, through luscious green hills and towns with beautiful Victorian homes. The bus was an alternative tour in which the ride was synchronized to music. It was fabulous!!! Nimbin itself is an alternative town, feeling like a place right out of the 60’s during the Berkeley era. It was filled with tie dye and all the other accoutrement's from that era.

Day number 2, had us kayaking out into the ocean. We went through the waves to get outside the surf and there they were, a school of about 25 dolphins, coming so close that we could almost touch them. We watched for about 30 minutes and rode back in to land on one great wave. I was so excited. As we were riding in and paddling with the surf, I yelled out, “We’re doing it!!!” Then we tipped at the shoreline and came up laughing like two year olds.

Day number 3 was a real treat. A group of us took surfing lessons with the 1965 World Champion surfer, Rusty Miller. His daughter helped with the lessons, but not until Rusty himself, worked with Michelle was she able to ride the wave. Boy was she happy.
We celebrated Stevo’s birthday with a delicious gourmet dinner and yummy birthday cake. It was a fabulous day of relaxing and enjoying. We made up fun loving chats to honor Stevo AKA Stoney.

On day number 4 we were able to slip in a walk to the lighthouse, a 5 mile loop to the most eastern point in Australia. Some of us stayed and played on the beach. We didn’t realize it at the time, but this would be our last opportunity to truly enjoy the beach scene the way we liked. A Northern Monsoon was on it’s and the rains came and came and came. After three days of rain, we were sad to say goodbye to our friends but the time had come. We had so much fun celebrating Steve’s special day (or week) but our journey was calling.

Plans were to head off to Sydney but rain was predicted for the full week (due to the monsoon). Michelle went into work mode and made some last minute arrangements taking us to the land of the Tasmanian Devil, Tasmania Australia. It was here that the weather forecast was much more pleasing. Let’s see what this next adventure brings.